Heavenly Homemakers

Encouraging women in homemaking, healthy eating and parenting

Homemade “Larabars” for a Gluten Free Snack!

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Ready to learn how to make homemade Larabars?

larabars_remade

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Ever since I got to try some Larabars for a review back in March, I’ve been hooked. They are amazingly yummy, incredibly healthy and what do you know…they are gluten free!

I’m amazed that they contain so few ingredients…my favorite Cashew Cookie bar is made of only dates and cashews…that’s IT. And it really does taste like a cookie. Only better.  :)

Since doing that review, I’ve done two things regarding Larabars:

1)  I used some of my Swagbuck earnings to order more from Amazon. I wanted to have these awesome snacks on hand for grab and go moments. They have come in very handy!
2)  I used Katie’s Healthy Snacks to Go eBook to make my own.

You have GOT to try your hand at Homemade Larabars.

I can’t believe how easy they are, and the homemade bars taste even better (because homemade always tastes better, right?)!

Malachi is not a big fan of nuts in any form, mostly because he really just hasn’t given them a chance. :)   This has been a challenge during our Gluten Free Experiment because I would really like to be able to feed him nuts as a snack. So…I didn’t call these Larabars. I told him that these were a “gluten free bar” that I had made. He didn’t ask what was in them. I didn’t tell. He saw the chocolate chips. That’s all he needed to know. :)

He gobbled one right up, exclaiming over and over how good it was. (yay!) I think we may be going through a lot of nuts and dates while I continue to “play” in the kitchen. :)

Regarding nuts, be sure to check out Braga Farms as a wonderful source for organic nuts! Braga Farms is a fabulous family farm to purchase organic nuts from. You can not beat their quality or their prices! I just placed an order and I can’t wait to get my great box of organic nuts!

Ever tried making your own Larabars?  I think we’ve decided to call our homemade bars “Mamabars”. And wow, there’s only one left so I’m going to have to make another batch! :)

Homemade Larabars

Homemade "Larabars" for a Gluten Free Snack!
 
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Author:
Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • 1½ cups raw cashews
  • 8 dates (remove pits)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 Tablespoons water
  • ¼ cup add ins like mini chocolate chips, dried fruit, or fresh fruit like blueberries (optional)
Instructions
  1. Grind cashews in a food processor until fine.
  2. Slowly add dates, vanilla, and water and pulse until the mixture forms a dough.
  3. Fold in chocolate chips or fruit.
  4. Press mixture into a parchment paper-lined 8x8 inch pan.
  5. Refrigerate for about one hour.
  6. Cut into 12 bars.

Homemade Larabars

 

Need more healthy snack ideas? You’ll love this wonderful and helpful eBook full of 227 Healthy Snack ideas and recipes!

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Gluten Free Peanut Butter Honey Balls

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If you haven’t made this Peanut Butter Honey Fudge…you are missing out on one of the easiest treats ever! For a little variation this time, I decided to roll some of the squares into balls. 

It may be fun to roll these balls in coconut flakes too!

Okay…Peanut Butter Honey Fudge – you have to try it! Three ingredients, that’s it! Peanut butter, honey and chocolate chips.  Find the recipe here!

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Gluten Free – Dairy Free Muffins

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I think this is the recipe I’m most excited about from all my gluten free recipe experimenting last week!!! Cher left this recipe in the comments section in my Gluten Free Experiment post and since I had all the ingredients on hand, I gave them a try. (Cher, I’d like to give you a BIG hug!!!)

Coconut_Flour_Muffin

Upon first glance, it seems that there would be too much liquid in these, making for a really runny batter. But nope…it’s just right. I mixed them up, baked them, then held my breath:  Would my kids like them? They smelled good…they looked good…but would they taste good?

Oh. My. Muffin.

EVERY boy in my house scarfed these up…my pickiest son exclaiming, “Mom! These taste like CAKE!”

It’s only been a week, but I think I’ve made three batches of these already. We all love them.

Gluten Free – Dairy Free MuffinsYum

Gluten Free - Dairy Free Muffins
 
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Author:
Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • 6 eggs
  • 4 Tablespoons Coconut Oil
  • ½ cup honey
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup Coconut Flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • Add-In Ideas:
  • ¼ cup chocolate chips
  • ½ cup fresh berries
  • ¼ cup chopped, dried fruit
Instructions
  1. Mix all ingredients together, throw in an add-in if you'd like, then pour batter into a well greased muffin pan.
  2. Bake at 350 for 15-17 min.

By themselves, these muffins are awesome…but with chocolate chips. Oh my!

