The Ultimate Collection of Gluten-free Christmas Cookies

You’re planning a lovely Christmas celebration this year, but your family is gluten-free, making things a tad bit more difficult in the sweets department. Let this collection gluten-free Christmas cookies pave the way for a joyous celebration!

The Ultimate Colleciton of Gluten-free Christmas Cookies

Gluten-free Sugar Cookies Wellness Becomes Her

Gluten-free Gingerbread Cookies To Simply Inspire

Gluten-free Almond Holiday Drop Cookies Ann’s Entitled Life

Gluten-free White Chocolate-dipped Gingerbread Cookies Mama Knows Gluten-free

Gluten-free Intensely Chocolate Cookie Tikkido

Almond Spritz Cookie Mama Knows Gluten-free

Gluten-free Chocolate Kiss Cookies Mama Knows Gluten-free

No Bakce Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Cookies The Monday Box

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Pecan Cookies with Orange Zest Glaze The Organic Kitchen

Orange Cranberry Holiday Thumbprint Cookies The Organic Kitchen

Gluten-free Christmas Sugar Blossom Cookies Mama Knows Gluten Free

Gluten-free Oatmeal Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies my gluten-free kitchen

Gluten-free Pfeffernusse Cookies Fearless Dining

Gluten-free Vanilla Crescent Cookies Fearless Dining

Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal Cookies Nest and Glow

Peppermint Macarons with Chocolate Ganache What the Fork

Molasses Cookies Texanerin Baking

Perfect Paleo Peppermint Cookies Texanerin Baking

Vegan Chocolate Cookies with Dark Chocolate Chips Delicious Everyday

Gluten-free Cherry Coconut Drop Cookies Super Mom No Cape

Peppermint Cream Ginger Cookies beautyandthefoodie.com

Sugar-free Gingerbread Cookies Wholesome Yum

Low Carb Keto Cream Cheese Cookies Wholesome Yum

Gluten-free Maple Bacon Oatmeal Cookies Kudos Kitchen by Renee

Triple Ginger Cookies Delicious Obsessions

Gluten-free Jam-filled Thumbprint Cookies Delicious Obsessions

Gluten-free Maple Macaroons Common Sense Home

Gluten-free Sugar Cookie Cut-outs Raising Generation Nourished

Gluten-free Chocolate Peppermint Twist Cookies Just Take a Bite!

Everything Free Chocolate Cranberry Cookies Just Take a Bite!

Blender Batter Fresh Cranberry Breakfast Cookies Raising Generation Nourished

Paleo Cinnamon Snowflake Christmas Cookies Raising Generation Nourished

Low-carb Butter Cookies with Almond Flour Savory Tooth

Paleo Sweet Beet Chocolate Crinkles Recipes to Nourish

Grain-free Chocolate Crinkles Recipes to Nourish

Gluten-free Gingerbread Chocolate Chip Cookies Flippin’ Delicious

Gluten-free Vegan Frosted Soft Sugar Cut-out Flippin’ Delicious

Dark Chocolate Pecan Haystacks Celebrating a Different Life

Best Ever Paleo Buckeyes Celebrating a Different Life

Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies Strength and Sunshine

Gluten-free Rolled Sugar Cookies Faithfully Gluten-free

Gluten-free Caramel Hot Chocolate Cookies Faithfully Gluten-free

Gluten-free Cranberry Almond Biscotti Cookies Low Carb Yum

Almond Flour Cookies with with Cranberries and Walnuts Low Carb Yum

Healthy Snickerdoodles Cookies MelanieCooks

Chocolate Crinkles “Crack” Cookies Melanie Cooks

Gluten-free White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies Gluten-free Palate

Gluten-free Gingerbread Kiss Cookies Gluten-free Palate

Gluten-free Stained Glass Cookies Noshtastic

Gluten-free White Chocolate Chip Cookies with Peppermint Noshtastic

Flourless S’Mores Peanut Butter Cookies The Monday Box

Flourless Soft Almond Cookies The Monday Box

Flourless Mocha Brownie Bites The Monday Box

I hope you enjoy this collection of gluten-free Christmas cookies! Do you know of a recipe I should add? Leave a comment with a link and I will do so!

Christmas Blessings $500 Cash Giveaway (2 winners!)

It’s hard to believe that Christmas is upon us once again. 2018 has flown right by and the holiday season is in full swing. With Christmas being the season of giving, I’ve gotten together with some pretty awesome bloggers to give TWO families some CASH in the 5th annual Christmas Blessings Giveaway – $500 cash (delivered via Paypal).

We hope that the prize will be a blessing to the winning families and help them to fulfill their kids’ Christmas wishes, pay off some bills, or to save for a rainy day. Whatever the money ends up being used for, our prayer is that it helps to lessen any financial burden and/or fills a specific need.

There are lots of entry options in the Rafflecopter form below – the more you enter, the better your chance of winning! I know it can seem tedious and time-consuming to go through all the entries, but isn’t a chance at $500 worth it? I think it is! Plus, all of these generous bloggers donated their own money toward the cash prizes and this giveaway wouldn’t be possible without them. So I hope you’ll take the time to check out each one. Who knows, maybe you will find your new favorite blog.

The giveaway will run from Monday, November 12th through Wednesday, November 21st (ends at 11:59pm EST). Winner will be notified by email shortly after the giveaway ends and will have 48 hours to respond to claim the prize or another winner will be drawn. You must have a Paypal account to win. Please be sure to read the Rafflecopter terms and conditions upon entering.

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Health Weight Loss

Tips for Creating a Health Plan for Losing Weight (free printable)

Creating a health plan for losing weight and finding other ways to get healthier in our day-to-day lives is something that many of us strive for. For some of us, it’s more important, a matter of life and death even. But, even in the most dire of circumstances, it can be hard to stay on the healthy path. We are bombarded on a daily basis with temptations. Television, fast food, even people who live in our homes can make things very difficult for us. And let me ask you this question: Why is it that unhealthy food is so much easier to consume than healthier food? Maybe because it’s absolutely everywhere you turn! Think of the last time that you stopped at the grocery store for a few items. Every aisle if filled with something unhealthy. And then, right before check out, there are those impulse items just staring at us in the face as we are waiting to pay.

