GIVEAWAY: Safe Harvest Seed Bank from LPC Survival (3 Winners!)

With spring fast approaching and everybody already planning & starting their gardens... this is a giveaway you don't want to miss.

Really... a seed bank that you can save up to 5 years. Who wouldn't want to have that in hand just in case something happens?

The Safe Harvest Seed Bank™ contains the highest quality heirloom vegetable seeds available. The seeds are 100% Non-GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms), open-pollinated, and placed in specially sealed packets which provide for long-term storage.

The Safe Harvest Seed Bank™ is yours for one LOW price and supplies a LARGE balance of seeds from the most recent harvest.

It is also packaged for long term storage (5+ years) but priced so you can start planting this year! The affordability and great quality of this Seed Vault make it your best choice for both planting and storage!

See below the list of seeds included in the seed bank... all are 100% Heirloom and Non-GMO:

This would make a great spring gift to someone special and it is on sale right now for $33.33!

Jeff from LPC Survival is generously giving 3 winners a seed bank of their own! Be sure to check out the LPC Survival site where he offers Berkey water filters, food storage, organic food and more.

Enter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Confessions of a Cloth Diaper Convert with Awesome Freebies!

I know I haven't shared much here about cloth diapers, but I couldn't pass up sharing with you all about this awesome ebook that just came out yesterday!

But first, let me share with you my personal experience with cloth diapers...

I've been cloth diapering for over 6 years now and pretty much dived head first into it when my firstborn was a couple months old. I bought a set of one-size bumGenius diapers and simply followed their instructions that came with the stack of diapers.

Simple and easy.

I didn't do a whole lot of research before buying them... I just googled "buy cloth diapers", clicked on the first store that popped up and bought the lease expensive set.

So glad I did.

Later, just before my second girl was born I bought a stack of one-size Happy Heinys diapers and now I have passed those two sets of diapers down to my third and fourth babies.

Honestly, I think if I had done research and read everybody's experience on cloth diaper... I think it would have scared me away from going for it.

I guess I am that kind of person... just do it or scare myself away with too much information  :o)  LOL!

As time went one and whenever I had a problem with my diapers... I would simply research on the internet, but I agree that there is way too much information about cloth diapers these days and it can get confusing!

Which is why I am excited to share with you the Confessions of a Cloth Diaper Convert eBook.

Those are my diapers up there... aren't they colorful, cute and fun?! Seriously, I love that cloth diapers are so much more fashionable than disposable ones!

Here are some adorable pictures of my second daughter (who is now 4 years old!)...

Mamas, I am being totally honest when I say that cloth diapering is so easy and simple. No more late night runs to the nearest store to buy disposables when you thought you had plenty, no more piling the landfills with plastic diapers that take years & years & years to de-compost, no more exposing your baby's sweet skin to toxics from disposables and no more spending money on something that won't payoff over time (you lose money with disposable, but you save money with cloth).

Now, let's talk about the cloth diaper ebook...

Yesterday Erin launched her long awaited eBook, Confessions of a Cloth Diaper Convert! 

This book is over 200 pages long and Erin really went out of her way to making it has thorough as possible. Here's her story: "When I first started cloth diapering, I was so confused about all the information about cloth diapering. And I made just about every mistake in the book. I've written this handbook to save others the same frustration--and time researching!"

This is invaluable... everything you need to know about cloth diapering in one place. Even, I, with 6 years of experience, am learning some new things!

For the launch of her new book (this week only!!), Erin is offering her ebook for $9.95 - less than the cost of using disposable diapers for one week!

 

And the best part about the deal...

Awesome Free Baby Accessories!

A free nursing cover by Udder Covers!
($34.95 value!)

A free baby sling from Seven Slings
($48 value!)

A free nursing pillow from Nursing Pillow
($39.95 value!)

A free carseat canopy from Carseat Canopy
($49.95 value!)

I actually have 2 nursing covers, 2 baby slings and 1 nursing pillow from this company! I love them and highly recommend their stuff.

Note: Shipping is NOT included. Be sure to check it before entering your credit card information! Be sure to check it before entering your credit card information.

Here's a video of Erin talking about her book:

Not only is Erin blessing us with all her information about cloth diapers... she also got us some pretty sweet deals! Read on...

Exclusive, Secret Coupon Codes to Cloth Diapering/Natural Living Stores
Diaper HQ: 10% off

Smart Snug: 20% off

Jack Be Natural: 10% off (Some restrictions apply.)

Sweet Little Blessings: 10% off

The Joyful Giraffe: 10% off

Over the Moon: Free shipping on orders over $20 use secret code

Smart Bottoms: 10% off

Mighty Nest: 10% off

Jenuinely Pure: 15% off

Third Day Naturals: 5% off

Crunchy Clean: 10% off

Lexie: Naturals: Secret code will entitle anyone who makes a purchase of any value to receive a free lotion sample

Young Living Essential Oils from The Encouraging Home: FREE guide to Using Essential Oils AND 10% off order (plus options to add other freebies as well!)