With both Coconut Oil and Coconut Flour in these, you would think they would have an overpowering coconut flavor. You can taste a bit of coconuty-goodness, but it’s not strong. Read this post explaining about the differences in coconut oils – try expeller pressed coconut oil if you don’t like the taste of coconut!

So where can you get Coconut Flour? I usually get mine from Tropical Traditions, but just saw this great pack of Coconut Flour at Amazon and decided to snatch it up. I think we’ll be making a lot of these muffins in the future…whether we remain gluten free or not. What an EXCELLENT little healthy muffin!!!

Have you ever baked with Coconut Flour? I’m hoping to figure out more Coconut Flour recipes. It’s super good for you! What add-in ideas can you think of for these muffins?

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Gluten Free Pasta that Tastes Good

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I decided early on in Malachi’s Gluten Free Experiment that I wasn’t going to buy lots of “specialty gluten free” foods. They are crazy expensive and many of them are void of any kind of nutrition. 

However, I’ve made a couple of exceptions, in the name of sanity and so that I can present something “normal” for Malachi. For instance,  if we’re eating pasta, I’d like him to be able to have pasta. I found and purchased one small bag of Tinkyada Brown Rice Pasta at Walmart, thinking that if he liked it and if it actually cooks up nicely, maybe I’d look into purchasing more to have on hand. The ingredient list didn’t even make me squeamish!

I am VERY happy to report that Tinkyada Brown Rice Pasta DOES cook up nicely and that Malachi DOES like it!!! Keep in mind, Malachi is six years old…he’s not just eating it to be polite. That means he really does like it! :)

The Tinkyada Brown Rice Pasta worked great for our Lasagna Casserole.

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AND…you know my unique method for making Healthy Creamy Mac and Cheese? 
This Tinkyada Brown Rice Pasta even worked in THAT recipe!!! SO good!!!

I couldn’t be more excited!!! (Okay, c’mon. Sure I could.  Gluten free pasta that tastes good isn’t that amazing. There are more exciting things in the world.)

Still…I’m pretty excited. Now, when some of you leave comments on my various pasta recipes, asking if rice pasta will work…I’ll be able to say “yes!”. 

And for the record, the Tinkyada Brown Rice Pasta is, unfortunately, a significant amount more expensive than the Whole Wheat Pasta I normally buy. But since I’m just using it for one person in our household, that one bag of Tinkyada Brown Rice Pasta is lasting us a long time. 

Have you tried Gluten Free Pasta before? What has been your GF Pasta experience? Don’t you wish I would pass out forks so you could take a bite  of Malachi’s Creamy Mac and Cheese up in that picture?

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Mock Frozen Yogurt

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High Five Recipes 2

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Can I now offer you the perfect little side dish to go with your Taco Corn Fritters? This Mock Frozen Yogurt is so very easy and really, really tasty too.

I have no idea why I felt the need to say that. It really is sort of a “duh” statement because if I didn’t feel like it was tasty, would I actually post the recipe on my blog? How would that look…”I don’t really like eating this dish, but I thought I’d post it for you anyway so you could be grossed-out along with me. Feel free to stink up your kitchen and tell your kids that the Heavenly Homemaker made you do it. Be sure to come back and share your gag stories.” I would never do that. And yet I still felt the need to point out that the recipe tastes good. Duh.

So yeah, this recipe is really tasty! You should try it sometime! Anyway…

My favorite thing about this recipe is that it works great as a side dish or snack, but is also sweet enough to be a dessert. And in case I failed to mention it, this Mock Frozen Yogurt is really quite tasty. :)

Mock Frozen Yogurt

3 cups any varieties of frozen fruit (I used blueberries, peaches and strawberries)
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt
1/4 cup grade B real maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place frozen fruit in a food processor.

Add plain yogurt, vanilla and maple syrup.

Blend until all ingredients are well mixed. Easy as that!

Serve right away as a side dish, snack or dessert! I LOVE it when desserts are this healthy!!

And there you go. Come back for more tasty (and gluten free!) recipes all week long!

What are your favorite frozen fruits to use in treats??

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Taco Corn Fritters

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When Matt and I were at Whole Foods recently, we saw that they had some sort of Jalapeno-Corn fritter for sale on their hot bar. They looked SO GOOD, and while I didn’t figure our kids would appreciate the jalapenos, immediately my brain started thinking through how I could create something like this for a quick lunch that would be a little more kid-friendly. Feel free to add jalapenos to this recipe if you want. Just don’t touch your eye after messing with jalapenos. Or at least have milk handy if you do. But really…just don’t touch your eye.

