Their life had hit rock bottom, and it was only after a touching act of charity that they were able to get on their feet again.Inspired by this gesture of kindness as well as the beloved Little House on the Prairie books, Merissa found that a life of self-sufficiency and simplicity could be charming and blissful. She set out to live an entirely made-from-scratch life, the “Little House” way, and as a result, she slashed her household budget by nearly half—saving thousands of dollars a year. She started to write about homesteading, homemaking, and cooking from scratch, and over the next few years developed the recipes and DIY projects that would one day become part of her now beloved website, LittleHouseLiving.com.As whole foods became staples of the family diet, Merissa realized the dangers of putting overly processed ingredients not only into our bodies, but on or near them as well. In addition to countless delicious, home-cooked meals, she developed natural, easy-to-make recipes for everything from sunscreen to taco seasoning mix, lemon poppy hand scrub to furniture polish. With their simple ingredients, these recipes are allergen friendly and many are gluten-free.With over 130 practical, simple DIY recipes, gorgeous full-color photographs, and Merissa's trademark charm in personal stories and tips, Little House Living is the epitome of heartland warmth and prairie inspiration.

    She had never before considered making her own peanut butter and pita bread, let alone curing her own prosciutto or raising turkeys. And though it sounded logical that "doing it yourself" would cost less, she had her doubts. So Reese began a series of kitchen-related experiments, taking into account the competing demands of everyday contemporary American family life as she answers some timely questions: When is homemade better? Cheaper? Are backyard eggs a more ethical choice than store-bought? Will grinding and stuffing your own sausage ruin your week? Is it possible to make an edible maraschino cherry? Some of Reese's discoveries will surprise you: Although you should make your hot dog buns, guacamole, and yogurt, you should probably buy your hamburger buns, potato chips, and rice pudding. Tired? Buy your mayonnaise. Inspired? Make it. With its fresh voice and delightful humor, Make the Bread, Buy the Butter gives 120 recipes with eminently practical yet deliciously fun "Make or buy" recommendations. Reese is relentlessly entertaining as she relates her food and animal husbandry adventures, which amuse and perplex as well as nourish and sustain her family. Her tales include living with a backyard full of cheerful chickens, muttering ducks, and adorable baby goats; countertops laden with lacto-fermenting pickles; and closets full of mellowing cheeses. Here's the full picture of what is involved in a truly homemade life -- with the good news that you shouldn't try to make everything yourself -- and how to get the most out of your time in the kitchen.

    The first nontechnical guide to both the cultural significance and physiological effects of hallucinogens, HALLUCINOGENIC PLANTS will fascinate general readers and students of anthropology and history as well as botanists and other specialists. All of the wild and cultivated species considered are illustrated in brilliant full color.

    Jennifer Shambrook not only shares recipes for some great, low-cost, Southern cooking, but also shares the stories behind the recipes. The people who created the recipes and the people for whom the recipes were created populate this recipe storybook.Dr. Shambrook is a comfortable storyteller and you will find yourself relating these stories as your family or guests eat the down home recipes from this book. With this book, you will find it very easy to be a good cook. You will also find these recipes to be very easy on your food budget. Shambrook cooks with an eye to saving time, effort, and expense.The book offers both recipes and the principles behind the recipes. This enables the reader to follow step by step as they learn the principles, then use these recipes for inspiration to create their own delicious cornbread dishes. There are also general tips such as how to care for cast iron cookware or tell when your oil is hot enough to fry a hushpuppy or corndog.Included in the book are a variety of breads, including many gluten free options. Also included are side dishes (greens with cornmeal dumplings), main dishes (pot roast pie), and a delicious recipe for gluten-free corndogs. There are recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner.You will enjoy reading the stories behind the recipes as you learn to fry hushpuppies, make the Chihuahua Muffins, or cook hardy cornbread-topped entrees. One of the best chapters in the book is the section on creating cornbread dressing or stuffing. Here, the author shares her version of an easy-to-follow recipe for dressing that has been passed down in her family for generations. But, she doesn’t stop there, she offers the principles of how to custom tailor your dressing to suit the tastes of your family and friends.You will find The Cornbread Bible: A Recipe Storybook informative, entertaining and chock full of useful tips that will help you be a better cook while lowering your food budget at the same time.

    White. “But that’s not how my brain works. I’m lost on page three.” Dana blogs at A Slob Comes Clean, chronicling her successes and failures with her self-described “deslobification process.” In the beginning she used the name “Nony” (short for aNONYmous), because she was sharing her deep, dark, slob secret. Now she has truly come clean—with not only her real name but the strategies she has developed, tested, and proved in her own home. She has learned what it takes to bring a home out of Disaster Status, which habits make the biggest and most lasting impact, and how to keep clutter under control.In How to Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind, Dana explains that cleaning your house is not a onetime project but a series of ongoing premade decisions. Her reality-based cleaning and organizing techniques debunk the biggest housekeeping fantasies and help readers learn what really works. Chapter titles includeMy First Step: Giving Up on the FantasyThe Worst Thing About the Best WayJust Tell Me What to DoConquering LaundryGet Dinner on the TablePutting an End to the Never-Ending Weekly Cleaning TasksDon’t Get OrganizedHow to Declutter Without Making a Bigger MessFighting the Perceived Value BattleBut Will It Last?With a huge helping of empathy and humor, Dana provides a step-by-step process with strategies for getting rid of enormous amounts of stuff in as little time (and with as little emotional drama) as possible.

