Calling all Green Thumbs! Let’s talk about how to grow vegetables in the winter! If you’re like most backyard gardeners, you think planting time doesn’t start until after the danger of frost has passed. Depending on where you live, this could be anytime between March and May. Waiting until then to plant crops means you also have to wait until mid-summer or early fall to begin enjoying the fruits of your labor. Instead, try these garden veggies you can plant in winter and start using your homegrown veggies much sooner! [Read more…]
Healthy Vegetable Lasagna Recipe
I found this recipe on Pinterest and couldn’t wait to try it! Pinch of Yum has this amazing vegetable alfredo sauce that MAKES this meal and makes it HEALTHY. Yes. Healthy. The secret? Cauliflower! Cauliflower Alfredo sauce is creamy and delicious. The best part is you don’t know you’re missing the calories!
Vegetable Lasagna Ingredients:
For the cauliflower Alfredo sauce
5 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoons butter
5 cups cauliflower florets
6-7 cups vegetable broth or water
1 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
½ teaspoon pepper (more to taste)
½ cup milk (more to taste)
Parmesan cheese to taste
For the lasagna
10 lasagna noodles
4 cups cauliflower Alfredo sauce
5 cups veggies (I used chopped fresh greens, grated carrots, fresh and canned tomatoes)
3 cups mixed shredded cheese like Mozzarella, Provolone, Parmesan, etc.
salt and pepper to taste
Vegetable Lasagna Instructions:
For the cauliflower sauce:
Saute the garlic with butter in a large nonstick skillet over low heat until the garlic is soft and fragrant.
Bring the cauliflower in the water or broth for 7-10 minutes or until cauliflower is fork tender.
Do not drain.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cauliflower pieces to a blender or food processor.
Add 1 cup vegetable broth or cooking liquid, sauteed garlic/butter, salt, pepper, and milk.
Blend or puree for several minutes or until very smooth.
For the lasagna:
Preheat oven to 375°.
Boil the lasagna noodles for a few minutes until they are just starting to soften but still stiff and cool enough to handle.
Spread a spoonful of cauliflower sauce on the bottom of a 9-inch square glass baking dish with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking.
Layer lasagna noodles, ½ cup sauce, one-fourth of the veggies, a good sprinkle of salt, ½ cup cheese, and ¼ cup sauce (I put the sauce in each layer twice – once under the veggies and once on top).
Repeat layers 4 times, ending with noodles.
Cover the top noodle layer with ½ cup sauce and the remaining 1 cup of cheese.
Cover with greased foil and bake for 25 minutes.
The liquid should be bubbling along the sides of the dish.
Remove the foil and bake uncovered for another 10-20 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown to your liking.
Cool for a few minutes before cutting and serving.
Notes
I used a combination of fresh diced tomatoes and canned diced tomatoes. If you do use tomatoes, be sure to drain the excess liquid out before adding them to the lasagna, otherwise, it will be too watery. I also found that sprinkling salt over each of the veggie layers helped it to be more flavorful, especially as leftovers.
Lasagna Recipes to Satisfy Everyone!
Lasagna recipes – everyone has their own “best”. There are so different many ways to make lasagna that it never gets boring. We love that a pan of it can feed a houseful of guests or provide dinner for the family for a week. And with different fillings, etc., it’s never the same dish twice in a row. Here’s a few of our favorite lasagna recipes. And here’s our absolute favorite pan. [Read more…]
Our Favorite Summer Salads
We love salad recipes any time of year, but we especially love salads in the summer when we can include fresh fruits and veggies from our garden. There’s nothing quite like home grown produce that you’ve picked yourself. Of course, if you’re in a place where you can’t have a garden, finding a local farmer’s market is the next best thing. Either way, these delicious summer salad recipes will quickly become a favorite in your home. [Read more…]
Natural Cleaning Products for Your Home by Sisters Know Best
Are you looking for natural cleaning products for your home? Are you sick of using bleach and other harsh chemicals that “guarantee” your nest will sparkle? Bleach. Eck! Honestly, no one really thought about the bad side effects from these things! That was just how everyone cleaned.
What to Know About Pet Food Allergies
Just like people can be allergic to peanuts, shellfish, or any other food, our furry kids can have pet food allergies too. This can be frustrating for pet parents and distressing for your four-legged buddies. Thankfully, there are ways to treat and manage pet food allergies that don’t involve daily doses of expensive medications.
