I had a great time reading the links from last week's Make Your Move Monday. I know that others did too as I was even talking about one of the links at my son's baseball game Saturday. Please let us know what simple move your are making toward healthy living in
your home. Link up your blog post, or just leave a comment. Then take time to
be inspired from other's link ups and comments.
Please read through
the rules for those participating, and thanks for your participation.
1) No linking to giveaways or promotions for
affiliates or sponsors. Give aways and promos are great, but they
expire. I will delete giveaway links or promotional links.
2) Keep
things simple and healthy. Avoid recipes with "cream of x soup,"
processed cheese or corn syrup. Crafts are cool, but unless they help organize
or simplify please don't link them.
3) Link back to
SimplyMadeHome.This is common blog party courtesy. It also helps build
the community of encouragement. Check out other’s posts and leave a comment! It
is fun to hear from others.
How to link up to your post? Read
below.
Using the Mr. Linky, link back to your specific post, not
just your blog.
Example of Format
Your Name: Tara @ SimplyMadeHome (Simple
Vinegar Switches)
Your Link: http://simplymadehome.blogspot.com/2012/03/simple-vinegar-switches.html
Monday, April 30, 2012
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Menu Plan 4/30-5/6
It is time for another week’s worth of meals. A field trip, choir concert, birthday and
baseball all have crammed into our week so we need a lot of easy meals. It is going to be a very busy, fun week!
L-Noodles and sauce, spinach salad
S-Popcorn Chicken, green beans
Tuesday
B-Leftover pancakes
L-Fish sticks and raw veggies
S-Cheesy Beef Pasta Skillet and Roasted Broccoli and carrots
Wednesday
B-Oatmeal and Eggs
L-Waffle sandwiches and raw veggies
S-Pork Roast, Potato Broccoli Casserole, corn
Thursday
B-Breakfast Burritos
L-Leftovers
S-Out for a Birthday supper!
Friday
B-Muffins
L-Tacos and salad
S-Fish and peas
Saturday
B-Waffles
L-Pizza and raw veggies
S-Burgers and grilled veggies
Sunday
B-Breakfast Cookies
L-Leftovers and Salad
S-At Church
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Politics & Hamburgers
I live in the middle of Iowa so when
ABC News came out with their report on "Pink Slime" the local media
went crazy for a few weeks with reports from scientists, politicians and beef
industry leaders. This particular controversy revolved around the fact that
finely textured beef undergoes a process that includes ammonium hydroxide, and
when it is used the consumer does not have to be informed. Some say that
ammonia is not safe and shouldn't be ingested. Others just want the consumer to
be informed of the process on the package when they purchase the beef.
We are told the reason that this food additive is needed is to keep the cost down, but the math doesn’t add up to me. We have three main grocery store chains where I live. Hy-Vee Food Stores sells ground beef with the additive, and Dahl's and Fareway do not. If the point is to keep the cost down why is the price of Hy-Vee beef typically more expensive than Fareway (without the additive)? Where did the savings go? The schools in our state are using the beef with the additive. Maybe they could save money by shopping at Fareway? :)
I am in no way an expert on this process. I have listened to and read some of the reports, but here is something I don't understand: If finely textured beef is so safe, why does it need to be processed with ammonium hydroxide while the rest of the ground beef doesn't? I have heard a lot about how safe the process itself is -how it kills e coli-but why is the beef so unsafe and in need of ammonium hydroxide? Why is the finely textured beef so susceptible to e coli?
As a mom with allergy kids I read a lot of labels. Even if there is no dairy in that particular food, the label tells the consumer if food was made on equipment that had dairy on it. If food doesn’t have wheat or nuts in it, but there was wheat or nuts in the building where the food was packaged the consumer is informed of this on the label. Why is it not required to list the ammonium hydroxide? They are saying that it is not an ingredient, it is a process. However, this type of information is provided on other products. Why not list it?
The whole thing feels dishonest...the cost savings that isn't, the questions left unanswered and the double standard in labeling...it makes me sad and uncomfortable. On a personal level I am thankful to have other options so readily available to me, but on the grander scale this is disturbing.
