My Pearfect Life

What We've Been Up To!

2013-02-07T13:11:00.000-05:00

A lot of new things have been going on in the Mccool Household.

First off, the chickens.

We absolutely LOVE having chickens, and believe it or not, they are so easy

to take care of.

Especially when you pay your 13 year old daughter to do all the work.

We started out with four, and four just wasn't enough, so we added seven more. Thats right sixteen!

Holy cow! or chicken.

On average, we get about ten to twelve eggs a day. Cool right!?

Since having chickens wasn't enough, I thought I would add a

worm compost to the Homestead.

I have to be honest, taking care of worms is a lot harder than taking care of chickens.

The first day the worms arrived, the weather was horrible and temperatures were below

zero.

My husband and I noticed the worms wasn't moving a whole lot and

since they are called red wigglers, they didn't look red or wiggly.

I thought maybe they needed some time to get adjusted.

Long story short! They froze to death!

And let me tell you! my house STUNK!

I tried to deny the smell because I wanted the worms to live.

I had to finally give in to the smell, I had to apologize to the neighbors kid that come overs

to the house sometime about how I had worms and they died, and thats why the house stinks.

That makes me a cool mom right? The fact I like and play with worms?

Or does that make me a creepy mom...who likes and plays with worms?

ANYWAY!

What did I do?

Honey! MY WORMS ARE DEAD!!!

Like every good husband he dug in the compost dirt and got rid of all the dead worms.

A man after my own heart. I have to admit, I was a little sad every time he pulled out a

dead worm, it was like a family pet had died or something and I had to snap out of it fast!

These are worms! for crying out loud!

It's a good thing I didn't name all two thousand of them or we would of had to burry them in the

backyard and have funeral service.

I did finally pull it together, and we decided to give the chickens the dead worms.

Evidently that was my closure. I felt better knowing they were in a better place.

Uncle Jim's Worm Farm is where I ordered them from and they kindly sent a batch of fresh worms

for free.

So now all is well with the worms, they are alive and no stinky stink.

I do find myself thinking about these worms constantly and I have to admit,

I like sitting in the floor with my hubby digging in the dirt to see if they are still alive.

WHO WOULD OF THOUGHT!

I like worms!

My name is Tessa and I have worms! :)

So all in all thats whats been going on in my neck of the woods. I hope your neck of the woods is filled with just as much excitement as mine:) Talk to you soon, promise!:)

Laundry Soap

2012-06-25T10:19:00.000-04:00

Have you guys ever struggled with what kind of

laundry detergent to buy? One that would be Non - Toxic

and affordable?

Yikes!

There are a lot of products out there but very few that offer both.

I want to share with you two products that I really like.

They are both safe and affordable.

First up, is Eco Nuts.

Eco Nuts are actually dried berry shells from the Sapindus mukorossi

(soapberry) tree found in Asia.

All you do is fill the bag up with the berry shells and throw them in the

wash.

The shells will start to break down & dissolve, then you just keep adding

more to the bag as you need them.

Believe it or not, they actually work. I dont know how well they would work

on something that is really stained, but, so far so good.

I ordered mine through Amazon for around $14.00.

Here is my favorite, Charlie's Soap.

I love this detergent, and it's the one I use the most, plus

it only takes a Tablespoon per load so it really last a long time.

I keep mine in a glass jar on top of the dryer.

Another cool thing is, the company recommends that you don't use

fabric softener, CHA- CHING!!

I order Charlie's soap through Amazon as well; So I joined Amazon's subscribe and save program and saved even more.

You get it a little cheaper and it's delivered right to your home whenever you need it.

I hope this helps you in trying to find a safe and affordable laundry soap.

Hope you have "LOADS" of fun! :-)

Life Planner

2012-02-14T18:11:00.003-05:00

I Heart Pinterest.

2012-01-31T07:49:00.012-05:00

I would like to take this time to give a big thanks to

PINTEREST.

I am totally addicted to it, are you???

I now have to many things I want to cook, bake, organize, build,

party and maybe do our wedding again. ( just kidding on that last one)

O the endless possibilities.

What did I ever do before Pinterest.

