Natural Simplicity

Veggie Scramble

2012-08-12T18:05:00.001-07:00

Being on the clean eating kick, we needed a new take on breakfast. This was the perfect blend of egg and veggies.

Ingredients

drizzle of olive oil
10 eggs
1 orange or red bell pepper
1 medium onion
1 pack diced mushrooms
3 handfuls of spinach
feta cheese
salt and pepper

Directions

Dice veggies except spinach into tiny pieces.
Spray pan with cooking spray.
Drizzle pan with olive oil and saute veggies. Salt and pepper to taste.
Add eggs to pan and mix well.
Toss in spinach and cook eggs through stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat. Sprinkle with feta. Salt and pepper to taste.

Healthy and delicious. Can't beat the combination.

Sausage Roll

2012-08-12T17:43:00.000-07:00

I made this for a meeting the other day. It was a hit. Very yummy!!

Ingredients

Pillsbury Italian bread dough
sage breakfast sausage
8 ounces of cheese shredded
1 small can green chilies
2 eggs
butter for brushing on roll

Directions

Cook sausage. Drain.
Mix cheese, eggs, and chilies with the sausage.
Spray counter top with olive oil.
Roll dough as thin as possible.
Pour sausage mixture onto the center of the dough. Roll dough over the mixture. Use your fingers to crimp the dough closed. Smooth out with fingers.
Spray a bundt pan with olive oil. Place sausage roll in pan.
Cover with wet paper towels and place outside or in a warm oven for 1 hour to rise.
Uncover and cook for 35-45 minutes at 375 degrees.
Remove from oven and rub surface with butter.

Source

Notes

I had to get my husband to help me lift the roll into the bundt pan. The roll is fairly heavy and began to tear.
Next time, I am going to add more veggies: mushrooms, peppers, onion.
You can also use low fat sausage. I only used sage for the flavor.

Hope you enjoy this as much as we did.

Lemon Crackle Cookies

2012-08-09T19:08:00.004-07:00

Lemon crackle cookies are not only scrumptious. They are super easy to make.

Ingredients

1 box lemon cake mix (generic works fine)
8 ounces light cool whip
1 egg
powdered sugar

Directions

Mix all first three ingredients until dough is just mixed.
Roll dough into 1 inch balls.
Roll cookie balls into powdersugar to coat.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 12 minutes.

Trouble Shooting

Dough is sticky. It will start to form balls when you roll it in the powdered sugar. In other words, don't stress when if the dough is not forming.
It really does take the full 12 minutes to cook. I tried 8 and kept increasing the time. 12 minutes was barely done. Makes a super moist delectable treat.

Clean Eating: Week 6

2012-07-24T20:40:00.000-07:00

This week at the nutritionist we talked fiber. Fiber is nature's plumber. It helps the body in several ways:

makes you feel full
removes excess cholesterol from the digestive tract
helps you poop
regulates blood sugars.

There are two types of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Most processed foods have insoluble fiber. If a product has soluble fiber, you will see the fiber content divided into two separate sections. Your goal is to get between 25-35 grams of fiber daily with at least 10% of that fiber falling in the soluble category.

Ways to Increase Fiber Intake:

Eat 100% whole wheat bread with at least 2 grams of fiber per slice.
Eat fresh fruit with skin when possible.
Eat beans 3 or more times a week. They have more fiber than oatmeal.
Eat your veggies. The more you eat the better.

Note... When increasing fiber intake, drink alot of water to help flush the "stuff" out of your body.

Good Sources of Soluble Fiber:

northern beans
lima beans
kidney beans
brussel sprouts
artichokes
pears
black beans
pinto beans

Northern beans will give you the most soluble fiber at 5 grams a serving. Whereas, pinto beans will give you the least amount of soluble fiber at 2 grams. There are many other sources of soluble fiber. I merely listed some of the best sources for you to select from.

Whenever possible, you should always choose whole food sources of fiber.

This Not That:

bread...

