Hi Mom friends!!
It has been a busy summer with our abundant wonderful garden producing more than I can keep up with. I hope to post lots of canning recipes that I've been using in the last few weeks, but today I am working with apples. I bought a box of local apples from a farmer's market in Meadows of Dan a few weeks ago. I processed half of the box right away making and canning applesauce since applesauce is a favorite in our house. But then the box sat in our kitchen while I worked with more fragile fresh peaches and blueberries that are also in season. Today I finally got around to finishing the apple and though some were getting a little wrinkly most were still perfect for canning slices. After making 7 quarts I still had about two quarts left and thought I would use them in a warm apple crisp with dinner tonight. While that's in the oven I wanted to share the recipe with you.
I actually made the apple crisp then made up several extra packets of apple crisp topping to keep in our pantry. Along with the sliced apples I canned today, I can have hot apple crisp in a matter of minutes. Always great when company pops in unexpectedly.
Here is the recipe I used: I like to make a BIG batch so feel free to decrease the amount of apples but keep the topping amount the same if you want a beautiful full crisp topping layer. Yum!!
8-10 apples peeled cored and sliced (You can't use too many)
1/2-3/4 cups of sucanat, sugar or honey (Sucanat works GREAT in this recipe!)
2 tbs all purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
tiny dash of nutmeg
mix together and set aside
In a clean bowl mix topping;
3/4 cup of brown sugar
1/2cup of all purpose flour
1 cup of oats (either quick cooking/ old fashioned will work)
1/3 cup of melted butter
1 tsp of cinnamon
another tiny dash of nutmeg
Mix well, distributing melted butter through flour and oats, until moist and clumpy.
Spread apple mixture in a 9x13 sprayed pan, spread topping liberally over apples and bake at 375 degrees for about 35 minutes or until topping is golden brown.
If preparing apple crisp for future use, mix 3/4c. brown sugar, 1/2c flour, 1 cup oats, 1 tsp cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp nutmeg in individual quart size zip lock bags or seal in food saver bags. Store in pantry until needed!
To use add 1/3 cup butter, top apples and you've got a quick, super easy dessert! Oh and the smell adds instant love to your home!!!
Off to grab mine out of the oven.
Enjoy :)
Love,
Melissa
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Friday, July 23, 2010
Thank you Mom to Mom!
I had the opportunity to speak at our church's Mom to Mom group yesterday! It was an amazing time of fellowship, sharing, prayer and encouragement. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to share my testimony and meet all the amazing young moms in our church with a heart to pursue a deeper relationship with Jesus. I hope my schedule will allow me to make mom to mom a regular part of our week!
In HIS Amazing love,
Melissa
In HIS Amazing love,
Melissa
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Spinach and Walnut Ravioli
This is a new recipe I created from a craving for spinach walnut Ravioli. These freeze great! Just be sure to flash freezer them on a floured cookie sheet before putting them together in a ziplock bag.
Spinach, Mushroom, Walnut Ravioli (Serve with a fresh salad and homemade baguette)
Filling
1/2-1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1 lb of cooked chopped spinach/ or frozen thawed and drained very well
1/4 Parmesan or mozzarella cheese
4-5 button mushrooms sliced and sautéed in skillet (no oil needed they make their own liquid)
1/4 of finely chopped nuts I used walnuts, but could use pine nuts or any other nut or omit if desired
1 clove garlic finely chopped
Mix together in a bowl; set aside
Fresh pasta
2 cups of plain flour
2 large eggs
2 tbs olive oil
2 tbs water
1/2 tsp salt
Before you make pasta, fill a large pot with water over high heat to give it time to start boiling while you work on the rest of the recipe.
Mix all the pasta ingredients in a bowl until dough begins to form. The secret I've learned to perfect dough is to work the ingredients together in your fingers, crumbling and pressing the dough the way you would mix shortening into flour when making biscuits. This gives it the right consistency, almost like a pie crust until it can be shaped into a ball and covered with a wet towel to rise for 10-15 minutes.
After it has had time to rest and rise slightly; knead until smooth for 5-10 minutes.
Divide dough into three small balls; work with only 1 ball at a time while the other 2 are left to rest under the damp towel.
Next you will need to use a rolling pin to roll the dough from the first ball flat.
Then you begin rolling it through the pasta machine. Starting on the widest setting #7, moving down one setting after each pass through the machine to #6, then #5 and so on until you reach setting #1.
Lay out flat on the counter and put 1 tablespoon of filling every few inches. Much like an omelet you will only put filling on half of the dough, leaving the other half to fold over top of filling. Use a ravioli cutter to cut into pieces, or simply press edges around filling and use a knife to cut apart.
Repeat process with remaining dough balls….
Cook in salted boiling water for about 5 minutes. Serve hot.
We topped ours with sautéed garlic and roasted pine nuts, but would also be delicious with olive oil, chives, roasted tomatoes or balsamic vinegar.
May your home and efforts be blessed!
Spinach, Mushroom, Walnut Ravioli (Serve with a fresh salad and homemade baguette)
Filling
1/2-1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1 lb of cooked chopped spinach/ or frozen thawed and drained very well
1/4 Parmesan or mozzarella cheese
4-5 button mushrooms sliced and sautéed in skillet (no oil needed they make their own liquid)
1/4 of finely chopped nuts I used walnuts, but could use pine nuts or any other nut or omit if desired
1 clove garlic finely chopped
Mix together in a bowl; set aside
Fresh pasta
2 cups of plain flour
2 large eggs
2 tbs olive oil
2 tbs water
1/2 tsp salt
Before you make pasta, fill a large pot with water over high heat to give it time to start boiling while you work on the rest of the recipe.