(LOL)

Since it's the beginning of a new year, I thought I would start doing

some inexpensive organizing around the house.

First off, " The Fridge"

Organizing Made Fun: ( click now )

I found a great pin on pinterest for organizing your fridge.

This is a before picture of my fridge.

So unorganized, I am holding my head in shame.

I had to take everything out and give the ole fridge a good cleaning.

I can't believe how much food I had crammed in there.

Here is more.

Aaaaaannnd more.

After I got everything out and cleaned the fridge.

I made myself a sandwich, after staring at all that food it made

me hungry.

Here is the finished result.

I absolutely love it!!!!

It was definitely worth all that hard work and all the calories

I consumed while doing it.

I used the same boxes that

Organizing Made Fun

used.

You can purchase them at Walmart.

I think it looks it awesome.

PERFECTION!!

I hope you are inspired to do some organizing around the house.

I will warn you, once you start, it's hard to stop.

O well, time for a freezer make over ;-)

DI.Y. Lip Balm and Herbal Salve

2012-01-14T10:46:00.012-05:00

Burt's Bees has been our favorite lip balm for some time now.

It works great and a lot of stores carry it.

The only bad thing is, at least for me, is the price.

I try to keep one in the car, in my purse, one in Bubby's coat

and in Sissy's purse.

But! we are always loosing them!!

That can get real expensive fast.

I don't know about you, but I need my Chapstick!

Probably about a year ago I bought some stuff to make lip balm and some

herbal salve.

I had totally forgotten about it until I found the stuff during Christmas.

While the kids were on their Christmas break, I thought it would be a perfect

time to put this stuff to use.

I got these recipe from Learningherbs.com

You can go on youtube and watch the video, which is what we did.

First thing you have to do is make an infused oil.

You need:

2 small mason jars

dried calendula flower (lip balm)

dried comfrey (herbal salve)

sweet almond oil (lip balm)

extra virgin olive oil (herbal salve)

Fill the jar halfway with the dried calendula flower.

The comfrey is for the salve. I forgot to take pictures of that,

so if you want to just make the lip balm, skip the comfrey directions.

If making the salve, fill the other jar half way with the dried comfrey.

Next, cover the calendula with sweet almond oil, until it's completely covered.

do the same with the comfrey except using olive oil.

Then give it a good stir. (don't use the same utensil)

Let set on counter top for at least three weeks.

Make sure and shake the jar once or twice a day.

When the three weeks are up, go ahead and strain your oil.

You will need one cup of oil.

If you have a little less, just add some almond oil to it

until it makes a cup.

Same with the comfrey using olive oil.

Foe the lip balm, melt 2 oz of beeswax in a double broiler.

I ordered my ingredients from Moutain Rose Herbs.

(I'll get back to the salve later)

When the wax is all melted, add the calendual infused oil.

Stir until it's smooth.

Remove from heat and pour in 1 1/4 tsp of peppermint essential oil

and stir.

Quickly pour into the containers.

It is a little messy, but it's easy to clean.

Once you have done that, leave lids off until

completely cooled.

This made 24 lip balm and 2 round containers of lip balm.

For the salve

Melt 1 oz of beeswax, in a double broiler.

When melted add one cup of comfrey infused oil.

Mix until smooth.

Remove from heat and add 1 tsp of Lavender essential oil

and stir.

Quickly pour into a some glass or metal containers.

This oil can be used in place of Neosporin.

Good Luck! ;-)

Christmas Morning Breakfast

2011-12-27T12:43:00.009-05:00

Our family LOVES Crepes, so this year I decided to make crepes for

Christmas morning.

You can't go wrong with strawberries, chocolate and cream cheese

right??

All you need is

1 1/2 c. flour

1 Tbs sugar

2 c. warm milk

2 eggs

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 Tbs melted butter

Mix ingredients together and pour 1/4 c. batter

into skillet and swirl around until batter is thin.

(your crepe batter should be runny)

right before it starts to turn brown flip it over

and let it cook just for a few seconds.

We found that it was easier to flip using chop sticks ( lol )

These are so yummy!!!!

We couldn't make them fast enough.

