a good and simple life

Guest Post: Peach and Raspberry Galette

2011-09-06T18:47:00.000-06:00

I'm thrilled that Andrea Green, aka The Greenbacks Gal, is here today sharing such an awesome recipe with us. It sounds so delicious, we'll just have to give it a try. Thanks Andrea!

I'm so excited that Stacey is allowing me to guest post here at A Good and Simple Life! I love her dedication to real food, and I share that desire to feed my family wholesome meals. Every week I feature a quick and healthy recipe on my site. I love to share my ideas for Meatless Monday entrees or recipes that feature fresh, seasonal ingredients.

So this weekend I received a order for 36 pounds of peaches. A lot of them came under-ripe, so I have a few days before I decide how I want to preserve them, but a few were so perfectly ripe, I knew I needed to eat them straight away.

This recipe for Peach and Raspberry Galette looks impressive but is both quick and easy. There is very little added sugar, so the sweetness of the fruit really comes through. And it can easily be transformed with any fruit that happens to be in season.

Now, I'll admit, I cheat when it comes to crusts. I buy the Whole Foods brand pre-made whole wheat crust. If your culinary skills are better than mine, please whip up your own crust. For the rest of us, my no-fail trick is to buy two crusts and roll them together. It's quick, it's easy, and to me, it tastes really great! I don't feel like I'm sacrificing now that whole wheat crusts are readily available.

Peach and Raspberry Galette

serves 8

3 C peaches, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch wedges
1 C raspberries
1/4 C unsweetened, organic applesauce
2 T brown sugar
1 t lemon zest
1/2 t vanilla
1 T cornstarch
1 t salt
1 T ground almonds

1 T sliced almonds
1 ready-made whole wheat pie crust (or 2 rolled together if you like crust like me!)
1 T agave syrup

1. Preheat oven to 425. In a large mixing bowl, combine the peaches, raspberries, applesauce, sugar, lemon zest, vanilla, cornstarch and salt. Stir gently and set aside.

2. Roll pie dough into a circle about 1/8 inch thick. Place on a greased sheet pan.

3. Sprinkle the ground almonds unto the crust, leaving about a 2 inch border. Fill the middle of the pie crust with the fruit and spread it so the 2 inch border remains. Sprinkle with the almond slices. Carefully fold the edges of the pie crust up and over the outer edge of the fruit.

4. Bake the galette on the bottom rack of the over for 50 minutes. The crust should be light brown when you remove it.

5. Remove the galette from the oven and brush the edge of the tart with the agave nectar. (PLEASE don't skip this part. My, oh my, how it adds to the final product!)

See, doesn't it just sound divine! :) Head over to her blog, The Greenbacks Gal, for more delicious and healthy recipes.

Guest Post: Small Changes for a Simpler Life

2011-08-31T18:53:00.000-06:00

This is a guest post by Stacy at A Delightful Home. Thank you Stacy!!

It all started with me standing at the front door, with two kids, a baby on my hip, and a bag on my shoulder. Juggling my load I tried key after key before finally finding one that would let us in.

I became irritated by the third key and thought, “Why on earth do I have so many keys?” Many of the keys had been passed down when we moved and I still don’t know what most of them are for.

Because of my cluttered key chain, it took me an extra 2 or 3 minutes to get inside the house.

If I did this every day, I’d be wasting at least 730 minutes a year! To put it another way: that’s 12 hours of messing with keys at the front door annually! Who wants to do that? Not me! (And not you either, I expect.)

After this revelation, I took all the extra keys off the key chain. Now I can get in the house quickly and without frustration. Phew.

Removing a few keys was a very simple fix, with great benefits. 12 hours of benefits!

Thinking about this small change helped me see other ways I could make life easier. For instance, I want a bountiful garden, but I keep forgetting to water!

No water = no garden (at least not a very good one).

To remedy this situation, I bought a timer to attach to the hose.

I put off buying a timer for quite some time, thinking it was not worth the expense and I would surely get better at watering soon.

Well, as you can imagine, I have yet to improve my watering skills. In fact, I’m so bad my mother-in-law waters the plants on my porch when she visits!

I felt guilty about my ineptness for a while, but then accepted that I’m in a very busy stage of life right now. With three kids at home, I just can’t do everything! (Forgetting to water doesn't equate to being a failure.) I also have a highly-distractable nature, so part of it is just me.

And that brings me to my next point . . .

Instead of feeling bad that we are not like other people who are say, good at gardening, it is more productive for us to work with our own unique personality. Sure, we can improve in many areas, but we can also develop strategies that help us where we are right now.

I know I am forgetful. I know I am easily distracted. So, I write notes in my cookbooks and use a timer to help me remember things.

I also started writing notes in my kid’s story books.

While reading a book about animals to my youngest, I decided to say “God made the (insert animal name)” at the end of each page. I wanted to say it at every reading. I knew I wouldn’t remember, so I wrote it in.

Now I don’t have to worry about forgetting and can say the things I feel are important to my child.

We are all different. Small changes in my home may not be helpful in yours. But there’s no doubt we all have areas where we can simplify.

I encourage you to find small tweaks that will make a difference to your home and sanity. Maybe it’s removing keys, or finding a new place to put the laundry hamper. It could even be keeping the kids toothbrushes in the kitchen instead of the bathroom. Whatever works for you!

Little changes can make a big impact on our home and take us one step closer to that simple life we so greatly desire.

What small changes have you made that make life simpler? What areas would you like to simplify in order to bring more peace into your home?

Stacy is the wife of a preacher and mama to three children. She strives to live a simple life but needs a lot of help along the way! She blogs about creating peace and joy for her family at A Delightful Home.

Top Image by Bohman

Be Nice to Yourself and Be A Better Mother

2011-08-23T09:27:00.000-06:00

Last week I had a guest post up at A Delightful Home for the Becoming a Better Mother series. I've really enjoyed that series and was thrilled to be able to participate in it as well.

Reading the Becoming a Better Mother posts have been so inspiring and motivating to me. If you're not following it, I strongly recommend going to back and reading through the older posts in the series. They are excellent! And while you're at it, go ahead and subscribe to A Delightful Home so you don't miss out on any of the new posts. The series is that good!! And I think you'll really enjoy the rest of the blog too. :)

From the post:

I had an experience not too long ago when I found myself going through the day with an almost continuous dialog in my head about my value as a mother and homemaker. And it wasn’t nice! My thoughts were increasingly negative and I was starting to feel really badly about myself and my abilities.

Pretty soon I realized – gratefully – that I wouldn’t talk to anyone else that way, why was I talking to myself like that? I was able to snap out of it and tell myself that I was doing my best and my best was good enough. It changed my entire mood and it ended up being a great day where I felt balanced in my responsibilities as a mother and as a homemaker.

