Easter eggs

While you are making this yammiiii mushroom terrine appetizer for a meatless Friday before Easter, there is nothing better to do than blow your eggs and use the shells for the most natural eye candy that will cheer up your soul.
The old Hungarian tradition calls for colored eggs and flowers to be given away on Easter Monday to gentleman who come to will pour a bucket of water on you, because that's what will make you grow and flourish in the next year.
Nowadays, they spray their horrible patchouli all over your hair and clothes..
How stupid is that? :D
You cook, dress, clean, and make all those nice Easter eggs, and what you get in exchange?? Washing your hair like 4-5 times during the day, to avoid fainting from the smell of the lovely perfume mixes..

This year I do not expect anybody to honor the tradition, Monday is not even a holiday here, what a  pity, but we will definitely decorate the house and feel festive at least the day before, on Easter Sunday.

Some of the decorations will be these eggs, provided by our beautiful hens as they are: naturally colored in green, olive, chocolate brown, cream, white and pink.

There is nothing easier than making these "colored" eggs: blow out the eggs and just crack some open, rinse and microwave the shells to sanitize them, and match the colors.
I found the lighter olive to work best with the dark chocolate egg, and the dark olive to have the best contrast with the blue Ameraucana egg.
I chose not to make any particular pattern, but feel free to get creative and glue hearts, and what pleases you on the eggs.
I used Elmer's glue all glue, and it worked perfect.
In addition, I also plan to rinse the egg's inside, and outside with a mix of 50% water - 50% Mod Podge, to make them more resistant to breakage.
They can be hanged on branches for a beautiful table centerpiece, or just placed in a neutral colored bowl or weaved basket. I'd go for a light weaved basket to emphasize the eggs natural beauty.
Happy Easter!

Garlic - honey - lemon shots, a natural immune system booster

Flu season is here and my daughter fell sick..Yay...
For three days only, though, and spared the rest of us, but it wasn't an easy one..
I can't brag about anything special the rest of the family did to avoid the sickness: we never take the shots, nor any multivitamins.
Except maybe loads of fruits, veggies and physical exercise, but seeing so many people getting sick everywhere, I thought it's time to give our bodies some extra help.
We did this cure regularly in Finland, (with all that cold felt more logical), but I had to realize that as soon as the wet season kicks in in San Diego, so do the viruses..

If you feel like eating some virus repellent I would strongly advice this mix, and the good news is it must help also against vampires with all that garlic :D.

Ingredients
1 medium head of garlic
3 large lemons
200 g (about half a pound) honey
propolis drops, I add about 60 of them
bee pollen, 1-2 tespoons


Peel the garlic and using the garlic press make the smoothest pure possible in a small, round mixing bowl.
Add the honey, gradually, while mixing with a spoon and pressing against the walls of the bowl, to make pure it further if possible.
Add the propolis and bee pollen, if you add any.
At the end add the lemon, and when mixed, pour it in a jar with a lid, shake it well and place it in the fridge.
Keep it for 1-2 days before consumption, it will allow the tastes to blend and will smoothen the sharpness f the garlic.
Taste it, and add honey/lemon to adjust to your taste.

Take a small teaspoon 2-3 times a day SIPPING IT SLOWLY FIRST!! (add honey and garlic if too strong).
There is no limitation how long you can use it, we usually take it for a week, than make leave one week out, and make another batch, until winter, or flu season is over..

Anyway, there isn't anything in this lovely golden mix that would be harmful, so why not give it a try? Takes at least a week/two dough until the effect kicks in.


The story behind...
Why all this crazy mix? Well, garlic and lemon has tons of benefits, as well as honey (antiseptic, antibacterial), not to mention that this "drink" calls for a sweetener to be edible.

But let's mention few things about the other two ingredients..
Propolis has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effect, but works just as well against viral infections, too.
Bee pollen as well has antibacterial effect, in addition of being a natural source of protein and vitamins (A, D, E, K, C), but I would highlight the benefits of its B complex, especially B5 vitamin content, which will help your body through the stress caused by the sickness.
If that wasn't yet convincing, let's mention that it is also a red blood cell & hemoglobin production booster, and as such is an energy shot in a tiny ball :).
WARNING! Be aware that be pollen can cause allergy, so if you don't know if  you are or are not allergic to it be safe and try it on your own risk!!