Be encouraged, friend. If you are serious about getting healthy, there are some ways to make it easier. I am a firm believer in accountability, not only from people who love us and want to help, but from ourselves. And I have found that one of the ways I can keep myself most accountable is by making a health plan and using a tracking tool to record my goals and progress.

Creating a health plan for losing weight and then recording your daily activities and weekly or monthly progress can help lead to successful weight loss. Download this free printable weight loss journal and food tracker! #losingweight #weightloss #weightlossinspiration #weightlossjourney #weightlosstips #weightlossmotivation #health #healthy #healthylifestyle

Tips for Creating a Health Plan for Losing Weight

Today, I want to share a few tips for how to set goals and record progress.

Goal Setting

Start by setting your own personal goals for what you will achieve. This can be ANY goal that you are reaching toward. It’s your goal, not for anyone else to see. Both short and long term goals are a good idea, but I highly recommend thinking in terms of about 12 weeks at a time when mapping out your goals and how you will achieve them. If you make the time to achieve your first goal too far out, you’ll be tempted to procrastinate on your action steps. Suddenly 11 months in, you’ll be racing to meet an unachievable goal that needed 12 months. Most people will be able to stick to a plan for 90 days at a time. Once you achieve your goals during your first 90 days, set a new set of goals for the next 90 days.

Make certain that you are setting a goal or goals that will challenge you, and push you to your ultimate goal! Don’t create a goal that is so easy that you lose focus easily. And make those goals measurable. If you have more than one goal, write them all down. Set yourself up for success on your health journey by choosing your goals, making them challenging and measurable, and writing them down.

Watch Your Diet

It’s time to get serious about what you are eating. So easy it is to fall into the rabbit hole of eating food that isn’t good for you. One day of poor choices leads to another, and another and before you know it, you’ve completely lost track of your health plan altogether. The best way to get serious about what you are eating? Track the food that you are consuming. Maybe you aren’t even aware of all the times throughout the day that you are snacking. Trust me, it’s so easy to grab a handful of something here and there without even realizing how quickly it all adds up. With a food tracker, you can write down everything that you are eating all day long.

Create Your Personal Health Plan

Once you understand the foods that you have been consuming, it’s time to create your health plan. Creating a health plan doesn’t have to be complicated. It’s a simple process where you jot down a few areas to focus on so you know how healthy you are truly being. Recording your progress every day is important so you can see your overall progress and know if there are certain areas that you are needing to improve in. Start by tracking your calories, your water intake, what sort of exercise you did during the day and how many steps you were able to log. Write those numbers down each and every day to be aware of how it varies and what areas you need to really focus on. Some people are really great about their caloric intake for the day, but fail to follow up with any type of activity as well. Writing it all down really helps to show you where the need for improvement lies.

Don’t forget to address how you are feeling throughout your health journey. Writing out your thoughts and emotions is important to help you understand how your emotions affect the other areas of your life — especially your food choices. Write down your wins and challenges, the highs and the lows of the week, to get it out of your mind and down on paper. Remember that every day may not be a win, but if you can show yourself that you are trying your best each and every day, that’s an amazing motivation to keep going to reach your healthy lifestyle goals.

Last but not least, write down your measurements with your weekly progress. While it may not always feel like the most fun part of the journey, it’s an important one because it shows you that what you are doing is paying off. The scale will not always show your real progress. Tracking those measurements is the proof that what you are doing is working and will give you the motivation to keep going.

The best part about creating a health plan for losing weight and recording it? It’s down on paper to help you keep it real and to have to refer back to. It’s easy for us all to say that we are going to do something, but it can also be easy to fool ourselves. But when you make a plan and write it down, it’s more concrete and not something you can lie to yourself about. Believe in yourself and all you can accomplish on your healthy lifestyle journey, and write down those goals in your health plan! There is no better time than now to get started!

To help you meet your goals, I’ve created a 6-page Weight Loss Journal and Food Tracker. To download it, enter your email below!

WellnessBecomesHer-HealthPlanand-WeightLossJournal_Page_1

Get Our Free Health Plan and Weight Loss Journal

Simply fill out the form to get your free printable PDF copy.

CBD Oil Wellness

What Is CBD Oil?

You’ve undoubtedly heard the saying, “desperate times call for desperate measures.” It’s sort of how I felt a few months ago when, after trying nearly everything I could think of diet-wise, I couldn’t get my migraines under control. I accidentally happened upon an article that spoke of using CBD oil for seizures. Interestingly enough, my doctor had prescribed a seizure medicine for me for migraine control. I hated the way it made me feel (very foggy, doped up kind of feeling), so I stopped taking it after a few doses. I began wondering — if a seizure medicine can help with migraines, could a natural product that has promising results with seizures also help them?

I’ve combed the internet trying to find that answer, but I’ve come up short. So my experience with taking CBD oil for migraines is purely anecdotal, however, for 3 months while taking it, I had only one migraine. That’s one migraine after months of having 1-2 per week. When I ran out of CBD oil, the migraines returned to a pattern of increasing frequency. Money was a little short (and as you will discover, CBD oil is on the pricier side), so I’ve just started taking it again. But I am hopeful.

Why CBD Oil?

There are so many illnesses out there that are stealing our joy and keeping us from enjoying life to the fullest. Conventional medicine is the best we have right now. The cycle seems to be the same. You go to the doctor, describe the symptoms to the best of your ability and before you know it, you’re leaving the office with a prescription in hand. Problem solved, right? Well, not exactly. So often, the cure can be as bad as the original illness (take the Topamax I was prescribed, for example).