Head over to A Delightful Home to read more!

Top Image by epSos.de

Fun and Frugal Back to School Traditions

2011-08-16T15:08:00.000-06:00

I'm over at Live Renewed today with a post on Back to School Traditions.

From the post:

Back to school is just around the corner. Everyone shares a different opinion about going back to school: Some mom’s are excited and ready for a change of pace; other mom’s are disappointed that it’s coming up so soon. Some kids are thrilled and ready for the new opportunities that await them, while other kids wish it could be summertime all year long.

Whatever the attitudes of your family members, reign in the new school year with some fun and frugal back to school traditions. These traditions can be a much anticipated part of the year for everyone in your family.

Squirt's still got a couple years before starting kindergarten but this post got me thinking about all the fun stuff we could do as he starts school.

What back to school traditions do you do in your family?

Top image by Woodleywonderworks

State of the Union: Our Prayers Are Needed!

2011-08-09T07:02:00.000-06:00

Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserv'd us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust"

-The Star Spangled Banner, by Francis Scott Key

Several weeks ago, while saying my prayers one night, I felt compelled to pray for our country. I had seen something online that day that had upset me. I don’t remember what it was but probably something to do with the national debt crisis. I do remember feeling scared about my future and the future of my children.

At first I resisted the urge to pray thinking it will do no good.

But the feeling wouldn’t go away and so I finally did pray for our country. And it felt good! It felt good to be able to do something for our great nation in such great trouble.

Now weeks have passed and I continue to pray for our country.

I pray that those elected officials will be able to do their jobs to the best of their abilities, to make wise decisions and to be able to work hard and compromise for the betterment of our nation. I pray that we’ll be able to rise above all the differences of political parties and work together as Americans. I pray that the proud will be humbled and be willing to follow the guidance and inspiration given to them to fulfill their great responsibilities.

If you pay any attention to the news, you’ll know that our country needs our prayers more than ever.

There are many things we can do to help our country, the most important of which is simply to vote. We can also cast our vote by our actions and support others who can help facilitate positive action.

Each of us is in a different stage of life; some have much time to give to political activism and some do not; however, the one thing that we can all do is to pray. The issues are often extremely complex but, with certainty, God will know how to guide our country down the best path.

Will you pray for our country?

Top Image by Robert Couse-Baker

Simple Caprese Salad

2011-08-04T09:41:00.002-06:00

There are two reasons for growing basil, in my opinion: Pesto and Caprese Salads (also known as Tomato, Basil & Mozzarella Salads).

Of course there's a thousand ways to use basil; it's so yummy in anything Italian, and Thai Basil is super yummy too in Thai dishes. So I honestly just love basil all across the board. But my absolute favorite things with make with basil are Pesto and Caprese Salad.

We don't have quite enough basil for pesto yet, but Mason and I have been making Caprese Salads for a special treat to enjoy after the kids go to bed. We probably should share with them one of these days but they wouldn't understand what a special treat it is!

The awesome combination of fresh mozzarella, the earthy flavor of the basil and tangy tomatoes would be lost on them. Someday we will share, but not yet!

Here's our recipe for a simple Caprese Salad. It doesn't look as fancy as the expensive restaurants, but it tastes just as good!

Caprese Salad

Serves about 4... but if you like large portions like us, just 2! :)

4 roma tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup basil leaves, rinsed and torn into to smaller peices

1 cup fresh mozzarella cheese*, cut in 1/4 in thick slices

2 Tbl olive oil

1 Tbl Balsamic vinegar

2 tsp sea salt

*Fresh mozzarella is a must! If you don't make it yourself (yet!) look for it in the deli section of your grocery store. Not your average mozzarella will do, it must be fresh!

Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix gently. If not eaten immediately, refrigerate. Enjoy!!

What's your favorite thing to do with basil?
This post has been added to Simple Lives Thursday at GNOWFGLINS.

July at our house

2011-08-02T16:03:00.000-06:00

If time flies when you’re having fun, then we’re having a blast! It’s been a busy summer and a busy month, and we’ve been enjoying every minute of it. But... I will admit to looking forward to when we can have some slower and quieter days. :)

If we had a theme for the month, it might be mud. With lots of rain and an unfinished yard, we’ve had lots of mud. Squeakers crawled off the patio and did a face plant right in the mud (in pic above). And Squirt and all the neighbor kids have had a blast playing in the mud puddles. I’ve tried to be easy going about all the mess and for the most part I’ve been successful... but I am looking forward to grass and a little less mud and dirt next summer.

We spent the first week of July camping and that was a wonderful experience - full of fun and many lasting memories. We got rained on every day (equals more mud!) but it didn’t dampen our spirits any and only added to the adventure.

We spent the week after that recovering from all our many travels and adventures of the previous three weeks.

The week after that was soccer camp for Squirt. He’d showed some interested in soccer so when I heard about a British Soccer Camp coming to town, I signed him up excitedly. In the weeks leading up to the camp though, I worried that he wouldn’t participate and it would just be one long fight to get him to play and a waste of money. But, pleasantly, he played (most of the time at least) and had a great time! He didn’t seem to say that much to me about it but when his daddy got home everyday, he couldn’t wait to tell him what they had done in soccer camp. It was cute. :)

Around our wanna-be homestead, our garden is doing well... In fact, our tomatoes have reached gigantic proportions! This is definitely a world record for our garden!

In hindsight we should have never planted them so close together because they are crowding each other out and the poor green beans next to them don’t get much sun. But we had no idea that they would grow this much!! I guess whatever is in this soil is perfect for tomatoes! We’ve pinched them off at all the right spots (hopefully) to encourage their fruit producing efforts. We’ve got a bunch of tomatoes already but they still haven’t turned yet. Hopefully soon... I’ve got big plans for all the tomatoes: salsa, spaghetti sauce, etc.!!

As busy as things have been for our family this summer, we’re starting a new season of busyness as we embark on new adventures. It’s all very exciting! But it’s also change, and change always seems to come more difficultly, even when it’s positive.

So we’ve decided to alter our posting schedule for the time being so we can enjoy this season in our lives, rather than holding on for dear life. :) I’ll be posting twice a week for a few months until I can sit down and devote more of my time to writing again.

10 Things To Love About The County Fair

2011-07-29T14:38:00.000-06:00

It’s that time of year again... it’s time for the county fair!

I have fond memories growing up of going to the fair, watching the livestock judging, looking at all the baked goods, quilts and other handmade goods and, of course, going to the rodeo.

I was in 4-H for a few years when I was younger so I decorated cakes and did a few other culinary-ish things to participate in the fair. I don’t think I ever won a blue ribbon but it was still fun. I might even enter something in the fair again someday! My grandmother did up until a few years ago and won blue ribbons often!