Taco Corn Fritters

I kind of wanted an “all in one” meal, which is why I put taco meat in our fritters. Then, since it had taco meat, I figured it needed cheese. Those items are optional…but wow are they good! Of course though, I’m the girl who needs her beef. ;)

Taco Corn FrittersYum

1/2 pound cooked hamburger meat seasoned with taco seasoning mix (Many commercial taco seasonings contain gluten! I highly recommend making and using this wonderful homemade recipe!)
2 cups cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup melted butter or coconut oil
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups frozen or canned corn
oil for frying (I used palm shortening)

Brown hamburger meat and add  taco seasoning mix to taste. Mix together remaining ingredients, stirring in the seasoned meat. Melt palm shortening in a skillet. Scoop 1-2 Tablespoons of corn mixure into the hot oil and press down to form a “pattie”. Fry for 5-7 minutes on each side until cooked through. (I had my electric skillet set to 350°.)

The great thing about these Taco Corn Fritters is that they even taste good cold, which means they would make a great grab and go lunch or snack!!! I haven’t tried freezing these (because we eat them too quickly!), but I’m pretty sure you could make up a big batch and freeze them for “fast food”.

So would you put jalapenos in these, or not? How would your family like them best?!

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Menu Plan for the Week

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Matt and I had a lovely time at the Nebraska Home School Conference this weekend…and we were so excited that we were able to meet several of you!! Thanks for taking the time to come say hello in the middle of your busy weekend. We loved it!!

Now…how can we figure out ways to meet all of the rest of you??? Hmmmm……..

Speaking of the conference, here are some interesting things that occurred that really have nothing to do with much of anything, but which you may or may not find interesting or boring. :)

One is that because we were at our little vendor booth, talking to people and sharing about our curriculum and telling people what HeavenlyHomemakers.com is all about….we were standing on our feet on a hard floor for two solid days. Our legs got tired, but eh…no biggy. It was a great time. 

It wasn’t until about two hours after the conference ended and we were home unloading our gear that suddenly we both realized how sore we were. By bedtime, I was gimping around like I’d sustained an injury and Matt had to run me a bath to soak in. 

This morning, I was scooting around like a little old lady. Every move hurts as I’m trying to work my kinks out. If you saw me, you’d likely say, “What happened to you? Did you fall? Were you hit by a moving vehicle? Did the boys’ wrestling matches finally get the best of you?” And I’d have to reply, “I did absolutely nothing. I simply stood in the same spot for two days and now I can’t seem to walk or move.”

Matt said that this is normal (he knows these things from his work at the restaurant). I’m so glad he thinks I’m normal.

Anyway…the other thing that isn’t relevant to anything and that you may not care about is:

On Friday of the conference, because there were people coming by the booth almost constantly all day long…we didn’t find much time to eat the lunch we had packed. We were able to sneak a bite in here and there, but by 6:30 that evening when the vendor booths closed, we were both quite hungry. We got in the van to head home for the night and while this was very unlike us, we decided on fast food because we needed food…fast. So, we went to Culvers because if you’re going to eat fast food, it should at least taste really good.

Now, I don’t know if you know this about me or not, but I’m a beef lovin’ girl. I think it’s something about how I tend to feel sick and anemic if I don’t get enough iron…but regardless…there are times that I just need me some cow. This was one of those times.

As we looked at the menu I decided that a “single” just wasn’t going to cut it. I told Matt that I was going to shock us both and order the “double cheddar”.

And I did. And I ate it all.  And I didn’t look back.

I inhaled that double burger and I was very happy and Matt just watched in amusement. Somewhere in between bites and while I had ketchup running down my chin, I said, “Thank you for not judging me for ordering and eating an entire double.”

And then I handed him my fries because really…I was just there for the beef.

Okay…so that’s the end of my random weekend stories. Here’s the menu plan that you really came to see:

(And in case you’re wondering, because of our gluten free experiment, Malachi will be eating the non-gluten parts of these meals, or I’ll adapt part of a meal for him, or whatever. I’m trying not to be a short order chef, but I’ve found that it’s easier to try to cook “normally” and just adjust a few things for him specifically. I’ll probably talk more about this during our Gluten Free Recipe Parade which begins tonight!!)