You can add what ever filling you want.

the kids favorite is Nutella and strawberries, with

whip cream on top.

My favorite is Mascarpone cheese and yogurt with strawberries.

1/2 c. mascarpone cheese

1/2 c. yogurt

1/4 c. raw honey.

This can easily be doubled.

Merry Christmas ;-)

My Online Christmas List 2011

2011-12-10T07:31:00.018-05:00

WOW!!! Did I miss you guys!!!!

It's been a while since I've blogged. My pearfect life has been crazy to say the least.

I enjoyed the break, but missed talking with all of you too much and I'm soooo glad to be back!!

Alright! enough of the mushy mushy stuff. Lets get to it :-)

I am assuming you know how close Christmas is, and if you don't,

WAKE UP!!!! it's right around the corner ;)

If your not stressed out yet, then, your missing out on all the fun!! jkjk

It's always been my goal not to be stressed out in December, and just try to

go with it. That is easier said than done.

The month is CRAMED pack with stuff to do and people to see.

Oh! not to mention the whole making memories thing.

Thank God! for Amazon this year.

I'm telling ya'll right now

Amazon is the way to go. I ordered just about everything through them,

and the greatest part was, I did it all while I was in my p.j's :-)))))

SO! I thought you guys would like to see whats on my Christmas list for

2011.

Confession Time! My name is Tessa and I'm a Gym Junnkie!

It's true I'm addicted to the endorphin rush and hanging with my gym buddies :-)

If your the same way then you will love these New Balance minimus shoes. I already own a black pair, but I put a gray pair on the list.

I will let you in on a secret. This is a minimalist shoe which means its a lot like working out barefoot. Which many believe is better for you. You will feel it in your calves for sure. So take it slow with these shoes, they are a lot different than your regular ones, but have great results.

Am I the only person that feels guilty for going into the

store, with a reusable shopping bag, that has another stores name on it?

This should solve that problem. These bags are from reuseit.com

They have great reviews and will eliminate the shame of other store branding. We now can shop with our heads held high ;-)

I've been reading a lot about these Negative Ion Bracelets by LifeStrength.

It's suppose to be good for your health and well being. Can't wait to find out ;-)

"I'm in love and I don't care who knows it!!!"

(from the movie elf)

I'm completely in love with these boots.

I guess these boots have been around for a while.

I'm just now finding out about them, and I have to have a pair.

Good thing my hubby know just what to get me. Or at least he will on

Christmas day (wink, wink)

I want to strart making our own dairy free yogurt, and this one had great reviews.

This isn't on my list, I actually own a pair, and their AWESOME!

These gloves work with your iphone.

In other words, no more taking your gloves off to answer a call or to text.

Cool right? My nose is SOOO thankful! (: iphone user Joke :)

If you don't have these on your Christmas list,

DO IT NOW!!!

I ordered mine through Moosejaw .

Takeya tea maker with jacket.

I REALLY want this!

We make a lot of tea in our house and this would be

PERFECT!

Plus it comes with a cute little jacket to keep the tea warm. (Precious)

My son wants SkyLander for Wii.

Evidently it's a big deal.

This is on my daughter list, the Kindle Fire.

Looks really cool. A perfect gift for any age.

Well guys thats my list and I hope it helps you with yours.

Until the next time (: sooner than later... I promise :) Happy Ordering!

Merry Christmas!!

Hand Sanitizer

2011-03-04T07:29:00.005-05:00

This is another recipe from Gorgeously Green.

I have to admit I'm definitely one of those who have been suckered

in to the hand sanitizing smells from Bath and Body Works.

I even bought some for my daughter and her friends. ( bad mommy )

They just smell so good and were so cute!

I had no idea how bad that stuff was for our skin and our bodies.

I now know, anything you put on your skin will make it's way into your body.

Make sure you read the labels on the back of the bottles.

I have another confession to make.

Not only was I buying those "other" hand sanitizers,

I started buying the healthier version and was spending 5.00 for a

tiny bottle....FIVE DOLLARS PEOPLE!!!!!!!

That is way to much money for hand sanitizer.

When I saw Gorgeously Green had a recipe for hand sanitizer

I knew I had to try it and share with all of you.