So we’re heading to the fair this weekend. I can’t wait! We’ll take the kids around and show them the animals and participate in a few of the kid activities. In the end though, we’ll probably only scratch the surface of all the fun that is going on throughout the weekend.

In true funnel cake, tilt-a-whirl, and demolition derby fashion, here’s 10 things to love about going to the County Fair!

1.   Seeing the 4-H projects and exhibits. Some people think this is boring but I’ve always enjoyed it. I don’t look for hours but I enjoy taking a look around and marveling what people can do. More recently I’ve really enjoyed the photography section and the quilting section.

2.   The food! Come on, you know you love the cotton candy, turkey legs and deep fried cheese curds! They aren’t at all healthy... but hey, it’s only once a year. :)

3.   The animals and the livestock judging

4.   The funhouses, pony rides and other fun things for the kiddos. It’s like going to the zoo and the park all on the same day!

5.   The carnival

6.    The concerts and shows. When else do you get to see big names that inexpensively?!

7.   Tractor pulls

8.   The sense of community at fair time. It’s only once a year as everyone gathers for food, family, friends and fun.

9.   The Rodeo

10. The games and crazy competitions such as Mutton bustin’, greased pig races and the like.

What are your favorite things to do at the fair? Are you going this year?
Top Image by SeeMidTN.com

Why We Want to Homestead

2011-07-26T10:10:00.004-06:00

No doubt about it, after Mason was laid-off, our family changed. I changed; Mason changed; and our family changed. Thankfully we all changed together and in the same direction. :)

Month after month of long talks about our goals and dreams for our family helped us to realize that we wanted to homestead.

Back in the day, “to homestead” meant to go out and claim some land, make improvements on it and the land would be yours. (That’s just what my great grandfather and great grandmother did in northwestern Colorado. Maybe the homesteading spirit flows in my blood!)

But in more recent years, the word homesteading has come to mean more than just one’s home and land, but instead it represents a lifestyle. A back-to-the-basics lifestyle. A lifestyle of self-sufficiency, sacrifice, hard work and satisfaction.

Before the lay-off, we occasionally talked about having some land at some point in the future. But we never talked very seriously about why we wanted land or what we would do with it. It was just a dreamy discussion about someday...

After the layoff, we felt we were at a crossroads and the more we talked about the type of lifestyle that homesteading would bring, we knew we had to do it.

There is one main reason why we want to homestead: for our family.

We want to homestead so our children will learn the value of work. We want them to have a strong work ethic - to work hard and honestly. We don’t want them to be afraid of work or afraid of working hard. That fear only leads to the feelings of entitlement which plague our society today. We know of families trying to teach a strong work ethic but they were having to invent less meaningful work to try to accomplish this. We didn’t want to do that. We figure if we have land, there will be plenty of meaningful work to go around.

We want to homestead to remove ourselves somewhat from the hustle and bustle and busyness that we experience in our fast paced society. Granted, I’m sure we’ll be plenty busy around “the homestead” working in the house and tending to the garden and animals. But that busyness will keep us at home rather than pulling us away.

We want to homestead to be together. We’ll be working together, sacrificing together and enjoying our lifestyle together. The family is the most important unit in society so why should we all be going in different directions?

We want to homestead to help us prioritize and make proper choices regarding our time. We feel that having and working our land will be a good use of our time and resources. There will be little to no time for idleness or time-wasting activities. In addition, there is something special about the peaceful perspective that can come from gardening and other similar types of labor.

We want to homestead so our children grow up gardening and raising animals. We feel that’s an important element of life that is missing from our modern lives. To be able to get your hands dirty, to work with the earth, to raise and care for animals; those things we feel will bring us closer to God and closer to his creations. We will gain an appreciation for those things and a deeper sense of gratitude.

We want to homestead so our children can better understand how much time and effort it takes to care for and feed one’s family. Buying boxed food from the grocery shelves is not truly realistic and doesn’t show how much work went in to growing/raising that food, if indeed it is food at all. We hope that by being 'close to the source' of their nourishment they will be more grounded and appreciative of all that they have.

We want to homestead so we have ample room for our kids to run and play. Generally speaking, kids these days don’t know how to pretend or how to play. I can’t believe I’m old enough to say “kids these days” but I guess I am. :) We want room for them to build a tree fort should they want or whatever summer project they dream up. We want them to be outside and enjoy all that nature has to offer.

We want to homestead so our children will have plenty to do besides watch TV and play video games. Sure we’ll watch and movie here and there and challenge each other to a cycling race on the Wii, but we don’t want those things to be the focus of our days and of our lives.

We want to homestead so our children can have an almost old-fashioned childhood. To spend the days with dirt between their toes, playing make believe in the yard, and being outside from nearly sun up to sun down, doesn't that sound like a wonderful childhood?

We want to homestead so we can produce, rather than consume. Mason and I have realized in our own lives how our desires for more, more, more brought us full-to-overflowing closets of stuff but have left us empty hearts and feeling quite unfulfilled. We want to shift our focus from consumerism to those things of real value: family, love, service and work.

We want to homestead because we feel there are spiritual lessons to be learned from work, from raising food and from taking care of other living things. We want our children to learn those lessons. Honestly, Mason and I need to learn them too, so we’ll be learning right beside our kids.

We want to homestead so we can be more aware of our dependence on God. We preach and strive to practice self-sufficiency and we're learning that true self-sufficiency is really using God’s gifts to us as wisely as possible. Self-sufficiency is desiring not to become a burden on others by doing as much as you can to take care of yourself and your family. It's using any excess you might have to help those who are down on their luck but trying to do their best too. With a homesteading type of lifestyle we will have a closer interaction with so many of God’s creations and see the miracles of life unfold before us each day. We hope that from homesteading, we will come to better appreciate our utter dependence on God.

Homesteading will be a simpler life, although not necessarily simple. But we feel it is the right type of lifestyle for our family. We’re working hard right now to make our dreams of homesteading a reality. In the not too distant future, we hope to buy some land, build a home and establish a homestead.

Why? For our family. To teach and to learn humility, faith, the value of hard work. These are lessons that Mason and I have struggled to learn ourselves and we want to give our children a fighting chance to learn those lessons as well.

What are your dreams for your family? Why are they important to you?

This post has been included in Simple Lives Thursday at GNOWFGLINS and the Homestead Barn Hop at The Prairie Homestead.

28 Fun Family Traditions For The Entire Year

2011-07-22T07:06:00.000-06:00

Family traditions are the ties that bind our families together.

They are the rituals that we do each day, like eating dinner together; each week, like attending church on Sunday’s; or each year, like decorating the Christmas Tree. They might vary a bit each time they roll around, but the basic tradition is the same.

Children especially love traditions because of the constancy. But every family member, young and old, when given the opportunity to participate in and start a new tradition, will jump at the opportunity because of the fun, excitement and memories that are made.