Many of the medications we take leave us with side effects that are very unpleasant. When you find yourself caught in this cycle, you wind up searching for answers to your problems that will take away the side effects. Sometimes this leads to more medication, and frustration. By that time, you’ll find yourself taking matters into your own hands. The internet is always abuzz with the latest holistic and natural treatments. The latest remedy making the rounds is cannabis. For so many people, for a variety of reasons, cannabis doesn’t work for them or they have a moral objection to using it. For those people, there is CBD oil.

What is CBD oil?

Cannabidiol can be extracted from marijuana or hemp plants by pressing them to extract the resin. The properties of the oil have been suggested to relieve a variety of illnesses, including chronic anxiety, chronic pain, depression, ADHD, PTSD, seizures, and more. Unlike cannabis itself, it either has no THC (the psychoactive component of marijuana) or only trace amounts. For people who cannot tolerate or prefer not to use THC, CBD oil gives them a way to enjoy the benefits of cannabis use without the side effects of cannabis. Think of CBD as a win-win scenario. You can receive the effects you need without having to deal with the ones you don’t.

Is CBD oil legal?

Unlike marijuana, CBD oil derived from the marijuana plant with 0.03% THC or less is legal in many states. CBD oil derived from the hemp plant (what I use) is legal in all 50 states. As always, it is best for you to get acquainted with the laws of your particular state before attempting to use any product that may be illegal. Many states have passed laws allowing the use of CBD oil from marijuana with a prescription to help with conditions like epilepsy or to reduce nausea in cancer patients. You can learn more about the legality of CBD oil over at CBDOrigin.com.

Will CBD oil make me high?

IF you are looking to get a buzz, you will not get it from CBD oil. This product is simply there to give you the benefits of cannabis use, but there is no high associated with it. For people with anxiety, it is said to give a sense of calm. For those with depression, it can help to give their mood a boost. Whatever benefits you would be able to receive from cannabis use, you can receive those from CBD oil, without the high.

For so many of us chasing the symptom cycle, CBD oil is there to possibly put an end to it. Whether your problem is anxiety or insomnia, depression or pain, CBD oil may be the answer to help you find relief from those symptoms. As always, you’ll want to speak with a doctor before beginning any course of treatment, and it is important to remember that CBD oil has not been proven to cure or treat anything, although there is much anecdotal evidence and many studies are being done.

Where can I buy CBD oil?

I have used CBD oil from two different companies. The first bottle I used was pure CBD isolate with no THC from Kat’s Naturals. It’s organic, made from hempseed oil, and backed by third party testing. Kat’s offers several formulations in their oral drops. I used the one called, Heal. Heal is flavored with peppermint oil and had a fresh flavor I didn’t mind at all.

My current bottle is from CBD Drip. They also sell several formulations. The one I have is called Relief, and while it’s tolerable, the flavor is not as good a Heal. I switched to this brand for a couple of reasons. Research about the “entourage effect” in which the effects of the CBD oil are potentiated by the trace of amounts of THC led me to believe that it may work even better than the isolate. I also wanted to try a couple of different brands to compare how well they work. CBD Drip’s oral drops are also hemp-based, non-GMO, and grown without pesticides or other chemicals.

Just like vitamins and essential oils, this is another tool in your arsenal that can help to supplement alongside your medical treatment. If you’re ready for something different, you may want to consider giving CBD oil a try.

This article is the first in a series about CBD oil.

You can read the other articles in this series as they publish, by following the links below.

Amazing Benefits of CBD Oil

3 Ways to Use CBD Oil

Why Copaiba is NOT Better Than CBD Oil

Paleo Recipes Recipes Whole30 Recipes

Instant Pot Pork Carnitas Lettuce Wraps Recipe (Paleo | Whole30)

One of my favorite meals ever has been pork carnitas. If they are on the menu, I’m ordering them. But I never really tried to make them myself. But recently in a Facebook group for Instant Pot users, someone mentioned making pork carnitas. It was the first time I thought about it being possible that I could make them myself.

Since I’m trying to stick mostly to a Paleo or Whole30 diet, I decided to try them in lettuce wraps instead of the traditional corn tortillas. I was surprised to discover I like them even better in the lettuce wraps! If you love pork carnitas like I do, give these a try. I think you’ll love them, too!

Instant Pot Pork Carnitas Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients

3-4 lb pork shoulder
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
2 limes, juiced
1/2 cup fresh orange juice, plus oranges quartered
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 cup diced onion
1-2 T jalapeños (optional)
cilantro and salsa to garnish

Instructions

Cut pork in 2″ cubes and season with salt, cumin, paprika, and chili powder.
Turn Instant Pot to “sauté “. Once hot add oil, juice of 1 lime, and meat. Cook for 5-8 min, browning on both sides.
Add remaining lime and orange juice, quartered oranges, chicken stock, garlic, onion, parsley, and (optional) jalapeño to meat.
Lock lid, close pressure valve, press “manual” setting, and cook for 30 minutes.
Allow pressure to release naturally for 15 minutes, then manually release remaining.
Remove pork from pot and place on cutting board.
Shred pork with a fork
Serve inside romaine lettuce leaves, topped with cilantro and salsa. Mango salsa (chopped mango, chopped red onion, lime juice, salt and pepper) is my favorite, but any salsa will do.

Instant Pot Pork Carnitas Lettuce Wraps Recipe (Paleo | Whole30)

Save Print

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

40 mins

Total time

1 hour

Author: Marcy Crabtree

Recipe type: Instant Pot

Cuisine: Mexican Whole30 Paleo

Serves: 6

Ingredients

3-4 lb pork shoulder
2 Tbsp olive oil
½ tsp chili powder
½ tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
2 limes, juiced
½ cup fresh orange juice, plus oranges quartered
½ cup chicken stock
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp minced garlic
½ cup diced onion
1-2 T jalapeños (optional)
cilantro and salsa to garnish

Instructions

Cut pork in 1" cubes and season with salt, cumin, paprika, and chili powder.
Turn Instant Pot to "sauté ". Once hot add oil, juice of 1 lime, and meat. Cook for 5-8 min, browning on both sides.
Add remaining lime and orange juice, quartered oranges, chicken stock, garlic, onion, parsley, and (optional) jalapeño to meat.
Lock lid, close pressure valve, press "manual" setting, and cook for 30 minutes.
Allow pressure to release naturally for 15 minutes, then manually release remaining.
Remove pork from pot and place on cutting board.
Shred pork with a fork
Serve inside romaine lettuce leaves, topped with cilantro and salsa. Mango salsa (chopped mango, chopped red onion, lime juice, salt and pepper) is my favorite, but any salsa will do.

