Blog Posts

Diffusing the Ocean Breeze

5/22/2017

When you can't get to the ocean, bring the ocean home with this diffuser blend!! Kick back and relax as you enjoy this aroma and it's health benefits!

Lavender for relaxation
Lime for an uplifting aroma
Spearmint for respiratory and emotional support

Enjoy!
Cheryl @ Pickle Creek Ranch
essenty.com/cherylintexas/

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Enjoying the Harvest
by Cheryl L. McClure

We had a fresh salad and quiche for dinner one night. With an abundance of kale and some other kind of curly lettuce in the garden it made a good start. Add that, some spinach, homegrown snow peas and snap peas, carrots, homegrown cucumbers, sunflower seeds, craisins, feta cheese and mmmmm it makes a great salad! Top it with this delicious Honey-Apple Cider Vinegar salad dressing.

Honey-Apple Cider Vinegar Salad Dressing

I made this salad dressing and it had just the right twang!

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup honey
2 tsp. dijon mustard
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp pepper
Add two drops of Lemon Vitality essential oil or Orange Vitality essential oil.

Whisk it all together. Store in a jar and shake each time before pouring.

Crustless Sausage Quiche

For the quiche, we use fresh eggs. It has been a joy to raise ducks and chickens at the ranch. They are not maintenance free, but the eggs they produce are very rich making all the work worth it! Duck eggs are great for baking too. Anyway, for the quiche, I used one duck egg and three chicken eggs, which makes a huge difference in comparison to store bought eggs. All being said, visit your local farmers market if you don't raise chickens!! Once you've had a farm fresh egg, those pale yellow eggs will never match up.

Rouen Ducks

Farm Fresh Chicken Eggs

Quiche ingredients:
4 eggs
1 cup of milk
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup feta cheese
1/2 onion (or some green onions) chopped
1/2 cup mushrooms
2 cups spinach or kale
Add cooked, crumbled pork sausage or bacon
1/2 cup of Mozzarella cheese

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°
Oil your pie plate
Sauté onion, mushrooms, spinach and other veggies
Pan fry pork sausage or bacon
Add veggies and meat to the pie plate
Sprinkle feta cheese on top
Whisk 4 eggs, 1 cup of milk and the parmesan cheese.
Pour on top
Spread Mozzarella cheese on top
Bake at 350° for approximately 50 minutes or till golden brown and eggs are set.

What I like about this is that you can do veggies and meat or just plain veggies. Cook the spinach or kale till wilted. Mix it up by adding roasted cauliflower or pan fried zucchini and tomatoes. When our Malabar spinach starts growing, we will add that too.

There’s really no hard fast rule to this. Make it for breakfast, lunch or dinner! Make it Italian by dripping a toothpick in Oregano Vitality essential oil and swirl that around in the egg mixture or add herbs.

Enjoy!
Cheryl @ Pickle Creek Ranch
essenty.com/cherylintexas/

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Turmeric Tea & AgilEase

2/5/2017

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Turmeric Tea & AgilEase
by Cheryl L. McClure

Turmeric is a beneficial herb and I have developed a special blend to make tea that I enjoy every morning. I add essential oils as well, because of their health benefits.

I think it’s important to use organic turmeric. Make sure it is pure and doesn't include other ingredients. It has been used in Asia for thousands of years and is a major part of Siddha medicine. It was first used as a dye, and then later for its medicinal properties.

There are a lot of reasons I like this blend, mainly because it supports my joint health, in particular my hands, and I enjoy the taste. Some may call this "Golden Tea" and drink at night before bedtime. I drink it first thing in the morning to start my day because I want the additional lemon, first thing in the morning.

Here you go, add all this to a cup of hot water and sip away!
1/8 tsp. Turmeric
1 Tbsp. Lemon juice
1 Tbsp. Honey
1 drop Lemon Vitality EO (detoxing)
1 drop Cinnamon Bark Vitality EO (help digestion)
1 drop Clove Vitality EO (immune support)
1 drop Ginger Vitality EO (digestion)
1 drop Nutmeg Vitality EO (joint and cartilage support)
1 drop Black Pepper Vitality EO (energizing)
1 Tbsp. Coconut milk

I was drinking this for a while and then I decided to add Black Pepper Vitality!! Getting some more pep in my step, you see!

