Organic produce has become a hot topic as people grow more interested in eating healthier foods and avoiding toxins.
It is also a rather divisive topic. Some people claim it's the only way to go, and everything they eat must be organic. Others scoff at the idea that organic food is any healthier than conventional.
The truth is that both sides have some merit. It's not a black and white issue, and you must decide for yourself which shade of gray is most closely aligned with your needs.
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How many times each morning do you hit your snooze button? Did you know that instead of helping you get a few extra minutes of sleep, that snooze cycle most likely makes you feel MORE tired than you would have if you'd just gotten up at your first alarm? It's true!
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In 2012, I embarked on a mission to make one new food from scratch each month. It was quite an adventure, and ever since, I have loved trying my hand at making new foods from time to time.
Not gonna lie. Sometimes, it’s really difficult – like puff pastry! Yikes!
But more often, it’s far easier than I would imagine.
Like when I had a hankering for nachos. Usually, I would just spread some chips on a baking sheet, shred cheese over the top, and pop it in the oven to melt.
But sometimes, I really crave that creamy dipping type of cheese.
Now, the nacho cheese available in jars at the store isn’t something I want in my body. One brand has more partially hydrogenated soybean oil and modified food starch than it had actual cheese! Yellow 5 & 6 and MSG are just a few more ingredients to avoid.
So instead, I did a quick internet search for a from-scratch recipe and found “5 Minute Nacho Cheese Sauce” at budgetbytes.com. I especially love the tips for success and options for switching up the recipe!
I made some minor modifications and came up with this, which is about right for a single serving:
– 1 Tbs. butter
– 1 Tbs. flour
– 1/2 c. milk (I used 2%)
– 3 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (it’s what I had)
– pinch of black pepper infused pink himalayan sea salt
– sprinkle of chili powder
You start with a roux – melt the butter and stir in the flour for a minute or so until it's cooked. Add the milk and whisk until the mixture has thickened. I've found that I need to cook on a bit higher heat to get this done. It will take forever on low to medium heat.
Last, stir in the cheese until melted and season. See? Simple!
Scoop it up with some minimal ingredients chips or go all out and top it with all the things.
I'm not going to claim it's healthy, but at least it's avoiding the artificial crap found in the jarred cheese.
And it absolutely satisfies my nacho cheese cravings and tastes so much better than my memories of the store bought version! Just another item I will be making myself from now on!
Is there a food you’ve discovered is better homemade than store-bought? Please share your recipe in the comments and inspire us!
Is there something you want to try? I'm happy to share a recipe if I have one!
Have you ever connected the amount of clutter in your life with how anxious you are? They may be more related than you think.
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I saw my first mosquito of the year the other day. There really should be more of a break between the snow melting and the mosquitoes arriving, wouldn't you agree?
Since you're reading this post, you probably already know you should avoid conventional bug sprays. The ingredients are almost all toxic, and DEET is gaining a reputation as a poison to be avoided at all costs.
Certain agencies encourage an abundance of caution regarding mosquito-borne illnesses. However, the reality is that the insecticides recommended to deal with the problem are actually far more dangerous.
West Nile is the most common mosquito-borne illness in the U.S. yet very few mosquitoes carry it. And even if you are somehow bitten by an infected mosquito, your chance of becoming infected and severely ill are around 1%.
So weigh the risks – way less than a 1% chance of illness OR guaranteed poisons in your system?
But even though mosquito bites are more of a nuisance than a health threat, no one wants to deal with mosquitoes or any other biting insects, so what can you do that is effective but also natural?