Ezekiel bread and 100% whole wheat bread over white bread
whole wheat bread products over the white bread counterparts

examples:

Nature's Own 100% whole wheat bread
Orowheat 100% whole wheat bread, sandwich thins, muffins and buns
La Tortilla Factory 100% whole wheat low carb tortillas
Flat Out bread

cereal...

Kashi Go Lean, Cheerios, Kashi Cinnamon Harvest, Wheat Chex, Grapenuts over Raisin Bran, Granola or Muesli

crackers...

Kashi stone ground crackers, all bran crackers, beanitos over saltines or butter crackers

protein bars...

Kashi bars (3+ grams of fiber and 6 grams < sugar), South Beach bars (3+ grams of fiber and 6 grams < sugar), Think Thin bar, Kellogg's Fiber Plus Antioxidant bar over Fiber One bars, Fiber One brownies or granola bars

grains...

whole wheat pasta over white pasta
brown rice over white rice

fruits and veggies with 3> grams of fiber...

sweet potato
many beans
lentils
peas
broccoli
spinach
carrots
green beans
summer squash
kale
brussel sprouts
red cabbage
turnips
mustard greens
banana
pear
orange
apple
kiwi
berries

nuts 3> grams of fiber...

almonds
pistachios
flaxseed
pumpkin

All information was obtained from my nutritionist, the amazing Dr. Laura Mangum.

Goals For This Week:

continue to decrease my soda intake
continue to decrease my sweet tea intake and switch to unsweetened tea
get 3 food groups in at lunch and dinner: record the food groups in my journal
try not to double up on carbs at any one meal
continue to walk 5000 steps a day: increase as often as possible
try to eat at least one raw veggie snack a day: may use guacamole or homemade bean dip to ease into this routine
eat almonds and fruit at other snack time or a Think Thin bar
increase fiber intake and include 100% whole wheat and "whole" food sources as much as possible

Weight Loss This Last Two Weeks: 2 1/2 pounds

Clean Eating: Week 5

2012-07-21T17:34:00.001-07:00

Over the last two week I have worked on making whole food plate meals. I am really good at dinner. It's easy: meat and a veggie. Simple right?

Lunch is a whole other ball game. We are out and about on most days. This means we are stopping for fast food or sitting down to lunch somewhere. The nutritionist told me I should just not eat out. She made it sound like it would be a simple task. One you could conquer without much thought.

My problem is she has tried to revamp our entire eating in a month. I am eating smoothies for breakfast on most days. I am suppose to eat a whole food plate for lunch and dinner. For snack, I am suppose to eat an apple and 1/2 ounce of almonds. Plus, I am suppose to go cold turkey on both soda and sweet tea at the same time. Well, she will allow me 3 sodas a week.

To me, that is alot of change in a short amount of time. That much change makes me overwhelmed. I need to conquer little bits to feel successful. When I get overwhelmed, I tend to make poor choices and loose my motivation.

I meet with the nutritionist on Tuesday. At my meeting, I am going to discuss the difficulties I am facing. I am in desperate need of lunch ideas that are quick and tasty, but also realistic.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Supernova by CL Parker

2012-07-14T12:28:00.001-07:00

I am a girl all about the title and cover. I know. Seems unfair, but I just can't help it. I wasn't really looking forward to reading this book for book club at all. Thank goodness the ladies that run the book club, Readers After Dark, assigned it anyways. I would have missed out on an amazing story.

Synopsis...

Kerrigan posses a power she must grow. Dominic will be her mentor. What she doesn't know is why her grandmother trusted this stranger. What is the secret Dominic is afraid to share?

I started reading the book yesterday and finished it this morning. It has just enough magic,supernatural allure. Plus, it has a romantic side as well. All the combinations that make a great book in my option.

Of course, you will fall in love with Kerrigan and Dominic the two main characters. But... If I had to choose a favorite, it would be Kerrigan's best friend, Gabe. He is gay. He is a self proclaimed diva. He is witty. It is his nasty, witty side that will keep you laughing out loud during a story that could have had a very different undertone.