Meaningful family traditions are fun, memorable and provide a strong sense of security to all family members. They unify the family, strengthen relationships and make lasting memories to be remembered fondly.

Family traditions don’t have to be elaborate, expensive or extravagant. They can be as simple as reading a book together each night or going for a walk each Sunday after Sunday dinner.

If you’d like to add a tradition or two to your families’ line-up, here are some ideas.

Image by andrewmalone

Traditions centered around holidays:

1.    Make a large pot of Hoppin’ John for New Years Eve. Folklore says that black-eyed peas bring good luck!

2.    Hang up Christmas stockings again on New Years Eve for a refill!

3.    Make Valentine’s Day cookies and deliver to widows and widowers.

4.    Celebrate Dr. Seuss’ birthday by having green eggs and ham for breakfast.

5.    Have an Easter egg hunt and a picnic the day before Easter.

6.    Make Mom or Dad breakfast in bed on Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.

7.    For Memorial Day, go to the graves of family members to clean and decorate with flowers. Share stories about the people buried there.

8.    Kick of the summer with an annual BBQ. Invite your extended family, friends and or neighbors to celebrate.

9.    Read the Declaration of Independence every 4th of July.

10.    Watch the 4th of July fireworks together!

11.    Have a special dinner the night before school starts. Talk about aspirations and fears of the new school year. Have each family member starting school make a collage out of magazine images portraying what they hope their new school year will be like and what they hope to achieve. Hang the collage in their bedroom as a constant reminder of their goals.

12.    Go for a nature walk or hike as a family during the fall to look at the changing colors and enjoy the beautiful scenery.

13.    Carve pumpkins together a few days before Halloween.

14.    Have a flag football game on Thanksgiving day with family, friends and neighbors.

15.    Place kernels of corn on each plate and ask each person to name one blessing for each kernel.

16.    Make and decorate cookies together and deliver them to widows and other people who might be lonely during the holidays to share with them some holiday cheer.

17.    Go to the grocery store and purchase all the fixings for a Thanksgiving or Christmas Dinner. Leave on the doorstep of another family or individual who has fallen on hard times. Ring the doorbell and RUN! not letting anyone know who delivered it.

18.    Read the story of Christ’s birth out of Luke on Christmas Eve.

19.    Birthday child gets to pick the meals for the family to eat on their special day.

20.    Have a special plate to be used by each member of the family on special days such as their birthday, graduation or if something extra special has happened to them. It is a way of honoring each person in the family individually.

Holidays provide an excellent opportunity for tradition but there are many opportunities to add tradition to our everyday family life.

Image by stevendepolo

Everyday Family Traditions:

21.    Encourage family members to “Earn their dessert” with a joke, story, song, etc.

22.    Have family prayer each morning before everyone goes their separate ways and each night before bed.

23.    When there is conflict and dissension, arguments must be sung. You can’t sing your position without cracking a smile!

24.    Start traditions around your weekly meals such as Taco Tuesdays, Spaghetti Sunday or Friday Night Pizza.

25.    Sing the fight song from your Alma mater to wake the family on Saturday mornings.

26.    Have a family night each week, preferably on the same night each week so that all grow to anticipate and expect it. Sing songs, play games and simply enjoy being together. Keep this family night sacred.

27.    Each night at the dinner table, go around the table asking what family members have done for others today. This is a way of encouraging the family to serve and look for others who might need help. Answers could include helping someone pick up books they dropped in the hallway at school or just simply giving someone a friendly smile.

28.    Have a regular family game night. Play board games, night games, outdoor games or have a video game tournament as a family.

What is your favorite family tradition? What tradition(s) would you like to start?

Top Image by Evil Erin

A GOOD and SIMPLE Life is now on Facebook!

2011-07-21T07:30:00.000-06:00

Are you on Facebook?

I created a Facebook page for A GOOD and SIMPLE life! Head on over and check it out.

Don't forget to click "LIKE" at the top of the page to join in the discussion. :)

10 Things My Mom Used To Say That I Swore I'd Never Say

2011-07-20T07:31:00.006-06:00

I have a truly wonderful mother and I'm very appreciative of all that she's done for me and continues to do for me.

But suffice it to say that, until I had children of my own, I didn’t understand all that she had to do or all the responsibility that was on her shoulders.

Back then, it seemed like she could get upset over the smallest things (like eating cake for breakfast, tracking mud all through the house, etc.). But now I totally understand!

When I was growing up, there were some things my mom would say and I'd think, "I'm never going to say that when I'm a mom!"

But here I am, a mom, and guess what - I say them all the time!

Here’s 10 of my favorite mommy-isms...

#1. This hurts me more than it hurts you.

#2. A little soap and water never hurt anybody.

#3. What part of NO don’t you understand?

#4.   Eat your dinner. There are people starving who would give anything for that plate of food.

#5. You’re not made of sugar, you won’t melt.

#6. Were you born in a barn?

#7.   Life isn’t fair.

#8.   If it was a snake it would have bitten you!

#9. Scrub behind your ears.

#10. You will ALWAYS be my baby.

Have you caught yourself sounding just like your mother? What are your favorite mommy-isms?

Top Image by blmurch

Variations of a Classic Family Favorite: BLT Grilled Cheese Sandwich

2011-07-19T06:47:00.000-06:00

Grilled cheese sandwiches are a classic family favorite. We love them at our house! They're comforting, pretty healthy, and a perfect lunch or a quick dinner, especially during the summertime.

Grilled cheese sandwiches don’t have to be just cheese and bread though - there’s tons of possibilities for additions to update the standard classic. Check out these fun combinations:

Grilled Cheddar, Bacon and Avocado Sandwiches
Italian Grilled Cheese :: Chocolate & Carrots
Green Apple Grilled Cheese :: Johnny In A Dress
Toastie with the Mostie (The Grilled Cheese Sandwich of the Netherlands)

Mozzarella, Basil, Tomato Grilled Cheese Bruschetta :: Family Fresh Cooking

There’s even tons of gourmet grilled cheese options at the Grilled Cheese Academy that sound so delicious... but unless it’s just Mason and I, the word gourmet isn’t going to impress the kiddos at our dinner table. We have to keep it simple!

It’s been hot and I haven’t felt like cooking. So last night, I didn’t!

I made Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato Grilled Cheese Sandwiches. They were quick, delicious and the whole family loved them! We had a favorite summertime sandwich last summer, and this BLT Grilled Cheese Sandwich might be our summer sandwich this summer!