Essential Oils Essential Oils Recipes Wellness

Essential Oils for Women (with 4 blend recipes)

The amazing thing about aromatherapy is that a single essential oil can be used for many different ailments. One oil can aid with respiratory illness, skin care, and mood, for example. This makes essential oils ideal for the unique physical and emotional challenges that come with being a woman. Essential oils for women is a fun topic for discussion simply because we have unique wellness needs that come along with female hormones and functions.

Essential Oils for Women

Let’s explore the four oils – Clary Sage, Geranium, Jasmine, and Rose – that are most frequently used for feminine issues. Each oil is linked to my favorite essential oils seller – Rocky Mountain Oils — should you need to purchase it. If you have a favorite seller already, certainly purchase from them.

Clary Sage

Clary Sage – with its herbaceous, earthy and floral aroma – is a superstar where women’s health is concerned. It can be used across the female lifespan for menstruation, childbirth and menopause. During menstruation, it can help relieve pain and spasms in the uterus. It also can promote menstruation when needed. Additionally, it is frequently used for respiratory, digestive and emotional issues, as well as an aphrodisiac.

Emotional Uses: antidepressant, euphoric, stress

Physical Uses: antispasmodic, deodorant, emmenagogue, hypotensive, nervine, sedative, tonic and uterine; balances uterine and female issues, and as an agent to clean greasy hair; asthmatic spasms

Blends Well With: Bergamot, Cedarwood, Chamomile Roman, Chamomile German, Geranium, Jasmine, Lavender, Neroli, Orange, Rosewood, Sandalwood and Ylang Ylang

Cautions: non-toxic, non-irritant, non-sensitizing; avoid during pregnancy

Geranium

Geranium essential oil is definitely an acquired smell. Either you love it or hate it. Interestingly enough, it is frequently used in perfumery and other fragranced items like soaps, lotions and creams. Its antispasmodic properties made it a popular treatment historically for diarrhea and dysentery. It is one of the best oils for detoxification as it acts as a diuretic and can aid in cleansing the lymphatic system. Due to its ability to balance the hormones, this oil is ideal for premenstrual symptoms and menopause.

Physical Uses: astringent, diuretic, antiseptic, tonic, antibiotic, antispasmodic and as an anti- infectious agent; women’s health issues, acne, cellulite, dull skin, calms nervous system, stimulates adrenal glands

Emotional Uses: uplifting, all-over balancing effect, depression, stress

Blends Well With: Basil, Bergamot, Citronella, Clary Sage, Fennel, Grapefruit, Juniper Berry, Lavender, Lemon, Lemongrass, Neroli and Nutmeg

Cautions: non-toxic, non-irritant and generally non-sensitizing; can cause sensitivity in some people; avoid during pregnancy

Jasmine

Jasmine is often thought of as a romance oil thanks to its proven use as an aphrodisiac. It has an intoxicating, warm, rich and floral fragrance. Historically, jasmine has been used for religious ceremonies and personal adornment. In addition to its powerful use as an antidepressant, jasmine is one of the best oils for labor, delivery and postpartum recovery.

Emotional Uses: anxiety, insomnia, stress, healing from sexual trauma

Physical Uses: aphrodisiac, women’s health, tonic to the reproductive system, dry skin, anti-inflammatory, emollient

Blends Well With: generally works with all oils, rounds out scents and tends to work well with other aphrodisiac oils especially Sandalwood and Ylang-ylang

Cautions: non-irritating, moderate skin sensitization when used topically

Rose

Behold the magnificence that is Rose oil. With more than 300 chemical compounds, it is one of the most complex oils that exists. In fact, not all of rose’s chemical makeup is known making its full therapeutic benefit a bit of a mystery. However, it does have a long list of known properties including: anti-anxiety, antibacterial, antidepressant, antiseptic, antifungal, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, antispasmodic, aphrodisiac, astringent, laxative, sedative and tonic. Rose is a multifaceted female oil. It is ideal for functional infertility, regulating menstruation and relieving cramps and excessive bleeding.

Physical Uses: menopause, mature skin, wrinkles

Emotional Uses: depression, self-love, love

Blends Well With: Angelica Root, Bergamot, Chamomile German, Chamomile Roman, Clove Bud, Clary Sage, Geranium, Frankincense, Melissa, Rosewood, Sandalwood, and Ylang-ylang.

Cautions: non-toxic, non-irritating, non-sensitizing

These four oils are generally considered to be THE best oils for feminine issues. There are, however, several other oils that are great for the concerns that come along with womanhood.

Other Oils to Try: Yarrow, Fennel, Lavender, Hyssop

Essential Oil Recipes for Women

Here are a few recipes specifically formulated for women. From PMS to labor, hormone balancing to the relief of emotional stress, these lovely blends can increase your overall wellness or help get you through the hours or days of difficulty that sometimes comes with being a girl.

PMS/Cramp Relief Lotion

6 drops Fennel
4 drops Clary Sage
14 drops Lavender
1 ounce of unscented lotion

Mix oils with unscented lotion and apply a thin layer to abdomen as needed to relieve menstrual cramps or symptoms of PMS

Labor Pain Relief Oil

4 drops Jasmine
12 drops Myrrh
4 drops Vetiver
30 drops Lavender
2 ounces of Jojoba Oil

Mix oils with jojoba oil and apply a thin layer to the area where labor is most intense, as needed. Make sure to wash off thoroughly before handling the baby after delivery.

