Check Out Young Living Essential Oils!

I am really excited to get to share with everyone one of the things I have been involved with lately… Young Living Essential Oils!

A Little Background…

I have known about these oils for quite a few years now, but I never bought any myself or took it that seriously. My Mom had a kit that she bought from my Aunt like 10 or more years ago. I had used a few of them, but wasn’t too interested in it.

Then, earlier this year, I bought some essential oils on Puritan’s Pride – they have great deals, and I like good deals. I am a nursing student and not employed, so I wanted to try some of the cheaper ones first. I bought a few that my Mom still had in her (now 10+ year old) kit from Young Living. I’m looking at the ones I bought, smelling them, and then comparing them to the YL ones to see if there was really a difference. Was there? YES! First, my cheap ones expired. The YL ones do not expire. Secondly, they smelled differently. The YL ones smelled much better and didn’t burn in a bad way if it was undiluted and on my skin. The cheaper ones, well, they said do not use undiluted, do not ingest, and although they were “pure” they did not contain 100% of the oil I bought it for. So, I ended up returning the oils I purchased from Puritan’s Pride. At least they have a good return policy.

I ended up signing up to be a member of Young Living, and am now using the oils like crazy and loving everything I can make with and use them for! I’ve made rollerballs, sprays, lotions, bath fizzies, and am probably getting the stuff to make lip balm, deodorant, and who knows what else in the near future. These are high quality essential oils that have been effective for use for me and my family. I wouldn’t go back to cheaper, lower quality ones that don't work, ever.

So, ready to sign up and join me on the oily journey?

Go to my link:

https://www.youngliving.com/signup/?site=US&sponsorid=1860270&enrollerid=1860270

Make sure you check “wholesale member” so you can get the kit with the diffuser with your membership and save 24% off the regular customer prices!

Please also make sure that my Member ID: 1860270 is the one listed for you. That way, I can get you into the amazing groups I am also a part of with Young Living and help you on your oily journey. Let me know (post here or e-mail me) so I can help you with the groups after you sign up!

The “Premium Starter Kit” that is $150 or $160 is the best way to go, I bought the $160 version because it has the new diffuser and can use regular tap water. If you also want to add some extra oils or other products to your order, you can! I did this too, enough to get the 3 free oils that month because I already had a 100 PV value, thanks to the kit. For 90 more PV, you get the free oils from that month's promo. If you like free oils, I’d suggest this, too.

If you have any questions, or get an error message, please let me know ASAP so we can get it fixed!

Gluten Free Baking with Betty Crocker

I am gluten free because I have to be. If I eat something with gluten (even just a few crumbs) I get terribly sick. One of the hardest things about staying gluten free is all of the things that I used to eat (and love) don’t taste like “normal” foods anymore. Gluten free bread, gluten free cakes, and the like usually taste a little dry and “strange.”

It has been a few years since I’ve been fully gluten free now, and I have discovered a few amazing replacements to eat that are gluten free and still taste almost 100% like normal foods that contain gluten. One of them is the Betty Crocker baking mixes. These are a lifesaver, especially during holidays or events because I can make these, bring them to the party (or keep at home) and still feel like I’m able to have a relatively normal birthday, Christmas, or whatever. They are delicious and gluten free, so it is really a win-win for everybody who gets to eat it!

Betty Crocker Gluten Free Info

Now, Gluten Free baking gets even easier (and tastier!) with two all-new additions to the delicious line of Betty Crocker Gluten Free baking products – introducing Gluten Free Sugar Cookie mix and All-Purpose Gluten Free Rice Flour Blend. 

Smart moms already trust the great taste of Betty Crocker Gluten Free Brownie, Cookie and Cake mixes that the whole family can enjoy, and now beginner-to-expert bakers can use mixes or create from scratch delicious recipes year-round! 

So why are Gluten Free moms choosing Betty Crocker?

• Taste – Our consumers rave about the great taste of our Gluten Free products. Check out some of the great comments here.
• Shareable – You can make one dessert for the whole family.
• Normalcy – You can feel “normal again” baking for your family just like before you went gluten free.

