Nutmeg can be toxic!

Sunday night Tom and I were in the mood for something sweet. Other than the Smoothies we have been making, we haven't made any desserts for a few weeks. Tom has made a Apple Crisp dessert that is so good made with Oats, Brown Sugar, Cinnamon, Apples, Lemon Juice & more. He changed it up a bit and added strawberries in replace of some of the apples. We were so excited to try it, we went on our workout and came home as it was cooling down. The taste had a very bitter taste, almost not edible, but at the same time some of it was worth eating so we ate it. We thought that the lemon he had squeezed for the juice was just tart. I hate two little bowls full of it and he ate a few also. Then 2 hours later we went to bed.

I woke up SO dizzy and SO out of it. I have had sugar hangovers before when I have had too much sugar, I have ran into things when walking and it affects me a lot. We have been eating so clean with hardly any sugar so I thought the symptoms I was having was from this. I looked in the mirror and my eyes were so puffy and bloodshot. I was SO tired and also felt like I was buzzing from alcohol. I felt drunk in a way. I knew that I could not even drive the way I was feeling. My son was going to work with me, so luckily he was driving. All day at work I felt so bad, so thirsty, so nauseated and the whole day felt tired and that drunk feeling. I talked to Tom and he was feeling the same way. I came home and took a nap and started to feel a little better as he was starting to feel worse because he finished off the dessert that morning. He was telling me over and over how horrible he felt.

I then started to make a batch of porridge for the morning, it takes Buckwheat Groats and you soak them in water for at least an hour, then you drain them and put them in the blender with Almond Milk, Agave nectar, Cinnamon and more. I went to measure out the cinnamon and the smell hit me, I thought this is what our dessert smelled like last night, it was so strong, I turn the jar around and it's Nutmeg! I said Tom is this what you used for the dessert and he said yes, I used 2 tablespoons! I looked it up right away, Side Effects of Nutmeg, and you can have hallucinations and so much more, I think that we didn't get that much of it, but we defiantly got enough to make the next day feel like we were drugged or drunk. I finally today right now feel better, this morning I was still so tired. It really shows when you detox your body of all the bad stuff and then slip and eat something that is too much, the symptoms are havoc on your body. It was a very bad day yesterday for me, I couldn't even workout last night. Here is one link on how bad it can be for you.

One good thing though, Tom made another dessert SUGAR Free and NUTMEG FREE!

This Raw Strawberry Cashew Cake is INSANE! It's SO SO SO SO good and looks so pretty! We need to get a spring-form cake pan to make it perfect but it came out lovely and so tasty! Here is where I got the recipe

I can't wait to make this with blueberries, raspberries and cherries!

Random stuff this past week and weekend....

This morning Tom and I got up early and went Strawberry picking at Pete's Berry Farm in Clark, PA. It was $4 a quart already picked or $3 a quart when you pick. We picked 8 quarts. We plan on freezing a lot of them and using them for smoothies. I like that this farm doesn't spray them with anything. We had to really look out for holes in the berries from bugs, there were a lot of them.

My youngest son Graham graduated 8th grade this past week, makes me sad how fast my boys are growing up. Gage will be a junior and Graham a freshman.

Last weekend I made Carrot Cake Bread and when I opened the Applesauce it exploded! It wasn't yet expired but the apples must have went bad and fermented causing gases inside. It was an open jar in my refrigerator for a few weeks. When I opened it, it sounded like a gun shot and applesauce went everywhere, on the ceiling, cabinets, all through my eyes. I cried and screamed, not knowing what happened and then after rinsing my eyes out many times I was fine. I still can't believe that happened. Thankfully it was a plastic jar and not glass. The Carrot Cake bread came out so good!