Hormonal Balancing Diffuser Blend

10 drops Geranium
12 drops Yarrow
10 drops Clary Sage
30 drops Bergamot

Create a master blend by adding oils to a 5ml glass bottle. To use:

Add 6-8 drops to your diffuser and diffuse for 15-30 minutes at a time several times a day.
Add 18 drops to a one-ounce bottle of Jojoba oil or unscented lotion and apply a dime-sized amount to skin daily. Bergamot is a phototoxic oil, so it is best to use on skin not exposed to the sun (such as the abdomen).

Emotional Well-Being Inhaler

Rose
Lavender
Green Mandarin
Blank Personal Inhaler

Mix oils in a small bowl and submerge inhaler wick in mixture. Assemble inhaler placing wick inside inhaler. To use, breathe in deeply for 5 minutes at a time each hour or as needed.

Mother’s Day Giveaway

Mother’s Day is one day out of the year that is for making moms feel extra special and extra appreciated. That’s why I’ve gotten together with a great group of bloggers to bring you a giveaway that we are hoping will bless you and show you just how much we appreciate you, our mom readers.
There will be THREE winners in this Mother’s Day giveaway – each winner getting to choose a gift card to the place of their choice. The choices are –

Etsy
Stitch Fix
Hobby Lobby
Zulily
Starbucks

The grand prize winner will receive a gift card for $300 and two runner-up winners will receive a $100 gift card.

To enter for your chance to win, simply use the Rafflecopter form below to enter. Now I know that is quite a few entries for you, but each of these bloggers generously chipped in their own money to bring you this giveaway, so I hope you will take the time to do all of the entries. And hey, the more entries you do, the better your odds are at winning!

Giveaway ends May 10th at 11:59pm EDT. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to email to claim prize. By entering this giveaway you will be added to the email lists of the participating bloggers. Please be sure to read the Terms & Conditions upon entering the giveaway.

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Essential Oils Essential Oils DIY Essential Oils Recipes Wellness

How to Build a Natural First Aid Kit

Welcome back, friends. You’ve made it week 8 of A Mom’s Guide to Getting Started with Essential Oils. If you have not read the first 7 installments in the series, you’ll want to click over to read Where to Begin with Essential Oils, How to Safely Use Essential Oils, Inhaling Essential oils, How to Choose an Aromatherapy Diffuser., and How to Use Essential Oils Topically before continuing on. The other articles in the series include tips and recipes for using essential oils in your DIY Natural Household Cleaners and DIY Health and Beauty Recipes.

Hopefully, you are beginning to feel more comfortable with the idea of using essential oils in your everyday life for cleaning, hair and skin care, and your family’s general health and wellness. Today I want to share about using essential oils for healing minor cuts, scrapes, bites, stings, burns and in other situations where you might need a little first aid.

Since the most popular members of your family for which you typically use first aid kits are your children, let’s talk for just a moment about using essential oils with kids.

Are Essential Oils Safe for Children?

If you are considering using essential oils with your kids you may be wondering: is it safe? Many parents who have discovered the awesomeness of essential oils want to use them with their entire family, but they worry that it might not be safe for their children. They’re all natural, right? So, is it okay to use with your kids? The short answer is yes and no. Many essential oils are safe to use with children if they are used in the correct way.

Essential oils have steadily grown in popularity over the last decade due to their ability to heal or reduce the symptoms associated with many types of medical conditions. While it’s not a new concept at all (it’s been around for centuries), it IS becoming more mainstream in our current population. Because there are different ways to use essential oils, this gives you options when using them with your children.

When using essential oils with children, you can choose the method based on the type of oil, the age of your child, the purpose of using it, and the potential sensitivity of the child. If it’s diluted in a bath, massage oil, lotion, or other product, or diffused into the air, it won’t typically be too strong for your child. This means you’re going to want some awesome kids’ essential oils recipes to help you do it right. You should never use oil on a child in its pure form, which means you must learn how to mix and dilute oils to create the right blend and strength.

While the majority of essential oils are safe for children (especially those over the age of 6), there are a few that should be used with extreme caution, or not all, before the age of 13 or so. Click here for a comprehensive list of essential oils and at what age they are considered safe to use with children.

Always do your own due diligence and learn all you can about a particular oil before using it with your children. Keep in mind that kids have immune systems that are still developing, and the oils may affect them differently than they do an adult. It’s always a good idea to introduce slowly and build up from there.

How to Build a Natural First Aid Kit

With few exceptions, you can replace nearly every product in your first aid kit with a healthier natural first aid kit using natural ingredients. From antibacterial ointments to steroid creams, insect repellents, and sunburn sprays, this article will help you treat all of your minor first aid needs with safer (and sometimes even more effective) products using essential oils.

The most recommended essential oils for first aid include:

Lavender is your essential oil first aid kit must-have. It can be used to disinfect wounds and burns, promote healing, and reduce scarring. Lavender is commonly used to help with inflammation from bug bites, bee stings, and sunburns, and is known for its antihistamine properties.

Helichrysum Italicum another first aid essential oil must-have. It is commonly used as a painkiller due to its analgesic properties and is particularly helpful for helping to heal heal bruises, sprains, and swelling from minor injuries.

Peppermint can aid in healthy digestion, soothes nausea, and helps with muscle aches and pains, headaches, and fever.

Tea Tree oil has been used throughout history because of its amazing antifungal, anti-bacterial, and anti-viral properties. Tea Tree oil helps disinfect skin irritations and supports a healthy immune system.

Clove oil is commonly used for dental issues due to its analgesic properties.

Frankincense is a great oil to use in blends because it can help enhance the properties of other essential oils. It is also commonly used for skin issues and is a wonderful anti-inflammatory oil.

Citronella is a well-known insecticide and insect repellent, but it can also be used as an analgesic, disinfectant, and astringent.