This post was linked up at http://www.foodrenegade.com/ and http://homesteadrevival.blogspot.com/and http://frugallysustainable.com/
I am not going to argue the safety or the science in this post. This fiasco hasn’t affected our beef purchases as we have not been buying meat with the additive. My family gets our ground beef from my in-laws or from Picket Fence Creamery and Tom’s Ranch. What has been so crazy to me is the
politics that has gone on during the public's realization of the finely
textured beef process. It has caused me to question more.
We are told the reason that this food additive is needed is to keep the cost down, but the math doesn’t add up to me. We have three main grocery store chains where I live. Hy-Vee Food Stores sells ground beef with the additive, and Dahl's and Fareway do not. If the point is to keep the cost down why is the price of Hy-Vee beef typically more expensive than Fareway (without the additive)? Where did the savings go? The schools in our state are using the beef with the additive. Maybe they could save money by shopping at Fareway? :)
I am in no way an expert on this process. I have listened to and read some of the reports, but here is something I don't understand: If finely textured beef is so safe, why does it need to be processed with ammonium hydroxide while the rest of the ground beef doesn't? I have heard a lot about how safe the process itself is -how it kills e coli-but why is the beef so unsafe and in need of ammonium hydroxide? Why is the finely textured beef so susceptible to e coli?
As a mom with allergy kids I read a lot of labels. Even if there is no dairy in that particular food, the label tells the consumer if food was made on equipment that had dairy on it. If food doesn’t have wheat or nuts in it, but there was wheat or nuts in the building where the food was packaged the consumer is informed of this on the label. Why is it not required to list the ammonium hydroxide? They are saying that it is not an ingredient, it is a process. However, this type of information is provided on other products. Why not list it?
The whole thing feels dishonest...the cost savings that isn't, the questions left unanswered and the double standard in labeling...it makes me sad and uncomfortable. On a personal level I am thankful to have other options so readily available to me, but on the grander scale this is disturbing.
(If you have a keen eye for detail you will notice this is a
dairy cow and not a beef cow, but it is one of my favorite pictures of my son
on the farm with his cousin and uncle. It was just too cute not to use!)
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Crockpot Coq Au Vin
4 frozen chicken breast
6 slices cooked and crumbled bacon
1 cup baby carrots
1/4 cup chopped yellow onion
3 cloves chopped or minced garlic
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 cup cheap white wine
1/2 tsp ground thyme
Put all of the ingredients into the crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Serve with mashed potatoes, rice or pasta. So easy and so flavorful!
This post was linked up at http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/ and http://mizhelenscountrycottage.blogspot.com/ and http://www.realfoodfreaks.com/ and http://allthesmallstuff-cole.blogspot.com
This post was linked up at http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/ and http://mizhelenscountrycottage.blogspot.com/ and http://www.realfoodfreaks.com/ and http://allthesmallstuff-cole.blogspot.com
Monday, April 23, 2012
Make Your Move Monday!
Welcome to Simply Made Home's first "Make Your Move Monday!" Please let us know what simple move your are making toward healthy living in your home. Link up your blog post, or just leave a comment. Then take time to be inspired from other's link ups and comments.
Please read through the rules for those participating, and thanks for your participation.
1) No linking to giveaways or promotions for affiliates or sponsors. Give aways and promos are great, but they expire. I will delete giveaway links or promotional links.
2) Keep things simple and healthy. Avoid recipes with "cream of x soup," processed cheese or corn syrup. Crafts are cool, but unless they help organize or simplify please don't link them.
3) Link back to SimplyMadeHome.This is common blog party courtesy. It also helps build the community of encouragement. Check out other’s posts and leave a comment! It is fun to hear from others.
How to link up to your post? Read below.
Using the Mr. Linky, link back to your specific post, not just your blog.
Example of Format
Your Name: Tara @ SimplyMadeHome (Simple Vinegar Switches)
Your Link: http://simplymadehome.blogspot.com/2012/03/simple-vinegar-switches.html
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Eat Your Veggies
This post is born out
of the realization that our family needs to eat more veggies. There are good
days, but there are days when the three carrot sticks at lunch and the sauce on
our pizza is the extent of our vegetable intake. I want to do better!
