Canadian Essential Oil Company Saje Wellness

Saje Wellness Market Mall Calgary Alberta

We don't openly advocate many companies on Moms For Real Food Initiative which do not directly relate to food, but I felt Saje to be a justifiable exemption.

Saje Wellness Market Mall Calgary Alberta

Last night I spent an evening with some Calgarians and co-founder of Saje Wellness, Jean-Pierre LeBlanc. He taught a FREE class for beginners on wellness, living a life free of illness and essential oils.
He spoke, not only about his product, but about wellness, healthy living, and "disrupting medicine". His passion for the importance of using a pro-active mentality towards ones health was based on his own personal journey. There is something to be said about being able to directly associate and relate, when so many of us suffer from some sort of "chronic" illness.

He raised interesting points like: Chronic pain and illness and why these things do not have to be a "life sentence", and how you can become not only healthy but well - permanently.

The discussion of your mind, body emotions all being connected is becoming more and more prevalent, and that if one isn't "well", it manifests elsewhere! Have a sore throat? What is that "thing" you've been keeping in and not saying.

He is also an advocate for other local companies! Case and point: he spoke about organic, locally sourced food and local company SPUD.ca. Then proceeded to give us all $30 towards our first purchase!

Did I mention this class was FREE?

I've tried many different essential oil comapnies, wellness brands and the like, but there is something honest, forthcoming and "non-Amway" about Saje as opposed to other Wellness Companies .....

Why do I love this company? 

• The mere fact they are Canadian and not corporately owned is huge. When you buy your oils and products from them, you are still supporting local! 
• Jean-Pierre was asked about "organic sourced" during the class, and his response was heart felt and honest; "Organic. When we are able to, we always use organic, locally sourced and even wild crafted herbs."
• All of their ingredients are derived from safe and renewable resources. Packaging is simple, and made of recycled or recyclable materials.
• The products you buy have all been meticulously blended and manufactured with the individuals wellness and holistic lifestyles in mind. 
• The co-owner himself comes to his stores to teach. Not a representative, not his assistant, not a "team member", but him. 
• They do these classes FREE. (need I say more?)

  

  Co-Founder Jean-Pierre LeBlanc

• The products work. If I were stranded on a desert island without Peppermint Halo I'd be a frigging wreck.
• POINTS system - every purchase makes you more money. You earn points and every few purchases you get a full roll on size for free.(varies) I've already cashed this in at least 4 times.  
• They take care of their staff - the true sign of a company's integrity is how happy there staff is. Go on, ask one of them!
  

KEY POINT: As opposed to most "Wellness and Essential Oil Companies", there is no "opt-in", "sign-up", or "minimum purchase required", it's simply wellness for free and if you want to buy stuff, great - but there was ZERO pressure.

A little FAQ and history about Saje:

• 1992 Saje natural wellness is founded, Saje’s first location opens at Lonsdale Quay,BC
• 2002 Saje’s first Alberta location opens on 4th street in Calgary
• 2013 - Health Canada licenses saje’s remedial products
• Canadian-owned and operated, with offices in Vancouver and Surrey, British Columbia.
• High quality, organic (first and foremost) locally sourced ingredients
• 37 stores nationwide
• Co owned by Kate Ross LeBlanc & Jean-Piree LeBlanc
• Competitively priced

 You can read more about Saje here, but please, go to one of there many, nation wide classes, you will NOT regret it! 

German Bundt Cake Revisited!

GERMAN BUNDT CAKE - REVISITED

Recipe by Tracy Loeppky©

Hi all! As you may, or may not have guessed, my lineage is German and Dutch. Many, many recipes have been taught to me by my Omas and Opa!

One of which is the classic German Bundt Cake.

Now - I will post the original recipe, and also list my alternative ingredients for people who like to have some choice in their baking.
Enjoy!

Wet

• 200 grams sugar (7 oz.)
• or Coconut or Berry sugar, you may also but this in half
• 1/2 lb. butter (8 oz, or 1 cup)
• Cream together

Add

• 4-5 Eggs
• 6 tbs milk
• or Almond milk
• For extra moistness add a splash of oil, or pudding mix (no added sugar mix)
• Vanilla Extract

Dry

• 500 grams Flour (17.6 oz, or 2 cups)
• or GF flour, Spouted Grain flour, but you may need to add additional moisture in the form of apples sauce, oil, or fruit
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 heaping tsp baking powder
• 1/3 cup oil - must be a liquid oil
• (Any other dry ei. choice chips, raisins, nuts etc)

1. Add dry to wet
2. Mix well, scraping edges frequently.
3. Should be a thick, sticky and heavy texture. Not wet.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for an hour, or until tester comes out dry.
5. I used a standard confectioners sugar icing. You may use whatever you like - or nothing at all!