This is a book I would be willing to read again. Thank you CL Parker for my evening entertainment.

If you'd like to check out Supernova, click here.

Semester Abroad: More Than Magic #1

2012-07-13T12:06:00.000-07:00

Elizabeth Kirke wrote a YA novel entitled Semester Abroad. The title of the story wasn't something I would normally choose, but boy I'm I glad I did. That old adage "You can't judge a book by its cover" sure rings true on this one.

Synopsis...

Jen is taking a summer cruise to study abroad. She is having the time of her life studying and exploring new countries... that is until she witnesses something that she jut can't explain. Jen tries to rationalize the event and convince herself that she is not crazy. Soon Jen is thrown into a world of magic and "magics" she has only ever read about.

Semester Abroad is fast paced and entertaining. This book will keep you up all hours of the night.

There are so many different paranormal "magics" in this book. It is hard to choose your favorite. You're sure to fall in love with the entire cast of characters and not just the enchanting "new magic", Jen.

Can't wait for the second book to be published!!!

If you'd like to check out the awesomeness of Semester Abroad, click here.

Clean Eating: Week 4

2012-07-11T08:00:00.001-07:00

Just got back form the nutritionist. Have a few goals set that should be manageable:

must keep a DAILY food log
2 small sodas a week and 1 medium soda a week
no more sweet teas:-/ only unsweet tea sweetened with stevia
need to create meals based on the whole food plate model
walk at least 5000 steps daily (ultimate goal is 10,000).

So, what is the whole food plate model?

Well, it's based on 3 important components: quality, quantity, and balance. By balance, it just means that you are eating from 3 different food groups per meal. Here are the food group categories: protein sources, healthy fats, carbs, and veggies.

Note: You may only eat 1 carb serving per meal.

High Quality Examples From Each Food Group...

Protein Sources

lean beef
bison
chicken
turkey
fish
low fat cheese
low fat cottage cheese
cage free eggs

Healthy Fats

olive oil
flax seed oil
coconut oil
grapeseed oil
nuts
nut butter
olive oil based dressings
hummus
avocado
olives

Carbs

fresh or frozen fruit
1% or 2% milk
greek yogurt
whole wheat products
brown rice
quinoa
barley
oatmeal
beans
lentils
sweet potatoes
winter squash
peas

Note: Minimize the use of potatoes, enriched flour and corn.

Veggies

asparagus
artichokes
beets
broccoli
green beans
brussel sprouts
celery
gardencress
cabbage
eggplant
cucumber
green onion
carrots
okra
cauliflower
mushrooms
leeks
kohlrabi
kale
collard greens
mustard greens
lettuce (variety)
onions
tomatoes
pea pods
peppers
radishes
sauerkraut
turnips
spinach
summer squash
zucchini
watercress

Note: Try to eat half your daily vegetables raw.

Eating the food will not be near as hard as coming up with yummy ways to cook the food. Hopefully, I come across some good recipes that I can share with you in the near future.

Happy clean eating everyone.

Ethan's Story: My Life With Autism

2012-07-11T08:00:00.000-07:00

I have been given the pleasure of reviewing several books for some up and coming authors. Being a kindergarten teacher, I chose to review Ethan's book first.

Ethan is an eight-year-old little boy living with autism. He wrote Ethan's Story: My Life with Autism to explain a bit about how he lives every day. The book is written from his perspective and gives insight into some of the unique characteristics of autism.

Let's cut to the chase.

I loved this book. Anyone sharing your life with someone that has autism, should consider investing in a copy. The simple text and colorful illustrations are just right for even the youngest readers to understand. The text matches the illustrations allowing for a deeper understanding.

Being a teacher, I have worked with children that have autism. This book would have been a wonderful resource to share in my classroom.

Here is an excerpt from my favorite page:

Sometimes I lose track of where my body is and I run into people. I don't mean to and I really don't like fighting.