I decided it was easier to fill a 15ML bottle with the blend and however many different oils I added, that’s how many drops I put in the tea. So if I used 4 different oils, I use 4 drops from the bottle; 6 different oils, then 6 drops. Enjoy!

AgilEase to the Rescue!

If you don’t like tumeric tea and want to support joint health or protect your joint and cartilage health, there is a special capsule available called AgilEase. This is great for the reduction of inflammation. It contains Frankincense powder, and other ingredients including Wintergreen, Copaiba, Clove and Northern Lights Black Spruce. Note the following information in our AgilEase Product Information Page.

Happy Oiling - and let me know how you like the tea when you try it!!
Cheryl @ Pickle Creek Ranch
essenty.com/cherylintexas

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Probiotic - Life 9

1/30/2017

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Probiotic - Life 9™
How is Your Command Center?
by Cheryl L. Mcclure

Were you wondering what I was talking about when I said "command center"? It's your gut. Your gut is very important!! That's where where food is converted into energy and the basic nutrients needed to run that body of yours, not to mention how you depend on your gut feelings about things, right? Well that may be a different subject but anyway...

WebMd says that probiotics can help to balance good and bad bacteria to keep your body working like it should. And that's what we want!!

It took me a while to realize the importance of having healthy digestion and gut function which helps maintain normal intestinal function. That in turn will support a healthy immune system. With that in mind, it's a good idea to take a potent probiotic like Life 9™.

Did you know that taking antibiotics, depletes good bacteria? In that case, taking a probiotic afterward may be considered to help the body get back into balance. They will repopulate the gut with good bacteria and ultimately that leads to a healthy immune system again.

The high-potency probiotic, Life 9™ represents the culmination of years of extensive research. Life 9™ builds and restores core intestinal health by providing five clinically proven probiotic strains including advanced super strains to enhance intestinal health, sustain energy and improve immunity.

Life 9™ contains 17 billion active cultures from these 9 beneficial strains:

Lactobacillus acidophilus
Bifidobacterium lactis
Lactobacillus plantarum
Lactobacillus rhamnosus
Lactobacillus salivarius
Streptococcus thermophilus
Bifidobacterium breve
Bifidobacterium bifidum
Bifidobacterium longum

See what Pharmacist, Lindsey Elmore has to say about it:
https://www.facebook.com/farmacistala/videos/1764625697124041/

As she mentions, Life 5 has been reformulated with even more diverse bacteria and now we have Life 9™!

If you are concerned about this being vegan, there is no added whey, and ingredients are vegetarian, but we can not claim 'vegetarian, vegan or whey free' on the label. Same for gluten.

Credit: Lindsey Elmore, thefarmacistalabama.com

It is a delayed-release capsule which is a vegetarian capsule, coated in a way to make sure it gets all the way down into the lower intestines.

It is recommended to take your probiotic as needed, preferably a while after a meal. I usually take mine right before bedtime. However, it is ok to open the capsule and take with applesauce if needed.

You will want to keep your probiotic fresh in the bottle so it will need to be refrigerated.

Happy Oiling from Cheryl @ Pickle Creek Ranch
Independent Distributor 1176855

#digestion #support #internal #intestinal #health #gut #essentialoils #youngliving #life9

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PV Assistant

10/31/2016

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PV Assistant
by Cheryl L. McClure

PV Assistant is a service in Virtual office. It’s set up so that if something you have on your ER order goes out of stock and you are not aware, or you forgot something on your list, it will replace it with another product. This way you are able to keep your PV (product volume) at the level you need to get the promos and earn points. Note that product volume does not always equal the dollar amount so be sure and check the PV amount before ordering.

What is ER? Have I mentioned I love Essential Rewards?