Other commonly used essential oils for first aid use include lemon, lemongrass, oregano, rosemary, thyme, eucalyptus, myrrh, and chamomile (not all of these are safe for young children)

Here are a few recipes to have on hand for your first aid needs:

DIY Healing Salve

1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 oz beeswax
15 drops Tea Tree
15 drops Lavender

Melt the beeswax in a glass jar placed in a pan of hot water. Add the olive oil and coconut oil and stir to combine. Let the mixture cool down a bit before adding the essential oils (don’t wait too long or it will harden and become difficult to stir). Pour into two 4 oz glass jars. This salve can be used for many purposes, including insect stings or bites, cuts and scrapes, itchy or chapped skin, minor burns, and sunburns.

Sunburn Spray

1/2 cup witch hazel
1/3 cup pure aloe vera gel (I use one that is 99% pure and has a natural preservative)
10 drops lavender essential oil
10 drops frankincense essential oil
5 drops peppermint essential oil
8 oz spray bottle

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Pour into spray bottle. Shake well before each use. Apply generously to sunburned skin as often as desired. Avoid spraying around the eyes, as it will sting.

Bumps and Bruises Remedy

2 oz jojoba oil
8 drops lavender essential oil
8 drops helichrysum Italicum essential oil

To promote the healing of bumps and bruises, apply to affected area 1-2 times per day. Store in a squeeze “lotion” bottle for easy application.

Poison Ivy Relief

2 T distilled water
2 T natural apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 drops lavender essential oil
3 drops tea tree essential oil
3 drops peppermint essential oil

Stir ingredients together until the salt dissolves. Using a cotton ball, apply the mixture onto the affected area as needed. Stir well before each use. Store in the refrigerator.

Toothache Relief

Mix one drop of clove essential oil with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Saturate a cotton ball with the mixture and place the cotton ball beside the aching tooth. Leave for as long as possible (but not overnight).

A few more first aid recipes can be found on my homeschool blog for: kid safe insect repellent, homemade vapor rub, and homemade hand sanitizer.

In case you’ve missed it, my Essential Oils Starter Kit contains a page with the recipes in this article, along with printable recipes cards for recording other recipes you want to try (or create) and essential oil worksheets for you to record your observations about the oils you are experimenting with. If you have not yet downloaded your free copy, you can enter your email below to receive it.

GET INSTANT ACCESS

to Our Essential Oils Starter Pack!

We'll send you this awesome set of helpful printables and simple recipes, plus keep you up to date on all that's happening at Wellness Becomes Her.

Action Step

Begin creating your essential oils first aid kit with the most versatile recipe I shared today – the DIY Healing Salve.

Next Up: 25 More Simple Uses for Your Essential Oils

Precautions

Never use essential oils undiluted, in the eyes or mucus membranes. Do not ingest unless working with a qualified practitioner. Keep essential oils away from children. If applying an essential oil to your skin always perform a small patch test to an insensitive part of the body (after you have properly diluted the oil in an appropriate carrier oil).

For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.

This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

KidSafe Essential Oils Giveaway + Free Recipes Printable

Our friends at Plant Therapy have created a gorgeous FREE printable filled with KidSafe recipes for your first aid kit and other needs. KidSafe Essential Oil Recipes includes recipes that will work well for your natural first aid kit, such as a Better Than Kisses Ouch Spray, Shield Me Outdoor Wipes, Skin Soother Salve, and Sore No More Body Butter, along with other KidSafe recipes for sleep, tension relief, shoe/foot odor, calming/focus, hair gel, and anti-bacterial soap jellies. These recipes use essential oils and blends that are safe for kids over the age of 2-years-old.

Essential Oils Essential Oils DIY Essential Oils Recipes Wellness

DIY Health and Beauty Recipes

Welcome to week 7 of A Mom’s Guide to Getting Started with Essential Oils. So far in this series, we have covered Where to Begin with Essential Oils, How to Safely Use Essential Oils, Inhaling Essential oils, How to Choose an Aromatherapy Diffuser, How to Use Essential Oils Topically, and last week, we made some DIY Natural Household Cleaners.

This is one of my favorite parts of the course because the information here can be life-changing. When I first started using essential oils, primarily for joint pain, then to help with my son’s ADHD, I had no intention of becoming the “crazy essential oils lady.” But as I endeavored to improve my health from autoimmune disease, I discovered that there were so many poisons in my home likely contributing to the inflammation going on inside my body. That’s when I decided that I would attempt to replace most, if not all, of my cleaning solutions and cosmetics with more natural homemade products.

Last week, I shared some great cleaning tips I hope you are beginning to try. It’s pretty easy to give up most cleaning chemicals in favor of essential oil-based products. For some reason, it seems much harder to give up our favorite hair and skin care products, deodorant, and toothpaste.

DIY Health and Beauty Recipes

It is said that by the time most of us leave the house in the morning, we have used more than 200 chemicals on our bodies that are banned in most other countries. From soaps and shampoos to facial cleansers and moisturizers, make-up, body lotion, and perfumes, we are saturating our bodies with unhealthy chemicals that most of us cannot even pronounce. It takes a little effort to replace most of those beauty products with formulations of our own making, but I hope you will consider giving it a try.

I want to share with you the top essential oils for skin care because I think most of us want to do really well with caring for our skin as we age. Let’s begin with carrier oils because I personally don’t care for Fractionated Coconut Oil (FCO) in my skin care products. I don’t believe using it will harm anything, I just believe there are other carrier oils that are more nurturing to the skin, so why not choose those instead?

Best Carrier Oils for Skin Care

Argan Oil – great for dry, aging, oily, normal, or acne-prone skin
Jojoba Oil – great for dry, aging, oily, normal, or acne-prone skin
Sweet Almond Oil – great for all skin types
Rosehip Seed Oil — great for oily, aging, and normal skin
Tamanu Oil – great for oily and acne-prone skin
Emu Oil — great for dry and aging skin
Neem Oil — great for oily and acne-prone skin

Top 10 Essential Oils for Skin and Hair Care

Frankincense – anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory, natural toner, minimizes pores, protective, encourages new cell growth, reduces the appearance of wrinkles and scars, and soothes dry, chapped skin

Carrot Seed – rejuvenates and smooths skin, assists with cell regeneration, helps fade scars and improves tone of aging skin

Myrrh – great for aging skin, strong anti-inflammatory properties, improves skin tone, firmness, and elasticity, reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles

Lavender – helps regenerate skin cells, reduces sun spots and scarring, great for all skins types

Tea Tree– antiseptic properties makes it perfect for treating skin conditions and minor cuts, scrapes, and burns.