This is so true of all children (and many adults). I know the children reading the book can make a personal connection with the story and their new friend.

My hope is that Ethan's book becomes a resource to schools across the nation. I hope that by hearing Ethan's story children will better understand autism. I hope children will realize that a child with autism is just like them... unique and special.

If you'd like to purchase a copy of Ethan's Story, click here.

Family Game Day

2012-07-10T08:00:00.000-07:00

What does a family do on a hot, Texas day with dreary clouds that refuse to rain?

Play board games of course. Turn off the t.v. Make a little natural popcorn. Pour yourself an ice cold drink and get ready for the fun.

Our game of choice today was Labryinth. We have had the game for awhile now, but only recently have taken the time to figure it out.

The pretense to the game is that you are a wizard or witch trying to cast a spell for the king. To cast the spell, you must gather supplies and return back to your home in order to prepare the spell.

Here's how to play:

Pass out 6 cards to each player. (3 if you want a really short game) Each player looks at the first card in his/her stack and places the stack face down in front of him/her.
The youngest player will begin.
Each turn consist of 3 moves:

Visually locate the item you are trying to gather. (Remember the top card in your pile. The one you already looked at.)
Take the extra game board piece and slide it into position on the board. You can slide it into any spot that has a yellow triangle pointing at it. This will change the maze you are navigating. *If you knocked a player off the board, his/her game piece will get placed on the piece you just put on the game board.
Finally, you will move your wizard or witch along the maze onto any spot possible. You may also choose to not move your wizard at all. If you can land on the item you are seeking, place your wizard there. Flip the card over and consider this item gathered. Look at the next card in your stack.

The next player takes his/her turn.
Play continues in this manner until a player is able to gather all items to cast the spell and return home.

My boys love the magical quality of this game. I love the strategy, planning, and thinking involved.

This is a go to gift item for friends and family.

If you would like to check out the game in more detail, click here.

How to Get the Kiddos to Eat a Green Smoothie

2012-07-09T08:00:00.000-07:00

Found this youtube video on how to "dress" a smoothie so even the pickiest of eaters will want to try it. Who'd of thought to decorate with a flower?

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Cleaning Eating: Week 3

2012-07-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

This week I have been sick. Nothing major, but enough to kick my butt to the curb: allergies, laryngitis, coughing, and a face that feels like an elephant has decided to take a nap on it.

When I am sick, the last thing I feel like doing is cooking, housework, laundry... well anything really. Let's just call this week a wash. Very little clean eating was occurring in my house and alot of soda drinking. Soda just has a way of washing down the gunk in my throat. It is like a miracle elixir.

As soon as I am back to my normal chipper self, I will begin my clean eating journey anew. I am hoping Monday to be more precise.

For all of you that have been living the clean life, congrats on a job well done.

Mexican Pinto Beans

2012-07-06T10:04:00.000-07:00

The best beans I've had in years and I made them. Yay, me!

The nutritionist informed the hubs and I that we really should be eating beans several times a week... preferably not from a can. Once again I had to scour dozens of recipes and recreate one that fit my family's needs. I think I did a pretty good job. You'll have to try them for yourself and let me know.

Don't let the photo fool you. These beans are quite tasty. This picture was taken several days after I made them and the beans were cold from the fridge.

Ingredients...

16 ounce package of dried pinto beans
water
1 tomato, diced
1 onion, finely diced
2-3 poblano peppers, peeled and diced
1 bunch cilantro, half for salsa- half for beans
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 t. oregano
sea salt and pepper to taste
3-5 cups of chicken broth
ham

Directions...

1. Soak beans overnight in water. Drain beans in the morning.
2. Put beans, broth, cilantro, seasonings and 1/2 of the diced onion into a large stock pot.
3. Place chilies, garlic, tomatoes, and 1/2 of onion into a food processor. Blend.
4. Dump above mixture into beans and stir.
5. Dice ham into small chunks. Add to beans.
6. Bring beans to a simmer. Cover partially. Cook 1 1/2- 2 hours.