First, let me tell you I earn points because I purchase and use these products every month. It is part of every day life not just some passing fad. Essential oils is not the only thing on my shopping list. I use supplements to help me stay above the wellness line. A long time ago I started doing transfer buying which means, rather than spend my money at the grocery store, I buy household cleaner, hand soap, lotion, shampoo, mouthwash, bug repellent, makeup, etc with Young Living. It's also a good place to shop for gifts year round!

Not only am I purchasing non-toxic, healthy products for my home, I am earning points on ER. ER also saves on shipping. BTW here are the reasons you want to be on ER if you aren't already!

Anyhow once you log onto your computer, sign into Young Living, go to Virtual Office and to Essential Rewards.

See the menu under ESSENTIAL REWARDS on the side of the page, scroll down and then click on PV Assitant.

Note the little pencil next to "PV Goal:" it says Edit PV Goal. I set mine at 300. 50PV is the minimum amount you need to maintain ER every month. If you want to take advantage of a free oil, set it to 100PV. If you want to receive other promotional items via the tiered rewards, just choose that amount.

After you change your next months order, and you have PV assistant set up, you won't miss out on those extra freebies.

Click on Add Products and then just add what you think you might want in case something is out of stock. I stacked mine in order of preference and from lower prices to larger prices. They will add from top to bottom till the goal is reached.

I usually check my order ahead of time anyway, but if I forget, this will keep it on track for processing.

An additional cost savings plan has been implemented this year, as well, for shipping! You know how you get savings with Amazon Prime? It's sort of like that. Check out all the details on the YL Go page. (See the tab at the top of the Essential Rewards page?) I have already saved lots of $$ because sometimes orders are heavy and I might want to order more than once a month.

To see what the current month’s promo is, check my website on the essential oils page at Pickle Creek Ranch. Scroll down to see the promo.

Also, if you are in the North Texas area, come out to Grapevine and attend one of our classes hosted by Danette and Jim Goodyear. I will update the class info on my website each month as well on the Classes and Events page. They present a wealth of information and you will meet all sorts of well oiled people. LOL. Come on out, have some fun and get educated!

I hope this information has helped you. Happy oiling!

Cheryl @ Pickle Creek Ranch

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Malabar Spinach in the Edible Landscape

8/28/2016

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Malabar Spinach in the Edible Landscape
by Cheryl L. McClure

Have you ever heard of Malabar Spinach? It is not a true spinach, but rather a beautiful soft-stemmed vine. I was introduced to it when a friend of mine suggested I get some. She told me that it was an edible vine and there were only a few left at Gecko Hardware, where I would frequent in Dallas, Texas. Sure enough, I went over and bought the last one on the shelf for the season.

Malabar Spinach Basel alba "Rubra" is an edible perennial vine in the family Basellaceae. This is the one I have. It's stem and seeds are reddish purple.

I like the idea of having an edible landscape and there are several places around the house that would typically be landscaped with shrubs but here, you will find tomato plants, peppers and Malabar. I took the pot home and planted it next to the patio where it was able to grow on a trellis. Being so late in the season I was surprised how well it grew and how easy it was to establish.

This is an ideal plant to have on a fence where it can grow to its heart's content, providing leaves that are readily available for your cuisine! It looks very pretty too. From what I can tell it is relatively pest free - I don't want to jinx myself, but it seems to have been less affected than anything else we have and we don't use chemical fertilizers or pesticides. So there you go. Who could ask for a better plant than one that grows easily, it's beautiful and doesn't have to be babied because of bugs?

I have it growing next to the patio and also next to the house in a flower bed. It loves to climb so if you want to grow this, be sure to have a trellis or something for it to climb on.

It likes full sun but I also have it in a shady area. It likes sandy loam with rich organic matter. I had no problem propagating with either cuttings or after seed had ripened and fallen.

In the winter I cut it back and put mulch on top.

The plant grows from seed so it's easy to pull to thin out or to transplant.

Malabar spinach is rich in vitamins A and C, iron and calcium. It is also known to contain antioxidant properties making it a healthy choice for eating!