The BLT Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Makes 4 sandwiches

Ingredients:
8 slices of whole wheat bread
4 slices of cheddar cheese
1 tomato, sliced
4 lettuce leaves
8 slices of bacon (preferably home-grown or pastured bacon)
Mayonnaise or Miracle Whip*
Butter

* Ideally we’d make our own mayonnaise but, honestly, we just haven’t gotten to that point yet in our real food journey. Someday fairly soon... but we’re taking it one step at a time. Something I’ve done though is to add equal parts plain yogurt to the Mayonnaise and Miracle Whip jars. It’s yummy, you don’t even notice the yogurt, and it adds some good stuff to the not-so-great stuff until you can make your own.

Slather butter on one slice of bread and place in a frying pan on medium low heat. Top quickly with cheddar cheese so the cheese can start melting. Add bacon, tomatoes and lettuce and top with another slice of bread with butter on the exterior side. Fry for 2 or 3 minutes,or until cheese starts to melt, with a lid on the pan to help the cheese melt without burning the bread! Flip and fry for another minute or two to brown up the other slice of bread. Serve and enjoy!!

What are your favorite grilled cheese bread and cheese combination? Do you enjoy anything unique to grilled cheese?

The Friends and Foes of Motherhood

2011-07-15T09:17:00.001-06:00

I'm over at Keeper of the Home today with a contributing post on... you guessed it, The Friends and Foes of Motherhood.

From the post:

As mothers, our greatest privileges and our greatest joys in life also happen to be some of our greatest challenges.
There are things we can do to help make the job of motherhood easier and more joyful.

Those things are like friends in that they lighten our burden and make our journey more joyful. They are the friends of motherhood. They can make our responsibilities easier, although not necessarily easy. Just like our friends in real life, the friends of motherhood help us along, lift us up and encourage us to continue trying.

And on the contrary, there are also things we do that make our mothering more difficult and challenging; those things are our foes.

This was a post that has been percolating around in my mind for months. I was happy when I was finally able to write it, and get my ideas and thoughts more concrete in my mind.

I've thought a lot about mental habits that I have that make my job as a mother so much more difficult on me, on my children and on my family as a whole. Those are my foes! Oh, how I want to fight them and defuse them so they quit having such an existence in my life.

Yet, on the other side of things, I've realized that there are traits I could develop (and sometimes manage to do - with help from above I am sure!) that would make my job easier and more joyful for me and for my family. They are the friends of motherhood!

It's a daily chore, to fight of the foes and befriend the friends of motherhood. But slowly I hope to be BFF with patience, forgiveness and confidence... someday!

Have you noticed there are things you do that make your role as a mother easier or more difficult? What are your friends and foes?

Top Image by Kelly Crabtree Photography

8 Characteristics of Strong, Healthy and Happy Families

2011-07-14T10:20:00.001-06:00

I’m sure you’ve heard the adage, “The family that plays and/or prays together, stays together.” Cliche? Perhaps. But true nonetheless.

What makes families strong and healthy? How can I encourage my children to be close and get along with each other? How can I foster a good relationship with my children? These questions have been on the minds of parents for years.

Study after study has been done to try to identify common threads or characteristics of those families which are strong and healthy and thus, happy.

There are - at least - 8 characteristics of strong, healthy and happy families. These characteristics also apply to strong and healthy marriages and couples without children for whatever reason.

#1. Quality Time Together
A study was done several years ago that asked 1,500 school-aged children what they thought made a happy family. Interestingly, things like money, cars and other material things didn’t score highly. What was the #1 answer of these young but wise children? Doing things together as a family. Other studies confirm that families who spend time together going on outings and doing other activities produce children with fewer behavioral problems in childhood and young adulthood.

Options for time together as a family are limitless: They can be well-planned or spontaneous; frugal, like an afternoon at the park, or more expensive, such as a family vacation; simple, like reading books together, or more elaborate, like a family camping trip. Just know that whatever time you do spend together as a family (and likewise time spent individually with your children), is time that counts in their books!

#2 Expressions of Love
This seems obvious yet still worth noting. Families that express love, care and appreciation for each other are stronger than families who don’t openly communicate their feelings. Family members are strengthened by these expressions of affirmation and affection, and are more likely to reciprocate, creating a positive cycle. Also worth noting is that families who often express love openly are more likely to “like” each other in addition to loving each other.

Image by photon_de

#3. Encouragement

Similar to expressing love for each other, strong, healthy and happy families encourage each other. Family members encourage others to reach for their full potential and to promote growth and development within each member.

With each member of the family striving for their best possible potential, and thus happiness, the family unit as a whole will be lifted to new heights and achieve far more than what an individual working alone can do.

Encouragement can be achieved by supporting one another in the development of talents, such as attending athletic events and piano recitals, and also offering kind and encouraging words such as, “You have a great smile!”.

#4. Commitment

It probably doesn’t come as any surprise that strong, healthy and happy families are also committed families. Those that are committed to each other and really feel that commitment, work together as a team to solve problems and preserve the family’s well-being. Unfortunately, there are many outside pressures and influences which threaten the family, trying to dissolve the strength of the family unit.

But as my husband Mason likes to say, “It’s going to take teamwork to make this team work!” Being committed to teach other and the strength and health of our family and marriage helps us take action, when those pressures and influences occur, to maintain our family’s well-being.

#5. Communication
Strong families communicate and they communicate well. To communicate well isn’t quite as easy as it might at first seem, particularly with different personalities and temperaments within each family. Yet good communication within the family is vital.

Families that communicate take the time to listen and talk to each other. They share hopes, dreams, feelings, fears and concerns. They learn each others love languages to best communicate their expressions of love.

Communication can also be used to determine how each member of the family feels about his or her place in the family. We can talk with our children and understand their perspective. We can use these conversations to determine if we need to make any course corrections as a family or even with individual relationships within the family.

Image by zoetnet

#6. Spirituality
Research has shown that strong and healthy families are also strong spiritually and religiously. As a family, they believe in something greater and have the same understanding of what is right and what is wrong.

Research has shown that religious commitment and religious practices, such as prayer, help protect youth from a variety of negative behaviors. Teaching our children spirituality can benefit them as individuals but also helps to strengthen the family as well.

#7. Work Together
In addition to time spent playing and recreating together, time spent working together is also extremely beneficial to families. Strong, healthy and happy families will work together on maintaining their home through chores and other assigned responsibilities. These families will also find opportunities within their communities to help others through service projects and other volunteer opportunities.

#8. Community and Family Ties

Strong, healthy and happy families are closely involved with extended families and friends, schools, churches and other community organizations. Strong families are not withdrawn from the world around them, in fact, it’s quite the opposite. Those families encourage strong relationships with extended family, friendship, neighborliness and community involvement. Strong families share their strength with others around them.

Image by woodleywonderworks

Another common adage is that, “Blood is thicker than water.” It’s true, but with a caveat: Family relationships must be consciously strengthened and bonds intentionally formed. Those outside pressures and influences which threaten our families can destroy them if we’re not actively working to strengthen those relationships.