* Beans should be tender. *

I like to serve beans with corn bread, but it is definitely not on the clean eating diet.

My suggestion would be to serve with cilantro lime brown rice.

Homemade Peppermint Toothpaste

2012-06-29T19:29:00.000-07:00

On my road to simplicity, I am always looking for one more way to buy less and make more on my own. I recently started using the No Poo Method to cleanse and clarify my hair. That got me thinking that making my own toothpaste was within reason as well.

I went in search of the perfect toothpaste recipe. The recipe needed to be two-fold: leave our teeth clean and healthy and prevent dental abnormalities. If the toothpaste would curb bath breathe, all the better.

I modified several recipes to settle on the following.

Homemade Peppermint Toothpaste

Ingredients...

3 tablespoons melted coconut oil
4 tablespoons baking soda
20-30 drops peppermint oil
2 drops grape seed extract
2 tablespoons xylitol

Directions...

Mix all ingredients.
Store in a mason jar.

*The use of a beauty spatula will help your little one apply a smaller amount of paste to his/her toothbrushes. It will also keep your toothpaste from becoming contaminated with germs.

Note:

Grape seed extract is know for its antioxidant properties. It also helps prevent tooth decay and bad breathe.

Xylitol prevents bacteria from sticking to your teeth. This helps prevent tooth decay. Chewing xylitol gum or sucking xylitol candies after meals helps stops or reduces the acid that would otherwise attack your teeth. Xylitol has been found to aid in hardening softened enamel.

Please feel free to share your recipe for toothpaste below in the comments.

Update:
Dentist suggested the use of a flouride rinse or a flouride gel you brush on your teeth. Other than that I got the thumbs up on my toothpaste.

Cilantro Lime Shrimp Marinade

2012-06-28T15:11:00.001-07:00

This is my go to marinade for chicken and shrimp. It is fabulous... bit citrusy and lots of flavor.

Ingredients:

balsamic vinegar

olive oil

1/2 teaspoon dried mustard powder (more if needed)

1/4 onion, finely chopped

1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped

1 lime juiced and rind grated

2 squeezes honey

2 cloves garlic crushed and separated

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

Directions:

1. Mix equal parts vinegar and oil in a large plastic baggie. Add dried mustard and squeeze baggie to distribute.

Note... Dried mustard helps vinegar and oil to mix.

2. Add remaining ingredients minus the lime rind. Mix again by squeezing the baggie.

3. Slowly add in lime rind. Mix and taste. keep adding rind until you reach a flavor that fits your palate.

4. Marinade shrimp in the fridge for 1-2 hours or as long as overnight.

5. Grill over medium heat for 2-4 minutes per side.

Notes:

You can make the marinade in a glass container and use a fork to mix.

If you do not have an onion, use about 1/2- 1 teaspoon of onion powder or onion flakes instead.

If you do not have fresh garlic, use garlic powder. Again between 1/2- 1 teaspoon should do.

**All measurements are approximate. This is one of those recipes I just dump and pour.**

Clean, Green Breakfast Smoothie

2012-06-28T13:20:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

6 oz. almond milk or water

1 cup frozen fruit

1/2 of a banana

2 teaspoons flax seed oil

2 scoopa protein powder

handful of spinach

1 large carrot

Directions

Blend and serve immediately.

Note:

Men should increase the amounts of a few items.

1 1/2 c frozen fruit
1 tablespoon flax seed oil
3 scoops protein powder

If you are in need of a good blender, our nutritionist suggested the NINJA. I used an old 20% coupon for Bed Bath and Beyond and got it for less than $100.

To Clean Your Plate or Not... Portion Control

2012-06-26T16:40:00.001-07:00

You will clean that plate before getting up from this table!