Sunday, April 3
Easy breakfast casserole, oranges
Roasted chicken, carrots, potatoes, gravy
Cook-out with friends

Monday, April 4
Warm chocolate soother, toast
Tuna topped tomatoes, peaches and cottage cheese
Tacos

Tuesday, April 5
Simple soaked pancakes, scrambled eggs
Homemade chicken strips, ranch potato wedges, peas
Swiss steak over rice, carrots

Wednesday, April 6
Creamy orange cooler, toast
Taco corn fritters (recipe coming this week!), applesauce
Lasagna casserole, tossed salad

Thursday, April 7
Gluten Free-Dairy Free chocolate chip muffins (recipe to be shared this week!!), bananas
Cheddar ranch burgers, roasted asparagus
BBQ meatballs, cream scalloped potatoes, green beans

Friday, April 8
Fried eggs on toast, pears
Meat and cheese burritos, apples
Chicken and rice stew, raw veggies with ranch dip

Saturday, April 9
Turkey sausage, hashbrowns
Leftovers
Lamb chops, baked potatoes, tossed salad

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Be sure to check out Say Mmm to help you get organized in your menu planning!

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Hope you’re planning to join us for the Gluten Free Recipe Parade 
to get lots of fun new recipe ideas!!! 

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Visit Organizing Junkie for more Menu Planning inspiration!

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It’s a Gluten Free Recipe Parade!

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Many of you may remember the Heavenly Homemakers Recipe Parade we had back in October, when I spent the entire week posting new and fun recipes, giveaways and cooking tips. It was a blast and it made us all hungry to try all the new and healthy recipes!

Well, thanks to all of your encouragement on our Gluten Free Experiment post, and because I just can’t seem to stop myself when it comes to tinkering with new recipes…I’ve been having a good ol’ time in my kitchen the past few days playing with some of the recipe ideas you all sent my way, or just making up fun recipes for foods to eat that don’t contain gluten.

In my quest to create dishes that Malachi (and the rest of us) would enjoy, I have been quite determined NOT to try looking high and low for “specialized gluten free” ingredients.  I know they are available, but they are pricey and many of them do not contain much in the way of nutrition.

Besides, I want to come up with recipes that EVERYONE can appreciate and enjoy…not just those who have to eat a gluten free diet. I’m out to prove (to myself, most of all) that there is no end to all the yummy and fun dishes and treats you can make without gluten. I’m also out to prove that eating a gluten free diet doesn’t have to be expensive!

And so…next week we’ll be having a great big Gluten Free Recipe Parade here at Heavenly Homemakers!

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I have quite a few recipes to share, and even if you don’t have any gluten free needs in your household…I think you’ll still love all the new ideas to try for your family. I was making some of them before our experiment started…I just hadn’t had the chance to share them with you yet.

In addition, I’ve got several great and wonderful giveaways lined up that fit right in with our Gluten Free Recipe Parade! This place is sure to be hopping next week as you never know when I’ll be posting a new recipe or giveaway post. Prepare yourself for lots of fun starting Sunday night, April 3!

ALSO…because it’s so much fun to do this…I’ll be giving away five $10 Heavenly Homemakers Shop Gift Certificates during the Parade, good for use on any of our downloadable products! All comments left on ANY post that features the Gluten Free Recipe Parade button (shown above) will be included in the drawing. If you leave a comment on every single post featuring the Gluten Free Recipe Parade button…you  have LOTS of chances at winning one of the certificates!!!

AND…on Friday, April 8, you will have a chance to link up YOUR favorite and healthy gluten free recipes to share with all of us. This is what I look forward to most – reading all of your great ideas for recipes that do not contain wheat, oats, barley or rye. Even if you aren’t a gluten free gal…I bet you have some great recipes to share!!

If you haven’t already, you may want to subscribe to Heavenly Homemakers so that you don’t miss any of these great posts! You can Subscribe in a Reader or Subscribe by Email!

Let the Gluten Free Recipe Parade fun begin!!!!

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A Natural Deodorant that WORKS! (Giveaway from Pure Miessence)

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Apparently this is my week to talk about personal topics. First yeast infections, now deodorant. Well now, you’ve got to love a good discussion about armpits. :)

There was something a little bit nerve-wracking for me when I agreed to do a review about deodorant. I really, really don’t like writing negative reviews. But, like always, I must give my honest opinion about products that are sent to me to review. So I was a little bit worried. What if this deodorant didn’t work for me?

There are two reasons I’m very happy that the deodorant Jessica sent me from Miessence does indeed work:

  1. Instead of figuring out how to nicely write a negative review…I get to write a positive review! I don’t even have to try hard.
  2. Hoorah…it’s a natural deodorant that WORKS! Do you know how exciting it is that I have found a natural deodorant that works?!?!!?

You may recall what I’ve written in previous posts about the deodorant I use. I learned long ago that antiperspirant and aluminum were to be avoided when choosing a deodorant, so I’ve been using the deodorant that Tropical Traditions offered. While the deodorant from Tropical Traditions works okay, it only really worked for me for part of the day. By the end of the day, I would often need to wash and re-apply. I thought that was just the best I could find in the world of natural deodorants. But there were definitely times I would feel a little self-conscious.