I know that we need to eat more vegetables, but this doesn't come easily for me. To assuage my guilt I lump fruits and veggies together in a group called "plants." Since fruits easily go down we eat a lot of them figuring that we are getting enough plants in our diets. That's not all bad. Some plants are better than no plants, but different parts of the plant are designed to perform different functions for the plant. The roots suck up water and nutrients from the ground. The leaves convert sun energy into food for the plant. The flower, the seeds, the stem and the fruit all have different nutrients based on their functions. In general vegetables contain more minerals than fruit (iron, calcium, zinc, magnesium, etc.) Fruit is also generally higher in sugar than most veggies. We need veggies as well as fruits (and more of them.)
I know that we need to eat more vegetables, but this doesn't come easily for me. To assuage my guilt I lump fruits and veggies together in a group called "plants." Since fruits easily go down we eat a lot of them figuring that we are getting enough plants in our diets. That's not all bad. Some plants are better than no plants, but different parts of the plant are designed to perform different functions for the plant. The roots suck up water and nutrients from the ground. The leaves convert sun energy into food for the plant. The flower, the seeds, the stem and the fruit all have different nutrients based on their functions. In general vegetables contain more minerals than fruit (iron, calcium, zinc, magnesium, etc.) Fruit is also generally higher in sugar than most veggies. We need veggies as well as fruits (and more of them.)
Enough with the
biology lesson, how are we going to get more vegetables into our diets? Well, here is
my plan:
1) Serve More.
Many times I excuse myself from serving an additional veggie if there is one in
the main dish(a casserole, pasta dish or soup.) That is the idea of a one dish
meal-one and done, but realistically there is not a whole serving of veggies in
the serving of the main dish. Heating up frozen mixed veggies alongside my
pasta dish is not going to kill me! And what if we had a lettuce salad and
green beans at supper? Or maybe carrots and broccoli?
2.) Cook More.
Most of my family can eat raw veggies, and so we do them almost every day for
lunch. That leaves out my baby. I need to cook more at night so that there are
always some for her the next day for lunch. It is also important to prepare
vegetables the way my family likes veggies. We are not a steamed family. We
like them pan fried or grilled, and I have just started oven roasting sweet
potato slices and broccoli. We eat more if they are cooked the way that we like
them.
3.) Prep More.
I recently discovered that my husband likes regular carrot sticks not baby
carrots. I agreed that they are more flavorful. The trick is having them washed
and cut ahead of time. A big bag of carrots or a head of broccoli does me no
good at 11:55, sitting whole at the bottom of the fridge. I need to take the
time to chop a week’s worth so they are a quick, convenient food.
I don't regularly
hide veggies in other dishes because I don't have a lot of extra time to puree
them. I also want my kids to be in the habit of choosing to eat veggies, but I
do add cauliflower to my frozen mashed potatoes because it is beyond easy.
4.) Bake More.
Pumpkin, rhubarb and zucchini bread or muffins are a way to get veggies in
breakfast without a fight. (That also maybe because I add a handful of
chocolate chips to my pumpkin bread!) The recipes are easy to double and tuck
away in the freezer to pull out as needed.
5.) Snack More.
Smoothies may not be the cheapest way to get vegetables down, but they are the
only way that my boys are eating dark leafy greens. I make a big batch and
freeze the leftovers as popsicles so we can eat them all week. I think that my
baby is going to be a salad eater, but she for now just gnaws on the leaves.
She will gladly take smoothie from a spoon or a straw (or even a popsicle if
she is going straight to the bath afterward!)
Everyone is crawling
on me at 5:30 waiting for Daddy to come home so they can eat supper. Snacking
on veggies and ranch makes this time a little more peaceful. My boys will sit
down with a bowl of frozen peas straight from the freezer. I don't get it, but
whatever floats their boat!
6.) Try More.
There are plenty of veggies that my family has never tried. We discovered last
year that we love asparagus. We tried Brussels sprouts, but they didn't do it
for us. I tried kale chips, but I think that I burnt them so I need to try it
again. Maybe we can order new side dishes at restaurants, or I can ask friend
who cooks different veggies to give me a few tips. We might find a few new
favorites if we just try.