Hand Sanitizer:

2 Tbs distilled water

2 Tbs vodka ( i used witch hazel )

1 tsp aloe vera juice ( trader joes or whole foods )

1 tsp vegetable glycerine ( whole foods )

2 drops cinnamon leaf essential oil ( 100% )

2 drops clove bud

2 drops rosemary

2 drops eucalyptus

2 drops cinnamon leaf

Pour into a small spray bottle and your all set.

The best way to store your oils or products you have made with the oils

is to store them in a dark bottle, because they are light sensitive.

I couldn't find small dark spray bottles at the store. I will probably

order some in the near future. But for the time being I'm going

to use the lighter bottles and most purses and backpacks are dark inside.

The oils should be fine.

If you don't like the smell of this oil blend, you can mix it up however

you want.

Thats what I did for Ashlyn, she doesn't like the smell of the cloves.

Just make sure which ever oils you use that one of them is eucalyptus

or tea tree oil. They are super germ fighters.

Good luck with all ya'lls product making.

ENJOY!!

Mouthwash

2011-03-03T08:35:00.005-05:00

If you are like me, you are probably on a "budget"

Trying to live a more healthier lifestyle can get expensive.

Trust me!

I am determine NOT to throw in the towel just because of

the"Price" of trying to be healthy.

One of the ways in saving money is making as much stuff

as you can yourself.

Which will not only save you money, but allow

you to buy other things you need.

You will have to devote some time in your kitchen.

Maybe set aside one day a week to get all your stuff made,

so you can enjoy the rest of the week.

I have been glued to Gorgeously Green she has a fantastic blog.

One of the things I like most about her, is she gives tips and recipes

on how to do it yourself.

I have two of her books and just ordered her newest one this morning.

I could go on and on about this stuff but I want (your welcome )

Alright girls! this recipe I got from the Gorgeously Green,

I'm so excited to share it with you.

Once you start buying your essential oils (make sure they are 100%)

You will start saving money by making your own products.

First Recipe, Mouthwash.

1/2 c. distilled water (has to be distilled)

1 c. aloe juice ( whole foods or trader joes)

2 Tbs baking soda

1 Tbs witch hazel ( cvs, target or whole foods)

20 drops peppermint essential oil (whole foods or mountain rose herbs)

Pour into a container and give it a good shake to mix it all up.

I used mine this morning and love it!

If you have ever tried some of the other organic mouthwash, you will appreciate the

taste of this one. ( those others..YUCK!!)

Homemade Mouthwash ;-)

Note: The reason for using distilled water is, your

homemade products will last longer.

Make sure and check back tomorrow I have another exciting recipe.

Girls!! it is up to us to make a difference in our families and I believe

WE CAN DO IT!!

Breath Relief Rub

2011-03-01T17:42:00.004-05:00

This is a great alternative to vicks vapor rub.

I used this on my son while he was sick and

it really worked.

When we would bring out the vicks bottle, my kids would always

start yelling "not that stuff" (LOL)

When I used the homemade version,

my son actually said "mom it's working" (doing my mommy smile)

Using the homemade version is way healthier than using vicks.

I got this recipe over @ smilinggreenmom.com

This is a great website with lots of information

on living a greener life.

Breath Relief Rub Recipe:

2 oz grapeseed oil

15 drops eucalyptus essential oil

10 drops peppermint essential oil

Mix together and store in a jar.

ENJOY!!

Menu Plan

2011-02-27T12:51:00.003-05:00

Monday: Turkey Burgers, Coleslaw and Baked Fries

Tuesday: Homemade pizza

Wednesday: Hot wings

Thursday: Baked Chicken and Veggies

Friday: Leftovers

Saturday: Taco Salad

Whats In Our Smoothies

2011-02-25T09:34:00.004-05:00

I thought I would let you in on what else we put in our smoothies.

First of all, if you are doing a veggie/fruit smoothie

It's a good idea to do 50% veggies and 50% fruit,

If you can. If you can't thats o.k. just start out slow and work your way up.

For my kids, I don't do the 50, 50, but, I do sneak

some spinach and kale in there smoothies along with

these GOJI BERRIES.