Sound familiar? Most of us have either said these very words or heard them at some point in our lives. The thought was that there are people out in the world less privileged. These people will go to bed and possibly wake up with an empty stomach. We should not be wasteful of the gifts we have been given; therefore, cleaning your plate was the only option.

I think this mentality has helped Americans on our road to obesity. We have been cleaning our plates so often that many of us no longer know what it feels like to be full (or for that matter, hungry). If people would take the time to place the correct amounts of food on our plates, the wastefulness would diminish greatly.

I guess what I mean is that if we load our plates with the right amounts of lean proteins and complex carbs in the way of fruits and vegetables cleaning our plates will become very doable.

For one, most clean eating foods are less dense and more satisfying than the processed, dense counterparts. Clean foods are packed full of vitamins and nutrients vital to our bodies' health and wellbeing. When we detox our bodies of all the garbage we have been ingesting, our bodies will naturally crave those things.

Portion control is at the very foundation of making that clean plate a reality without forcing someone to simply eat for the sake of eating.

Here are some guidelines to follow:

1 meat serving is about the size of your palm
1 grain serving is about the size of 1 hand lightly cupped
1 fruit or veggie serving is about the size of both your hands cupped together.

If we follow the portion control guidelines and prepare clean, healthy food options, cleaning your plate will be a breeze. Plus, you will be giving your body the portions needed to thrive without the worry of overeating in the process.

Clean Eating: Week 2

2012-06-25T18:28:00.002-07:00

I am beginning week 2 of my journey to clean eating. I have an had a few set backs, but mostly successes.

Successes...

I prepared at least one clean meal a day... usually lunch.
I did not buy sodas at the grocery store and keep them at home.
I bought several new pantry items: wheat flour, oat flour, agave nectar, xylitol, and sea salt.

We tried the wheat flour and xylitol in a batch of oatmeal scotties. I already had the butterscotch chips in the pantry and needed to use them. The cookies were great, by the way.

I now have a new favorite snack: plain rice cake with 1 tablespoon of natural peanut butter and 3 dots if agave nectar. De-li-cious.

Struggles...

soda and fast food

Ughhhh... When I am out and about it is so hard to judge how long you will be gone. It is also way to easy too pull through the drive through and pickup something. I must admit we went out to eat alot less than normal. Going cold turkey and figuring out an alternative plan proved to be harder than expected. Soda is just my weakness. I am going to have a hard time with that one.

What I Have Learned...

A person needs 10 exposures to a disfavorable food before liking it.

Add tons of flavor to your food through the use of herbs, spices, vinegars, and oils.

Buy fat free or low fat versions of food.

Pack a lunch for days away from home or errands.

When you read a label, 20% of a daily allowance is high. 5% is low.

Do not skip meals.

Whole grains should be stored in a clear, airtight, glass container in the refrigerator.

Frozen grapes and bananas make a great warm weather snack. This one is on my must try list.

This Week's Small Steps...

Drink more water. At least, one glass at every meal.
Try at least 3 new clean eating recipes.
Include a fruit at every meal.
Include a veggie at every dinner.

Not much, but I think it is doable. I am going to a nutritionist with my husband tomorrow. We'll see what she thinks of my current goals and if there are any changes I need to make.

Clean Salsa

2012-06-25T14:15:00.000-07:00

The other day I went out to my garden and found a bounty of fresh fruit and veggies. Considering my tomatoe plants are dying and haven't produced fruit all summer, I took this as a sign to make salsa.

I am known around this part of Texas for my lack of finness in the kitchen, so the task of making salsa was daunting to say the least. But... if I am going to truly give clean eating a shot, I have to get over my fear of the kitchen.

Easier said than done since I want people to actually eat what I make... which rarely happens in this house.