7.) Load on More. Another
great option is to double the amount of veggies in the recipe. Adding an extra
cup or two of chopped or frozen veggies takes seconds, adds nutrition and makes
the soup or casserole go a little farther. A salad doesn't need to be just
greens. Shredded carrots, broccoli florets, diced red peppers, grape tomatoes,
and sprouts all dress up a salad and add more veggies to our diets.
Two Side Notes:
1.) Sugar Less. We have the ability to
outdo nature when it comes to sweetness. When we train minds, bodies and taste
buds to crave sugar at such great levels, it is hard to enjoy the flavor God
gave the sugar snap pea. Even the best vegetable tastes bitter next to the high
fructose corn syrup in a box of Mike and Ikes. (I am picking on a candy that
doesn't do it for me so that when I read this it is less convicting.) This is
one case where a spoon full of sugar does not help the medicine go down.
2.) Lead by example. My baby begs off my
plate. My bigger kids want what I am snacking on. It is up to me set a good
vegetable example! I say "Eat as I say, and not what I eat."
Well, it looks like I
have a lot of chopping to do. I had better get to it! I would love to know; how
are you eating more veggies?
This post is linked up at
Barn hop @ http://homesteadrevival.blogspot.com/
Health 2Day Wednesdays @ http://quickeasycheaphealthy.com/
Menu Plan April 23-29
Because I am a nerd I love looking
at the menu plans on other blogs for some recipe inspiration. Here is a look at the
plan for week. I am trying to serve more veggies so I am making myself write
down the vegetables I plan to serve.
Fruit comes easily for us so I don’t plan it. The word “leftover” is used quite a bit because
I can save time and money that way. If
there is ever a recipe that you would like to see, just leave a comment, and I will
try to post it soon!
Monday
B-Pancakes
L-Waffle Sandwiches and raw veggies
S-Coq Au Vin and Roasted Broccoli
Tuesday
B-Leftover Pancakes
L-Leftover Coq Au Vin
S-Beef N' Broccoli, rice and carrots
Wednesday
B-Eggs and Toast
L-Beef Sandwiches and raw veggies
S-Shipwreck and Peas
Thursday
B-Eggs and Chocolate Chip Pumpkin
Bread
L-Leftover Shipwreck and raw veggies
S-Cheesy Chicken Pasta and Lettuce
salad
Friday
B-Eggs and Toast
L-Leftover pasta and raw veggies
S-Popcorn Chicken, green beans
Saturday
B-Baked French Toast
L-Tacos and raw veggies
S-Pizza
Sunday
L-Leftovers
S-At Church
If you blog your meal plan feel free to leave a link in the comments. I would love to read it!
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Mothering Their Hearts.
I love being a mom. I feel truly blessed beyond measure. My four babies are gifts from God. But this is also harder than I could have imagined. Motherhood has reviled my selfishness, my pride-my sin on a level that I never knew before. Mothering has been described as a "beautiful mess," and that is quite accurate.
My daughter has been into using her stencil to draw hearts. When I came across these verses in 2 Timothy and saw her picture sitting there, I knew I needed to write them on her picture. I put it by my kitchen sink as a daily reminder of how to posture myself with kindness, gentleness and patience as I seek to nurture the hearts of my children.
My daughter has been into using her stencil to draw hearts. When I came across these verses in 2 Timothy and saw her picture sitting there, I knew I needed to write them on her picture. I put it by my kitchen sink as a daily reminder of how to posture myself with kindness, gentleness and patience as I seek to nurture the hearts of my children.
" The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth,"
2 Timothy 2:24-25
Linked up at http://wonderfullymessymom.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
It's a Blog Party!
This Monday, April 23rd will kick off a weekly event at Simply Made Home called “Make Your Move Monday.” I want to know what move or change you are going to make in an effort to make your home a little healthier both naturally and simply.
These are little changes, "2 degree shifts" that are doable and help us hit our mark if we have gotten off track. Maybe you are switching to a homemade all purpose cleaner or adding protein to breakfast or ACV to your morning routine, let me know what you are doing. This year we are going to attemp a garden!