These little guys are so good for you and there is a TON of info

at Navitas website.

If you do decide to put some GOJI BERRIES in your smoothies

just make sure you soak them in some water of about 10 min.

CHIA SEEDS is another great thing to put in your smoothies.

If you are using a regular blender you need to grind these seeds in a

coffee grinder first.

If you are using a VitaMix or Blendtec, just throw them babies right in.

I also use these in my granola recipe.

Hemp Seeds are yummy, you can sprinkle these guys right on top

of your cereal, even on your oatmeal.

OR........?????

Smoothieeeeeeesssss (LOL)

I usually put about 2Tbs of Hemp seeds or chia seeds

when making a smoothie.

I use about a 1/4 c. of Goji berries. (sometimes i use a little more)

Make sure you look up the information on these power packed

superfoods.

CHEERS!!

Almond and Cashew Milk

2011-02-23T10:32:00.002-05:00

I had so much fun making our own almond and cashew milk

this week, that I can't wait, until we run out so I can make some more.

It was so COOL!!

I have seen a lot of people on the internet make it, but I wasn't

sure if t was worth it or not.

Let me tell ya,

it's WORTH IT!

It's also cheaper than buying it, which is what I was doing.

First thing you do is, get a couple of mason jars, put one cup

of almonds in a jar or one cup of cashews in the jar.

( they need to be raw)

Cover them with water and let them soak over night.

The next morning, drain the almonds and rinse.

Place your almonds in your Vitamix

with 3 cups water, 1/2 tsp vanilla and

about a Tbl of raw honey. ( add more if you want it sweeter)

Then blend until well combine.

After it's well blended, strain through a cheesecloth.

Make sure and give it a good squeeze to get all of

the remaining milk out.

If you are using cashews, you dont have to strain them because cashews

have no skin.

Almonds on the other hand do, so you have to strain it.

This is what is left after you strain the almonds.

It's called "Almond Meal" you can either save it or discard it.

If you decide to save it, place it in the fridge, it will last up to

three days.

TA-DA!!

After you strain it, just pour it into a container.

It will last about 5 days.

The milk does start to separate after a while, if this happens

just give it a good shake.

I hope you have as much fun as I did .

ENJOY!!

Our Favorite Soap

2011-02-22T08:34:00.002-05:00

This is our families favorite soap.

It's probably as pure as you can get. no bad stuff at ALL in this

soap, which is why I love it.

I buy ours at Trader Joes for 8.99 this is the cheapest I have found it.

(Target and Whole Foods sell it for 15.00.)

Another reason why I love this soap is, you dilute it by half.

using it full strength would be to much on our bodies.

I had an empty bottle left from before, I took that bottle,

poured half of the new bottle into the older bottle and filled both

bottles the rest of the way up with water and gave it a good shake.

I think you will really enjoy this soap.

Not only does it feel good on your skin, it smells wonderful.

8.99 may sound like a lot, but your actually getting two bottles for the

price of one.

Give it try, I think you'll like it!

Dairy Free Ranch Dressing

2011-02-18T13:33:00.007-05:00

Before I get to the recipe, I wanted to share with you the kind

of mayonnaise we used.

I'm sure you already know how bad mayonnaise is for you.

If you are anything like me, I still had to have my mayo, I didn't care

how bad it was for me.

O.K!... maybe I did.

Their is an upside and a downside to this.

The upside is, it taste GREAT and it's dairy and egg free.

The downside is, it cost about six dollars.

I know what you are thinking, but! before you say "that is waaay to expensive"

Give it a try, and see how long it last.

Believe it or not, I don't use it that much and it will last in our

household a couple of months before it's all gone.

This is a fabulous dairy free ranch dressing recipe.

I found this recipe over @Elana's Pantry

It's definitely one of my favs.

1c. mayonnaise

4 Tbl lemon juice (fresh)

3 cloves of garlic

1 Tbl green onions

salt and pepper

Put all ingredients in a mason jar, and give it a good shake.

Store in fridge.

ENJOY!!

Elderberry Syrup

2011-02-14T08:50:00.002-05:00

You may or may not of herd of Elder Berry.