Anywho, on to Makin' Salsa

Ingredients:

4 tomatoes, chunked and deseeded

1/2 small onion, diced

1 jalapeno, deseeded and chopped

1 bunch of cilantro, finely chopped

2-3 cloves of garlic, smashed and finely chopped

juice of 1 lime, to taste

cumin

sea salt

pepper

dash of chili powder

agave nectar as needed

Directions:

1. Place first 5 ingredients into a food processor. Pulse until deired consistency is reached.

2. Add in a couple squirts of lime, cumin, sea salt, pepper, and a dash of chili powder.

3. Pulse again. Taste. Adjust seasoning as you see fit. Add any additional lime juice as well. If the salsa is too hot, add several drops of agave nectar. Pulse.

4. Continue with step 3 until you get the flavor you are looking for.

5. Chill and serve.

NOTES:

I found that you will need more cumin and garlic than any other seasoning.

I added about one tablespoon of agave nectar. The jalapenos from our garden have quite a kick.

Chilling the salsa overnight enhanced the flavor ten fold. Much better the second day.

Clean Eating: Week One

2012-06-25T13:39:00.000-07:00

I am in need of a major food overhaul. My husband has tried the zone diet with limited success. Paelo sounds too restrictive. With this need to overhaul my family's nutritional intact at the forefront of my mind, I began looking toward the source of food and where it comes from.

I stumbled upon a book by Tosca Reno called the Eat Clean Diet for Family and Kids. I am only on page 59 and well and truly hooked. The book is written with simple, "real" language that the everday Joe (or in my case Jane) can read without sitting hand and hand with a dictionary. This is already a selling point for me.

Here is what I've done thus far:
- taken notes as I am reading
- went to the store and purchased a few more fruits and vegetables
- bought a 7 grain bread that taste fantastic
- removed soda from the house... sigh
- made a list of food suggestions from the book (more to come as I read further into the book, I'm sure)
- scheduled time to go to the local farmers market
- located a delivery service for local products such as milk, produce, and meat
- explained the new eat clean philosophy to my boys
- found a friend interested in implementing eating clean to share struggles and ideas with.

Wow, I hadn't realized how much I have done already in just a day. I think this is a fairly good start.

Below I will share what I have learned so far in hopes to inspire others to join in and eat clean too.

Guidelines...
- Eat 6 small meals a day.
- Eat every 3 hours.
- Drink 2-3 liters of water daily.
- Lean protein and complex carbs should be eaten at every meal.

Note: Complex carbs are mainly fruits and veggies.
Lean protein consist of poultry, wild game, fish, and beans.
Juice should be diluted 1 part juice to 2 parts water.

Favorable Food Options...
- whole grain versus white flour
- Salba crackers
- Ezekiel bread
- rice bran
- chicken (poultry)
- fish
- wild game
- locally sourced meat (fresh... grass fed)
- beans
- unsalted nuts and seeds
- avocado (healthy fat)
- flax seed
- quino
- popcorn (air popped... no butter, oil or salt)
- plain yogurt - dried fruit (no added sugars)
- hard boiled eggs
- egg whites
- sea salt (not table salt)
- agave nectar (instead of sugar)
- 75% or higher dark chocolate
- Lara bars
- rice vinegar
- white balsamic vinegar

Small Changes to Begin Incorporating Today...

I will limit the amount of processed food I bring into my home.
I will no longer bring soda into my home.
I will prepare at least 1-2 clean meals a day.
I will not use cooking spray. I will put olive oil in a spritzer bottle to use in the place of "Pam".
I will not purchase white bread products.
I will slowly rid my home of processed foods. As we eat it, I will not buy more.
I will go to the farmers market.
I will make better meat selections at the store.
I will purchase sea salt to replace our table salt.
I will purchase agave nectar to replace sugar.

Well, there you have it! Some really simple things to begin the change from processed foods to clean eating. Any recipes or ideas are always welcome.

Sun Smoothie

2012-06-16T16:18:00.001-07:00

For the Summer Solstice, my family will be making a yummy smoothie for breakfast. It is super simple, yet packs lots of flavor.