To find out more about Betty Crocker gluten free mixes, check out their website.

My favorite mixes are the brownie and cookie mixes (made into chocolate chip cookies of course)! Have you tried any of these gluten free mixes? Have any recipes or funny baking stories to share? I’d love to hear all about it!

Disclosure: The information and prize pack have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.

Domino’s Gluten Free Pizza? Not Really

Domino’s pizza chain announced today that they are now offering small (10-inch) pizzas with a gluten free crust in all of their stores across the USA. They partnered with the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness to help make sure that their gluten free pizza met their criteria.

As someone who has Celiac Disease and has also worked at Domino’s in the past, I am highly suspicious of this “gluten free” pizza actually being free of gluten 100% - which people who have Celiac Disease has to have.

As a former employee, I can verify for you that at the location I worked at wasn’t the cleanest, and even pans used to cook food were rarely washed (as in a few times a year). The gluten contamination at Domino’s would not ensure that a pizza with this gluten free crust would in fact be gluten free. In fact, I can assure you that it is likely going to be contaminated.

To push this point further, Domino’s company statement on the matter states that they don’t even recommend this crust for people with Celiac Disease. The company’s release states that “Domino’s and the NFCA found that while the crust is certified as gluten free, current store operations at Domino’s cannot guarantee that each handcrafted pizza will be completely free from gluten.”

People who actually would have to have the crust can’t even eat it. As someone who really misses eating pizza that isn’t homemade, it is quite sad. To me, it seems like they are just trying to jump on the gluten free bandwagon without actually taking steps for people who have to live gluten free to benefit from. 

Miley Cyrus is on the Gluten Free Diet too!

Miley Cyrus just came out publicly about her health issue with gluten and lactose intolerance. I’m not sure if she has Celiac Disease, too (I haven’t found anywhere that she said she is), but being on a gluten-free diet for those that are intolerant for it is a fabulous idea! It can really wreck your digestive system, and finally feeling better once you are gluten-free is the best feeling.

I guess she was looking skinnier than normal and people were slamming her saying she has an eating disorder. Yesterday Miley tweeted “For everyone calling me anorexic I have a gluten and lactose allergy. It’s not about weight it’s about health. Gluten is crappp anyway.”

She isn’t one to standby while people are saying things about her, and hopefully she did get health tests done to explain why she is so thin lately. I’m sure some PR people could have given her an idea to claim this was why, as some people have said online, but I honestly don’t think that this was the case.

Some people with a gluten allergy lose weight and some gain weight. I gained weight, though to be honest, I wish I was in the group that lost a lot of weight! It is serious either way though, and I hope that she stays gluten and lactose free now that she knows what is causing her health issues.

Good luck to you Miley!

The Sexy Vegan Cookbook by Brian L. Patton

The Sexy Vegan Cookbook by Brian L. Patton is a new way to look at cooking Vegan foods. It isn’t preachy, so if you don’t want to fully go Vegan that is okay.

Book Description

“Not Yo Mama’s Vegan Cookbook

Are you craving a way to eat killer food without killing yourself, animals, or the planet? Is your brain bloated from watching cooking shows that present recipes you’re never, ever going to make? Have you been searching for a way to prove to your friends that vegan food can be just as delicious, hearty, and satisfying as the meaty meals they’re accustomed to? Then this is the book for you.

Of his journey from watching food porn on his parents’ couch to cooking in Hollywood kitchens to becoming vegan, author Brian Patton writes:

My roommate said he didn’t know what made me a bigger loser: that I was painstakingly preserving episodes of 30 Minute Meals or that I was trying to conceal their existence by labeling them Star Trek....Once I discovered that I could not only survive but thrive without taking the life of another being, I was sold. I was a vegan. For good.

And that’s how an “ordinary dude” became the Sexy Vegan and started creating “extraordinary food” with a decidedly real-meal appeal. On every page, Brian proves that seriously good food needn’t be too serious.” – The Sexy Vegan Cookbook

My Thoughts

The Sexy Vegan Cookbook is written with a sense of humor and a dash of do-gooder veganism thrown into the blender to make a unique cookbook. Going Vegan isn’t for everyone, but everyone can eat this way occasionally if they choose, and this is a good cookbook to get you started on a healthier lifestyle.