Mix all the pasta ingredients in a bowl until dough begins to form. The secret I've learned to perfect dough is to work the ingredients together in your fingers, crumbling and pressing the dough the way you would mix shortening into flour when making biscuits. This gives it the right consistency, almost like a pie crust until it can be shaped into a ball and covered with a wet towel to rise for 10-15 minutes.
After it has had time to rest and rise slightly; knead until smooth for 5-10 minutes.
Divide dough into three small balls; work with only 1 ball at a time while the other 2 are left to rest under the damp towel.
Next you will need to use a rolling pin to roll the dough from the first ball flat.
Then you begin rolling it through the pasta machine. Starting on the widest setting #7, moving down one setting after each pass through the machine to #6, then #5 and so on until you reach setting #1.
Lay out flat on the counter and put 1 tablespoon of filling every few inches. Much like an omelet you will only put filling on half of the dough, leaving the other half to fold over top of filling. Use a ravioli cutter to cut into pieces, or simply press edges around filling and use a knife to cut apart.
Repeat process with remaining dough balls….
Cook in salted boiling water for about 5 minutes. Serve hot.
We topped ours with sautéed garlic and roasted pine nuts, but would also be delicious with olive oil, chives, roasted tomatoes or balsamic vinegar.
May your home and efforts be blessed!
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Weeds and Roots
Where is the worn table, the tall weeds when everything is so groomed? I've often thought about both sides of abundance. Some homes have perfectly groomed living rooms, shiny floors and spotless stoves. Yes they make you feel special when you walk in. Everything looks and feels so perfect. But then... I think about my grandmother's farm. The multi-line phone that sat tidily in the corner. It was the only thing on that little corner table. Today I'm sure it would be littered with remotes and newspapers and monthly magazines, but those were simpler times. The stove was for warmth and was the anchor of the living room. The tile was well worn with time and the feet of 5 growing boys coming in from farm duties. I can imagine the growing feet that walked across that kitchen floor, dripping after a dip in the pond or after a bath in a metal tub because water was too scarce to fill the inside tub. Sleepy feet that made their way outside to the outhouse before the inside plumbing was added to the aging farmhouse.
Neighborhoods with perfectly groomed yards and fancy cars or an old farm with a proud, tall apple tree in the front yard with a prouder, tall grandpa below quietly peeling a barrel full of apples. The grandkids whizzed around him, but he slow and steady would peel apples one after another. His deep blue eyes were so tender and quiet and always cried when we'd say goodbye. A grown man crying, yes that was my introduction to the heart of real men. He loved deeply, quietly. Everyone else always said enough to fill the air but when he spoke, people caught their breath to listen. He lived content with small towns and small means, but for me he wanted the world. He told me "Go see the world, experience it, live life". My roots are that little farmhouse, with the untidy weeds and the uneven dirt road. So as life calls me forward I want to never forget that HOME is that which gives life. That home gave life to 5 boys; 2 became pastors, 1 a steel workers, 1 a wanderer and my father hungry for a better life took the city route. Forging an esteemed career with the FBI and pursuing his love for music and the finer things in life. He is now a rancher on his own small tidy farm, perhaps closer to his roots than ever. He and I share a kindred love of theater and Starbucks. But I will never forget the gifts that came from that simple little farmhouse. It's an old man teaching a little girl that strong men do cry when they love deeply. It's the art of peeling an apple with the peel in 1 piece, that I just taught to my kids, with a story that starts "You know, when I was a little girl, my grandfather....." It's the apple tree that gave abundantly in the fall and the joy of apple butter being made over an open fire and a copper kettle. It's big worn hands that just knew, what to put in the dirt when. Things I have to buy a book to learn. It's the way a ham sandwich tasted on white bread with a warm tomato from the garden and cold country mayonnaise in my Grandmother's kitchen. I don't know how she did it... I've eaten in some of the best restaurants in the world and I've never had anything that even comes close.... Those are the things that give us roots.
(Written for my father, for Father's Day) Happy Father's Day Dad. Thank you for giving me an appreciation for the finer things in life wherever I find them . I Love you.
Neighborhoods with perfectly groomed yards and fancy cars or an old farm with a proud, tall apple tree in the front yard with a prouder, tall grandpa below quietly peeling a barrel full of apples. The grandkids whizzed around him, but he slow and steady would peel apples one after another. His deep blue eyes were so tender and quiet and always cried when we'd say goodbye. A grown man crying, yes that was my introduction to the heart of real men. He loved deeply, quietly. Everyone else always said enough to fill the air but when he spoke, people caught their breath to listen. He lived content with small towns and small means, but for me he wanted the world. He told me "Go see the world, experience it, live life". My roots are that little farmhouse, with the untidy weeds and the uneven dirt road. So as life calls me forward I want to never forget that HOME is that which gives life. That home gave life to 5 boys; 2 became pastors, 1 a steel workers, 1 a wanderer and my father hungry for a better life took the city route. Forging an esteemed career with the FBI and pursuing his love for music and the finer things in life. He is now a rancher on his own small tidy farm, perhaps closer to his roots than ever. He and I share a kindred love of theater and Starbucks. But I will never forget the gifts that came from that simple little farmhouse. It's an old man teaching a little girl that strong men do cry when they love deeply. It's the art of peeling an apple with the peel in 1 piece, that I just taught to my kids, with a story that starts "You know, when I was a little girl, my grandfather....." It's the apple tree that gave abundantly in the fall and the joy of apple butter being made over an open fire and a copper kettle. It's big worn hands that just knew, what to put in the dirt when. Things I have to buy a book to learn. It's the way a ham sandwich tasted on white bread with a warm tomato from the garden and cold country mayonnaise in my Grandmother's kitchen. I don't know how she did it... I've eaten in some of the best restaurants in the world and I've never had anything that even comes close.... Those are the things that give us roots.