MadeOn Hard Lotion: 15% off

*Please note that all of these coupon codes expire within the next 2-6 weeks. Some of the stores offer free shipping and some do not.


DISCOUNTED Natural Pregnancy/Parenting Books & eBooks
The Making Babies Series from The Bulk Herb Store: 40% off {This is a hardbound book and dvd series!}

Redeeming Childbirth: 30% off autographed series + free shipping {print book!}

My Pregnancy Journey {A keepsake journal and planner and journal for one of the most special times in your life}: 50% off

First Bites: How to Instill Healthy Eating Habits During Your Baby's First Year: 25% off

From Breast to Bib: Nourishing Healthy Children, One Meal at a Time OR Healthy Pregnancy Super Foods: 30% off

Unbound Birth: 20% off

Stress-Free Baby Shower: 75% off! (You get the ebook for only $1!!!)

"Baby's First Year Month-by-Month" printables for both boy and girl (24 total!): FREE ($16 value total...although anyone can get them NOW by subscribing to my posts)

*Please note that all of these coupon codes expire within the next 2-6 weeks. There is no shipping on electronic products.

Now you know why I think this is awesome...

If you are looking into getting cloth diapers and need good information to get you going OR you know someone who is interested (GREAT baby shower gift!)... take advantage of this awesome deal for this week only and get it all in one place by clicking here now!

Now, are you curious about cloth diapers?

Buy the book!

This post has affiliate links... through your purchase I will get a small commission (no charge to you!). This is a blessing to me and my family. Thanks!

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Homemade Natural Deodorant That Works!

When we first started out the road to living more naturally... one of the first things to go was the deodorant.

The Stinky Story
It was a bold step for us at the time and we were really nervous about the stinky body odor that was surely going to follow us around for a while.

We learned that eating a good, clean diet and drinking plenty of water can help cut down the BO, but sometimes you need a little extra help. We all know that the commonly used antiperspirants work pretty good for the most part, but that's if you don't care about all the aluminum that is being soaked into your body via the stinky armpits and how it prevents you from detoxing naturally through your sweat.

For those of us who care and want a more natural option... the choices are many, but very few actually work. Some even have aluminum and other yucky ingredients even though the product is supposed to be "natural".

I share this from personal experience, as a woman who rode (and still does when not pregnant!) horses, loves to work hard and likes a good sweat.

Sweat is not something I gross out about, but body odor... I do.

When Jon and I first threw away our conventional deodorants, we started out trying the Thai Crystal Deodorant Stone and it worked great... but for only a year or so before we started to really stink enough to try something different.

Out went that deodorant and in came the Crystal Body Deodorant... same idea as the first one, but supposedly better.

Same results... we still stunk like BO and it was getting really embarrassing.

Saved by the Powder
What were we gonna do?!  Sweat like a stinky horse?! Thankfully, I learned of a homemade version using baking soda, arrowroot or cornstarch and essential oils.

This powder deodorant saved us from the embarrassment of BO. It was kind of messy getting it on, but we weren't complaining!

We used it for a couple years, but just recently I decided to change it up and add in coconut oil because we were tired of getting powder everywhere.

After trying different variations... I had to make two different kinds. We found out the painful way that my hubby cannot have essential oils in his deodorant because it causes him to break out in a rash. As for me, I use essential oils with no problems... the rosemary is my favorite! Word of advise, try a small amount before making a batch to see if you can tolerate essential oils on your armpits.

Through that whole process I found that using plain coconut oil works fairly well. You can do that if you don't really want to make your own deodorant. My hubby did that for a while to let his pits heal up, but he felt like he need a little more power and so I made him a plain version of mine.

Try and see what works for you.

The Ingredients
I will share the powdered recipe along with the recipe for the solid form of deodorant below. Both work great, but we prefer the solid deodorant for obvious reasons.

A few things to keep in mind when making your deodorant... where we live is cool enough that we can keep the deo in a deodorant stick without worrying about it melting. If you are in an area where is it hot or concern about it melting... simply pour it into a small jar OR add a couple tablespoons of beeswax and/or shea butter. You will have to melt them all together using the double boiler method before adding in the dry ingredients and essential oils.

Essential oils... I highly recommend that you use a little bit of tea tree along with your favorite essential oil(s). The tea tree is anti-bacterial and paired up with coconut oil makes a nice double kick against the stinky odor-causing bacteria.

I like to buy all my ingredients from Mountain Rose Herbs, Amazon, Vitacost and/or Tropical Traditions. I know my essential oils shown in the pictures are not from Mountain Rose Herbs... they were gifts from friends and I appreciate them!