There will be opportunities each Monday to link up or blog or leave a comment about a change or the progress you are making toward health and simplicity. I am hoping that Mondays turn into a time of encouragement and Simply Made Home is a place of great ideas for simple healthy living.
See you Monday!
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Cheesy Beef Pasta Skillet.
One of my biggest kitchen timesaver suggestions would be always make extra meat to keep in the freezer. Shredded or chunk chicken, shredded beef or pork and ground beef all work. Prepared meat is my "go-to" when the day doesn't go as planned, and the meal plan that was written isn't going to happen. Frozen browned meat can be used for salads, sandwiches, stir-fry, soup or tacos. Whenever I brown ground beef I always do a pound or two extra. It doesn't take more time, and I always have ground beef if I run stuck. Below is one of our favorite quick and easy pasta skillet dishes.
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 lb pasta (whole wheat rotini works great, my husband’s favorite is Amish egg noodles. Someday I will make my own, but I am working on making hamburger buns. I will get there.)
2 c. water
1 1/4 cup pizza or spaghetti sauce
2 tsp sugar
1 Tbs mustard
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 lb pasta (whole wheat rotini works great, my husband’s favorite is Amish egg noodles. Someday I will make my own, but I am working on making hamburger buns. I will get there.)
2 c. water
1 1/4 cup pizza or spaghetti sauce
2 tsp sugar
1 Tbs mustard
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp onion powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese.
1 1/4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese.
Brown and drain beef. Stir in pepper, onion powder, tomato sauce, sugar, and mustard. Pour in water and pasta. Bring to a boil and reduce heat; cover and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until the water is absorbed and the pasta is cooked. Turn the heat off and stir in the cheese. Enjoy.
This post was linked up at
This post was linked up at
Pennywise Platter Thursdays @ http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/
http://www.aroundmyfamilytable.com/
Full Plate Thursdays @ http://mizhelenscountrycottage.blogspot.com/
Monday, April 16, 2012
What is up with Apple Cider Vinegar?
If you would have told me a couple of years ago that I would be spiking my water with ACV I would have never believed you. Nonetheless, here I am googling it and drinking it. After using ACV during my spring cleanse I was surprised that my allergy symptoms seemed to go away. I was not expecting this and had to know more about ACV.
There is not a lot of official information ACV. (There is a lot of info on drugs because there is a lot of money to be made on pharmaceuticals...not a lot of money in apple cider vinegar!) There have been a couple university studies done to try to figure out what this simple tonic can do. (It is important here to note that I am writing about raw and unfiltered ACV, the dirty looking bottle, not the pretty apple juice looking kind. ) There was promising results showing that that ACV does help in the battle against obesity and diabetes. The remainder of the claims about ACV (including my accidental find of allergy relief) have just been passed down from great grandmothers and ancient medicine from around the world. I think that my favorite research thoughts were from the National Arthritis Foundation which said (and this is my butchered paraphrase) “ACV is harmless, and unproven but what is it going to hurt to try it? If it works, that’s great!”
Remember how the mother on My Big Fat Greek Wedding thinks that Windex will cure everything? As I started reading about ACV I began to have that same affinity for it! The problems that raw, unfiltered ACV is credited to helping are endless!
Remember how the mother on My Big Fat Greek Wedding thinks that Windex will cure everything? As I started reading about ACV I began to have that same affinity for it! The problems that raw, unfiltered ACV is credited to helping are endless!
· Obesity
· Diabetes
· Warts
· Lice
· Acid Reflux
· Sinus Infections
· High Cholesterol
· High Blood Pressure
· Heart disease
· Acne
· Indigestion
· Diarrhea
· Constipation
· PMS
· Arthritis
· Flu
· Candida
· Sore throats
· Migraines
· Chronic bad breath
· Allergies
Now, I thankfully cannot give testimony to everything on this list, but the last one has me giddy. I am taking 2 teaspoons of ACV (diluted in water) twice a day and no allergy meds. I have been using my NettiPot before bed. I am not sure that I need to, but I still cannot believe that the ACV is working. I was telling my mom about my experience with ACV this weekend, and she agreed that my skin looked better too. I fell like singing after I drink it because my throat is so clear. I wish I would have known about this back when I was in solo competitions and performances! It is said that ACV works because it regulates blood sugar, suppresses appetite, decreases inflammation, reduces mucus, kills bacteria, kills fungus, balances the body's ph, detoxes and aids digestion.