    Vegetables Love Flowers will walk you through the ins and outs of companion planting, from how it works to which plants go together and how to grow the best garden for your climate.  With the right information and some careful planning, you can help your plants thrive--and beautify your garden in the process.

    People are realizing that if alternative medicine is better for them, it's better for their pets, too. Dogs are visiting acupuncturists, chiropractic doctors, and homeopaths. Still, many dog owners are unaware that such simple measures as changing their pet's diet and using vitamins, herbs, and other natural cures can help prevent or heal ailments ranging from excessive scratching to depression to a host of serious diseases. The Veterinarians' Guide to Natural Remedies for Dogs is both an introduction and a guide to the vast world of natural healing methods, treatments, and foods now available for dogs. Author Martin Zucker offers advice from dozens of holistic practitioners and licensed veterinarians, who share their recipes, insights, and "prescriptions." Here dog owners will find information on everything from nutritional supplements to massage therapy, as well as how these treatments can be used alone or in conjunction with traditional medications and surgical techniques.

    It shows how to gain and maintain health through a holistic approach, with information on simple herb remedies, and descriptions of more than 140 Western herbs and 31 Chinese herbs.The Way of Herbs is an essential manual for gaining and maintaining good health through a holistic approach, a natural path to well-being and is “the one book that should be in everyone’s library” (William McGarey, MD). Discover: *The three functions of herbs *Eight traditional methods of herbal therapy *The benefits of a balanced diet *Herbal treatments for cancer, herpes, acne, arthritis, back pain, weight problems, colds, and flu *Detailed descriptions, use, and dosage for more than 140 Western herbs and 31 important Chinese herbs *How to purchase, grow, and store herbs *A new, extensive directory of herbal health-care stores “The first herb book that effectively blends Eastern, European, and American Indian healing traditions” (Steven Foster, director of the American Center for Herb Study).

    Featuring her make-at-home cleaning products, easy step-by-step guides and all her recommendations for toxic-free and eco-friendly products, this book is the ultimate guide to keeping on top of your house, and having fun while you do it.Lynsey shares her daily and seasonal routines, motivating and encouraging you along the way with so that you are left with the will, and the skill, to take on even the most seemingly insurmountable tasks and end up with a clean, calm and happy home.

    White takes the reader step by step through the process of making natural soaps for family, friends, and for profit. Easy to understand and master. This second edition includes extended directions for first time soap makers, new recipes, how to make soap in small and large batches and a guide to using essential oils. Includes tips and advice for how to cut and cure soap, how to sell your soaps, packaging and labeling, and how to set up at a craft fair or market. Over 45 soap recipes from luxurious to economical.

    The Book is, without a doubt, a revelation from the Lord of the Universe. The Final Testament comes with built-in physical evidence that it is God's message to you; it is mathematically composed beyond human capability. This proves that God is the Truth, and that He revives the dead, and that He is Omnipotent. Our Salvation in the hereafter lies on upholding The Quran. The Quran is God's Final Testament to the world. Unlike any other book, the Quran is taught by God (55:1-2); He teaches us what we need at the time we need it. This is why we read the Quran hundreds of times without getting bored. We can read a novel, for example, only once. But the Quran can be read an infinite number of times, and we derive new and valuable information from it every time. Since the Quran is God's message to all the people, regardless of their language, the Quran is accessible to the believers, regardless of their language (41:44). This explains a profound phenomenon: the believers who do not know Arabic know the Quran better than the Arabic speaking unbelievers. Because of the invisible forces serving the Quran, it is readily and enjoyably accessible to the sincere believers, and utterly inaccessible to the unbelievers (17:45, 18:57, 56:79).

    John McDougall, bestselling author and creator of the nationally renowned diet and exercise McDougall Plan, presents a cookbook that turns the popular thinking about carbs and weight control upside down. Filled with some of John and Mary McDougall’s favorite vegetarian recipes from their very own kitchen, this book is a great addition to your personal library if you are considering becoming a vegetarian or want a refresher course on the must-have nutrients your body needs to run like a lean, clean machine.Dr. John McDougall is a certified internist who has been studying and writing about the effect of nutrition on disease for more than 30 years. Mary McDougall has contributed her nutritional expertise and recipes as co-author on many of the bestselling McDougall books.

    From the quick and healthy Breakfast Burrito to simple but hearty dinners like Ratatouille Lasagne and Southern Style Chicken, all 80 recipes are easy to follow and use only widely available ingredients. Get confident in the kitchen with advice on batch cooking, stocking up on store-cupboard ingredients and using up leftovers. Use the handy shopping lists to help plan your weekly menus and learn how to create healthy meat-free options or cater for fussy eaters without spending hours in the kitchen.Featuring a foreword from Gregg Wallace and Chris Bavin, Eat Well for Less: Family Feasts on a Budget makes it simpler than ever to cook great food for all the family without breaking the bank.

    If you want to grow food but you don’t want your yard to look like a farm, what can you do? The Beautiful Edible Garden shares how to not only grow organic fruits and vegetables, but also make your garden a place of year-round beauty that is appealing, enjoyable, and fits your personal style. Written by a landscape design team that specializes in artfully blending edibles and ornamentals together, The Beautiful Edible Garden shows that it’s possible for gardeners of all levels to reap the best of both worlds. Featuring a fresh approach to garden design, glorious photographs, and ideas for a range of spaces—from large yards to tiny patios—this guide is perfect for anyone who wants a gorgeous and productive garden.

    You’ll discover that container gardening is an easy and fun way to enjoy summer’s bounty in even the smallest of growing spaces.