I was completely and totally thrilled that Tahitian Breeze Roll-On Deodorant from Pure Miessence works all day and all night without me having to give it a second thought!!! Wow, I’m not trying to be overly passionate about my armpits, but seriously…this makes me excited! 

You can see from the list of ingredients in the  Tahitian Breeze Roll-On Deodorant from Pure Miessence that there is no need to worry about the safety of it’s use. It’s pure and safe…AND IT WORKS!!!

Jessica is great to work with and would be happy to answer any questions you might have about Pure Miessence and their products. (After your initial order, you’ll receive a preferred customer discount of 10% off all future orders!)  In addition, take time to look at the work from home business opportunity at Pure Miessence. This could be just the business you’ve been looking for!

Jessica is offering to give away TWO $25 gift certificates to be used for any Pure Miessence products you’re interested in!

To win one of these certificates, head on over to Jessica’s PureMiessence Website and have a look around. Leave a comment here letting us know which products you’re most interested in!

For additional entries, do any or all of the following (then leave a separate comment for each item you did!)

I’ll draw two random winners for this giveaway on Monday, April 4.

This giveaway is now closed, thank you!

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Buy High Quality Shampoo and Still Save Money

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I’ve been asked many a time… (Wait, “many a time“? who actually says that phrase?)

Anyway, I am oft asked… (Hahaha, I never say that either. “Oft asked“…eeehehehe)

What I’m trying to say is:

It is not altogether uncommon that I receive frequent inquiries and recurrent requests for me to impart my wisdom in the matter of hair cleansing.

Um, hello. It would appear that I have suddenly turned into a Shampoo Professor with a British accent. You did read all of the above in a British accent, didn’t you?

My apologies for dragging you through that marvelous waste of time. I do have a point and I really am going to share it:

Shampoo. People always want to know what I use in our hair, how healthy it is and how I afford it. So there you go.

I wrote a lengthy post a while ago describing the different soaps and cleaners we usually use around here. When it comes to shampoo, many people prefer to buy the cheapest stuff possible and/or use coupons to get it for free and I completely understand that. I used to do that too. If I found it hard to stop using coupons to buy cheap and unhealthy food…I found it doubly hard to stop using coupons to get free hair care products. Sigh…

But, just like I’ve begun to understand that it’s good and wise to spend money on whole and nourishing food for my family…I’ve also decided that I want to spend money on healthy, non-chemical-filled products for our skin and hair. I do not relish the thought of harmful chemicals seeping into our bodies through our skin, particularly our heads wherein lie our brains. (Eek, Professor Shampoo made a little appearance again. “Wherein lie our brains”, wow.)

We use only the bar soaps from Tropical Traditions for bathing and are LOVING the MadeOn Lotion Bar for our dry skin. For our hair? We love Giovanni 50/50 Balance Shampoo. We checked it out on the EWG website to see if it was safe. Not only is it safe, it works great!

Is Giovanni 50/50 Balance Shampoo cheap? Nope. Not when you’re used to tossing out coupons to get 26 free bottles of Suave. But I’ve found a way to make our shampoo purchase more affordable AND I have peace of mind, knowing that I’m getting one of the healthiest shampoos on the market. There are no icky chemicals seeping into our heads with Giovanni 50/50 Balance Shampoo!

I used to buy Giovanni 50/50 Balance Shampoo 8-ounce bottles by the case from one of my health food co-ops. It was pricey, but much cheaper than buying a single bottle at a health food store (which would usually be something like $9/bottle!!). But THEN I discovered the beauty of buying a gallon jug of the shampoo from Amazon!! I invested a few dollars in a pump thingy…so that I can use the gallon jug to refill our smaller bottles for use in the shower. 

Now granted, I am the only one with long hair in our family of six (unless you count my 13 year old son who prefers his hair to be down over his ears and into his eyes), so this may not last as long for families who have lots of girls with long hair. BUT, we’ve trained our boys to just use a tiny amount of shampoo because they really don’t need more than a little bit. I’m happy to report that our first gallon jug lasted us well over 18 months!!! 

$3/month isn’t the same as free…but it also isn’t nearly as expensive as a good quality shampoo can appear at first glance. I’m VERY pleased that we’ve been able to get away with spending so little on such quality shampoo!

And that, Ladies and Gentlemen, concludes today’s informational session on what I consider to be a superior product and how I heretofore am able to execute such a purchase in a way that is financially feasible.

In other words…that’s how I buy good shampoo and save money. 

Feel like telling us about the shampoo you use?  You can even use big words if you want to. :)

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