It is very high in antioxidant and flavonoids.

It's also used when you have a cold, flu, or if your trying not

to catch a cold or flu.

Their is a lot of Elderberry "medicine" that you can buy at the store,

but I find that it is a little more than I want to pay.

I got this recipe from,

Free Home Remedies and Simple Herbal Medicine Making

It actually taste really good, all four of us are taking it everyday.

If you decide to make your own, it will be cheaper than buying it.

Elderberry Syrup:

1/2 c. dried elderberries (i bought mine at whole foods)

3 c. water

1 c. honey (raw)

place berries in a saucepan and cover with the 3 cups of water.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 min.

When the 30 min is up, smash berries with a potato

smasher.

Then strain the mixture through a strainer or cheesecloth.

(i used a cheesecloth)

Add the honey and stir until combined.

Pour into a bottle or jar and store in the fridge.

It will last a couple of months.

If you are sick, take a Tbl every 3 to 4 hours.

During cold and flu season you can take a Tbl once a day

to help your body fight off a cold before you get it.

Good Luck!!

Valentine Cards

2011-02-12T08:10:00.004-05:00

These are all over the Blogging world, so I just had to

do some.

These turned out so adorable!!!

My daughter and I can't stop looking at them,

I mean DUDE!.. these are waaay cool!!

(happy mommy)

Green Colada

2011-02-11T07:47:00.006-05:00

I have a super healthy and delicious smoothie recipe for ya ;-)

I'm not a big breakfast person, and I have to force myself to eat breakfast

because I know how important this meal is to my body.

So, this is pearfect!

Hubby likes it too ;-)

Green Coloda

1 can Thai coconut milk

2 c. fresh pineapple

1 banana

1/2 c. shredded coconut flakes

3/4 c. fresh baby spinach

raw honey

2 c. ice

You can also add a cap full of coconut extract.

If you are not a big fan of the taste of coconut, just leave it out.

Put all ingredients in your Vitamix or blender

and mix until smooth.

I wanted to show you what kind of coconut milk

I use and shredded coconut.

To get the full health benefit of this smoothie,

you have to use the Thai coconut milk.

It also has to be full fat, not lite.

Don't worry about the fat content because this is the good fat that

your body needs. You may notice some thick white stuff at the top of

the can, that's good. That is actually what they call "coconut meat"

I believe it cost around 1.60 and you can purchase it at

your local grocery or whole Foods.

I try to buy at least 4 cans every time I go grocery shopping.

On to the shredded coconut.

I use the brand "Lets Do...Organic"

I actually use this brand in all my recipes that call for shredded coconut.

It cost 2.69 for 8.8 0z, I buy it at whole Foods, I have seen it

at Vince and Joes.

I sooooo love the color!!

If you are a fan of Pina Colodas, you HAVE to try this

healthy version.

Btw, I bought the cup in the photo at Costco.

They come 3 in a pack and they are PBA free. (make sure when u buy plastic

that it is PBA free) The best part is, they only cost 15.00

which is an awesome deal. I have seen these cups priced 15.00 for ONE.

I'm going back for another set before they all get gone.

Hope you enjoy your Green Coloda!

Healthy Brownies

2011-02-04T07:53:00.003-05:00

I'm always looking for a healthy desert.( It gives me a good

reason why I should eat it)

I was over at Elana's Pantry

checking out some of her recipes and came across her brownie

recipe. Right away I had to bake a batch.

They turned out delicious and moist.

I did change the recipe a little bit, but you can go to her

blog for the original recipe.

1/2 c. Chocolate chips (i used dairy free)

1/4 c. coconut flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt ( i used a little less)

2 eggs

1/2 c. coconut sugar

1/2 c. grapeseed oil

1 Tbl vanilla

1/3 c. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.

place 1/2 c. chocolate chips in a food processor

and pulse until the consistency of coarse sand.

Pulse in flour, salt, baking soda.

Next, pulse in eggs, sugar,oil, and vanilla.

pour into a 8x8 baking dish and sprinkle the rest of the chocolate

chips on top.

Bake for 20 min.

ENJOY!!

