Vegetarian/Vegans + Spring Cleaning

Hey, vegetarians and vegans!  I need your help!  Kyle and I have been eating about 98% vegetarian since last October.  But lately I have been showing some pretty severe, what we think may be protein deficiencies.  It has made me take a hard look at our diet, and re-evaluate if we are really healthy, even though we are eating mostly meat-less. 

We've decided to add meat to our diet, not every meal, but a few times a week.  I still want to keep to eating vegetarian some nights, though.  


So, I need your help.  What are some good vegetarian/vegan meals that are fairly simply?  Let me rephrase that.  What are some vegetarian/vegan meals that are REALLY SIMPLE?  My husband works two jobs, I teach christian yoga and am a full time mama- so I have just about 20 minutes or less to cook dinner (if I'm lucky).  Life is what it is right now, and we are thankful... But meal time MUST be simple.  Healthy and simple.  Oh, and I should add that we don't eat tofu or soy for my health reasons.


In other news:

Last post, I talked about how I am planning on spring cleaning my home from top to bottom.  I've had it with clutter, and excess stuff lying around never being used.  Clutter bugs me.  And it is time to purge all that mess.


So, I have made a very detailed list... My spring cleaning goals are to either sell, donate, or organize.  Baby clothes are going to be the hard part for me.  I have such an emotional attachment to every onsie Lily wore in the past. And we do plan on having more kids in the future, and I want to re-use most of Lily's newborn baby clothes.  BUT we don't need to keep 150 newborn onsies.  Okay, maybe their isn't that many, but it sure does feel like it.  


I'm also going through my closet and making room.  If I don't wear it- I want it gone!


Whew, it feels good to spring clean.  This may take me six weeks to completely get done (I do have a toddler, remember), but I am going to get it done.  *I think I can, I think I can, I think I can!*  


Who else is spring cleaning?  Have any organizational tips for me?   

Natural Homemade Facials

 You all know me.  If it's something all natural and homemade for my skin, I'll give it a go.  I am all about finding all natural ways to take care of my skin.  Especially my adult acne prone skin.  


Here are two facials I have been trying lately:


1.  Tomato Facial.  


This is seriously the most amazing facial... and it takes less than a minute.  Ready?  Wash and cut a tomato in half.  Rub the tomato all over your face.  Let it sit, seeds and all, on your skin for 20-30 minutes.  Wash it off with a cool wet wash cloth.  Done.


The end result?  A beautifully polished, pore tightened face.  I am not sure why this facial works so great.  My guess would be all the vitamin C in the tomato brightens up your skin, and gently exfoliates.  All I know is that it works great.





2.  Coconut Water/Lavender Facial.


I have been all about coconut oil for quite some time now, but I would snub my nose at coconut water and coconut milk.  Lately, I have been trying to be more open to them because of all the known health benefits I have been reading about.  I did some googling about coconut water facials, and I have been trying it out.  It is only my second day trying it out, but I really like it so far.


First, pour about an ounce of coconut water into a glass jar (I repurposed an old clean coconut oil jar... baby food jars work great, too.)  and I added three drops of Lavender essential oils.  Put the lid on the jar and shake up the mixture.  Grab a cotton ball, soak up some of the coconut/lavender mixture and apply to your face. (Store the rest of your mixture in the fridge.)  Let it sit for 20-30 mins, the rinse with cold water.


...And there you have it, friends. My cheap, easy, natural, at home facials.  Who needs to spend hundreds of dollars at the spa?  

*Note: The opinions shared on this blog has not been evaluated by the FDA.  The products and methods talked about are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any illness or disease, nor is it intended to replace proper medical help.  Essential oils are not used to "treat" medical problems.  Please always consult your doctor/homeopathic doctor for medical help.

Cleaning and Greening Week: GIVEAWAY #2

I hope you all enjoyed "Cleaning and Greening Week!"  I didn't get to touch on a couple subjects, such as Christian Yoga and clean eating.  So, next week I will talk some more on these subjects.  I would love to hear what you all thought about Cleaning and Greening Week.  Should we make "Clean and Greening" a weekly feature?  Yes?  No?  

To wrap up this week, the beautiful Rylie from Compelled is giving away a gorgeous cowl from her shop!  I love this girl... She has a beautiful heart, and loves the Lord and others in a beautiful, inspiring way.  Now, without further ado...  

Meet Rylie:

Hello She Breathed Deeply readers! I'm Rylie from Compelled, and I am here today with

a giveaway! Okay, up for grabs: a handmade cowl from my store! The winner will

receive the Dorothy cowl (pictured below).