[Read more…]
Yoga Gear Simplified
You’ve decided it’s time to give yoga try. You know there’s huge health benefits, including reducing your stress, Now it’s time to make yourself a priority and shut down the noisy kids, nagging boss, and demanding spouse for a little while. You’ve picked the yoga style that seems most appealing to you. Now it’s time to get your yoga gear in order so you’ll have the right equipment and start your yoga experience off comfortably. Sisters Know Best has put together a list of the gear you need to get to your first yoga class. [Read more…]
Yoga 101
Have you tried yoga yet? At Sisters Know Best, we love yoga because it helps with so many areas of health and wellbeing. Did you know there’s actually different styles of yoga and each one has a focus? Depending on your goals and needs, certain styles of yoga can be best for you. Remember, before starting a practice, be sure you speak with your doctor and the teacher to ensure you’re physically able to participate in the class and that you fully understand what to expect.
[Read more…]
Natural Eczema Treatments
Itchy, flaky dry skin. It makes me crazy! Eczema is a frustrating skin condition… and it’s tough to find good natural eczema treatments… I’m not a fan of chemical-based treatments. In general, eczema is a lack of oils and fats in your skin which causes it to become inflamed. The space between the skin cells becomes larger, which can allow bacteria and other irritants to enter more easily. Most soaps make this worse because they strip away the oils and lipids your skin normally produces. I normally use aloe vera to treat eczema that is out of control but the following are great ways to manage and try to avoid outbreaks.
Coconut, Jojoba and Shea Butter for Natural Eczema Treatments
This remedy is easy to make and store. Each of the ingredients on their own have been shown to help skin retain moisture. Combined, it makes a wonderful, powerful cream.
Here’s what you’ll need:
-2 tablespoons Shea butter
-2 tablespoons beeswax
-6 tablespoons of coconut oil
-4 tablespoons of jojoba oil
-Lavender essential oil (optional)
-Airtight tins or glass jars
Directions:
Using a double boiler, melt the beeswax and jojoba until liquefied. Then coconut oil and stir until it is fully incorporated. Finally, lower the heat and add the Shea butter, stirring as it melts. Shea butter gets added last and at lower heat because a little more heat sensitive. It can also get grainy further along its shelf life. Pour the mixture into airtight glass jars and add a drop or two of lavender essential oil, if desired. Allow it to cool and cover for storage.
To use:
Apply liberally to affected areas as needed.
Vegetable Glycerin
Oils don’t work for every eczema sufferer. Vegetable glycerin can be a great alternative in those cases. Food-grade vegetable glycerin is 99.7% pure. The remaining 0.3% is water. As you can imagine, this makes it ideal for restoring moisture to your skin and filling the gaps between skin cells. Start with a 1:1 ratio of water to vegetable glycerin. Blend them in a spray bottle and spritz on your skin as needed. Once you see how your skin reacts, you can play around with the ratios to find the right mix for your skin.
What other natural eczema treatments have helped you tame the itchy, inflamed skin? We’d love to pass them on to our readers!
Adding Chaga to My Diet – Easier Than I Thought
I’ve been seeing a lot of information lately about the health benefits of Chaga mushrooms. From everything that I’ve seen, it’s a true superfood with the ability to cure everything from the common cold to cancer. It was worth a shot. Upon learning this mushroom can be made into a tea and easily consumed that way, I figured this would be easy. At first, I was wrong. Many of the online suppliers I found offered only chunks or bags of ground chaga. [Read more…]
Magic Bullet Pro 900 Review: Easy Way To Get Healthy
Have you tried juicing yet? It’s a tasty, easy way to get the nutrition you need without having to come up with a week’s worth of meals. Whether you’re new to juicing or have been doing it for a while, the Magic Bullet Pro 900 is a necessary appliance for your kitchen. Emily and I got together last month and one of our purchases was the Magic Bullet. We were both so excited and even more so when our significant others agreed to jump on board having a shake a day with us! Bill and I have even graduated to having 2 a day and have noticed an increase in our energy and a decrease in our bellies. We couldn’t be happier with it! Here’s our Magic Bullet Pro 900 Review if you have been on the fence about it.
Fitbit Charge HR: Why We Like It
The Fitbit Charge HR – What a fun, motivating watch! Features I love are the step counter, flight counter, sleep quality feature, and the timer.
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The 411 on Reiki
We’ve got a special treat for our readers today! The 411 on Reiki is written by guest blogger Sarah Woodard. It delves in to the history or Reiki. I’ve always been curious and I bet you are too. Check it out!
Get Healthy Challenge Week 5
The majority of New Year’s resolutions are made up of breaking bad habits and creating new good habits. In our Get Healthy Challenge, that’s what we are mainly trying to do. And it’s the hardest thing to do. Together, though, it’s easier.
Get Healthy Challenge Week 4
Right from the get-go I will say that weather can be a drag! Check out this thermometer!
It’s hard to motivate for anything outside with this temp! I’m lucky that I can plan my outdoor activity around the sun and wait until the temperature rises a bit. Last week Chris shared her ideas for when the weather is less than pleasant. What do you do if it’s uncomfortable to go outside and exercise? [Read more…]