Apple Pear salad

2011-01-21T13:20:00.005-05:00

I am so excited to share with you a new salad recipe.

It is "Daniel Fast" friendly and not only is it delicious,

it's also beautiful.

I kept telling my husband "look how pretty this is" but all he could do is concentrate on eating it:)

Lets start with the dressing.

I used Wildtree grapeseed oil and there oil is green, so that's what gives

this dressing it's color.

6 Tbs grapeseed oil

4 Tbs pear infused vinegar

4 Tbs orange juice

1 heaping Tbs of agave or honey

1 tsp poppyseed

pinch or two of salt.

Whisk all ingredient together and store in fridge.

Make sue you stir before each use, the oil does separate.

Just look how beautiful this salad is looking!!

This is a super easy recipe and super healthy too!

All you need is.

Mixed baby greens

Granny smith apples

Toasted pecans

Pomegranate seeds

Then just pour that gorgeous green dressing over it and presto!

You can't go wrong with recipe,

TRUST ME!!

Enjoy!

Migas

2011-01-13T07:47:00.009-05:00

This is a good breakfast recipe for the Daniel Fast.

Actually, this recipe is good anytime, we even had it for dinner.

All you need is:

dozen eggs

1 bell pepper

1 red bell pepper

1 jalapeno pepper

1 onion

1 c. chopped tomatoes

1/2 c. cilantro or less

1/4 c. half and half

1 1/2 c. shredded cheese

salt

evoo (extra virgin olive oil)

sour cream

tortilla chips

Heat a little bit of evoo in a skillet

and saute the veggies.

When the veggies are almost done, add the tomatoes,

Let that cook for about 2 minutes.

While that is cooking, whisk together, eggs and half and half.

Pour the eggs over the veggies and toss together.

(make sure to salt the eggs)

When the eggs are getting close to being done,

go ahead and toss in the cheese.

Then add the cilantro.

If you don't like cilantro, you can just leave this step out,

or you could add fresh parsley instead.

After it's all done, scoop some into a bowl and

top with sour cream and tortilla chips.

YUMMY!!

Cauliflower Soup

2011-01-11T19:12:00.011-05:00

Its a brand spanking new year! Every January, we along with our church do a

21 day Daniel fast. It's a time to grow in our faith and you can get pretty healthy a long the way too:)

On our fast we keep it simple. We knock out meats, refined sweets, and bread, that's it! Yes it can be a little challenging but its also a whole lot of fun. Especially as the energy levels starts to grow!!!

I love the fast because it gives me a chance to really think outside the box when it comes to meal time.

So for the next few weeks I'm gong to be posting some of the things we love to eat when the fast is on:) Thanks guys I hope you like it:)

This recipe is from the Pioneer Women and it is DEEEE-LISH.

BTW. The soup was prepared in my new Le Creuset pot which my hubby bought me for Christmas...He's so sweet:)

Ingredients

1 stick Butter, Divided
½ whole Onion, Finely Diced
1 whole Carrot Finely Diced
1 stalk Celery, Finely Diced
1 whole (to 2 Whole) Cauliflower Heads (roughly Chopped)
2 Tablespoons Fresh Or Dried Parsley (chopped)
2 quarts Low-sodium Chicken Broth Or Stock (For the fast we used vegetable stock)
6 Tablespoons All-purpose Flour (For the fast we used corn starch)
2 cups Whole Milk
1 cup Half-and-half
2 teaspoons To 4 Teaspoons Salt, To Taste
1 cup (heaping) Sour Cream, Room Temperature

Preparation Instructions

In a large soup pot or dutch oven, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Add the onion and cook for a few minutes, or until it starts to turn brown.

Add the carrots and celery and cook an additional couple of minutes. Add cauliflower and parsley and stir to combine.

Cover and cook over very low heat for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, pour in chicken stock or broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer.

In a medium saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Mix the flour with the milk and whisk to combine. Add flour-milk mixture slowly to the butter, whisking constantly.

Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup half-and-half. Add mixture to the simmering soup. Allow to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Check seasoning and add more salt or pepper if necessary.