Rose – anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory, great for dry and aging skin and skin conditions such as psoriasis and dermatitis

Peppermint– kills bacteria, making it helpful for treating acne, dermatitis and other skin conditions

Roman Chamomile – promotes smooth, healthy skin and relieves irritations due to anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties

Lemongrass – antiseptic and astringent properties, perfect for getting even and glowing skin, sterilizes pores, natural toner, and strengthens skin tissues.

Rosemary – helps stimulate hair growth, prevents baldness, slows graying, and treats dandruff.

Below, you’ll find links to some of the DIY beauty products I make for my family, using essential oils.

Acne Treatment Serum
Coconut-Lime Salt Scrub
Herbal-Mint Shampoo
Herbal-Citrus Hair Conditioner
Anti-Aging Face Moisturizer
Hand Lotion
Lavender-Mint Lip Balm
Peppermint Sugar Scrub
Citrus Shower Bombs

Plus 4 more new recipes:

DIY Honey Lip Scrub

4 tsp brown sugar
3 tsp honey
3 tsp virgin coconut oil
2 drops Peppermint EO
2 drops Orange EO

Mix all ingredients until well combined. Store in airtight container. Once or twice a week, rub the scrub onto your lips. Let sit for 1 minute, and then wipe off with a damp washcloth. Apply lip balm after use.

Relaxing Bath Salts

1 cup Epsom salts or Magnesium flakes
1 cup sea salt
½ cup baking soda
20 drops essential oils

Here are some suggestions for essential oils to use:
lavender + peppermint
lemon + rosemary
geranium + rose
frankincense + myrrh
lemongrass + red mandarin
chamomile + lavender

Combine salts and soda in a bowl. Stir in desired essential oils until well mixed. Store in an airtight glass jar, in cool, dark place. Use ¼ cup per bath.

Natural Homemade Deodorant

1/3 cup virgin coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup baking soda
1/4 cup arrowroot powder
Essential oils — tea tree oil, lavender, grapefruit, rosemary, lemon, orange, patchouli (feel free to use just one or any combination you like)

Mix baking soda and arrowroot powder in a bowl. Add coconut oil. Add 5-10 drops of your chosen essential oil (I use lavender, grapefruit, and rosemary). Stir together and spoon into a small glass jar to store.

To use, dip your fingers gently into the mixture and rub on your underarms. Wait two minutes before dressing to avoid getting on your clothes. Coconut oil will melt at temperature above 76* but you can still use it melted. If that bothers you, store it in the fridge during warm weather.

DIY Carrot Seed Make-up Remover

2 oz. jojoba oil
1/4 tsp vitamin E oil
3 drops carrot seed essential oil)

Mix and store in a dark amber glass dropper bottle. Apply 1/2-1 tsp to face and massage to remove make-up, including mascara. Gently wipe with a warm washcloth.

Be sure to compare the ingredients with the information I gave you earlier in the course for using essential oils safely if you will be diffusing around your children. You can make substitutions as needed. All essential oils are compatible, but you’ll want to find a blend that pleases your senses and works for its intended purpose.

For more tips and recipes be sure to enter your email below to download my Essential Oils Starter Kit!

GET INSTANT ACCESS

to Our Essential Oils Starter Pack!

We'll send you this awesome set of helpful printables and simple recipes, plus keep you up to date on all that's happening at Wellness Becomes Her.

Action Step

Choose one or two of these recipes this week and begin transitioning from store-bought beauty products to healthier, homemade ones. Be careful . . . you may become the next “crazy essential oils lady!”

Up Next: Essential Oils First Aid Kit

Precautions

For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.

This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Gluten-free Recipes Paleo Recipes Recipes Vegan Recipe Whole30 Recipes

Coconut Almond Energy Balls (Paleo | Whole30 | Gluten-free)

No matter how disciplined you are with an eating plan, we all need a treat now and then. When you can have a treat that meets your need for a little something sweet while also feeding your body healthy protein and fat, well, there’s just nothing better than that. That’s exactly what these energy balls will do for you. Great to satisfy a sweet craving, for after a work-out, or just when you need an extra burst of energy, you’ll make these delicious energy balls over and over. And if you have kids, you may want to plan a hiding place for them now.

Coconut Almond Energy Balls

Ingredients

1 c almond butter
1/2 c coconut flour
1/4 cup crushed dehydrated strawberries
1/2 cup dried dates
1/2 cup water
3 Tbsp shredded coconut
3 Tbsp crushed slivered almonds

Instructions

Blend dates and water in a food processor or Vitamix until pureed.
Add almond butter, coconut flour, dehydrated strawberries, and date puree to mixing bowl. Mix until an even consistency.
Form about a dozen balls and place in freezer for 15-20 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Place a pan with shredded coconut and slivered almonds in the oven for 2-2 1/2 minutes until toasted.
Remove energy balls from freezer and roll in the toasted mixture.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks. May also store in an airtight container in the freezer for 1-2 months.

Coconut Almond Energy Balls

Save Print

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

3 mins

Total time

18 mins

Author: Marcy Crabtree

Recipe type: Snack

Cuisine: Paleo Whole30 Gluten-free

Serves: 12

Ingredients

1 c almond butter
½ c coconut flour
¼ cup crushed dehydrated strawberries
½ cup dried dates
½ cup water
3 Tbsp shredded coconut
3 Tbsp crushed slivered almonds

Instructions

Blend dates and water in a food processor or Vitamix until pureed.
Add almond butter, coconut flour, dehydrated strawberries, and date puree to mixing bowl. Mix until an even consistency.
Form about a dozen balls and place in freezer for 15-20 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Place a pan with shredded coconut and slivered almonds in the oven for 2-2 1/2 minutes until toasted.
Remove energy balls from freezer and roll in the toasted mixture.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks. May also store in an airtight container in the freezer for 1-2 months.

