Chai: Tea with Benefits

There is something special and rewarding about making things from scratch and chai is no exception. It may take some leg work at first, rounding up all the ingredients, but that just makes it taste all the better.

While chai is full of many herbs with health benefits, cardamom caught my eye.

Did you know that cardamom can:
-Relieve muscle pain
-Help with asthma and bronchial problems
-Be used as a medicated wash for skin problems
-Deal with halitosis
-Aid in digestion
-Combat anemia, weakness, and malaria
-Regulate blood pressure

Here is a wonderful Chai recipe from Oh, How Civilized.

HOMEMADE CHAI FROM SCRATCH
Makes 2 cups

3/4 cup water
1 1/4 cup milk (I use soy.)
2 teaspoons of black tea (Assam or Ceylon)
1/2 piece cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon honey
5 whole green cardamom pods
5 whole cloves
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 star anise
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
pinch of coarse ground pepper

1. Crush and roughly chop the star anise, cloves and cardamoms.
2. In a saucepan, add all the ingredients except for the vanilla extract.
3. Simmer on low heat for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Take off heat. Add vanilla extract.
4. Using a strainer, pour or ladle chai into mugs. Enjoy!

Check out more of Oh, How Civilized's beautiful photographs HERE.

And for more interesting information about the history, uses, and lore of cardamom click HERE.

Agave Nectar: Not As Healthy Or Natural As We Have Been Lead To Believe!

With rising awareness of diabetes and its root causes, the food industry, or sound I say the sugar-alternative industry, has been capitalizing on the supposed merits of agave nectar. Unfortunately, the majority of main stream agave products are not naturally derived, but go through an intensive chemical process similar to what high fructose corn syrup goes through.

What is even more shocking is that agave nectar is similar, if not worse than high fructose corn syrup!

Agave “nectar” is not made from the sap of the yucca or agave plant but from the starch of the giant pineapple-like, root bulb. The principal constituent of the agave root is starch, similar to the starch in corn or rice, and a complex carbohydrate called inulin, which is made up of chains of fructose molecules.Technically a highly indigestible fiber, inulin, which does not taste sweet, comprises about half of the carbohydrate content of agave.

The process by which agave glucose and inulin are converted into “nectar” is similar to the process by which corn starch is converted into HFCS. The agave starch is subject to an enzymatic and chemical process that converts the starch into a fructose-rich syrup—anywhere from 70 percent fructose and higher according to the agave nectar chemical profiles posted on agave nectar websites.
Read more of Kristen Michaelis of Food Renegade article here.

"...the industry wants you to believe that agave nectar runs straight from the plant and into your jar, nothing could not be farther from the truth.
Though processing methods can differ among manufacturers, most commercially available agave is converted into fructose-rich syrup using genetically modified enzymes and a chemically intensive process involving caustic acids, clarifiers, and filtration chemicals."
Read more of Dr. Mercola's article here.

I HIGHLY recommend reading both of these articles especially after reading many manufactures' websites, this brings their vague information into focus...and it's not pleasant.

Whipped Cream, Hold the Corn

We are avid ingredient list readers; enthusiastic even. It's now a game to find one recognizable ingredient in most big name brands, but I digress.

In the market for some whipped cream to top a delicious dessert ended with the discovery of corn syrup in the ingredient list. I would rather not support a subsidized crop that has weaseled its way into practically every product and has been shown to have adverse health consequences. In our society refined sugar consumption is at an all time high and it's no coincidence that diabetes, obesity, and other diet related health problems have also sky-rocketed.

But there is hope. More and more people and communities are once again realizing that simple ingredients are necessity and if that can't be found on the shelf, you make it. And that brings us to my whipped cream, hold the corn.

Whipped Cream with Stevia & Vanilla

1 cup of organic heavy whipping cream

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Half a dropper of organic liquid stevia extract or to taste

Whisk cream in a chilled bowl by hand (not using electricity, yeah!) or electric mixer until peaks just start forming. Add stevia and vanilla and continue whisking until soft peaks form. Don't over beat.

Your can store your homemade whipped cream in the refrigerator for several hours or FREEZE it.

What is your favorite way to serve your whipped cream?

The Beard Tonic

Facial hair care is often over-shadowed by the waves of conditioners, masks, shines, sprays aimed at the top of your head. But beards and mustaches feel neglect no more!

If you use mustache styling wax, most are petroleum and wax based, which can easily clog the pores and restrict the natural hair oils from keeping the hair naturally oiled and healthy. Not allowing the hair to breathe and be conditioned with oil can lead to it becoming dry, fragile, brittle.

Avocado oil contains high amounts of monounsaturated fatty acids, phytosterols and high levels of antioxidants like vitamin E, are well absorbed into our skin and hair shafts. Not only is this oil highly moisturizing it is also has a protective effect against environmental stressors and damage, and stimulates new growth and help unclog blocked follicles.

Grapeseed oil absorbs quickly without any greasy residue and it is mildly astringent in nature and helps to tighten and tone skin while providing protection against sun damage. The linoleic acid found in grapeseed oil can be very beneficial in skin conditions like, acne, dermatitis and eczema, soothing and nourishing the skin.