Familial relationships take just as much, if not more, work than other relationships. And to be honest, family relationships are more important than other relationships so it’s only fitting that they should take the most effort, time and thought.
Building strong, healthy and happy families can be fun and rewarding. When everyone works together to become closer the results are wonderful.

What are ways you have found that have strengthened your family? What are other characteristics of strong, healthy and happy families?

Some thoughts and ideas for this post were based of an interesting essay I recently read, titled, Practices for Building Marriage and Family Strengths by Stephen F. Duncan.

Top Image by TheodoreWLee

I Put Myself In Time-Out Today

2011-07-13T12:21:00.003-06:00

We've had one of those mornings, this morning. You know the kind - too little sleep combined with too much to do makes for cranky children and very cranky mamas.

And I lost it. I lost my temper and threw my own special brand of temper-tantrum.   It wasn't pretty.

I ran up to my room and into my bathroom slamming as many doors as I could in the meantime.

I sat on the side of the tub crying because I was so angry. But the worst part was that I couldn't remember what had set me off in the first place! What was I so angry about anyway?

And then I felt terrible. How could I possibly go back and face my kids again after throwing such a fit? I sat there, sobbing in the bathroom, trying to figure out how to make a comeback and not ruin the rest of the day because of my outburst.

I finally decided to eat humble pie. I goofed big time and I would take full responsibility for it.

I went downstairs to face the kiddos. Squeakers grinned at me as I walked down the stairs so I figured we were still friends. Squirt was a harder sell. I apologized for losing my temper and told him that I would try very hard not to do it again. He wasn't convinced and I could tell that I'd hurt his feelings. I felt terrible.

A stroke of genius hit and I went to the microwave to start the timer, what I usually do when Squirt's in trouble.

"What are you doing?," he asked.

"Putting myself on the trouble spot for losing my temper and throwing a fit."

He was shocked that Mommy would have to sit on the trouble spot and take a time out too. But bless his little heart, he sat by me the whole time, as if to comfort me and let me know it was OK. By the time the timer went off, we were friends again.

I'm obviously far from perfect, but I've got to keep trying. Giving myself a time-out was really quite refreshing. It calmed my nerves and allowed me to collect my thoughts. It allowed me to release the guilt that I felt. By the time the timer went off, I was ready to try again. I think I'll have to do that more often!

Have you ever put yourself in time-out?

Top Image by Candie_N

A Vacation from the Vacation... Home Sweet Home

2011-07-12T06:34:00.001-06:00

As much as I love going on vacation and having a change of pace for a bit, I love coming back home even more. The older I get, the more I realize that half the fun of leaving is returning to familiar surroundings and familiar routines.

We’ve been in vacation mode the past few weeks. They have been crazy busy, but we’ve been able to spend time with many of our extended family, making memories, and that’s been wonderful.

About three weeks ago, we left for a few days for a family reunion. The day after we got back, Mason flew to Oklahoma to work for a week and a half. In the meantime, I helped a friend move in next door, and then left town to visit my parents and sisters and spend the Fourth of July weekend with them. I got back into town on the 5th, just an hour or so before Mason flew back in. The boys and I were so excited to see him!! Then about an hour after that, Mason’s parents and siblings pulled up to spend the rest of the week with us. We had a great time!

So, as much as we all love vacations, family visiting and having a change of scenery, we’re definitely ready to get back on some routines around here. We’re all happy to be home (at least for a few weeks until the next wave of travel comes around!) and enjoy a slower pace for a while. If you never leave, you never know how much you love home, right?!

We’ve spent so much time with family so far this summer, and loved every minute of it, and that’s our topic this month on the blog: Family and Family Life.

Family is very important to us. Our immediate and extended family mean everything to us. So much so that our children are the catalyst behind Mason and I trying to live a GOOD and SIMPLE life. It's going to be a good month!

How is your summer going? Are you spending lots of time with family and loved ones?

Top Image is our own... Squirt playing under the parachute with his cousins.

This post is part of Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers.

Signing off for a Summer Blogging Break

2011-07-05T08:51:00.002-06:00

It's going to be quiet around here this week. I'm taking a summer blogging break.

We've got family coming into town and we're all headed up to the lake to camp for a few days. It's going to be great and a nice change of pace!

I'll be back next week but if you're new here, check out why we're not watching free cable TV and how I'm learning that I can do anything but not everything.

See ya next week!

Top Image by Loimere

Good Links {Self-Sufficiency}

2011-07-01T07:16:00.001-06:00

I’ve been pleasantly surprised to find so many posts in my Reader this month have been on the topic of self-sufficiency! Maybe it’s just been on my mind so much that they stuck out at me even more than usual, or maybe everyone’s thinking about self-sufficiency these days. Who knows but it’s good either way!

62 Money-Saving Tips To Help Survive Another Recession :: Frugal Dad
The title speaks for itself.

Fill In The Blank Homesteading :: The Prairie Homestead
Jill reminds us that anyone can have the homesteading spirit, whether you live on some acreage or live in an apartment. Homesteaders are, by nature, self-sufficient and there’s lots you can do to fuel that spirit and feed that desire, whatever your circumstances.

How To Make Homemade Dryer Sheets :: Live Renewed
I prefer to line dry my clothes but, in a pinch, I’ll use the dryer. In this post, Emily shows a super simple way to make your own dryer sheets. I’ll definitely be making these in time for the winter when I end up using the dryer a lot more.

How to Boil an Egg :: Common Sense Homesteading
Yes, I can make my own butter but I must admit that I struggle with boiling eggs. It seems so simple but I can’t consistently make a good hard-boiled egg! So I really appreciated this post. :) And I learned something too... start with eggs at room temperature. I didn’t know that and perhaps it’s part of the problem... :)

How to be a Rockstar in the Kitchen ala Julia Child :: A Little Bit of Spain in Iowa
I’ve been fascinated with Julia Child ever since Julie & Julia so the title got me. This is a great post on how to become a great cook. The only thing I would add is patience and practice. Sometimes I get frustrated with myself that I can’t put together a meal like my grandmother can, but then I remember she’s had a lot more years to practice!

Squeezable Homemade Finger Paint :: I can teach my child!
It doesn’t get much more self-sufficient than making your own finger paints!! We’ll be trying this soon for sure!

How to Make Nut Butter :: Keeper of the Home
We’ve made almond butter before and we too were pleasantly surprised by how easy it is. Admittedly we didn’t use “crispy nuts” which would be far more healthy and digestible but that doesn’t add too much work to the process.

Natural Remedies for Bugs, Bites, Scraps and Burns :: Kitchen Stewardship
There are chemical-free options for natural remedies for typical summer-time maladies that are cheap and much better for you and your body.