(Written for my father, for Father's Day) Happy Father's Day Dad. Thank you for giving me an appreciation for the finer things in life wherever I find them . I Love you.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Manager of Our Homes
I've been sharing with a friend about the challenges of learning to managing my home. I was feeling challenged recently over my role as wife, mother, dishwasher, cook, and my sweet friend pointed to the book "The Power of a Praying Wife." I didn't have to go to Barnes and Noble, I just walked to our bookcases and found it waiting for me to dive in. I was especially struck by the chapter on being a manager of your home. Despite experience as a corporate manager, I saw my role as a wife as a totally different job...with a totally new not always comfortable skill set. I am still trying to figure it all out and find balance and organization. But the Lord recently inspired me to use the same skills I used as a manager to be a manager of my home. I began thinking about all the duties that it takes to run a home. Not just cooking and cleaning and caring for kids, but the big picture. A full job description. I began to see home management in a bigger scope. What things could I handle for David that would make our home run smoothly? Even things like taking out the trash, returning his phone calls, setting up home maintenance and repairs, overseeing maintenance and cleanliness of the garage and cars. Lots of those areas I had previously thought of as his area of management, but through God's nudging, I began to see even those areas as they relate to home management and very real ways I could serve my husband. Those little tasks add up on his to do list, and for me to say, I'll be handling these things today, gives me both a sense of joy and purpose in making his day a little less hectic.
Another thing I thought of today is that good managers require good communication. I was clarifying with David his desire for our schedule for tomorrow, and I realized marriage and home management takes lots and lots of talking and clarifying. I've learned that my husband is not the planner or the detail person in our marriage. I am. He more often than not has a big picture view of things, so I've learned to accomplish things as a family I have to ask a lot of questions to make sure the details get taken care of. It feels like work sometimes, but again a good manager knows that the CEO leads the manager accomplishes. That's good for me because I'm a doer. I need to be doing things, and I love the way the Lord has written this job description on my heart. I think the best part is... I can always be assured of forgiveness when I fail, and my biggest motivation isn't a salary, it's the love of an amazing husband and the joy of watching our children grow into beautiful human beings.
Another thing I thought of today is that good managers require good communication. I was clarifying with David his desire for our schedule for tomorrow, and I realized marriage and home management takes lots and lots of talking and clarifying. I've learned that my husband is not the planner or the detail person in our marriage. I am. He more often than not has a big picture view of things, so I've learned to accomplish things as a family I have to ask a lot of questions to make sure the details get taken care of. It feels like work sometimes, but again a good manager knows that the CEO leads the manager accomplishes. That's good for me because I'm a doer. I need to be doing things, and I love the way the Lord has written this job description on my heart. I think the best part is... I can always be assured of forgiveness when I fail, and my biggest motivation isn't a salary, it's the love of an amazing husband and the joy of watching our children grow into beautiful human beings.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Update
Let's see... This week has been busy, busier than I would like for Holy week. We moved our children's bedrooms around which was a huge job considering toys and kid stuff and the number of rooms involved. It was overwhelming to think about losing my office on the other side of the house to make into a dressing room for the children. We stood and considered all the love and joy that had been birthed out of that office, but after a strong wind of determination we got it all taken apart. What I didn't expect was the joy of putting it back together in a shared office with David. His desk and reading chair looked cold and masculine, and actually needed (I think, at least!) the warmth of brightly colored swatches of fabric and wrapping paper and loved children's books. Now it's wonderful, warm and cozy. We are enjoying our new found space and privacy, as much as the kids are, now that the change has been made. There are still plenty of baskets and piles to be arranged and organized, but it feels now that David and I have a headquarters to run our home from, and a quiet soon to be tidy place to retreat to.
It was warmer today. The sun's out and 80 degrees beckon us outside. David burned some brush today around our farm and brought out a new red umbrella for our patio table. We cooked hamburgers over the grill and ate under the shade on our table for the first time this year. I spent today cooking for some friends who are visiting later. It's been a relaxed beautiful spring day. I tried making mozzarella today to no avail. I had bought milk from a local creamery, thinking it would not be ultra pasteurized, but my mozzarella, or lack there of, proved to me that it was. Now I'm in a dilemma. I want to make my own cheese, but where do I find the milk to use? I'll have to keep looking for local sources... and hopefully try again soon.
I guess no homemade mozzarella to go with tomatoes and basil for tonight's dinner. Made 9 loaves of bread last night, so our house feels abundant today with a homemade apple pie on the stove, bread on the counter and a homemade cheesecake in the back fridge. We have dinner with friends tonight, then will rest and enjoy each other's company and leftovers tomorrow.
So many real mom worries tonight. Will our kids get Jesus' sacrifice in Easter, or just the excitement of the Easter Bunny? Should I have told the truth when Jessica asked me if the Easter Bunny was real? Do I get too caught up in the commercial Easter and not enough in the sacrificial one? I'm sad to leave this sweet, reflective personal, time of lent...but Easter is coming a new day and a new season. Perhaps one that will take more discipline to seek after the Lord, when it's not as easy as it is during the season of Lent. It seems that even the cold and rainy days of Feb and March, make it easier to slow down and spend time with the Lord. But now Easter is here and things are in bloom outside as if God's love has burst on the scene... in brilliant color. Yes Easter is coming!