I have found that Mountain Rose Herbs' essential oils are of excellent quality... I still have some that I bought over 2 years ago and they work great!

Alright, enough chatter, let's get to work making...

Homemade Natural Deodorant that Works!

Solid Form:

6 - 8 Tbsp coconut oil (NOT melted)

1/3 cup arrowroot powder (or non-gmo cornstarch)

1/4 cup baking soda

essential oils (optional)

2 Tbsp beeswax and/or shea butter (optional)

1. Mix arrowroot powder & baking soda together in a medium bowl.
2. Mash in 6 Tbsp of coconut oil with a spoon until well mixed. It should be creamy with a slightly dry texture. If you need more, add 1 Tbsp at a time.
3. Add in essential oils, if desired. You will need about 10 - 15 drops total for each batch.
4. Store in a small glass jar or deodorant container (will need to melt gently first and pour in).

Favorite Essential Oil Combinations:
tea tree and rosemary
lavender and orange
lemon, lavender and frankincense
tea tree and lavender
yland yand and orange
peppermint and lemon

Favorite Single Essential Oils:
Tea Tree
Pine
Peppermint
Lavender
Rosemary
Frankincense

Extras:
-- Add 2-3 capsule of probiotics (pull the cap apart and add powder in with dry ingredients).
-- Use cocoa butter or mango butter instead of shea butter.

Powder Form:
6 Tbsp arrowroot powder
4 Tbsp baking soda
Essential Oils

1. Mix arrowroot powder & baking soda in a small bowl.
2. Add essential oils of your choice (recommended amount above).
3. Store in a glass jar and use a blush brush to powder your armpits.

One More Thing...

Something to keep in mind, when you first start out using natural deodorant... your armpits are going to sweat a lot at first, but they will dry out over time has your body adjusts to being able to sweat naturally.

Remember, antiperspirants plug up your sweat glands and the natural deodorant is basically helping "unplug" them. Think of your glands all swelled up like little balloons with yucky toxics that need to get drained out.

So, don't freak out if you sweat a lot in the first couple weeks... that's a good sign that your body is detoxing and getting back to normal function!

Have you tried making your own deodorant with success? What are you favorite scents? Share below!

This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link, your cost will be the same but I will receive a small commission. The commissions I receive goes to support my family, our ministry and helps keep my blog going. Thank you for your willingness to use the links to support us & help me keep Just Making Noise going!

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Beef Tongue Part 2: How to Cook Tongue in 5 Easy Steps

After sharing our top 4 favorite tongue recipes, I had a few friends request that I share a simple step by step guide on how to cook tongue.

It is so easy that you might find yourself cooking up tongue more often then not!

Remember, you can't say this is gross if you've never tried it. Try it once and then you can truly say you like it or hate it.

After you've done these 5 simple steps... try the Taco de Lengua or Italian Drip Beef Tongue. Both are sure to please anybody. Just don't say that it is tongue until everybody has licked their plates clean... really, its just beef and that's not lying!

Preparing the Beef Tongue

0) Look at it and convince yourself that it's just meat.

I am half serious and half joking. For some people, it really does take some mental strength to get over the "ick-factor" of touching, preparing and eating tongue.

Now, give yourself a mental pep talk...

"that is beef. a muscle. just like any other beef cut. don't think of the 't' word. its just beef. a delicacy in other countries. higher in protein and b-12. really good for me to eat. that's beef"

deeeeep breath.

Ready?

Still with me? Good... read on!

1) Rinse off the tongue.
It is a good idea to wash off the tongue. If you really can't handle touching it... wear some gloves or ask someone to do it for you.

Wash the tongue under running water until the water runs clear and there's no blood. 


2) Cut glands off at the base of the tongue.
This step is really optional. Some like to cut it off, others leave it on.

I've done both and found that the glands are really soft & fatty when cooked. If that doesn't sound appealing to you, cut it off before cooking.

3) Cook the tongue.
When properly cooked... tongue is delicious. 

Honestly.

Here are three important notes to remember when cooking the tongue...

1) You can cook the tongue in two ways... let it cook slowly in your crock pot or simmer in your stock pot. Both ways will give you soft and tender beef that is versatile and yummy.

2) For the liquid base, use either beef stock or water. I've done both and prefer the stock for a richer flavor.

3) It is important to add in a mixture of savory & sweet veggies and spices to enhance the flavor. I like to use onions, carrots, garlic, peppercorn, bay leaves and sea salt.

Beef Stock Method:
Whenever I am making a large batch of beef stock (I let it simmer for up to 3 days!), I like to throw in the tongues and let it simmer overnight. In the picture below, I was making a small batch of beef broth and threw in a tongue to cook overnight.

If you already have beef stock made... put the tongue in your choice of crock pot or stockpot, cover with stock, add in veggies & spices and cook until done.