This is not a gluten-free cookbook. I have Celiac Disease, and I knew it wasn’t gluten-free going into the book. Most cookbooks aren’t and they don’t even acknowledge it. This one uses a lot of wheat gluten, which made me unable to try out the recipes. I did try out a few though, and I actually quite liked the following: Basil Pesto, Cashew Ricotta, and Tater Skinz. I already knew how to make Basil Pesto and baked French fries though.

There weren’t a very large amount of recipes I would want to try out (even if I could eat them). They weren’t really very original and the photos showcased the author as much as the food. I think this guy thinks he is Adam on the show Man vs. Food.

Although it is a humorous cookbook, it sometimes seems forced and lacking originally. Sometimes too much is too much, if you get what I mean. Also, he sometimes writes like those reading his cookbook are mentally inept. Maybe that is meant to be humorous? Oh well.

If you are a fan of his YouTube channel, I’m sure you’ll love this cookbook like no other book about Vegan cooking on your bookshelf. However, if you want a really good book that will help you with learning about being Vegan and also learn how to cook really good meals, I’d suggest a different book. I’m not going to say it is a terrible cookbook, but it isn’t an excellent one either. If you happen to see it, look it over, and if you like his sense of humor and some of the meals or recipes, go for it. If not, move on to the next cookbook.

* Thank you to the publisher of The Sexy Vegan Cookbook, New World Library, for providing me with a copy of this book for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

National Celiac Disease Awareness Day

Today, September 13, 2011 is National Celiac Disease Awareness Day. The U.S. Senate has made today the day to become aware about this disease. This is the second year that it has been an official day, so in case you don’t know what it is… check out Gluten Freely for information about the disease. I could explain it all here, but that would be a very long post.

As someone who has this, I hope that you do go check out the symptoms, learn more about it, and really understand just how bad eating gluten is if you have this disease. If you know someone who has this, please make an effort to become more understanding about the disease. It isn’t easy to live life with this, especially in social gatherings. So, take some time out today and learn more about it.

Today I’m going to eat a gluten-free pizza made from the Bisquick pancake mix that is gluten-free. It is really quite good and the only type of pizza I’ve eaten for over a year. I only have it on special occasions, and I think today would qualify.

What are you doing for National Celiac Disease Awareness Day? Do you also have celiac disease? Share some stories with me about it, I’d love to hear it.

The G Free Diet by Elisabeth Hasselbeck

The G Free Diet by Elisabeth Hasselbeck is about her journey to discover she has celiac disease and how she dealt with it. If you or someone you know has this disease or are gluten intolerant, this is really a book you should buy to learn more about it.

Book Description
“For years, Elisabeth Hasselbeck couldn't figure out what was making her sick. She asked doctors and consulted nutritionists, but no one seemed to have any answers. It wasn't until spending time in the Australian Outback, living off the land on the grueling Survivor TV show, that, ironically, her symptoms vanished. Returning home, she pinpointed the food that made her sick -- gluten, the binding element in wheat. By simply eliminating it from her diet, she was able to enjoy a completely normal, healthy life. But that wasn't all. Hasselbeck discovered the myriad benefits that anyone can enjoy from a gluten-free diet: from weight loss and increased energy to even the alleviation of the conditions of autism.

In this all-inclusive book, Hasselbeck shares her hard-earned wisdom on living life without gluten and loving it. She gives you everything you need to know to start living a gluten-free life, from defining gluten - where to find it, how to read food labels - to targeting gluten-free products, creating G-Free shopping lists, sharing recipes, and managing G-Free living with family and friends.” – The G Free Diet


My Thoughts
The G Free Diet is a book that I’ve wanted to read for over a year. I actually saw The View one day when Elisabeth was talking about celiac disease. At the time, I was going through my own battle with my digestive system and when I heard more about celiac disease from her, I decided to do some research about it too. Turns out, she and I are quite similar and I self-diagnosed myself too.