It was warmer today. The sun's out and 80 degrees beckon us outside. David burned some brush today around our farm and brought out a new red umbrella for our patio table. We cooked hamburgers over the grill and ate under the shade on our table for the first time this year. I spent today cooking for some friends who are visiting later. It's been a relaxed beautiful spring day. I tried making mozzarella today to no avail. I had bought milk from a local creamery, thinking it would not be ultra pasteurized, but my mozzarella, or lack there of, proved to me that it was. Now I'm in a dilemma. I want to make my own cheese, but where do I find the milk to use? I'll have to keep looking for local sources... and hopefully try again soon.
I guess no homemade mozzarella to go with tomatoes and basil for tonight's dinner. Made 9 loaves of bread last night, so our house feels abundant today with a homemade apple pie on the stove, bread on the counter and a homemade cheesecake in the back fridge. We have dinner with friends tonight, then will rest and enjoy each other's company and leftovers tomorrow.
So many real mom worries tonight. Will our kids get Jesus' sacrifice in Easter, or just the excitement of the Easter Bunny? Should I have told the truth when Jessica asked me if the Easter Bunny was real? Do I get too caught up in the commercial Easter and not enough in the sacrificial one? I'm sad to leave this sweet, reflective personal, time of lent...but Easter is coming a new day and a new season. Perhaps one that will take more discipline to seek after the Lord, when it's not as easy as it is during the season of Lent. It seems that even the cold and rainy days of Feb and March, make it easier to slow down and spend time with the Lord. But now Easter is here and things are in bloom outside as if God's love has burst on the scene... in brilliant color. Yes Easter is coming!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Hot Pink Breakfast Smoothie Recipe
This is a new smoothie recipe that I tried this morning from Greeensmoothiegirl. com
If you have a big blender you can use this full recipe, I have a Tribest personal blender, so I halve the recipe except the coconut water, I ended up needing about 10 oz.
I had never had coconut water before today, and I was nervous because I don't like coconut anything!! I was sooooo pleasantly surprised by this. It's really refreshing, no coconut flavor, just very slightly sweet and refreshing water.
This recipe is available on the Internet by searching Hot Pink Breakfast Smoothie. I just wanted to print it here to encourage you to try it.
1 1/2 young Thai Coconut juice, some recipes call it Coconut Water
1 large carrot cleaned and cut into pieces (I peel mine, but not necessary)
1/2 of a med raw beet peeled
1/4 c. of cashews
1/4 c. of chopped dates (I didn't have these on hand so went without)
2 tsp of vanilla (I used less)
12 frozen strawberries
opt. 1-2 tbs hemp protein powder
opt 2 tbs kefir or yogurt (I didn't use any yogurt, but might try it tomorrow.)
I was inspired when I saw a picture on Greensmoothiegirl.com of two little girls in their stroller sipping on hot pink smoothies. So cute!!! Knew I had to try this one. Kids and smoothies, the best fast food ever.
If you have a big blender you can use this full recipe, I have a Tribest personal blender, so I halve the recipe except the coconut water, I ended up needing about 10 oz.
I had never had coconut water before today, and I was nervous because I don't like coconut anything!! I was sooooo pleasantly surprised by this. It's really refreshing, no coconut flavor, just very slightly sweet and refreshing water.
This recipe is available on the Internet by searching Hot Pink Breakfast Smoothie. I just wanted to print it here to encourage you to try it.
1 1/2 young Thai Coconut juice, some recipes call it Coconut Water
1 large carrot cleaned and cut into pieces (I peel mine, but not necessary)
1/2 of a med raw beet peeled
1/4 c. of cashews
1/4 c. of chopped dates (I didn't have these on hand so went without)
2 tsp of vanilla (I used less)
12 frozen strawberries
opt. 1-2 tbs hemp protein powder
opt 2 tbs kefir or yogurt (I didn't use any yogurt, but might try it tomorrow.)
I was inspired when I saw a picture on Greensmoothiegirl.com of two little girls in their stroller sipping on hot pink smoothies. So cute!!! Knew I had to try this one. Kids and smoothies, the best fast food ever.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Everything white!
One thing I learned a long time ago was that everything is easier to care for if it's white. It can be washed in hot water, bleached and all loaded together without having to sort into colors! We have all white towels, hand towels and wash clothes, shower curtains and sheets. You might think that would mean that we have white bedrooms ect, but we just do the basics white, and keep blanket and comforters colorful! The things that should be crisp and bright are, the rest of our house is loaded with color! As I've mentioned in other posts I do sheets on Monday, so we strip the beds and have a few big loads of white sheets to wash, but it's so much simpler than having to sort into various colors. If there is a stray dirty towel it can go right in too. I have to confess, I always forget to wash our shower curtain until it's way past due. So one thing I decided to do today was to add the shower curtain to the Monday morning load. To make things easier, I have several white shower curtains that I have picked up on sale, that way when I take down the dirty one, I immediately clean the shower and add a fresh shower curtain while the other one goes in the wash. Believe me, our shower curtain gets dirty and grayish looking, but after coming out of the wash it's crisp and bright white again. We do the same thing with sheets, everyone has a basket in the linen closet and several sets of white sheets. To keep so many sets of white sheets sorted I mark the top and fitted sheets of each set with the same number K1(King 1)for one set K2 (King 2) for the next and so on with Queen and Twin, then I bind them into sets with white grosgrain ribbon. As a result I know easily which sets go together, and tying them up with ribbon keeps them neat in the closet. Then each set goes into it's own basket for each room, labeled (Master , Ryan , Jessica, Guest). Instead of "Master" you could label your baskets King, Queen, Twin ect. it just works for us to label by room since each room has a different size bed and I prefer to use certain sheets just for the guest bedroom. I have additional taller baskets labeled for the Bathroom (extra shower curtains, washcloths) Extra Pillowcases (all white of course) and Extra blankets. I have found you can never over organize. We use baskets a lot in our house, although most are not seen. I've found the very best way to organize closets, vanity cabinets almost anywhere is with labeled baskets, it's just much harder to put something in the wrong place when there is a basket labeled with where it's supposed to go. I try to use large rectangular lined baskets that are all dark wicker. They look crisp against the white, and using about the same size/ shape baskets is pleasing to the eye.