How Living Without Electricity is the Means, Not the End :: Nourishing Days
This post articulates quite well how Mason and I feel, although we’re not planning on living without electricity any time soon. We’d like to know how to live without electricity but we’re not there yet. :) However, I thoroughly I commend Shannon and her family’s decision to cut back on electricity dependence. Good Luck Shannon!

Image by asgw

Celebrate Independence Day by Declaring Dependence

2011-06-30T07:07:00.003-06:00

Are you getting ready for the Fourth of July?

This coming Monday, in the U.S., we’ll celebrate our country’s independence. There will be picnics, parades, BBQ’s, fireworks, and lots of fun. We’ll don our red, white and blue, and flags will fly everywhere.

I love the Fourth of July! It’s an inspiring day, to be sure, with all the patriotism and love of our country that is shown.

But this Fourth of July, may I suggest doing something a bit different?

Celebrate Independence Day by Declaring Dependence

But wait a minute... With all my talk here on the blog about self-sufficiency and providing for oneself, what on earth am I talking about? Aren’t we to depend on no one but ourselves?

That’s actually a common fallacy of self-sufficiency - to think that you’re actually doing it all yourself and depending on no one. But it's not correct.

Everything we have, everything we’ve been given, everything we can do comes from God, Our Father in Heaven.

Our great country, our freedoms, our privileges, they all came from Him. Our abilities, our talents, they call came from Him. Our knowledge, everything we can gain, they all come from Him.

Yes, even our ability to be self-sufficient and to take care of ourselves comes from Him. We should depend on him always, always looking to him to help us provide and care for ourselves and our loved ones.

This Independence Day, think about your independence and then declare your dependence on God. You won't regret it.

This idea of declaring dependence is not my own. Last year, if you remember, the Fourth of July was on a Sunday. I was in church that morning, listening to the speaker and this was a theme in his talk. It was so profound and has stuck with me for a year. I’ve thought about it often and have tried to apply this wisdom.

Have a Safe and Happy Fourth of July!!

This post has been added to the Simple Lives Thursday Blog Hop at A Little Bit of Spain in Iowa.

3 Reasons Why I Want To Be Self-Sufficient

2011-06-28T08:26:00.011-06:00

Something changed in me when Mason got laid-off. I wasn’t afraid necessarily, but I suddenly felt very vulnerable. My little world felt far more fragile than I had ever experienced.

While I thought I knew it before, after the lay-off, I felt and realized much more deeply, that Mason and I needed to care for our family; to feed them, clothe them and teach them.

I felt an urgency to learn, grow and gain skills that would enable me to take better care of my family. Mason and I were very grateful for the help we were receiving, but we also felt very strongly that we needed to be better prepared in the future in order to take care of ourselves.

The lay-off changed the way I viewed many things. I’ve always loved to garden, crochet and cook. I didn’t think of them them as being self-sufficient, they just seemed fun, satisfying and fulfilling. But after the lay-off, they became something more.

With Mason being out of work and having our future so unsure, suddenly I saw gardening as an inexpensive way to feed my family, crocheting as a possible way to keep us warm and cooking for my family from scratch as essential because we couldn’t afford to do anything else.

#1... Self-sufficiency is emergency preparedness
Having self-sufficient skills enables you to care for and provide for your family during a job lay-off, a serious illness or untimely death, inflation and other economic troubles, a natural disaster, etc.

Sure, anything and everything you could possibly want or need can be bought at the store, but that’s not the point.

If faced with financial difficulties, you may not have the money to afford that convenience. Or if an emergency happens, you may not be able to get to the store or the store may not have what you so desperately need.

It is at these times when you will want to have self-sufficient skills to get you and your family through.

I’m learning that the development of these skills takes time, it’s not easy and there’s a lot of trial by error. If my family had to eat only what was in our garden this year, we’d be in a world of hurt! But we’re learning. :)

I’m convinced that we need to have the skills now, and, should difficulties arise, we’ll know what to do.

Image by Maria Keays

#2... Self-sufficiency feels good, it feels right

The great thing about the development of self-sufficient skills and habits is that it brings joy and satisfaction when practiced everyday. You don’t need an emergency to be grateful for what you can do for yourself.

I now know that gardening, crocheting and cooking are fun, satisfying and fulfilling because they are self-sufficient.

While difficult to describe, learning to be more self-sufficient just feels good. It simply feels right. There’s a joy, a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction that comes from self-sufficiency and providing for yourself and your family.

Sure you can buy a loaf of bread at the store, but you can’t buy the satisfaction that comes from making your own loaf of bread and having your family enjoy it.

#3... Self-sufficiency is for the good for the entire family

While self-sufficiency will help Mason and I care and provide for our family, I think our children have even more to gain. And that’s above and beyond being clothed and fed today. What about tomorrow?

I feel the need to teach my children these same self-sufficient skills so that they can be self-sufficient too. They need the skills to be able to take care of themselves and their families too. It’s a very volatile world we live in and it could become even more so.

Image by missmeng

A Great Example of Self-sufficiency
Not too long after Mason’s layoff, I was online reading and came across The Prudent Homemaker. I sat there reading her website for literally hours. I was brought to tears as I read her story of their financial struggles and thus, her struggles in feeding and caring for her family.

When the housing market bottomed out in Las Vegas, where her family lives, it greatly affected their family, especially because her husband is a real estate agent. I remember reading about how she had gone months without stepping foot inside a grocery store; they were living solely on food storage and what they could produce in their yard.

Though not in such dire circumstances, I was totally inspired and vowed that I would learn the skills and habits to take care of my family in whatever financial situation we found ourselves.

Fast forward to today...
Today Mason has a good job and we’re back on track financially. But we’re wiser now.

The lessons we learned during that difficult time aren’t easily forgotten and I’m grateful for that. We still have a lot to learn but we’re different people now, being on this side of a lay-off.

Our desires to be self-sufficient haven’t lessened any now that we have a steady income again. In fact, they’ve only grown stronger. We want more than ever to spend our time and money investing in ourselves and our abilities. Our skills, habits and abilities are insurance against the uncertainties of the future.

Not only will we be prepared for the storms of life, but we’ll be happy and confident, knowing that we’re caring for ourselves and teaching our children to do the same.

Why do you want to be self-sufficient? What inspires you the most to be self-sufficient?

Top Image by furtwangl

Simple Pleasures - Reading

2011-06-24T08:40:00.002-06:00

I recently borrowed a copy of Jane Eyre from a friend in my book club. Having never read it before and not able to read it with the book club at the time, I decided to read it on my own.

For a week or so, I read it here and there, whenever I could. I was enjoying it but it was a slow read for me, being unfamiliar with the story and all.

But how I love reading those old, classic books! I love the way they spoke to each other back then, and how the authors wrote the narrations. It’s beautiful language, although more difficult and challenging for me to read.