The recommendation is to dilute 2 teaspoons in 8 ounces of water. ACV is very acidic. Drinking it straight can erode the enamel off teeth and/or burn the esophagus. I double the amount of water and drink it through a straw to keep it off my teeth. There were reports of problems with drinking excessive amounts of ACV for an extended amount of time. (Excessive amounts being 2 cups a day! That is a lot of ACV!)
I plan on continuing taking the ACV. It is like the National Arthritis Foundation said “ACV is harmless, and unproven but what is it going to hurt to try it? If it works, that’s great!”
This post was linked to the Barn Hop at http://homesteadrevival.blogspot.com/ and http://www.nourishingtreasures.com/ and http://wearethatfamily.com/
4/19/12 NOTE: I am getting a lot of questions about this post which is fun! I will try to do a follow up post soon, but really wanted to clarify that this post is about Raw, Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar. (Braggs is a common brand.) Locally I can get it at Fareway or Hy-Vee. Don't buy the one that is "pretty" and looks like apple juice. The one that you want is a little dirty looking. The bottle often says that is "contains the mother." I have no idea what "the mother" is but I know that the filtered ACV will not have the enzymes that raw does (making raw the effective ACV.) It is also available on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Bragg-Apple-Cider-Vinegar-liquid/dp/B001AIWAAE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334839136&sr=8-1
The recommendation is to dilute 2 teaspoons in 8 ounces of water. ACV is very acidic. Drinking it straight can erode the enamel off teeth and/or burn the esophagus. I double the amount of water and drink it through a straw to keep it off my teeth. There were reports of problems with drinking excessive amounts of ACV for an extended amount of time. (Excessive amounts being 2 cups a day! That is a lot of ACV!)
I plan on continuing taking the ACV. It is like the National Arthritis Foundation said “ACV is harmless, and unproven but what is it going to hurt to try it? If it works, that’s great!”
This post was linked to the Barn Hop at http://homesteadrevival.blogspot.com/ and http://www.nourishingtreasures.com/ and http://wearethatfamily.com/
4/19/12 NOTE: I am getting a lot of questions about this post which is fun! I will try to do a follow up post soon, but really wanted to clarify that this post is about Raw, Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar. (Braggs is a common brand.) Locally I can get it at Fareway or Hy-Vee. Don't buy the one that is "pretty" and looks like apple juice. The one that you want is a little dirty looking. The bottle often says that is "contains the mother." I have no idea what "the mother" is but I know that the filtered ACV will not have the enzymes that raw does (making raw the effective ACV.) It is also available on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Bragg-Apple-Cider-Vinegar-liquid/dp/B001AIWAAE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334839136&sr=8-1
Thursday, April 12, 2012
A Spring Cleanse Part 2
I am so glad that I did this. I really feel good, but as it turns out I may have bitten off more than I could chew, or I guess in this case, more than I could not chew. I eliminated a lot of foods from my diet at one time; there were slip-ups. I also got a cold and didn’t get in as much exercise and sleep as I had planned. In other words "Life with kids happened."
Day one was not too bad. I thought through food well enough, but salads are really no fun without sugary dressing, cheese and croutons. The apple cider vinegar was terrible. I didn't know if I was going to continue with that. By the end of the day I had a headache, but I had planned on that. Headaches are pretty common when eliminating sugar and grains especially if these two food groups make up a bulk of your diet. (I probably should have written "since these two food groups were making up the bulk of my diet," but that was too personal!)
At the beginning of day two I woke up sniffing. I drank my ACV (apple cider vinegar is too long to type) first thing as planned forgot to take my allergy medicine. A few hours later after I took the ACV I realized that I had not need my meds. In fact I had forgotten the day before as well, and it had been 36 hours since my last allergy pill. CRAZY!
