Bear Blend aka Focus Blend

Sometimes we all need something to help balance our emotions and help us focus.  This blend works well for our little Miss Bear, but Mama has been known to use it as well!

We simply roll this along the spine, the base of the head, and on the wrists whenever we're having trouble with frazzled emotions or finding it hard to concentrate.  Works like a charm, and smells pretty awesome too!

If you'd like to purchase your own oils to mix up this blend, you can visit my store here.

If you're interested in becoming a Wellness Advocate with doTERRA, contact me and I'll help you get started!  I'd love to have you on my team.

Skinny Chipotle Ranch

A week or so ago I made yogurt in the crockpot for the first time.  It was a huge success, and we've been using it in smoothies and eating it for breakfast.  I'd seen recipes that substituted yogurt for sour cream, but I'd never tried any of them.  With so much yogurt in the fridge, I decided that it was time to give it a go!

This chipotle ranch is sooooooo good!  We've eaten it with veggies, chips, and even as a spread on turkey sandwiches!  I used more peppers, because we LOVE spicy foods around here, but you can add more or less depending upon your preferences.

Even Squirrely Girl loved it, and she despises ranch!  Miss Bear said it was a little too hot for her, so next time I'd probably make two batches at different heat levels.  Bubba ended up eating it despite thinking it was hot.

Skinny Chipotle Ranch

 

• 2 cups plain yogurt
• 2-5 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce,
• 1 Packet Ranch dip mix (I used Hidden Valley because I had it on hand.  You could make your own mix to make this even healthier.)
• Several tablespoons of adobo sauce (to your preference)
  
  Measure out your yogurt into a bowl. 
  Dice up your chipotle peppers.  Add them, plus a few tablespoons of adobo sauce, to the yogurt.
  Add Ranch dip mix.  Stir until combined.
  

We ate ours just after mixing it up, but it tastes even better after its had a chance to sit in the fridge.  The flavors meld together so nicely! 

ENJOY!

 

Homemade yogurt in the Crockpot!

Yes, you really can make delicious, creamy yogurt at home, in your crockpot!  It's true!

I was a bit of a skeptic myself.  I had seen this on several blogs as well as on Pinterest, but I was always a tad leery about it.  Could I really make homemade yogurt?  What if I messed it up, and wasted a half of a gallon of milk?

Well, I decided to throw caution to the wind and give it a try.  And let me tell you... I am so glad I did! 

The results were stellar!  We all enjoyed a bowl, along with a drizzle of honey, some homemade granola, and a few sliced cherries. 

 

Homemade Crockpot Yogurt:

• 1/2 gallon of whole milk.  We used pasteurized, but I'd eventually like to go to using raw milk.

• 1/2 cup yogurt starter--any yogurt with live cultures.  I started with Stonyfield organic.  You can use store bought for the first batch, and use a 1/2 cup of your homemade yogurt for your starter in subsequent batches.

Directions:

• Pour your 1/2 gallon of milk into your crockpot and cover with lid.  Turn it on low and let sit for 2 hours and 45 minutes.  (We have the large crockpot, but I've seen that your can do this for 2 hours in the smaller ones.)
• Turn your crockpot off, and unplug.  Allow your milk to sit for 3 hours.
• Next, spoon 1-2 cups of your milk into a mixing bowl, and whisk it together with your 1/2 cup of yogurt starter.
• Add the mixture back into your crockpot and whisk well, to distribute the live cultures so that they can grow.
• Put your lid back on your crockpot and wrap in a couple of thick beach towels.  This helps to trap the heat.
• Allow the crockpot to sit undisturbed for 8-12 hours.
• At this point, you now have homemade yogurt!  Stir the yogurt and transfer into storage containers.  Refrigerate before serving.

We really enjoyed this yogurt, and I'm planning on making this regularly.  Next time, I think I'll even strain some to make greek yogurt as well as some homemade cream cheese! 

Making our own yogurt is such a money saver!  I can make a half gallon of yogurt for less than what I'd pay for a quart of the store bought stuff!



Enjoy!