Friday, September 13, 2013

Kombucha the Magical Drink

Kombucha is a fermented drink of sweetened black tea. It is produced by fermenting the tea using a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast, or "SCOBY". It's very close cousins to the mother used to make vinegar. The scoby bacteria and yeast eat most of the sugar in the tea, the finished product is a refreshingly fizzy, slightly sour fermented  beverage that is relatively low in calories.



Why drink Kombucha?

1 — Detoxification
Detoxification produces healthy livers and aides cancer prevention. One of kombucha’s greatest health benefits is its ability to detox the body.

2 — Joint Care
Kombucha contains glucosamines, a strong preventive and treatment all forms of arthritis.

3 — Aids Digestion and Gut Health
Because it’s naturally fermented with a living colony of bacteria and yeast, Kombucha is a probiotic beverage.

Here are a few articles on the health benefits of kombucha:
http://www.kombu.de/val-gwf.htm
http://www.gaiaresearch.co.za/kombucha.html
http://www.acupuncture.com/herbs/kombucha1.htm






First Brew


You will need:

3 quarts water
1 cup white sugar
5 bags black tea (or 2 tablespoons loose tea)
2 cups starter tea from last batch of kombucha
1 scoby per fermentation jar


Equipment needed to start and have continuos brewing

Stock pot
1-gallon glass jar with spout
2 large mason Jars with plastic lids
Bottles: Six 16-oz glass bottles with plastic lids or swing-top bottles, or clean soda bottles
clean cotton cloth
string
Instructions

Note: Avoid prolonged contact between the kombucha and metal both during and after brewing it can affect the flavor of your kombucha and weaken the scoby over time.

1. Make the Tea Base: Boil water and add tea bags. Remove from heat, remove tea bags, and stir in the sugar. Then allow to reach room temperature.

2. Add brewed tea, started tea, and scabby to glass jar

3. Cover with cloth and tie off with string or large rubber band

4. let brew for 7 to 10 Days: Keep the jar at room temperature, out of direct sunlight, and safe from too much movement. Check the kombucha and the scoby periodically.


Second Brewing -

Pour the fermented kombucha into jars ( always leave a few cups left in your continual brewing, add any juice, herbs, or fruit you may want to use as flavoring, leaving about an inch of head room in each Jar I add 3 Tablespoons of organic sugar to promote more fizz like soda. Add lid and let sit in room temperature for 24hrs. Once 2nd brewing is over you can strain and add to bottles and refrigerate. Refrigerate to stop fermentation and carbonation, and then consume your kombucha within a month.


1.Remake the Tea Base to feed the mother: Boil water and add tea bags. Remove from heat, remove tea bags, and stir in the sugar. Then allow to reach room temperature.

2. You can now start doing the second brewing every other day. repeat steps 1 and 2.


To Your Health!!


Monday, April 1, 2013

Magical Monday Giveaway: Mosey's Mermaid Crown

Our Magical Giveaway is is so... well magical. It is the sweetest mermaid crown made of the softest wool and sweet woven ribbon. it is the perfect highlight for our tribute to mermaids. This crown come to you by way of Mosey.


Mosey, Waldorf inspired birthday crowns and toys, created by Steph & Jes who joined forces a little over a year ago. Steph and Jes have been friends for over 18 years, they used to write a zine together and now they make mosey magic!


They draw their inspiration from Waldorf education and the warmth of working with all-natural objects.  In the past year their Waldorf style birthday crowns have become their most loved and cherished things in the shop as well as one of our favorite things to make. We choose every detail carefully down to the fancy ribbons & shades of wool felt. Their crowns were crowns were featured in Mothering Magazine's ♥ Best Natural Toys ♥



Mosey's creators say, "We try to always keep in mind the children who will be holding or wearing our creations and we hope they receive as much magic from each object as we put in to making them!" To read more about this wonderful Artist head on over to the Naturalkids Team Blog!





Giveaway item: Mermaid Wool Crown by Mosey

Contest Date: Monday April 1st, 2013 - Friday April 5th, 2013. The winner will be picked on April 5th, 2013. Winner will be announced on my Facebook Page.