Doctors in our country don’t want to diagnose it, and I wasn’t ever sure why they wouldn’t even run the tests for it (even when I had great insurance). Apparently, there is no money to be made for it by the pharmaceutical company, so they instead tell us we have IBS. I knew that was BS long ago too because not one of those medicines helped me. It just hurt me – and my wallet. So, I suffered for years without knowing why. Luckily, I saw that show on The View to start the push to figure out what was wrong with me. Aren’t shows like that just great?

Elisabeth explains 1 out of 133 people in our country have it, or about 1% of the population. Chances of having it also go up if someone in your family has it (even if they aren’t showing symptoms). Yet, doctors think it is extremely rare. Something really should be done about this because the dangers of continuing to eat gluten if you have celiac disease are not something to take lightly. It could lead to cancer and other autoimmune diseases too.

The G Free Diet helps to explain some of the symptoms of celiac disease and also which tests to ask for when going to the doctor if you are experiencing these symptoms. She also explains what gluten is, and what to avoid when buying at the grocery store, and even what to do or say when going to a restaurant or at a party (which is perhaps the most stressful part of eating when you have celiac disease).


As part of Elisabeth’s job, she has to wear many beauty products, and yes, gluten can show up even in lipstick and hairspray. I found this out years ago about the lipstick, and have avoided wearing any at all and stuck with lip balm. However, Elisabeth gives lists of where to buy gluten free makeup and other beauty products too.

Overall, The G Free Diet by Elisabeth Hasselbeck is really a must buy book if you have celiac disease or if you know someone who does. It will help you to get a better understanding of the disease, what gluten is, what cross contamination can do, and much more. I highly recommend this book.



* Thank you to the publisher of The G Free Diet, Center Street, for providing me with a copy of this book for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Gloriously Gluten-Free Cookbook by Vanessa Maltin

The foreword of The Gloriously Gluten-Free Cookbook is written by Heidi Collins, a former CNN Newsroom anchor. She publicly spoke out and made others aware about celiac disease, which she was diagnosed with after fifteen years of suffering with what doctors called a “nervous stomach.”

Reading this foreword, I personally understood the struggle she went through. Doctors often told me they weren’t sure what was wrong, and said “nervous stomach” or the most annoying – IBS. Not knowing what it is is hard and highly annoying and stressful. I wish I had known then about celiac disease, so I could have been properly tested for it before it got so bad. I’m glad that it is being discussed more often publicly now, and more people are getting diagnosed.

The author of this cookbook, Vanessa Maltin, is also one of millions of Americans with celiac disease, is the Food & Lifestyle Editor for Delight Gluten-Free Magazine. She understands the need and desire for those with celiac disease to be able to eat things that taste great – yet still being gluten free.

For those that do not know what celiac disease is, it is an autoimmune disorder of the small bowel. As informed in the cookbook by Aline Charabaty, MD, the lining of it gets damaged after it is exposed to food containing gluten. This leads to the symptoms of malabsorption with diarrhea, cramping, bloating, weight loss, failure to thrive, and nutrient deficiencies. If it is left untreated, it can also lead to neurological disorders, skin and joint disease, osteoporosis, and infertility, and has been associated with an increased risk of certain cancers.

The only treatment is to not eat gluten. There are no pills to take or surgeries to undergo. That is why it is so important for those with this disease to not eat gluten (wheat, rye, barley) and live a gluten-free lifestyle.

The first thing most people think of when eating “gluten-free” isn’t usually so appealing. Most of the older gluten-free products did not taste good (and quite frankly, a lot still don’t). However, there are new gluten-free products available that do taste great. Vanessa Maltin explains that it is imperative to those with the disease to not eat gluten and to stick with this lifelong diet. The recipes in the cookbook are a great step in eating gluten-free for those with the disease, and those who want to just eat great, healthy food.

The Gloriously Gluten-Free Cookbook is separated into four sections: Italian, Asian, Mexican, and dessert recipes.

Italian Recipes
I was thrilled to see Italian gluten-free foods I could eat. Some of my favorite foods are Italian, such as pizza and pasta. Since having celiac disease, I’ve been unable to eat these (without experienced bad side affects, which really are not worth it).