In our bathroom, we roll towels and put them into a large basket that sits on the bathroom floor, but I've done the same thing with the smaller bathrooms in our house by putting the towels rolled in a basket under the sink. I even used this idea this fall when we were traveling in a RV cross country. I knew we would have almost no storage and a very small bathroom, so we kept towels and toilet paper under the vanity.
I don't ever buy expensive washcloths for our family. Instead I buy white washcloths in a bulk pack from target for $5. They are thinner, which I like, because they dry faster, and I love that if I get mascara or lipstick on them, I can just toss them away. I keep them rolled in a small basket in our bathroom, so they are easily accessible to everyone, and can also be used for quick clean ups and tossed if needed. I usually buy 3 or 4 packs a year and think they are the handiest things around.
May you enjoy the process of tidying, organizing and creating order in every corner of your home this week.
Dominion and awe belong to God; he establishes order in the heights of heaven. JOB 25:1-3
Different background, same blog!
Yikes!! I was changing around a few things on my blog and accidentally erased my background. I didn't immediately panic, until I went back to "cutest blog on the block"'s site and found they have discontinued my favorite background! So I'm trying on a few different background colors, trying to find one that I really like. For now I've settled on this light brown, but haven't gotten around to changing the font colors, so thanks for your patience while this is a work in progress.
Melissa
Melissa
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Reflections of Lent
You loved me when I was yet unknown. You saw me, raw, bare, my deepest darkest sin, the depths of my heart. And you smiled, not because I was good but because you are good and your creations are beautiful. Your love is deeper than we can fathom. You forgive more than we know. And yet even the sin that remains unnamed in our hearts, you have already forgiven. Deep, pure love like the racing of a river, it cleanses, it guides, it renews. And so it is this time of lent. Not a time of sacrifice, rather a time of recognizing your abundant, faithful, unwavering love. A time of reflecting on your ministry, your life and the way you've touched and transformed mine. How precious is this time! How I don't want anything to steal your face from my eyes. Father, I pray that we will use this time to be filled up by you, renewed and cleansed through you. That we may look to every day with such joy of knowing that you are... have always been and will be. How you bless me father! How you are the keeper of my soul, the maker of my life! The one my heart longs to adore. Fill us again with passion for you, and strength for the work you put before us. I pray that passion would overtake ritual, that real love would consume us... that we would recognize more of you in every minute of every day. That above all else we would live for you.
This is the prayer of my heart.
This is the prayer of my heart.
Whole Food Breakfast Ideas
As promised... here are a few whole food recipes.
Baked Oatmeal
1 1/2 cups of quick oats
1/4 c. wheat germ
1/4 c. ground golden flaxseed
1/3 c. of honey
3/4 c. milk
1/4 c. of butter
2 eggs
1 tsp of baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 c. of mini choco-chips (opt.)
We mix all dry ingredients into individual food saver bags and seal for busy mornings. So we essentially have prepared, shelf- stable mixes on hand. I use self-stick printed labels on the front of each package with the recipe and baking instructions.
Mix all ingredients and spread evenly into a greased 9X13 baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until edges are golden brown.
My children love assembling, baking and eating this recipe and it's been a great way for me to get my kiddos to eat oatmeal a few days a week.
Basic Whole Wheat Pancakes
(using fresh ground wheat/ or store bought whole-wheat flour)
4 cups of freshly milled soft wheat
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/3 oil
4 eggs
3 cups of milk or buttermilk
Mix together and drop by 1/4 c onto hot skillet
Just made these this morning.... makes a huge batch so be sure to freeze extras. We like these served with fresh fruit and whip cream. Yum!!! Thought Whip Cream was off limits? So did I until I read the labels!!! Reddi-Whip Original Whip Cream only has 15 calories, less than 1 gram of sugar, 1 carb and 1 gram of fat. So enjoy guilt-free!t
* This is another mix we prepare and seal with our food saver. You can ground fresh flour and seal it and while it does loose a little nutritional value, the food saver bags do a great job at keeping it fresh!
For Waffles:
Use the same recipe, just increase oil slightly to 1/2 cup.
Baked Oatmeal
1 1/2 cups of quick oats
1/4 c. wheat germ
1/4 c. ground golden flaxseed
1/3 c. of honey
3/4 c. milk
1/4 c. of butter
2 eggs
1 tsp of baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 c. of mini choco-chips (opt.)
We mix all dry ingredients into individual food saver bags and seal for busy mornings. So we essentially have prepared, shelf- stable mixes on hand. I use self-stick printed labels on the front of each package with the recipe and baking instructions.
Mix all ingredients and spread evenly into a greased 9X13 baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until edges are golden brown.
My children love assembling, baking and eating this recipe and it's been a great way for me to get my kiddos to eat oatmeal a few days a week.