The leaves and stems can be eaten raw or cooked and are used in a variety of dishes prepared in many ways. It is used in various Asian, Chinese, Philippine and Latin American dishes. I am anxious to learn of other ways to prepare it because so far, I have LOVED my Malabar on sandwiches, in my frittata and in soups!

You just can't go wrong eating a sandwich topped with Malabar!! We are so happy that we have this available right off the patio! All I do is go cut off the leaves, wash and spin them in the salad spinner. Chill in the fridge and we're ready to have it on a sandwich or in a salad with other greens.

There are a couple of options that I use for the abundant harvest. One is to dehydrate the Malabar. This way, I can add the crushed leaves to soups for flavoring. I am in the process of dehydrating so it will be interesting to see how it turns out. Probably won't be much different than other leafy vegetables.

The other way I preserve is freezing. Once the leaves are dry I put them in a freezer bag and mark it. You can see an extra bag in there... I decided that since I hadn't tried the stems in cooking yet, I wanted it separated from the rest. I am not sure if the size of the stems matter and if it affects the taste, but if you know, please do tell!!!

I like to use the frozen Malabar in my frittata and in a smoothie! For a smoothie, you can add it just like you would kale or any other green vegetable. I like mine with a frozen banana and Pure Protein Complete meal shake mix with coconut milk.

Oh, this is the most tasty breakfast! Especially if you have fresh home grown veggies! Mmmmm! It's so easy and you can mix it up any way you like. Add more bacon, or not. Add more veggies, or not. Get the idea?

There's no hard fast rule to this. That's what makes it so easy! Here's the basic recipe for 2 servings.

2 slices bacon, fried and chopped
3 scallions or green onions, chopped
1 banana pepper or 1/2 bell pepper, chopped
2 chicken eggs and 1 duck egg (or 3 chicken eggs)
1/8 cup of milk
1 tsp Juvaspice
1 drop Black Pepper Vitality™
1 Handful of Malabar spinach, chopped in quarter size pieces

Stir and fry all ingredients in a standard size frying pan.

After bacon is done (drain grease), chop and add onions and peppers. Cook till carmelized.
Add Malabar and stir until wilted.
Whisk eggs, milk and seasonings together and pour on top of vegetables.
Cook till done, minimally turning until light and fluffy.

Serve with rye toast and fruit.

Enjoy!

I hope you try this and get back with me and tell me how you liked it! If you try something different I would love to know what it was.

Happy Oiling!
Cheryl @ Pickle Creek Ranch

Young Living Independent Distributor 1176855

This post was shared on The Homesteader Hop

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The Blog Page

Diffusing the Ocean Breeze

Enjoying the Harvest

Enjoying the Harvest
by Cheryl L. McClure

Turmeric Tea & AgilEase

Turmeric Tea & AgilEase
by Cheryl L. McClure

AgilEase to the Rescue!

Probiotic - Life 9

Probiotic - Life 9™
How is Your Command Center?
by Cheryl L. Mcclure

PV Assistant

PV Assistant
by Cheryl L. McClure

Malabar Spinach in the Edible Landscape

Malabar Spinach in the Edible Landscape
by Cheryl L. McClure

Cheryl L. McClure

Categories

Archives

The Blog Page

Diffusing the Ocean Breeze

Enjoying the Harvest

Enjoying the Harvestby Cheryl L. McClure

Turmeric Tea & AgilEase

Turmeric Tea & AgilEaseby Cheryl L. McClure

AgilEase to the Rescue!

Probiotic - Life 9

Probiotic - Life 9™How is Your Command Center?by Cheryl L. Mcclure

PV Assistant

PV Assistantby Cheryl L. McClure

Malabar Spinach in the Edible Landscape

Malabar Spinach in the Edible Landscapeby Cheryl L. McClure

Cheryl L. McClure

Categories

Archives

Enjoying the Harvest
by Cheryl L. McClure

Turmeric Tea & AgilEase
by Cheryl L. McClure

Probiotic - Life 9™
How is Your Command Center?
by Cheryl L. Mcclure

PV Assistant
by Cheryl L. McClure

Malabar Spinach in the Edible Landscape
by Cheryl L. McClure