Ghee--Edible Golden Delight

I've always loved the richness of butter. It's heavy on the palate satiating saturated fats that everyone loves to hate. It's all natural, unlike margarine and other "buttery" spreads. And it's so versatile: adding flavor and texture to everything from toast and corn-on-the-cob to broccoli and brownies. Recently, however, I've undertaken a strict dairy-free diet to ward off my casein allergy (i.e. skin eruptions, digestive upset et. al.) which caused me to lay off the butter. Butter, which has relatively little casein, only caused a very mild allergic reaction but I wanted to find a way to enjoy it without any pimples or bubble gut. I did some Googling and found that ghee contains no or only trace amounts of casein. I was so ecstatic. I began a search on the net and YouTube for instructions but that search only ended in confusion. Many people, it seemed have confused western-style "clarified butter" with ghee. They're real two different things. Anyway, I finally found authentic ghee making instructions at Anjuli's site below:

http://blog.asmartmouth.com/2008/10/10/homemade-indian-ghee-if-you-dare/

The instructions have pictures and is very detailed.

The process is about 45 minutes, but it is well worth it! I've been putting ghee on EVERYTHING! It has a smooth, melt-like-a-cloud texture and wonderful caramel taste and smell (which was strong enough to draw my family to the kitchen with hungry eyes). It's like caramel without the sugar! It's really delectable. After making it I couldn't stop opening the jar to smell it. It is really wonderful. Perhaps because of the time involved in making it or because it's simply so tasty, it is now as precious to me as gold.

Homemade Beauty

Nowadays, there's a beauty product for everything under the sun: acne, dry skin, oily skin, cellulite. Supposedly the more expense a product, the more effective. But this often isn't the case. There are many simple solutions to beauty issues, often right under your own roof. Here are a few that I've found:

• Acne: Some people can have great skin and eat whatever they like but some cannot. If you have acne, consider removing all dairy (including casein-containing products like butter and Cool Whip) from your diet. Try it for 2 weeks and you're sure to notice a dramatic improvement. You'd have saved yourself hundreds of dollars in visits to the dermatologist and acne-fighting potions. In my experience, removing gluten from my diet made no difference. FREE
  
• Bath Soak: Baking soda (aka sodium bicarbonate) makes a great, cheap bath soak. It doesn't fizz like the fancy bath bombs (most of which list it as a main ingredient) but it softens the skin just the same. If plain old baking soda leaves you yearning for a touch of luxury, add a touch of olive oil along with a few drops of your favorite essential oil to jazz it up a bit. $ 0.50
  
• Body Scrub: Granulated sugar and olive and/or coconut oil makes a great moisturizing body scrub and won't break the bank. Use it in the shower after you've cleansed your skin and it'll leave you with soft, silky skin. Careful though, it may make your shower a little slippery. $5.00
  
• Skin Peel: Here's a beauty recipe that'll save you big bucks if you're into microdermabrasion and chemical peels: half the juice of a fresh lemon (or lime) and 1 cup of granulated sugar. Rub on the skin for 30-60 seconds and you've got an invigorating scrub/peel that will knock off those rough patches. It'll also help with hyperpigmentation, stretch marks and dull skin. Use it at night or avoid sun exposure afterwards and moisturizing is a must! $2.00
• Tooth Whitening: Swish with a cap full of hydrogen peroxide before brushing for whiter teeth. It doesn't taste great but it works.$1.00

What are some of your cheap and effective homemade beauty recipes?