Homemade Toothpaste

The switch from store bought to homemade toothpaste has been very difficult for me.  I really like the consistency, lather and taste of the store bought stuff, but it's full of bad stuff that I wouldn't touch with my hands, let alone put in my mouth!  I knew that brushing with plain baking soda would never go well for me even though it works great for so many others who don't mind a tooth powder.  I really wanted my toothpaste to be a true "paste"consistency.  After a few recipe tries, I think I have finally found something that I actually like:

Homemade Toothpaste
-3 tablespoons of baking soda
-3 tablespoons of coconut oil
-1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract
-1/2 packet of Xylitol
-1/4 teaspoon (just a drop) of sweet almond oil (optional)

This recipe makes the equivalent of about 1 tube of toothpaste.

I started by mashing the baking soda and coconut oil in a shallow bowl with a fork.  Do not heat the mixture as it will compromise the texture.  Just be patient and use the fork until the coconut oil has completely blended with the baking soda.

Then, I mix in my peppermint extract and Xylitol packet.  You could also use peppermint essential oil, but I find the taste too strong.  You can find Xylitol at any health food store in the sweetener section.  It is a naturally occurring sweetener and it does not cause cavities the way sugar does because it is non-fermentable.  If you don't have or can't find Xylitol, you can substitute Stevia which is also a naturally derived sugar alternative, however, it does not have the same antimicrobial properties as Xylitol.  Xylitol has some plaque prevention effects on teeth since it starves the cavity causing bacteria and allows the tooth enamel to reminerilize naturally.

To get the right consistency, I added just a drop of sweet almond oil, but I think you can add any carrier oil that doesn't have a strong taste to it.  If you are happy with the consistency, you can skip the sweet almond oil.

At first, brushing with your homemade toothpaste will feel and taste weird, but it really grows on you - especially after your teeth start to look really really white!  I store my toothpaste in an airtight container and keep it on my bathroom counter; there's no need to refrigerate it.

Pepperminty fresh!

Guacamole Hummus

I know.

Seeing those 2 words together makes my heart feel good...

I got this idea from my latest addiction - Pinterest.  The newest social media website since Twitter... I never understood tweeting (Internet verb).  For those of you who have not been invited to Pinterest yet, what are you waiting for?!  If I could spend my afternoons drinking tea, reading and pinning (yet another Internet verb), my life would be complete.  Go check it out, but first you must try this amazing snack.

This is the easiest and quickest snack you will ever make.  And the results are so satisfying.  I start by getting all of my ingredients and finish up by turning my food processor on.  That's it.

This is what I used for my guacamole hummus:

-half a can of chick peas
-1 avocado
-1 clove of garlic
-1 small tomato
-squeeze of lime or lemon juice
-sea salt & pepper to taste

My recipe makes enough for a good sized snack for 2-3 people.  Please note, you can change or add any extra ingredients.  Some other yummy additions would be green onions, sun dried tomatoes, or even some olives.  You can customize this recipe to your tastes as long as you keep the avocado to chick pea ratio of 1:1 which gives it that perfect consistency.

You can use your guacamole hummus as a chip dip, to spread on crackers or use it on toast.  However you choose to eat your guacamole hummus, you should eat it while it's still fresh since it does not store well.  Without preservatives, avocado quickly turns brown, similar to apples. 

Once you taste this delishish combination of flavours, you won't be able to stop until it's all gone. 

Happy noming (another Internet verb...) nom nom nom!