Homemade Bath Salts

Bath salts are very easy and inexpensive to make. It is a fun project that you can be really creative putting together. The base of these bath salts is Epsom Salt, a pure mineral compound that is not actually salt (sodium chloride), but magnesium sulfate. According to the Epsom Salt Industry Council, "dissolved in a bath, it is absorbed through the skin to replenish the body's magnesium levels. This can help to relieve stress by raising serotonin levels, which is a mood-elevating chemical that creates a feeling of well-being and relaxation. It can also offset excessive levels of adrenaline, which can be produced by stress". It is recommended to soak in Epsom Salt at least three times a week for all its natural benefits. Whether these statements are totally accurate or not, adding Epsom Salt to a bath does soften the water and makes it seem more relaxing. And that's okay by me.

I add essential oils to the bath salts I make, and I bought mine at Bath and Body Works, The Body Shop, Hobby Lobby, and The Green Door health food store. My favorites are eucalyptus, peppermint, lavender, baby powder, rose, and tea tree. Epsom Salt can be found in most drug stores, Walmart, and Target. This is a list of what you will need:

Epsom Salt
baking soda (opt)
essential oils
food coloring
jars
ribbon, tags, etc, if you are giving it as a gift

Pour the desired amount of Epsom Salt into a bowl. (This will not harm your bowl). Baking soda is a skin softener, so you can add some if you want to at this point. Add a few drops of essential oil and stir. You can add more as you go along. Then add a few drops of food coloring to achieve the color you want. It doesn't take much! You can see in this picture that I used only 3 drops of green:

It will clump a little as you stir it, as you can see, but keep stirring and it will eventually blend and be really pretty. I used only 2 drops of red to get pink:
This is how the pink turned out:
This is what the yellow looked like:

After you mix it all together, pour it into your jars. A funnel helps. You can include a tiny scoop inside if you want to, or just tie it on with a ribbon. Good places to find jars are: World Market, Walmart, and Target. You can even use Ball jars. I used a combination of eucalyptus peppermint for the green, baby powder for the pink, and tea tree for the yellow. This is how they turned out:

If I give it as a gift, I like to tie on a pretty ribbon with a tag that has the scent written on it:

These are also great to include in a "relaxation basket", with a loofah sponge, soap, a relaxing CD (I like jazz), and a rubber ducky for fun. When I make a basket like that, I line it with a washcloth or hand towel, depending on how big the basket it.

So, now we know a good, healthy way to help relieve stress. Go relax and detoxify.

Scallops with Bacon and Creamy Grits

I wanted to impress my husband with a Sunday lunch that I knew he would like, so I decided on scallops. I bought frozen bay scallops at Publix, but next time I will try fresh to see if there is any difference. I was a little reticent about making this because I had never cooked scallops before, but it was very easy. You could make plain grits to go with this instead of these ultra-rich ones if you want to trim a few calories off the meal.

Scallops with Bacon and Creamy Grits

1-1/2 lb bag frozen bay scallops, thawed and drained
6-8 slices bacon, cut into small pieces
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup flour
1 cup water
2 tbsp Worchestershire sauce
lemon juice
hot sauce (opt)

Fry bacon and onion in a fry pan until onion is tender and bacon is brown. Add flour, water, and Worchestershire, and stir until thickened. Add scallops, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.
Sprinkle with a few drops of lemon juice. Serve over grits.

Creamy Grits

1 cup heavy cream
1 can chicken broth
1 cup water
4 tbsp butter
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup quick (not instant) grits

Bring heavy cream, chicken broth, water, salt, pepper, and butter to a boil in a medium saucepan. Whisk in grits and reduce heat to simmer. Cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Saute the bacon and onion in a fry pan:

After the bacon is browned, add the flour and stir together. Add remaining ingredients, cover, and cook.

Tender scallops in a tasty sauce with bacon over creamy grits. My husband was impressed.