On the third day I realized how much I love the warmth of comfort food. My husband says the only thing that he would change about me is my body temperature; I am part amphibian. I love the warmth that cooked food brings. Raw fruits and veggies leave me cold. I began making roasted sweet potatoes and baked apples for snacks.
The slip-ups began on day four. I made granola bars the day before. I told myself that I had to have just a bite. At least they were at least gluten-free, right? Grrr...My loss of self-control. It was a slippery slope from there.
I made homemade hamburger buns on day five, and it was a new recipe. Obviously, I should take a bite, or four. Otherwise I would have to make them again to see if it was a good recipe. If it was a bad recipe I would have just wasted my time and ingredients. Who likes waste? Then after I had the bun it was easier to justify a little rice at supper.
On day six the opportunity to try new Snickerdoodle bar recipe presented itself, and again it was a new recipe and needed to be sampled. (For the record they were pretty good!)
Overall I did really well, but once I took a bite of grains it was hard to eliminate them again. I drank a lot of water and turned down A LOT of sweets. I was really proud of myself for that. I went an extended period without chocolate which is a very big deal for me. A cleanse is so different than a diet. My concern was for the health of my body and what food I could put into it in order to make it function better. That in contrast to a diet where the focus on what person can't eat and success/happiness is based on a number on the scale or the tag on a pair of pants.
I am glad that I did it. I do feel cleansed. I would say that I have had more energy when I normally would hit the mid-afternoon wall. Not doing cartwheels on the front lawn energy, but yawning a lot less! The cleanse was hard, but it showed me a couple of things.
1) As much as I have tried to add fruits and veggies to our diets, I still have room to grow. Grains sneak in so easily, fill us up and push veggies out
2) I eat a lot of “Cheerio Calories.” I am not talking about actual Cherrios but sneaking a bite of this while you make a child’s plate or finishing up a half eaten cookie or sandwich. It is mindless, and I wasn’t really aware of it.
3) I found throughout the week that did not need allergy medicine. I looked up the pollen count, and it was "High." I have been on meds during allergy season for over 18 years. (Wow that made me look old. Maybe I should have worded it "since childhood.") I would wake up a little stuffy take the ACV, and my allergies would clear up. Then when I started to sneeze again 5ish hours later and would take more and clear up. I must study ACV to figure this one out! (I see a ACV post in the future.)
If you missed the first part you can find A Spring Cleanse here.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Easy Peasy Mashed Potatoes
I had once heard that you couldn't freeze mashed potatoes very well, but this recipe has been serving us well for the past few months.
The biggest complaint about freezer potatoes is that they are grainy or watery when they thaw. I do not add milk to these potatoes to avoid additional liquid, and I make sure that I cook the potatoes very well the first time so they mash easily without milk.
I don't like peeling, not even a little bit. I figure that my family can use the fiber. I use Golden Yukon or a thin, red skinned potato. I would not use Russet potatoes in this recipe because of their thick skin, and being a starchier (is that a word?) potato they might not freeze as well.
This recipe includes cauliflower to increase the dish's nutritional value. No one in my family noticed; even after I told them they couldn't taste the cauliflower. My husband and oldest love, LOVE this, and I hope that you do too!
5 lbs of potatoes, cubed (I cut just a little larger than the cauliflower florets so they cook at the same rate)
2 bags of frozen cauliflower florets
1 cup of sour cream
1 stick of butter
1 Tbs of Ranch mix
Cut potatoes and place in a large pot with water. Bring the pot to a boil and add the cauliflower. Boil until the potatoes are easily mashed with a fork. (About 20 minutes of cooking.) Drain and add sour cream and butter. Mash. Then mix in the ranch. (If you aren't a fan of ranch use salt, pepper and garlic to taste.)
Our family has only four eating off of this because we have couple of dairy-free kids at the table. We usually divide this up into three portions: one for supper that night and two for the freezer. To prepare from the freezer I let them thaw completely in the fridge. I preheat the oven to 350, stir and put into oiled baking dish. I bake them for 20 minutes uncovered and (if I have some) top with white cheddar cheese. The guys are just as happy about these the second and third time around as the first!