Some of my favorites from this section include:
• Italian Breadsticks – taste fantastic and just as good (or better) than Italian restaurants!
• Grilled Chicken with Asparagus and Cheddar Risotto – even Chef Ramsay would love this, I think he’d be highly impressed if one of the competitors on Hell’s Kitchen made such a risotto.
• Garlic Shrimp with Linguine and Roasted Garlic and White Wine Sauce – amazing!
• Pizza Crust – my own personal heaven. Seriously.

Asian Recipes
I love eating Chinese food, even if it isn’t “authentic.” These recipes are highly flavorful and excite the senses.

Some of my favorites from this section include:
• Egg Drop Soup – one of my favorite soups! This took me quite a few tries to get, but well worth it!
• Shrimp Fried Rice – definitely better than those local Chinese food restaurants. Delish!
• Mango Fried Rice – I never even thought of adding mango to rice before trying this out. I’m extremely glad this was included in the cookbook, it is amazing!
• Vegetable and Shrimp Beer Batter Tempura – sounds great, but I assure you, it tastes even better!
• Chicken with Cashew Nuts – this is one of the main dishes I always get at our local Chinese restaurant. This recipe is however, even better than what they use, and probably has much less salt too.

Mexican Recipes
Mexican food is much more than just tacos and quesadillas. I love Mexican food, the spices and flavors are amazing.

Some of my favorites from this section include:
• Fried Plantains with Peach Chutney – fantastic starter, especially for family gatherings.
• Chicken Tacos – I’m a sucker for chicken tacos, it is one of my favorites!
• Mango Chicken Quesadillas – I recently discovered (and love) mangos with chicken and this dish is absolutely perfect!
• Tequila Shrimp with Garlic, Chiles, and Cilantro Rice – I’ve never cooked with Tequila before, but it is fun – especially if drinking some while cooking. Yum!

Dessert Recipes
Desserts. It is really hard to find good ones that are gluten-free. However, making your own with these recipes solves that problem!

Some of my favorites from this section include:
• Chocolate Fudge Cake – pure chocolate heaven!
• Double Chocolate Chip Cookies – soft and full of flavor. Possibly some of the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever had.


The Gloriously Gluten-Free Cookbook is one of the best cookbooks I’ve used, and because the recipes are gluten-free, it is one I’ll be using the most often for a very long time. I absolutely loved it (and so did my family) and highly I recommend it for everyone with celiac disease, or those unable to eat gluten. I also recommend it for those who just want to eat healthier and cut out some of the gluten in their lives too. Fantastic cookbook.





* Thank you to the publisher of The Gloriously Gluten-Free Cookbook, Wiley, for providing me with a review copy of this book. All opinions and experiences expressed are my own.

Betty Crocker: Gluten Free Brownie Mix

Betty Crocker has some new mixes out that are gluten free! I bought the brownie mix because I really miss eating brownies. They also have in gluten free: yellow cake mix, devil’s food cake mix, and chocolate chip cookie mix. I’ll be trying each of these over this year too.

I was so excited when I saw this box available at the store. For people who are gluten intolerant, or have celiac disease, like me, this is amazing! Seriously, try going a week without eating gluten and you’ll see what I mean.

Apparently the people at Betty Crocker also had people that worked there with such experiences as I’ve faced recently: going to family events only being able to eat things like carrots and pineapples and feel taunted by the brownies, cakes, sandwiches, pizza, and other goodies everyone else can eat. So, they decided to make gluten free desserts, and also give back to the Celiac Disease Foundation and the Celiac Sprue Association.

Some things I’ve eaten that are gluten free that are masked as regular food just taste like awful cardboard messes. I was really hoping that this was not the case with the Betty Crocker brownies. Luckily, I was not disappointed in any way. Betty Crocker promises delicious homemade taste every time, and from these brownies I was satisfied! They were moist, chewy, chocolatey and actually tasted better than brownie’s I’ve had before! Plus, being gluten free I didn’t get sick from eating them! Gotta love that!


