About

You want to live a simple, made from scratch life. Living a natural life while keeping your pocketbook in check is harder than you thought. You want to free from the burden of having to be perfect. 

It’s hard to find the balance in the business of your day to day life.

That’s why Nourishing Simplicity was created- to teach you how to:

• Make your own nourishing recipes from scratch.
• Craft salves, tinctures, and natural household products.
• Give yourself an abundance of grace when you can’t do it all.
• Have a simple and peaceful home.

I believe that a made from scratch life is possible with a measure of grace.

It isn’t about being the queen of DYI and traditional food- it’s about making do with the resources you have to craft the simple, natural home you long for without breaking the bank.

It’s about learning when you give yourself a break and forget about living up to “perfect”.

When you become a member of the Nourishing Simplicity community, you’ll get the confidence you need to live a made from scratch life, without the pressure to be perfect.

What others in our community are saying:

Katie Mae, I am sure glad I found this blog. I have been implementing “Nourishing Tradition” principles in my home. So much time is spent fiddling with and converting recipes. Your recipes are a God send, you are one talented lady and such a creative cook! I am following you and am bookmarking this page as well. Thank you for sharing !! –Cynthia

 

I loved this post. I am right there with you this year. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. Yes! Please!

-Natalia

A bit about my “Made From Scratch Life”…

Deep inside of me, there has always been a longing for a more simple life. Green pastures, homemade food, chickens running around, pots overflowing with herbs, and cute tins with salve resonate deep within me. They fill me with a sense of calm and beauty that is hard to explain.

I always dreamed of being Laura Ingalls or a girl growing up in Avonlea. Yet I grew up in the city, and once again find myself there after several years in the country. Maybe you love the city, that is okay too.

The beauty is that you can live a simple life regardless of where you find yourself. It may not look like the picture you painted but that is okay.

Simple living may be making most of your meals from scratch and making a jar of toothpaste while allowing yourself the grace to know that 100% organic is not a must. Just like buying something instead of making it is not an end all.

Taking things one step at a time, as you learn new skills and stay within your budget is the best way to go. Doing everything perfect is not attainable, believe me, none of us are ever going to be there, including myself. 

The rhythm and routine of my simple and crunchy life, it is not overwhelming. One of the mains reasons is because I have allowed myself the grace to know that I don’t have to be perfect.

It is okay to add a couple new recipes and natural things to my life at a time and not try to do everything at once.

Getting Started

Not sure where to start? Here are a few articles that give you a look into how to have a grace-filled made from scratch life. You can also eBooks to learn about to create simple, nourishing teas and treats or real food on a budget.

• When the Real Food Journey Needs to be Filled with Grace
• Healing Garden Salve
• How to Make Real Food Mayo
• The Wonders of Kombucha

I am not a fan of yogurt from the store, ESPECIALLY flavored stuff. But I was thoroughly addicted to homemade yogurt on the first batch. So all this to say…thank you. And everyone who stumbles across this now old post…JUST MAKE IT!! It is SO stinking easy you’ll wonder why you never made it before. It sounds complex, but it’s not at all. If it didn’t involve a stove, a 4 year old could make it. That’s how easy it is. ~Bethany

A Bit About Katie Mae

1. I am a Missouri-born, Central California raised girl that took off to Mexico for 10 years. My cooking style reflects my three homes.
2. I was a missionary dorm Mama at a school for the Deaf in Mexico. Yes, we used a different sign language, and no, sadly I’m not fluent in Spanish.
3. “My girls” are scattered throughout this site. Even though I am Stateside, I still love them to pieces. Some were with me for all 10 years.
4. I was homeschooled from age 5 to 15, then attended a private Christian school for 4 years.
5. I am an avid reader, even though I did not learn to read well until I was 9.
6. I currently live in the city but long to get back to my country roots.
7. Tire swings, wind chimes, long grass, bare feet, lightning bugs, a simmering pot of chicken soup, fresh mint, and laughter speak to my heart.
8. My mom got me on the “crunchy” bandwagon when I was little by grinding our own wheat for bread, eating limited sugar, and doctoring us up with herbal tinctures.
9. My Instagram account reflects my love of healthier beverages, tea, coffee, mochas, “fauxccinos”, water kefir, kombucha, sparkling water… I love them all.
10. I am proud to be the daughter of the first cancer survivor in at least four generations of my family. My mama is awesome!
11. I am a small space homesteader, now if only my current home allowed me to have chickens…