I'm a 'City-Girl' Trying to be a 'Farm-Girl' But You Won't Let Me - An Open Letter

Hello Baby-Boomers,

I am what you call a 'City Girl'. And a 'Millennial'.
I am, however, an 'Old Millennial' at almost 32 years of age. I do relate to most Gen-Xrs better than most of my 'Generation'. I also do come from a long line of 'Educated City-Folk'. So by all rights of classification I am a 'Millennial City Girl'. Seriously, though, most Millennials scare me.

I am on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter (though Twitter isn't really my hotspot). Social media is a part of my existence. I can learn most anything I want on YouTube (like tiling a bathroom) or Google (How to de-skunk my dog). I do still enjoy the smell of new books and reread old favourites until the bindings fall apart. I am 'plugged in'. I am hardly reachable on my house phone (we only have it in case a babysitter doesn't have a cell). Call, text or instant message me, I have my cell phone basically everywhere I go. Never call me at home. I love alternative rock, classic rock, 90s punk and grunge, and even the occasional pop song.

I live in a 1960's bungalow in town with my 'picture family' of a husband, two kids and a dog, though I don't have a picket fence, yet. I even drive a mini-van. I love my Chucks, Birkenstocks and Lulu Yoga pants. I am first and foremost a 'City Slicker'.

Keri, Earl's and the Beef Rant

Ok! Here's my take on the ‪#‎earls‬ beef issue. 

Earl's Restaurants LTD wants to use 'Certified Humane' beef. Great! Good for them! It's what consumers want. They want to know their meat is treated in a humane way while it was alive and slaughtered in a Humane way, with no antibiotics or hormones. 

While Alberta beef is definitely some of the best beef in the world. Alberta cannot provide a supply of 2 million pounds of beef per year due to a lack of paperwork. That's it! It's a lack of having the piece of paper and following along with bookkeeping, record keeping, and the logistical parts that are required with it. It's one of the cheaper certifications one can get. Alberta beef is raised in compliance with most, if not all of the regulations. Yet, not certified. So if the Alberta Cattle Producers want to make a change go through the process of getting certified! Then you can be a supplier of 'Certified Humane' beef. Here's the 53 pages of regulations that cover everything from records to feed to space to everything. So all you cattle producers that want to supply Earl's and any other company that will be switching over to 'Certified Humane' GET CERTIFIED! It's going to happen. You can't get on the train without the ticket! 

http://certifiedhumane.org/…/2014/02/Std14.BeefCattle.1J.pdf

Here is also the slaughter regulations: http://certifiedhumane.org/…/20…/04/2013.AMI_.Guidelines.pdf for it to be Certified Humane it has to comply with all the standards set forth. 

This isn't going away. It's in fact getting bigger. It's gaining momentum if you will. This is the way the world is turning! People don't want their meat to come from a feed lot where the animals are crammed into a tight space with a bunch of other animals, knee deep in mud and feces, getting rounds of antibiotics as 'preventative' (I have been there I have witnessed it with my own eyes. Don't tell me it doesn't happen). People want to know their food had a good life out on 'the Open Range', fresh air sunshine, grass, doing their animal things, being treated with respect and kindness.

Here's my advice: find your local farmer who raises animals in a way that's in line with how you want your meat to be treated. Raise your own animals. Source from reputable farmers. Go to the slaughter house or butcher shop and see how your meat is going to be handled and processed. Stop shopping at Walmart, Costco and other big name retailers who's meat comes from anywhere and you don't know how it's handled. 

As a consumer your biggest boycott can be just by knowing who your farmer is and how your food is handled. Wouldn't it be AMAZING if EVERYTHING everyone ate in Alberta came from ALBERTA? We don't boycott the fact our lettuce comes from Mexico, our peppers from California or Argentina, our garlic comes from China. So get on that boycott train! Actually support Alberta with YOUR money! 

Join a CSA, find a small Market Garden, Grow your OWN. Just do something that will actually benefit your province! Stop jumping on the stupid train of boycotts because some company you didn't actually know used an Alberta supplier and switched because that's what consumers want and you still buy your meat from the cheap bin or because it's on sale and it very well could have come from Mars. Use your head and shop with it! 

DO IT!

A Month of Chicks

How freaking ADORABLE is that face! 

Hello Peeps!

This post comes with a warning!!! Well actually 2.

Moms For Real Food Initiative will not be held responsible for the sudden upswing in chicken ownership throughout Alberta! 

Also SUPER CUTE FLUFFY CHICK PHOTOS ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK!

So the cheeps are growing. FAST! A month ago we picked up the sweet fuzzy little buggers now they look like mini chickens. 

This was our brooder set up. Parts of an old pig feeder. Worked amazing!

We ordered 200 chicks. On arrival date there was a miscount (whoops) so we had 197. Which is still a lot! With transport we lost 5 chicks. It's a sad part of having chickens sometimes they die. So we had a little funeral. They all settled in quite fast which was amazing. all snug and sleeping in the brooders.