Just before serving, place the sour cream in a serving bowl or soup tureen. (Do not skip this step, it makes the dish) Add two to three ladles of hot soup into the tureen and stir to combine with the sour cream. Pour in remaining soup and stir.

Serve immediately.

Groovy Granola

2011-01-07T09:39:00.003-05:00

I have been wanting to make my own granola for a while now.

After much trial and error, I finally came up with a really

good and healthy recipe.

This recipe makes two batches.

6 c. quick cooking oats

1 c. raw almonds

1 c. raw pumpkin seeds

1/2 c. raw sunflower seeds

1 c. shredded coconut

1 c. dried cranberries

2 Tbs chia seeds (grind in coffee grinder)

3/4 tsp salt

1 c. raw honey

1 1/2 c. coconut oil

3 Tbs maple syrup

10 drops vanilla liquid stevia

Preheat oven to 350

Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl, except coconut and cranberries.

In a separate bowl combine wet ingredients (including coconut oil)

and melt in microwave or on the stove, until the ingredients

are melted.

Next, pour wet into dry and mix.

Pour granola onto two cookie sheet pans. (I used parchment paper

to cover the pan).

Place one pan on the upper shelf of the oven and the other

on the lower.

Bake for 10 minutes, then stir the granola and switch pans on the shelf.

Cook for another 10 minutes and repeat.

It should only take a total of 25 to 30 minutes until the granola is done.

Be careful not to over cook. (trust me)

After the granola is done, let it cool then, toss in the coconut

and cranberries.

Store in an airtight container.

We love using this recipe as a cereal with almond milk.

ENJOY!

Last Minute Christmas Gifts

2010-12-15T11:08:00.005-05:00

Every year I let my daughter buy a couple of christmas presents

for her friends, with one rule, she has to spend under five dollars.

This year we fell in love with these cute holiday hand sanitizer

from Bath and Body Works.

They smell so yummy, and the best part is, they are five for

five dollars. (cha-ching)

Instead of using a gift bag, I decided to dress up these little

jars that my friend picked up for me, at the Dollar Tree.

All I did was, add a vinyl sticker on the front, place some

fake snow in the jar and tie a ribbon around it.

And VOILA!

I'm going to put two hand sanitizer in each jar.

I think they will love it.

These turned out completely adorable. ;-)

Tessa's Holiday Bread

2010-12-13T19:00:00.005-05:00

I have never been a fan of fruit cake, even though it always looks

so pretty and festive. Kind of. Well, maybe not. Actually it doesn't

look very appetizing to me at all.

Sorry all you fruit cake fans, I just had to get that off my chest.

I feel like a HUGE wait has been lifted.

I have been carrying that around way to long.

But wait!... I do have good news to bring.

I have created a DELICIOUS holiday bread.

The perks of creating your own recipe is, you get to

put all the things in it you like, even fresh ingredients.

I think some of the fruit cakes I see at the store are left from

last year. The Supermarket people don't know what to do

with them, so they just recycle. Thats very green of them,

with detective music playing in the back ground and a sharp look

in my eye I say "Or Is It"

Dun Dun Dunnnn,

Can you tell I haven't been out of the house in a few days?

Anyway!

This is so good, I was eating the dough by the spoonfuls.

Heres what you need.

2 c. flour

1 c. sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 pkg instant vanilla pudding

1 c. crushed pineapple

3/4 c. pineapple juice (use the juice from the pineapple can)

1/3 c. softened butter

1 egg

1 c. sweetened shredded coconut

1 heavy cup chopped fresh cranberries

1/2 c. chopped walnuts

1/4 tsp coconut extract

Cream together butter and sugar, the add the egg.

next, combine the rest of the dry ingredients.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix with spoon.

Then add pineapple, juice, and extract, mix until well combined.

Now, fold in the cranberries and walnuts.

Spray a loaf pan with spray pam and coat with sugar.

Pour batter into loaf pan and sprinkle sugar on top.

Bake at 350 for 50 to 60 minutes.

While your bread is baking, mix together

1/2 c. powder sugar, 1/8 tsp of coconut extract, and just enough

water to get the right consistency.

Pour over bread while its still warm.

ENJOY!!