Basic Whole Wheat Pancakes
(using fresh ground wheat/ or store bought whole-wheat flour)
4 cups of freshly milled soft wheat
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/3 oil
4 eggs
3 cups of milk or buttermilk
Mix together and drop by 1/4 c onto hot skillet
Just made these this morning.... makes a huge batch so be sure to freeze extras. We like these served with fresh fruit and whip cream. Yum!!! Thought Whip Cream was off limits? So did I until I read the labels!!! Reddi-Whip Original Whip Cream only has 15 calories, less than 1 gram of sugar, 1 carb and 1 gram of fat. So enjoy guilt-free!t
* This is another mix we prepare and seal with our food saver. You can ground fresh flour and seal it and while it does loose a little nutritional value, the food saver bags do a great job at keeping it fresh!
For Waffles:
Use the same recipe, just increase oil slightly to 1/2 cup.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
I found a great new blog to check out http://www.organicthrifty.com/. This blog proves that you can make good, value driven food choices without breaking the bank. In fact this was one of our first steps in changing the way we ate as a family. We would often buy lots of boxed, processed stuff but felt that organic meats were expensive. It took us considering our values to change our lifestyle. We knew that organic meats and dairy were a better choice for our family, so we started with a commitment to spend the bulk of our grocery budget in those areas. We also knew we wanted to try to eat more veggies and whole grains, so we applied more of our budget toward buying organic as much as possible. And as I began to use my grain grinder I was able to make real bread, muffins, pancakes, and other breakfast foods that we no longer needed to buy pre-packaged. You CAN get your family off the national obsession with sugar. You can prioritize your budget to include organic meats and dairy without it costing you more to go grocery shopping. Most of us just get into a rut and buy the same things when we go shopping, but consider the scenario below:
Great Value Milk $3.99/ gallon
A Box of Cereal $3.79
Total = $7.78
or
Organic milk $5.99/ gallon
A dozen Free Range Farm Eggs $1.79
Total= $7.78
The budget is the same, but the priorities are different. Another thing to think about is that a box of cereal will last a day or two, but a dozen eggs can make a hot breakfast for your children for several days. Our children love hard-boiled eggs, which are fun to eat and a powerhouse of protein. They affectionately call the yolk "cheese" and usually dump the "cheese" in the garbage and eat the whites, but occasionally will eat the yolk. Either way is fine with me, because their diet is low in fat and cholesterol, and because I'd rather have then eat an egg yolk which is a natural god-made food, rather than McDonalds french fries. :)
My next blog will be on whole-food breakfast ideas, so check back soon if you need ideas or encouragement in this area!
Great Value Milk $3.99/ gallon
A Box of Cereal $3.79
Total = $7.78
or
Organic milk $5.99/ gallon
A dozen Free Range Farm Eggs $1.79
Total= $7.78
The budget is the same, but the priorities are different. Another thing to think about is that a box of cereal will last a day or two, but a dozen eggs can make a hot breakfast for your children for several days. Our children love hard-boiled eggs, which are fun to eat and a powerhouse of protein. They affectionately call the yolk "cheese" and usually dump the "cheese" in the garbage and eat the whites, but occasionally will eat the yolk. Either way is fine with me, because their diet is low in fat and cholesterol, and because I'd rather have then eat an egg yolk which is a natural god-made food, rather than McDonalds french fries. :)
My next blog will be on whole-food breakfast ideas, so check back soon if you need ideas or encouragement in this area!
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Hi everyone,
I have been reading and gotten some great new menu planning ideas and resources I wanted to share. One thing I recently read about was to write down the 21 meals you make the most. I love this idea! What a great idea to write down the 21 meals we use the most for nights when you are staring in the pantry and can't think of what to make. My biggest obstacle in the kitchen is finding planning time. Now that I've made the commitment to plan, organizing my recipes in lists helps me make that planning time quicker and easier. I found a website called ListPlanIt.com On their trial tab you can print a few lists for free to try them out. I printed 6 of the favorite recipe page and used one page each for beef recipes, chicken/ turkey, vegetarian, sides, entertaining, and bread recipes. I'm still making my lists, but along with my 21 meals lists, planning is a much easier task! I'm even going to make a list for recipes I want to try, then I plan to organize my recipes behind each list in my recipe binder. So simple! Another idea I've tried in the past is to list our favorite meals by season. Some things I make all year, but certain things like chili, and chicken pot pie are things that we make only in the winter. So it may be helpful to make a 21 meals list for each season too. Happy planning!
I have been reading and gotten some great new menu planning ideas and resources I wanted to share. One thing I recently read about was to write down the 21 meals you make the most. I love this idea! What a great idea to write down the 21 meals we use the most for nights when you are staring in the pantry and can't think of what to make. My biggest obstacle in the kitchen is finding planning time. Now that I've made the commitment to plan, organizing my recipes in lists helps me make that planning time quicker and easier. I found a website called ListPlanIt.com On their trial tab you can print a few lists for free to try them out. I printed 6 of the favorite recipe page and used one page each for beef recipes, chicken/ turkey, vegetarian, sides, entertaining, and bread recipes. I'm still making my lists, but along with my 21 meals lists, planning is a much easier task! I'm even going to make a list for recipes I want to try, then I plan to organize my recipes behind each list in my recipe binder. So simple! Another idea I've tried in the past is to list our favorite meals by season. Some things I make all year, but certain things like chili, and chicken pot pie are things that we make only in the winter. So it may be helpful to make a 21 meals list for each season too. Happy planning!