Linked at http://realfoodforager.com/fat-tuesday-april-172012/#comment-17908
The biggest complaint about freezer potatoes is that they are grainy or watery when they thaw. I do not add milk to these potatoes to avoid additional liquid, and I make sure that I cook the potatoes very well the first time so they mash easily without milk.
I don't like peeling, not even a little bit. I figure that my family can use the fiber. I use Golden Yukon or a thin, red skinned potato. I would not use Russet potatoes in this recipe because of their thick skin, and being a starchier (is that a word?) potato they might not freeze as well.
This recipe includes cauliflower to increase the dish's nutritional value. No one in my family noticed; even after I told them they couldn't taste the cauliflower. My husband and oldest love, LOVE this, and I hope that you do too!
5 lbs of potatoes, cubed (I cut just a little larger than the cauliflower florets so they cook at the same rate)
2 bags of frozen cauliflower florets
1 cup of sour cream
1 stick of butter
1 Tbs of Ranch mix
Cut potatoes and place in a large pot with water. Bring the pot to a boil and add the cauliflower. Boil until the potatoes are easily mashed with a fork. (About 20 minutes of cooking.) Drain and add sour cream and butter. Mash. Then mix in the ranch. (If you aren't a fan of ranch use salt, pepper and garlic to taste.)
Our family has only four eating off of this because we have couple of dairy-free kids at the table. We usually divide this up into three portions: one for supper that night and two for the freezer. To prepare from the freezer I let them thaw completely in the fridge. I preheat the oven to 350, stir and put into oiled baking dish. I bake them for 20 minutes uncovered and (if I have some) top with white cheddar cheese. The guys are just as happy about these the second and third time around as the first!
Linked at http://realfoodforager.com/fat-tuesday-april-172012/#comment-17908
Monday, April 9, 2012
Winning over my husband
While we were dating my husband had (what I thought) was a really cool car, a cobalt blue Beretta. He spent every Sunday afternoon washing it. He likes clean vehicles, but four children later he has succumbed to the fact that our clean car days are on hold for a bit!
On Saturday he came in from the garage and asked, "If a guy were to want to clean his car with green cleaner, would you have any homemade cleaners for him?" I almost bought the act, but I know my husband and got suspicious. Did he really want to use a healthier cleaner? He smiled and told me that actually when he went to the auto parts store earlier that morning he spent $200 in parts. He was out of car cleaner and just couldn't handle spending $10 more on car cleaner. Motive doesn't matter to me at this point. I will take it.
He used all purpose cleaner and window cleaner on the interior of his car and was pleased with the job that it did. Hooray! This chart shows just how much can be saved by making healthier, cheaper homemade products.
On Saturday he came in from the garage and asked, "If a guy were to want to clean his car with green cleaner, would you have any homemade cleaners for him?" I almost bought the act, but I know my husband and got suspicious. Did he really want to use a healthier cleaner? He smiled and told me that actually when he went to the auto parts store earlier that morning he spent $200 in parts. He was out of car cleaner and just couldn't handle spending $10 more on car cleaner. Motive doesn't matter to me at this point. I will take it.
He used all purpose cleaner and window cleaner on the interior of his car and was pleased with the job that it did. Hooray! This chart shows just how much can be saved by making healthier, cheaper homemade products.
Homemade Cleaner | Cost | Comparable | Comp Cost | Amount Saved |
$0.16 | Jet Dry (8.45 oz) | $3.46 | $3.30 | |
$1.46 | Downy Ultra (77 oz) | $13.59 | $12.13 | |
FREE! It's my fabric softener! | Shout Color Catcher (24 ct) | $7.99 | $7.99 | |
$0.81 | Swiffer Wet Jet Refill (42.2 oz) (Not the cleaning pads) | $4.71 | $3.90 | |
Window Cleaner | $0.08 | Windex (32 oz) | $3.99 | $3.91 |
Laundry Soap | $0.26 | Gain Liquid (50 oz) | $8.45 | $8.19 |
$0.85 | Soft Scrub (26 oz) | $4.32 | $3.47 | |
$0.78 | Lysol Toilet Cleaner (24 oz) | $4.89 | $4.11 |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)