About halfway through the book though, I got hooked (for those who have read it, you may know which part I’m talking about). I was getting so frustrated that Jane Eyre and her Master loved each other - that was obvious - but he was going to marry another woman! I was beside myself... and I just couldn’t put it down.

But that wasn’t all... then the story got even better!

I spent much of the next week with my head in a book. I stayed up way too late reading and I read every chance I could get during the day, to the exclusion of my housework, blogwork and other things I needed to get done. I was reading just as fast as I possibly could so I could figure out what was going to happen! It was killing me!

One night, when I had 50 pages or so to go, I turned off my lamp at 10:30. That’s typically pretty late for me but it was the earliest I’d turned it off all week. I had an early morning the next day so I was trying hard to get to sleep at a decent hour.

As I laid in bed, I couldn’t quit thinking about Jane and the book! I thought about how much I’d been reading and how much I loved it. I’m always in the middle of a book - or two or three actually - and I usually read each night before going to bed. But it’d been a while since I was truly absorbed in a book like this. It was so fun!

Sure I was tired from staying up too late (and still having to get up at the normal time) and my to-do list grew rather than shrunk (but it probably would have done that anyway). Yet I really enjoyed reading that book! In fact, upon finishing it, I can’t wait to read it again!

That night while laying in bed, I thought about all the stuff that got pushed to the back burner because I was so engrossed in my reading. I thought about TV, video games and the Internet - if not used carefully, they can be such time-suckers!

But are books in that same category? Are books time-suckers?

No, I decided, because I get so much out of books. Reading books requires an active mind and besides exercising my brain, reading improves my vocabulary, concentration and memory. It helps me relax and unwind, de-stress from my day. It’s entertaining and educational. And by reading, I get a boost in my self-esteem too. For example, I feel good having finished Jane Eyre and knowing that I’ve got another classic tale under my belt.

Reading (particularly an ‘old-fashioned’ bound book) is good for my soul and good for my mind. Why else do they encourage you to read to your children as they are growing up? But reading is not only good for children, it’s good for everyone.

I decided it’s not that bad to push things aside for reading every once in awhile. Certainly I can’t let it get too out of balance, but it’s OK to enjoy a wonderful, entertaining book, especially one with a great ending like Jane Eyre. ;)

For me, reading is definitely a simple pleasure - so simple, but so much to be gained from it.

What are you reading right now? What was the last book you were totally engrossed in?

Top Image by o5com

Sad Day for The Very Hungry Caterpiller

2011-06-22T08:42:00.001-06:00

Squirt came running into the kitchen where I was working the other day, in tears. Between sobs, I barely understood that his The Very Hungry Caterpillar book had torn.

It had been looking pretty sorry for awhile. It's one of Squirts favorite books and so it was well-read, well-used and well-worn. And once Squeakers started using it as a chew toy, it started looking even worse.

It made us both sad to see it wear, and I made promises, now broken, to repair it. But that day when it actually tore in half, it was almost too much for the poor kiddo to bear.

Yet it reminded me of a quote I recently read in The Well-Trained Mind:

"A torn book or two is a small price to pay for literacy."

So I honestly didn't feel too bad that it tore in half. I smiled contently, feeling satisfied that we had loved a book so much to wear it out.

I couldn't quite convince Squirt of that though so I did promise him a new book someday. In the meantime, I'll repair the torn one and make it work for awhile again. It won't look pretty, but we'll still be able to enjoy reading it.

Homemade Naturally Sweetened Chocolate Ice Cream

2011-06-21T09:10:00.001-06:00

Since I’ve quit eating refined sugars, one of the things I’ve missed the most is ice cream. Since it's typically one of my favorite treats, I’ve tried a dozen or so different recipes using different types of sweeteners, with varying degrees of success.

Not satisfied and still on the hunt for a great naturally sweetened ice cream recipe, I finally found one!

While flipping through my Nourishing Traditions cookbook, I came across a recipe for none other than ice cream! I'm not sure if I had noticed them before and just forgotten, or if in my excitement over everything else in the cookbook, I simply overlooked it. Either way, I was excited! And of course since it was in Nourishing Traditions, it was naturally sweetened.

There are several ice cream and sherbert recipes in Nourishing Traditions actually, but the one we tried first was the Vanilla Ice Cream recipe. We altered the recipe slightly though as Squirt asked for chocolate ice cream. I certainly didn’t baulk at that. He’s a son is after his mothers heart after all!

And good news for ice cream lovers too: Dr. Thomas S. Cowan, in The Fourfold Path to Healing, actually recommends eating homemade ice cream when suffering from any acute illness (such as a fever, sore throat, congestion or diarrhea) because its a great source of vitamin A. That is good news!

Homemade Naturally Sweetened Chocolate Ice Cream
adapted from Vanilla Ice Cream in Nourishing Traditions

Ingredients:
3 pastured egg yolks
½ cup maple syrup
1 Tbl arrowroot
1 Tbl cocoa powder (we used a special dark blend and it was yummy!)
3 cups heavy cream, preferably raw

Instructions:
Beat egg yolks and blend in remaining ingredients. Pour into an ice cream maker and process according to instructions. Makes about 1 quart.

This is my taste-taster #1. We had a lot of fun making the ice cream together and it ended up being a good educational experience for my little preschooler. He asked tons of questions so I ended up having to go online to answer them. And, of course, he asked about every 5 minutes while the ice cream was in the maker if it was done yet. :)

This is my taste-tester #2. He wasn’t so sure about it at first because it was so cold. But then he decided that he liked it a lot too!

Who says that real food diets aren’t any fun?! :)

This post has been included in Monday Mania at The Health Home Economist.

Dry to Preserve: A Quick Guide to Dehydration (at KOTH)

2011-06-17T06:59:00.000-06:00

I'm over at Keeper of the Home today with a post about dehydrating food to preserve them. From the post:

Canning is wonderful and is the only way to preserve some foods (like jams and salsas), but canning jars take up a lot of space and are breakable. Freezing foods is another great food preservation option and, if frozen properly, many foods can taste just as good as fresh, but it too requires a lot of space and if the power goes out, all that food and hard work could be lost.

A third option for food preservation is to dehydrate your foods. Dehydrated foods have long been a favorite of outdoor enthusiasts due to their compact size and weight, nutritional quality and ease in preparing and using.

I'd been wanting to learn more about dehydrating so I was excited to work on this post.

In the past, I've just made fruit leather with my dehydrator but I've wanted to branch out into drying fruits and vegetables and even onto jerky!

I LOVE jerky but it's so expensive and not at all good for you when it's been commercially processed. So that's next on my list: To make me some jerky!

Do you dehydrate foods? What are your favorite 'recipes'?

Top Image by Klearchos Kapoutsis