Friday, February 5, 2010
Green Smoothies
I recently ordered the book the Green Smoothie Diet and have enjoyed looking through new green smoothie recipes. I purchased a Tribest Personal Blender some time ago from Bread Beckers and have made smoothies for our family, so I was very interested in exploring more green smoothie recipes. The idea is to increase the amount of fruit and veggies in your diet by blending them into a smoothie, and (no they aren't all green). When dark leafy veggies are blended with fruits the smoothie turns our purple easily disguising the spinach. Don't underestimate the taste of these smoothies, they are delicious! Our kids even make their own in the morning because they like them! I just do my part keeping spinach, and frozen fruit available to them and they wander downstairs and make their own smoothies while I'm making breakfast. A big glass of fruit and veggies feel especially decadent when there is 12 inches of snow outside! :)
My big kitchen aid blender recently died, and I'm thinking about replacing it with a smoothie-friendly, high powered Blend-Tec Blender for making big batches. I recently started adding a shot of wheat grass juice to our smoothies and love it!! Wheat grass juice can be purchased frozen from Whole Foods or other natural food stores. It is great for energy and just feels good in your body! It has a green tea type taste... and I wondered the other day if you could dilute it and sip as a tea? Not sure if I'm brave enough to try it or not?!! My husband is much braver than I am and lets it thaw and drinks it straight. Just remember not to drink it on an empty stomach!
Our smoothies recipe
frozen blueberries
Frozen strawberries
fresh spinach
orange juice / water to desired smoothness
opt 1 oz of wheat grass
This morning I also added 1/2 a carrot and it was delicious. It adds sweetness and also tiny bits of texture which makes it feel to me more like a meal.
My big kitchen aid blender recently died, and I'm thinking about replacing it with a smoothie-friendly, high powered Blend-Tec Blender for making big batches. I recently started adding a shot of wheat grass juice to our smoothies and love it!! Wheat grass juice can be purchased frozen from Whole Foods or other natural food stores. It is great for energy and just feels good in your body! It has a green tea type taste... and I wondered the other day if you could dilute it and sip as a tea? Not sure if I'm brave enough to try it or not?!! My husband is much braver than I am and lets it thaw and drinks it straight. Just remember not to drink it on an empty stomach!
Our smoothies recipe
frozen blueberries
Frozen strawberries
fresh spinach
orange juice / water to desired smoothness
opt 1 oz of wheat grass
This morning I also added 1/2 a carrot and it was delicious. It adds sweetness and also tiny bits of texture which makes it feel to me more like a meal.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
The Art Of Laundry
I'm always looking for new ideas to help bring our home into order, so I thought I'd share our method for doing laundry. A few years ago I found these cute baskets on sale at Target. They were actually Hanukkah baskets with a removable blue liner. So I took them home threw the liners away and started thinking about how I could use them. I decided to make these cute tags for everyone in our family, tie them to the baskets and set them on the shelf above the washer and dryer. Now, when I do laundry I can quickly sort, intimates into the appropriate baskets, right as they come out of the dryer, then I set out the baskets for everyone to take and put away. We've loved this idea and had lots of fun making the tags by using letter stickers and card stock. Then I laminated the card stock and applied 3-D stickers for added dimension. I used a grommet maker for the hole and tied the tags on with ribbon.
I also thought I'd share our laundry schedule. We started with a primitive form of a laundry schedule about a year ago when I was first teaching the kids how to do laundry. They were in the learning stage so we set aside a day to do their laundry together. As they've gotten older they've learned to do it independently with just a reminder to change it when the cycle is finished and some help folding. Recently we added linens and towels into the schedule so that everything has a day, and for the first time EVER, I don't feel buried by constant laundry. Getting the laundry done for that day assures that everything runs smoothly and will get done. It amazes me how something SO simple can bring such order and peace.
I also love doing linens on Mondays! It's just a great feeling to get those sheets off the bed and in the washer, and motivates me to get the rest of the house back in order for the week. It's exciting to me to start the week clean and orderly!
Here is our laundry schedule....
Monday- Linens ( sheets/ bath towels) Everyone strips beds every Monday morning and brings
linens down to the laundry room.
Tuesday- Jessica's Laundry
Wednesday - Ryan's Laundry
Thursday - Me and David's Laundry
Friday- Misc. (Robes, Blankets, Kitchen Towels ect. / catch-up on anything running behind)
May your home be blessed with order and peace.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Our Family Eating plan
I love the New Year! I am a planner, I love to reflect, plan and prepare for all of our goals and dreams for the New Year. One thing that has drastically changed for us this year is the way we eat. I was just journaling and thought it might be a good thing to share.
In all honesty I've struggled with whether to keep this blog going or not. A few things have been on my heart. One, I read sometime in the last year that many many moms are being sidetracked by the overuse of blogging and the Internet. It's very similar to spending hours and hours visiting friends instead of tending to all the real priorities in our day. Being a mom is a busy job, and I don't want to pull myself or others away from that to spend more time on the internet. Still, when I pull up this blog I see the things of Jesus and I'm proud of that. We need each other, and we need a place to be encouraged and share. So I will continue to write and share as the Lord lays new things on my heart, but also just use it as a place to journal my own thoughts.
Our new eating plan...