Water Method:
Put your tongue in a small stock pot or crock pot, cover with enough water, add in the above suggested veggies & spices and cook until done.

For a chopped tongue... cook it for 3-4 hours. For a shredded tongue... cook for 6-8 hours or overnight.

Wondering what to do with the leftover broth? You can toss it out, but I like to save it and use it in my spaghetti sauce, homemade chili or soup.




4) Peel the skin off.

When the tongue is done. Pull it out and let it cool.

When cooled enough to touch. Take a small sharp knife and cut through the skin at the base. Then you should be able to simply peel the skin off in chunks.

If you have dogs, give them the skin. They will gobble it up! If you don't have dogs, just throw it away.

5) Chop or shred up the tongue.

To shred it, take two forks and start pulling the meat apart. You might have to cut some parts, but it should pull apart easily.

If you want to chop your tongue... let it cool completely. You can stick it in the fridge for a little while. It will firm up and be easy to chop.

There you go! You now have chopped or shredded tongue ready to be used however you want. You can make tacos, sandwiches, egg bake, empanadas, stews, soups, chili or whatever... it is a very versatile meat!!

Think you can go for it now?

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Beef Tongue Part 1: Four Yummy Ways to Enjoy Eating Tongue

I am over at Spain in Iowa today, sharing my tongue recipe that I developed and perfected.

Its so yummy and real simple to make.

Really.

My family and I enjoy eating tongue in several different ways. Below I am sharing our top 4.

Have you had tongue? I know it sounds & looks kinda gross, but trust me... it is melt-in-your-mouth good when prepared properly. It tastes just like a beef roast, but with a soft & moist texture.

Did you know that tongue is considered a delicacy and widely used in Latin American, Middle Eastern and European countries? Americans are totally missing out!

Well, I'm not and I love that tongue is so easily available for us.

While searching for recipes, I came across several surprising facts about cow tongue. It gave me the boost I needed to give it a try.

Man, I'm glad I tried it!

If you aren't sure how to go about with preparing beef tongue, check out my simple 5 step tutorial and remember not to tell your family or guests exactly what you are serving (just say its beef) until everyone has cleaned up their plates and given you their compliments  ;o)

I am finding so many ways to enjoy this very versatile and frugal beef cut. I hope you will give this lowly, yet delicious organ a try at least once... I think you will be very pleased with the results!

Yummy Tongue Recipes

Flavorful. Moist. Hearty. Scrumptious. Slow cooked to melt-in-your-mouth perfection and topped on Focaccia. Grap the italian tongue recipe over at Spain in Iowa and try it!

Simple and yummy. Serve these beef tongue tacos alongside beans and rice for a complete Mexican meal. You can totally cook the tongue ahead of time and whip up these tacos when you are needing some quick, yet nourishing!

1 tongue, cooked and shredded

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

2-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Ground cumin

Dried oregano

Chile powder

Lime juice

Sea salt & pepper

Pour olive oil, lard or tallow in a medium to large pan and heat over medium until oil is hot.

Add in veggies and lightly sauteed until tender and slightly browned.

Add in shredded tongue and mix everything together. Let it sit for a minute or two and stir again.

Add spices, sea salt and pepper to taste.

Remove from heat and squeeze fresh lime juice on top. Stir and serve right away with corn tortillas.

Buen Provecho!

This egg bake is filling & delicious. Great to serve at a brunch. If you don't have kale, you can use any kind of greens in its place. 

Kale, Tomato, Artichoke Heart & Beef Tongue Egg Bake

2 cups shredded or diced cooked beef tongue

4 large leaves of kale, finely chopped

1 can artichoke hearts, drained & chopped

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 medium red onion, finely chopped

4-6 garlic cloves, minced

½ cup grated parmesan cheese

2 Tbsp fresh thyme (or 1 Tbsp dried)

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

6 large eggs

¾ tsp sea salt

several grindings of fresh black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 and generously oil a 9 x 13 baking pan.

In a large bowl, mix everything together until combined. Pour mixture into the prepared pan.

Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the eggs are set and the edges begin to turn golden brown.

Enjoy with hot sauce and fresh sour cream, if desired.

Another yummy Latin American meal. Great to make ahead and freeze! You can pop them in the toaster oven when you need something quick. Great with salads  ;o)

Follow the the taco recipe above, but add 1/2 cup raisins and remove cilantro (if desired).

Make a dough using Masa Harina and form into small circles (much like making homemade corn tortillas).

On one side, add the beef tongue mixture and fold the dough over to shape like a half moon. Press and seal the edges.

You can cook them up in one of two ways... 1) fry them up in olive oil, lard or beef tallow until golden brown  2) lay them out on a baking sheet, brush your choice of oil on top and bake until golden brown.

You can freeze the empanadas before or after cooking them.

Do you have a good tongue recipe? Please share below!

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