Tom and I have been walking and starting to run now, so we ordered new running shoes. I ordered the new Under Armour RC Charge Storm shoes for both of us. I wear a size 8 in all shoes but with my New Balance running shoes I wear a size 8.5. I called Under Armour and also did an online chat with them to see what they said. One told me my true size the other said 8.5. I went with the 8.5 and Tom's normal size for him. His fit him perfectly, mine felt a little big, they are supposed to fit snug. I went up the outlets in Grove City yesterday and tried on the 8's. I felt like they were too snug for me, even though they were saying the shoe will form around the foot, I just decided I rather have a little room at the toe then feeling like it was going to push through. I love the colors and style, they feel good too. They have an outlet store up there and Tom and I bought some shorts, some pairs were only $7.97 and $9.97, for Under Armour, you can't beat that.

Well I tried for 1 week with a deodorant that is aluminum free and I had to go back to using Secret Clinical. I am still going to try out others. I tried Tom's of Maine Apricot long lasting deodorant. It says it gives you 24 hours protection, I would have to say 3 hours at the most. I had to keep reapplying it before I thought it would wear off. I had used it at home at first and realized the only way I can use this is if I reapply, otherwise it was like I wasn't wearing any deodorant at all, not good. The deodorant smells great, goes on smooth, some-days I felt like my underarms were burning, other days were fine. No staining of clothing. I just can't risk forgetting to reapply it, jeez that would not be good, lol.

I read on another person's blog that they had tried many aluminum free deodorants and the only one they said that worked for them and lasted was Malin + Goetz Eucalyptus deodorant

found here, but $18 is a lot for deodorant. I did spend almost $12 on the Secret Clinical which is the 2.6 oz, so I might give this a shot. I have read so many bad things about deodorants with aluminum in them, I am trying to find replacements, but they have to work for me.


Here are a few of my kitties :)

Haystack just looking pretty :)

Sadie & a chipmunk having a staring contest

Sadie

Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

I had plans to go to my mom's tonight so I thought it would be nice to bake a Vegan dessert to take with me. Earlier today I had printed this recipe from the blog Eat Pure. I had all the ingredients I needed to make them. I am so glad I did. Everyone enjoyed them and they came out so perfect. They are so moist and full of flavor, and they are VEGAN :)

ingredients

dry ingredients for muffins

wet added to dry

crumble for top

crumble still not mixed fully

ready to go in the oven

starting to rise

perfect!

so moist!

**** Update on muffins, after 1 day these muffins taste even better than the 1st! I just ate 3 in a row :)

Nature's Way EfaGold Coconut Oil Organic

I am very picky about what I put on my skin and hair, my skin has always been very sensitive and also breaks out easily. I think I may have found my new favorite product that I can eat, use for my hair, body, face and lips! I read so many reviews about Coconut Oil and how it's very healthy to cook with, bake with, just eat as a supplement and also the reviews on using it for your skin and hair. I bought a jar on Amazon using the Subscribe and Save and today I tried it out.

I took a tablespoon and scooped two heaping tablespoons into a sandwich bag, then I took about a dime size out and rubbed it in my hands until it liquified, it only takes seconds. I then rubbed it on my legs and feet and instantly fell in love. The smell is SO good and it leaves a nice shiny glow.  No oily residue. I did put on my workout pants and an old sweatshirt because I am not sure yet if this stains but I would imagine it might since it's oil. I also washed my face with it then used my normal facial wash over it. I put it on my lips and hands and then I put a very small amount through out my hair and then I knew WOW this is a GREAT product. It's 100% organic and pure and nothing but coconut oil. I was just thinking this morning on how much I love my Moroccan Oil but it's almost $40 and this might be it's replacement! I also can't wait to try it as a hair mask as I have been reading about everywhere.

I haven't cooked with it yet but I see all 5 star reviews on it. Check it out here! You can use the subscribe and save and get it for $7.62 with free shipping and you can cancel the subscribe and save anytime. This 16 oz jar will last a long time if you use it just for beauty reasons.

You can read more about the product on it's website right here.

I will post back any other comments I have on it since I just used it today for the first time.

*** May 5, 2012 Update on Coconut Oil, this does not stain my clothes at all, I have put this all over my body and it doesn't leave oil stains which I was worried about. I do love this as a moisturizer and it doesn't leave build up on your skin like some moisturizers do. I feel clean and very soft after using this. I love it for baking and using to grease a bread pan for the breakfast breads we make quite often.