Blueberry Cornbread Muffins

Blueberries have been referred to as "the brain berry." There are only 40 calories in a 1/2 cup serving, and they are high in vitamin C, potassium, and iron. This 1/2 cup serving also provides 2 grams of dietary fiber. Studies have shown that blueberries can improve vision, and have the potential for the reversal of age-related impairments, such as memory and coordination. Very tasty medicine.

I know that blueberries and cornbread may sound like an odd combination, but these muffins are truly delicious.

Blueberry Cornbread Muffins

1 cup self-rising cornmeal
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup wheat germ
3/4 cup low-fat milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup low-fat sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 egg white
1 cup fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 400. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin or line with paper muffin cups. Combine dry ingredients. Add remaining ingredients, except blueberries, until blended. Gently fold in blueberries. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. Bake for 20 minutes.

(Note: If you want to use regular cornmeal instead of self-rising, add 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp baking powder).

Be sure to add the blueberries last and fold them in gently:


Line muffin tin with paper liners and fill about 3/4 full:
They will not get really brown, but will be done after 20 minutes. These are good with or without butter.

Peanut Butter Granola

This recipe came from Fix-It and Forget-It for Entertaining, a wonderful cookbook for the crock pot. It is very easy and the granola is delicious. Fairly high calorie, yes, but also high in nutrition and fiber. It would be a great topping for yogurt, frozen yogurt, sugar-free pudding, or fruit. Or you can eat it all by itself. Just use sparingly and enjoy! I added toasted almonds and did not add raisins. Also, mine ended up like loose cereal, not in chunks, for some reason. Peanut Butter Granola

6 cups dry oatmeal
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup toasted coconut
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup toasted slivered almonds
1 cup butter
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar

Combine oatmeal, wheat germ, coconut, sunflower seeds, and raisins in a large slow cooker. Melt together butter, peanut butter, and brown sugar. Pour over dry ingredients in cooker. Mix well. Cover and cook on low 1-1/2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread onto cookie sheet. When cooled completely, break into chunks and store in airtight container. (I did not have to do this part).

Combine dry ingredients in slow cooker:
Add remaining ingredients and cook on low.


The finished product:

Carrot and Apple Salad

My mom used to make this salad when I was growing up. I have seen it in cafeterias, but it is usually just carrots and raisins. This is how it is supposed to be. I prefer Gala apples because they have a crisp sweetness that is slightly tart, but you can use whatever your favorite apple is. It is a nutritious way to satisfy your sweet tooth as a snack, or to serve as a refreshing salad to go with a meal.

Carrot and Apple Salad

3 unpeeled apples, cut into chunks

1-1/2 cups grated carrot

1 cup mayonnaise

3/4 cups pecans

3/4 cup golden raisins

Mix all ingredients together. Refrigerate.

Muffin Tin Meatloaf

I have always made meatloaf without a recipe (like my chicken salad), but tonight I measured it out and tried a new idea I had heard of, and baked individual servings in a muffin tin. Right now, I am eating predominately high protein foods, fresh vegetables, and whole grains. This meatloaf has all of that.

Muffin Tin Meatloaf

1 small onion, chopped
1 red or green bell pepper, chopped
1 tbsp butter
1 lb ground round
1 cup old-fashioned oats, uncooked
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup wheat germ (Kretschmer Honey Crunch)
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp ground sage
1 egg
salt and pepper to taste
ketchup

Saute onion and bell pepper in butter until melted. Mix all ingredents with hands until well-blended. Shape into 12 balls and press into a greased muffin tin. Spread each with desired amount of ketchup. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes. Remove from muffin tin and sit on layered paper towels to drain.

I used red bell pepper because I like its unique flavor:

Press into the muffin tin like this:

To go with this meal, I prepared these easy and wonderful green beans. I get them at Publix. All you do is puncture the bag and microwave them for 4-5 minutes. Add butter and salt to taste.
My handsome husband kept me company while I cooked.

I also served Lundberg Wild Rice, which is tasty as well as nutritious.

The boys that live at my house really liked this.