Essential Oils Essential Oils DIY Essential Oils Recipes Wellness

DIY Natural Household Cleaners

We’ve made it to week 6 of A Mom’s Guide to Getting Started with Essential Oils. So far in this series, we have covered Where to Begin with Essential Oils, How to Safely Use Essential Oils, Inhaling Essential oils, How to Choose an Aromatherapy Diffuser., and How to Use Essential Oils Topically. I think you’re ready to really dig in and begin using essential oils in your everyday life.

One of the easiest ways to get started with essential oils is to begin using them for household purposes and cleaning. You can make your own or add oils to your existing natural cleaners. It’s not difficult to do, and you’ll be pleased with the results!

DIY Natural Household Cleaners

Here are 10 ways you can use essential oils for housekeeping. You’ll be well on your way to a clean, pleasantly scented, and less toxic home! You can also download all the recipes for these ideas by entering your email at the bottom of this post. They are a part of my Essential Oils Starter Kit.

1) Carpet Freshener: Essential oils mixed with baking soda, sprinkled on the floor and vacuumed.

2) Dryer Sheets: (For scenting, not softening or preventing static) Add drops of essential oils to plain scraps of fabric and include in your dryer load.

3) General Disinfecting Cleaner: Vinegar and water with antibacterial essential oils.

4) Heavy Duty Cleaner: Water and Castile soap with essential oils.

5) General Floor Cleaner: Vinegar, Castile soap, and citrus essential oils.

6) “Soft Scrub” Cleaner: Baking soda, Castile soap, and essential oils.

7) Hand Sanitizer: Water, aloe vera juice, and essential oils.

8) Laundry Soap: Baking soda, salt, Castile soap, and essential oils.

9) Shower Spray: Water, vinegar, rubbing alcohol, and essential oils.

10) Hand/Dish Soap: Water, Castile soap, and essential oils.

Download the cleaning recipes to go with the uses listed above by entering your email below!

GET INSTANT ACCESS

to Our Essential Oils Starter Pack!

We'll send you this awesome set of helpful printables and simple recipes, plus keep you up to date on all that's happening at Wellness Becomes Her.

Action Step

Try out one new recipe for cleaning in your home! Experiment with different scents and combinations to find what you like best.

Up Next: Using Essential Oils for Your Beauty Needs

Precautions

Never use essential oils undiluted or in the eyes or mucous membranes. Do not ingest essential oils unless working with a qualified practitioner. Keep essential oils away from children. If applying an essential oil to your skin always perform a small patch test to an insensitive part of the body (after you have properly diluted the oil in an appropriate carrier oil).

For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Gluten-free Recipes Recipes WW Freestyle Recipes

Weight Watchers Freestyle Instant Pot Mexican Quinoa Recipe (gluten-free)

Okay y’all — how about a slightly spicy Mexican recipe for your Instant Pot that is not only gluten-free but also fits well on the Weight Watchers Freestyle plan? Are you one of the millions who has caught the quinoa bug? Then I think you’re gonna enjoy this great substitute for the Mexican food you once loved but have been avoiding while trying to trim down.

How about a slightly spicy Mexican recipe for your Instant Pot that is not only gluten-free but also fits well on the Weight Watchers Freestyle plan? Are you one of the millions who has caught the quinoa bug? Then I think you're gonna enjoy this great substitute for the Mexican food you once loved but have been avoiding while trying to trim down. #instantpot #instantpotrecipes #instapot #mexicanfood #mexicanrecipes #quinoa #quinoarecipes

Instant Pot Mexican Quinoa

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts (boneless/skinless and diced)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp taco seasoning (try this homemade recipe)
2 tbsp. garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups tomato sauce
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups dry quinoa
1/2 of red, green and yellow pepper, finely diced
1/2 cup shredded Colby/Jack shredded cheese
1 avocado, diced
2 plum tomatoes, diced
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1/3 C chopped fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions

Heat Instant Pot using the saute setting
Add olive oil, onion, bell peppers, and chicken breasts to the Instant Pot and cook until lightly browned, stirring often.
Stir in the taco seasoning, garlic, chicken broth, tomato sauce, quinoa, and salt.
Set the instant pot to manual cook on high for 12 minutes.
When complete, press cancel and do a quick release of the steam.
Divide into 6 individual bowls.
Serve topped with the avocado, Jalapenos, plum tomatoes, a sprinkle of cheese, and cilantro.

Serves 6

Weight Watchers Freestyle Smartpoints: 5 per serving

Weight Watchers Freestyle Instant Pot Mexican Quinoa Recipe

Save Print

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

30 mins

Weight Watchers Freestyle Points = 5 per serving

Author: Marcy Crabtree

Recipe type: Instant Pot

Cuisine: Mexican

Serves: 6

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
2 chicken breasts (boneless/skinless and diced)
2 tbsp taco seasoning (try this homemade recipe)
2 tbsp. garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups tomato sauce
1 tsp salt
1½ cups dry quinoa
½ of red, green and yellow pepper, finely diced
½ cup shredded Colby/Jack shredded cheese
1 avocado, diced
2 plum tomatoes, diced
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
⅓ C chopped fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions

Heat Instant Pot using the saute setting
Add olive oil, onion, bell peppers, and chicken breasts to the Instant Pot and cook until lightly browned, stirring often.
Stir in the taco seasoning, garlic, chicken broth, tomato sauce, quinoa, and salt.
Set the instant pot to manual cook on high for 12 minutes.
When complete, press cancel and do a quick release of the steam.
Divide into 6 individual bowls.
Serve topped with the avocado, Jalapenos, plum tomatoes, a sprinkle of cheese, and cilantro.