I say new, but really we've always we've always been fairly healthy eaters. We do try to avoid processed stuff, bake our own bread, make our own yogurt and generally drink no softdrinks or caffine. I recently bought David an expresso maker for Christmas and decided to start drinking regular expresso instead of decaf and tonight had a migrane! So guess it's back to decaf in the morning! The truth is our new eating plan has been in the making for several months.. we've been talking about really wanting to decrease the amount of sugar we've been eating. I started reading two books, What the Bible Says about Healthy Living Cookbook and The Yeast Connection. Both spurred me on to talk to David about what priorities we should focus on in our diet, shopping and cooking. We love organic foods, so that was top on our list. Also we decided that we wanted to eat clean, and that we wanted to eat for health. Your priorities may look different, the things is, if you try to eat low fat, low carb, vegetarian, low salt, gluten free, low pollution, local, and seasonal... you may be left eating rice cakes for breakfast lunch and dinner so we had to find what we wanted to eat and why.
This is our list
Less sugar- this includes cereal...only Kashi whole grain, cane sugar sweetened, this also includes looking at some low carb recipes and alternative sweetners. (splenda, stevia, and agave nectar)
Less fat
More greens
Healthy snacks- whole grains, fruits, veggies, cheese, nuts and nutbutters
Good quality organic beef and chicken sparingly (free range, hormone free)
Add fish into our diet
More water
and finally...
No pork, shrimp, shellfish, .....this is the biggest change we made and we had to really think about this choice. Ultimately we decided that since these animals are scavengers we didn't really want to eat them. These are some of our favorite foods, but we decided instead that as a matter of health we would give these up and see how we feel. For us this really was a personal choice to try to eat things that work best with our bodies to promote health. All these changes have been very positive for us so far. We have felt better and healthier, shed a few pounds (always good!!) but most of all we feel very intentional about the things we are eating. I love most of all that we established priorities that we are living by for life. Our kids are proud too, that we are eating more intentionally and have adapted very well to our new changes. I've included their new favorite breakfast treat Yogurt sundays.
Yogurt sunday
yogurt plain or vanilla (lowest sugar count you can find without using aspartame) PROTEIN
fresh banana slices - FRUIT
fresh stawberry slices -FRUIT
fresh blueberries- FRUIT
1 TBS (or less) of mini chocolate chips - FUN:)
1 tsp of chopped pecans / walnuts PROTEIN/ HEALTHY FATS
David also recently began making homemade applesauce from organic apples. It's amazing how the kids love real food! They love his applesauce.
6-8 apples
add cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla to taste
can be sweetened to taste if desired with natural apple juice, or your choice of sweetner. Cook until soft. Mash to desired texture.
In all honesty I've struggled with whether to keep this blog going or not. A few things have been on my heart. One, I read sometime in the last year that many many moms are being sidetracked by the overuse of blogging and the Internet. It's very similar to spending hours and hours visiting friends instead of tending to all the real priorities in our day. Being a mom is a busy job, and I don't want to pull myself or others away from that to spend more time on the internet. Still, when I pull up this blog I see the things of Jesus and I'm proud of that. We need each other, and we need a place to be encouraged and share. So I will continue to write and share as the Lord lays new things on my heart, but also just use it as a place to journal my own thoughts.
Our new eating plan...
I say new, but really we've always we've always been fairly healthy eaters. We do try to avoid processed stuff, bake our own bread, make our own yogurt and generally drink no softdrinks or caffine. I recently bought David an expresso maker for Christmas and decided to start drinking regular expresso instead of decaf and tonight had a migrane! So guess it's back to decaf in the morning! The truth is our new eating plan has been in the making for several months.. we've been talking about really wanting to decrease the amount of sugar we've been eating. I started reading two books, What the Bible Says about Healthy Living Cookbook and The Yeast Connection. Both spurred me on to talk to David about what priorities we should focus on in our diet, shopping and cooking. We love organic foods, so that was top on our list. Also we decided that we wanted to eat clean, and that we wanted to eat for health. Your priorities may look different, the things is, if you try to eat low fat, low carb, vegetarian, low salt, gluten free, low pollution, local, and seasonal... you may be left eating rice cakes for breakfast lunch and dinner so we had to find what we wanted to eat and why.
This is our list
Less sugar- this includes cereal...only Kashi whole grain, cane sugar sweetened, this also includes looking at some low carb recipes and alternative sweetners. (splenda, stevia, and agave nectar)
Less fat
More greens
Healthy snacks- whole grains, fruits, veggies, cheese, nuts and nutbutters
Good quality organic beef and chicken sparingly (free range, hormone free)
Add fish into our diet
More water
and finally...
No pork, shrimp, shellfish, .....this is the biggest change we made and we had to really think about this choice. Ultimately we decided that since these animals are scavengers we didn't really want to eat them. These are some of our favorite foods, but we decided instead that as a matter of health we would give these up and see how we feel. For us this really was a personal choice to try to eat things that work best with our bodies to promote health. All these changes have been very positive for us so far. We have felt better and healthier, shed a few pounds (always good!!) but most of all we feel very intentional about the things we are eating. I love most of all that we established priorities that we are living by for life. Our kids are proud too, that we are eating more intentionally and have adapted very well to our new changes. I've included their new favorite breakfast treat Yogurt sundays.
Yogurt sunday
yogurt plain or vanilla (lowest sugar count you can find without using aspartame) PROTEIN
fresh banana slices - FRUIT
fresh stawberry slices -FRUIT
fresh blueberries- FRUIT
1 TBS (or less) of mini chocolate chips - FUN:)
1 tsp of chopped pecans / walnuts PROTEIN/ HEALTHY FATS
David also recently began making homemade applesauce from organic apples. It's amazing how the kids love real food! They love his applesauce.
6-8 apples
add cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla to taste
can be sweetened to taste if desired with natural apple juice, or your choice of sweetner. Cook until soft. Mash to desired texture.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