 Brown sugar and spice and all things nice, that's what

Dorothy is made of. But, don't let her charm fool you... If you get on her bad side, she's
the fiery redhead down the street.

Each and every one is hand made... As well as
named after ladies born in the 1900's. I promise you will fall in love with these gals... I
mean cowls. {BONUS: All proceeds go to my missions fund!}

To enter:

Make sure you follow She Breathes Deeply. Then go to my store and leave a comment below

telling me which cowl is your favorite!

For extra entries: 

(Make sure to leave an extra comment for each one!)

-Follow my blog.

-Follow Mandy on twitter.

-Follow me on twitter.

-Blog about the giveaway (linking back to this post). 

-Tweet about the giveaway (linking back to this post).

Good luck! Winner will be chosen a week from today.

Clean and Green Week: EXFOLIATE!

Cleaning and Greening Week- Day Five!

My skin gets so dry in the winter.  I hate feeling like I am walking around with an extra layer of dead, itchy skin.  So, it is time for me to exfoliate.  Here is a recipe I am going to be making for this weekend... (My husband is home on the weekends, so Saturday is my one long, luxurious shower day.  All other days I am rushing through my shower at a break neck speed. I have a 10 month old.  Need I say more?)

Mandy's "It's Been A Long Week Scrub."

-1/2 cup of brown sugar

-1/2 cup of sea salt

-2 spoonfuls of organic virgin coconut oil

-1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil

-4-6 drops of essential oil (I am going with Lavender)

Easy, peasy.  And, boy do I love how my skin feels afterwards.  

What is your favorite all natural scrub?

See you tomorrow!

*Note: The opinions shared on this blog has not been evaluated by the FDA.  The products and methods talked about are not intended to treat, diagnose, cure, or prevent any illness or disease, and it  is not intended to replace proper medical help.  Please always consult your doctor/homeopathic doctor for medical help.

Cleaning and Greening Week: GIVEAWAY!

Welcome to day #3 of Cleaning and Greening!  As you know, I am a huge advocate for healthy, happy families.  Yes, it is very important to keep our bodies as "clean and green" as possible, and to teach our children healthy habits.  But I think it is equally important to teach our children the importance of helping others.  Part of being healthy is helping others, and showing Jesus' love and compassion, right?


Recently I received an e-mail from a sweet lady named Mary.  She works for a company called "Noonday Collection."  Noonday Collection is an incredible, and very stylish company that practices fair trade faithfully, and works to empower women living in poverty to overcome their situations.  This is what Mary says:


"The pretty bracelet becomes more than a few beads... it becomes the rent that a women can pay to keep her family sheltered and safe.  The earrings become more than hoops...they become the food and clean water that a woman can afford.  The scarf becomes more than a fashion statement... it becomes the dreams of an education coming true."  


What a wonderful company!  Mary is offering a giveaway today to one lucky reader.  But first, allow me to introduce Mary and Noonday to you:

"Hi!  I'm so excited about giving away one of these beautiful pieces from The Noonday Collection!  It's been such a great journey for me to work with this company and to be a part of something I can feel is making the world a better place.  I find myself in awe of our generation's movement towards ethical and transparent consumerism!  Noonday has been wonderful about falling in to this thoughtful category, while finding itself a fabulous niche in the fashion-end of it all!  It's Whole Foods for your jewelry box!  

Our artisans are from all over the world and each individual is working hard to proudly support themselves and their families with the money they earn from making such gorgeous products.  When people read about everything that this company is doing to improve the lives of the less privileged- they often ask how they can get involved and the best answer is to shop!  Purchases are creating pathways out of poverty!"

"When you satisfy the needs of the oppressed, your night will become like the noonday." Isaiah 58:10

Enter to win this beauty of a necklace:

How to enter

1. (Mandatory) 1 entry- Visit Noonday Collection and come back here and leave a comment what your favorite item is.

Additional entries:

2.  1 Entry- Follow SheBreathesDeeply.com through google friend connect.

3.  1 Entry- Follow Mary's blog.

4.  1 Entry- "Like" Noonday Collection on Facebook.

5. 1 Entry- Tweet about this giveaway.

6. 5 Entries- Blog about this giveaway (leave link).

Please leave a separate comment for each entry.  You may enter 6 different ways daily.  

Winner will be drawn at random next Wednesday.

Good luck!

See you tomorrow for day #4 of "Cleaning and Greening Week!"  We will be talking about natural non-toxic cleaners.