* This is not an advertisement at all. I bought the product and loved it so much I wanted to share it with all of you. Thank you Betty Crocker for allowing me to eat brownies again – gluten free!

Healthcare – Seriously?

I made an appointment last month for yesterday to see a doctor at an organization that bases it on your income – it isn’t a free clinic. I have no insurance because I can’t afford it and working at a pizza place obviously doesn’t help provide anything for its employees. So, I had to go to this place. I’m not going to say its name to bash them because they probably do want to help people, maybe. I’m also still pissed about my experience from yesterday, but here is how it went…

I arrived 30 mins prior, like they said to fill out paper work. My appointment was at 9:30. Not that many people were in the waiting room and there were 2 doctors there, so I didn’t think it would take too long to get in.

They call me back to take my blood pressure, weight, more medical history, etc. Then they sent me back to the waiting room where I waited for at least an hour. Then they call me up to – fill out another paper medical questionnaire. Hmm, okay? I didn’t get sent back to the little room to wait for the doctor for another good 30 minutes. I waited in that room for at least half an hour too.

I didn’t see the doctor until around 11:30. I’m quite perturbed by now too. He BARELY looked at my “questionnaire” I filled out. He didn’t listen to me when I talked and if he did, he didn’t respond 80% of the time. Oh and since celiac disease is “rare” (in his words) he "probably" doesn’t think I could have it, even though most of the symptoms I do have and the doctor I saw before that treated me for IBS didn’t do anything same with “acid reflux” and other things. He didn’t even look at the rash I have that could be the itchy skin rash too. Then, he heads to leave when I’m not even done talking! Seriously?!? How is this guy a doctor? Then to top it off he says he’ll prescribe… and walks out. I didn’t even hear what he said (if he said anything) and he’ll be back to bring the prescription in. Um.. what? 15 minutes later I hear him walk into another patient’s room while I’m still waiting – again. I open the door and find someone who works there and ask why I’m waiting so long on a prescription I don’t even know what it is. She explains the nurse (or someone) is working on it and something about labs. What labs? He didn’t even say anything about that?!? My irritation level is about to explode. Oh, and I hadn’t eaten anything yet because my Mom said not to if I get blood work done.

Finally the prescription is ready and the person walks my Mom and I over to the lab area. I didn’t have to wait there for too long to be called back. I had to wait in the blood-drawing area though for at least 20 minutes and for what? I wasn’t told. I didn’t even know what tests were going to be ran with my blood – I had to ask the lab tech lady. Apparently he ordered 3. One general one, one for thyroid and another for how I digest things, I guess?

I told the lady before I need the small needle and I have rolling veins. It isn’t fun to be stuck multiple times in each arm and I’ve passed out before. Honestly, it is NOT fun. Well, guess what almost happened? That’s right! I almost passed out because she didn’t get in the vein or something after the 3rd time she poked me. Ouch! My Mom came back there and helped walk me out.

Apparently I could have eaten before the tests and that would have helped with the blood work. So, we go to eat lunch and come back and guess who is not there? The lab tech lady is the only one who works in that area and she is now at lunch. So, we have to wait for her and 2 more people to go through. Not fun, but that is fine because the pharmacy people aren’t back until 2:30 – talk about a long lunch hour!

This time the blood is drawn fine because she gets it from my hand and warmed it before. I’ll have to remember that the next time it ever needs to be drawn.

After waiting for the pharmacy people to get back, I’m just told that they are out of one of the prescriptions which would cost $70something and generic version at that and the other is $50something with their discount. I said no thanks!

We were at the medical center from 9am to 3pm. Talk about ridiculous!

So, we went to Wal Mart’s pharmacy to see what their prices are for those. Both are in the $30s. I’m going to pick one of them up today and not get the one for IBS because it never helped me before and I tried a few different ones for that so why waste $30?

I also do not plan on ever going back to this medical center. I’m going to call for my results and then cancel my “follow up” appointment next month. I don’t want to waste another $20 on a quack doctor who doesn’t even listen to his patients.

If this is anything like what the Obama healthcare reform will be like, people will seriously be beyond pissed. Sadly, it will probably be even worse than this.