Combined these two wonderful oils make facial hair softer, less bristly, and even help ease the itchy skin underneath. We have added an essential oil blend of lime, cedarwood, rosemary, lavender, and vetiver combine to create an aromatic woodsy and healing aroma.

The great part about our Beard Tonic is that it's perfect for not only full beards, but also those in still stubble stages. This natural homemade beard elixir conditions beards and adds a fresh uplifting woodsy scent and make the perfect gift.

Check out our Etsy shop for more organic and all-natural products.

Filing Cabinet Corn

Now I'm sure you are wondering what a filing cabinet has to do with corn? Well, in our case it's our container in which we grow our corn since we only have a tiny patio. I have lugged this vintage metal filing cabinet around with me for five moves and there isn't enough room in our most recent residence. I simply took out the drawers and drilled a few drainage holes and A LOT of organic soil to create this planter.

Our corn is almost ready to harvest and since we are first time corn growers we wanted to make sure that we didn't pick it too soon. Through our research we came across this fun corn fact. A fact that farmers already know, to be sure, but it's not such common knowledge to non-farmers and beginner farmers.

URBal Hair Pomade: An Natural Way to be Styled

Have you read the ingredient list on most hair products? The cocktail of potentially harmful chemicals is mind-boggling.

We made an all-natural URBal pomade to help style, tame frizz & condition hair free from harmful and mysterious chemicals.

We slowly infused organic coconut oil with rosemary and sage at a low heat for several hours before adding beeswax and...WALLAH! Pomade!

Check it out in our shop

Urbal Lip Balm

In the past for some reason, when traveling, we would seek out every natural health food store, browse around and end up buying one lip balm from each establishment. There were some we loved and some that we wished we hadn't purchased. This was before I began formulating an herbal lip balm for URB Apothecary. I'm usually the my own products harshest critic, but I honestly have to say that URB's lip balm is my all-time favorite. The common user review is of that same vein; it's their new and most preferred lip balm. One customer was delighted that she didn't have to reapply every five minutes and even found that over time her lips didn't dry out as fast when not using the lip balm.

The herbs and oils we use are chosen specifically for their healing and protecting qualities. Below is our listing description. Check it out in our ETSY shop

We are in love with our URBal lip balm and we know you will be too!

Our lip balm is loaded with healing herbs and oils to help your lips through the day and the seasons.

We infused organic olive oil with organic plantain, organic lemon balm, organic yarrow, organic calendula flower, bay laurel, and organic St. John's wort for over a month, allowing the olive oil to become endowed with the herbs' healing properties.

This balm has a just the right amount of peppermint and hemp seed oil to refresh, nourish, and heal.

The lip balm tubes we use are 100% post-consumer plastic and BPA-free

Ingredients: Organic plantain, organic lemon balm, organic yarrow, organic St John's wort, organic calendula flowers, bay laurel infused organic olive oil, organic hemp seed oil, organic beeswax, organic shea butter, organic peppermint essential oil & good vibes.

PLANTAIN LEAF- soothes the area and begin the healing process. Great for treating sunburned lips and has anti-inflammatory effects, and it is also rich in tannin (which helps draw tissues together to stop bleeding) and allantoin (a compound that promotes healing of injured skin cells).
LEMON BALM- contains polyphenols, it can help significantly in the treatment of cold sores and combat the herpes simplex virus, shingles as well as other viral afflictions. It's anti-histamine action is useful to treat eczema and headaches
CALENDULA- anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, astringent, antifungal, antiviral, and immunostimulant properties making it useful for disinfecting and treating minor wounds, chapped or chafed skin. Stimulates the production of collagen at wound sites.
YARROW- Used for centuries on wounds, cuts, scrapes, rashes, and burns, the leaves and stems can be crushed and used on the spot to help stop bleeding and aid in healing.
BAY LAUREL- BAY- anti-inflammatory
ST. JOHN'S WORT- contains tannins that are responsible for its wound healing ability as these compounds dry and tighten or bind the skin. They are especially beneficial for burn or wound healing and reducing inflammation.
BEESWAX- Beeswax is known to lock in moisture, foster cells, and protect skin from damaging environmental factors. Beeswax effectively softens skin and creates a long-lasting protective coating against the elements. It also is a naturally nourishing moisturizer. Beeswax's anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anti-allergenic, and germicidal antioxidant properties make it beneficial for wound healing.
PEPPERMINT ESSENTIAL OIL- can be used for pain relief and has ability to aid in breathing difficulties, with such ailments as asthma and bronchitis.
HEMP SEED OIL- regenerates the skin’s protective layer, has a composition similar to skin lipids and helps to calm irritated skin. It's moisturizing, regenerating and revitalizing qualities are especially useful for dry, tired or dehydrated skin.
OLIVE OIL- nourishes and is an overall healing agent.
SHEA BUTTER- The treatment of dry skin, eczema, and minor burns, pain relief from arthritis and swelling, improvement in muscle relaxation and stiffness, sunscreen due to its rich content of Vitamins E and D, treats dark spots, stretch marks, skin discoloration, blemishes and wrinkles,massages, diaper rash, and as a hair conditioner