Who Can Enter: This Giveaway is for domestic and international ( International winners are responsible for all tax, custom, and duties applied by your country. This item will be marked Merchandise on the custom paperwork.)

How to enter:
Check out Mosey's shop and tell us what you think.

For Extra Entries:
Like Mosey Facebook and share this giveaway on your page.
Follow Mosey blog.
Heart Mosey shop on Etsy.


Thursday, March 28, 2013

First Spring Walk

After dinner we went on our first spring walk living in our new town and this is what we saw...

Amazing Old Doors



Lovely Detail Work



Amazing Victorian


original brick road showing itself

home again, home again...
I just love my new town!
Make sure you check out my Magical Monday Giveaway post and enter to win this weeks giveaway!!

Monday, March 25, 2013

Magical Monday Giveaway: Underwater Stash


Spring is here even though it is very snowy outside right now. Spring always gets me in the mood to clean and organize. Over the next few weeks I will be working on my studio. I have now been in my space for over 6 months and feel I know how I need to work in it to be most productive.







During this process I will be sorting though my stash of Nature table items and getting this organized for my new project of story book making and stop motion videos. While cleaning and organizing I came across some extra little items that I thought would be fun for a giveaway.





This set of items makes for a great theme Nature Table set up, this collection is small enough that you can add it to a travel bag and take it with you. A few wooden toys and it would be complete for an underwater adventure.

Giveaway item:
11" Water Playsilk
A few water drop (glass)
A few pretty sea shells
A set of Sea Coral from The Enchanted Cupboard

Contest Date: Monday March 25th, 2013 - Friday March 29th, 2013. The winner will be picked on March 30th, 2013. Winner will be announced on my Facebook Page.

Who Can Enter: This Giveaway is for domestic and international ( International winners are responsible for all tax, custom, and duties applied by your country. This item will be marked Merchandise on the custom paperwork.)

How to enter:
Leave a comment about what you most look forward to for Spring.

For Extra Entries:
Follow me on Pinterest and pin this giveaway.
Like me Facebook and share this giveaway on your page.
Follow my blog.
Heart my shop on Etsy.
Follow me on Twitter.

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Spring Arrival


We got a long awaited Spring surprise. 


Meet Galadriel, Gladdy for short, 1st born and named after the The 7th Queen Enthroned.


 Meet Gandalf The Grey, 2nd born named after the Wizard and Leader of The Fellowship of The Ring.


Meet Guinevere, nicknamed Gwen and named after The legendary Queen of Camelot.

This is my Max, the sweetest little boy, he does all the litter clean up and feeding of the cats. He has been pleading, since they were born, for us to keep them all. He does not care about the amount of work it will add for him. It has been hard for me to keep our Easter surprise for them but the surprise is we are going to keep them all!! SHHH!!! Don't tell them!

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Hearty Skillet Rice Dinner


Here is another great quick dinner. This is also a great way to use up leftover rice. I like to do big cooking once a week and then keep precooked rice and pasta in the fridge for easy meal planning. The meat can be substituted with any ground meat,  diced up whole meat, or beans of your choose. I love to make this meal for our friends that eat gluten free.

Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil

3 cup Brown Rice, cooked

1 cups chicken stock

1 med onion, diced

1 green pepper, diced

1 Red Pepper, Diced

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 med. zucchini, Diced

1 Lb of Ground Pork, pre-browned

1 Jar (homemade or Commercial) of Med. or Mild Salsa

1 cup precooked left over or frozen corn

Fresh - Sprig of Cilantro and Oregano

OR

Dry -1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 lime, juiced

Salt

2 cups shredded cheese - we use a Mexican Mix


 In a medium saucepan, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook Sausage till browned. Add veggies and saute. Add rice and broth cook it and stir for a few minute. Once broth has absorbed add salsa and herbs. Turn the heat down to low and covered for a few minutes to raise the heat. Add cheese and cover again till melted.

Thursday, March 14, 2013

The Enchanted Cupboard: Easter Sale 20% Off


Now is the time to stock up for holidays and birthdays! Lovely eco-friendly toys, a life time of joy to get to pass down for generations. Give a gift that is engaging and good for the Earth too! Our sale Ends 11PM EST on March 15th, so come shop now for a great savings and enchanting toys! Cotton colorful eggs can be found here!