Ingredients...
1 small can crushed pineapple in juice
1 banana
about 1/2 cup of orange juice
ice
honey (to taste)

How to Make...
Place the pineapple with juice, banana, and OJ in blender.
Blend until smooth.
Add honey to taste. Blend periodically. Taste. Add more honey as needed.
Add about 1/2 cup of ice.
Blend until smooth.
Continue to add a few cubes of ice at a time until you get the consistency you like.
Enjoy!

Makes about 2 large smoothies. We can use this for 1 smoothie for myself and 2 smaller ones for my boys.

You can add yogurt if you would like as well.

Hair Growth Oil Recipe

2012-06-15T18:00:00.002-07:00

Since my youngest was born 6 years ago, I have been slowly loosing hair on my crown. It is now moving further down the back of my head. As a woman, it is very hard to except this as a given.

I have been scouring the internet to find some natural remedies. I have found a few things that seem interesting enough to try. The following is a conditioning oil combination that aides in hair growth through the stimulation of the scalp.

How to Make...

Mix 6 drops each of sage, lavender, and rosemary into 1 tablespoon of coconut oil.

How to Use...

Message into scalp.
Leave in or rinse after 20 minutes.
Final rinse should always be in cold water to trap in moisture.

source

2012 Summer of Fun

2012-06-09T20:04:00.000-07:00

If you are a fan of Pinteret like myself, you have probably pinned tons of ideas on how to keep your kiddos busy in the summer. I have reviewed all my pins and decided on the best activities for my boys (now 10 AND 6).

SOURCE

45 Ways to Entertain the Kids This Summer:

1. frozen treasure hunt

2. croquet

3. make giant bubbles: other bubble recipes, how to make bubble wands

4. scavenger hunt

5. cake in a cup

6. indoor camp out

7. bathe the dog

8. read a chapter book each night as a family

9. ice cream in a bag

10. backyard camp out

11. water balloon fight

12. take a candle light bathe

13. play cards

14. bowling

15. nerf gun war

16. feed ducks

17 paint pottery
18. make a fort

19. walk dogs

20. flashlight tag in the dark

21. popsicle stick catapult

22. make a magic wand: another Harry Potter inspired wand

23. go out to breakfast in your jammies

24. play board games

25. make hot rocks for the garden

26. kinect dance competition

27. make a frozen treat

28. indoor picnic with a movie

29. ice cream for a meal

30. make mushrooms for the garden fairies: Paint one rock white. Paint another rock red with white polka dots. Hot glue the red rock on top of the white rock. Allow to dry. Place in garden.

31. mini golf

32. make a fairy house

33. spongeball fight

34. wash the car

35. chalk art on sidewalk: sidewalk chalk paint

36. thumbprint art cards: Fold a piece of construction paper in half. Use a marker to color
your thumb. Press to front cover. Add detail to the thumbprint with a thin black marker or pin. Write a letter to a friend and mail it.

37. bake cookies

38. photo walk: Take a walk with your camera in tow. Photograph nature along the way.

39. swim date: Invite a friend to come swimming with you.

40. tic tac toe on the fence with water guns

41. make lotion play dough

42. make homemade bouncy balls

43. make an outdoor tepee

44. make glow in the dark bubbles

45. play beach volleyball redneck style: Put a clothes line up in the backyard. Blow up a beach ball. Play volleyball.

Hope this gives you a jumping off point on creating your own list of Summer Fun Activities. Check out pinterest for more ideas.

What's Up?

2012-06-09T17:53:00.001-07:00

Sometimes life overwhelms you when you spread yourself to thin. That is always my problem. Not with my children, but with myself. I have four blogs: this one, my school one, one for teachers, and another personal spiritual blog. Keeping up with all the posting and scheduling became overwhelming.

Plus, I began a few hobbies... some old and some new.

Old Hobbies:
reading
yoga
meditation
raising 3 new puppies (within a years time).

New Hobbies:
sewing
canning
vegetable gardening
PINTEREST.

With all the above on my plate, I simple didn't have time in my day. The reason I decided to start up my blog again is simple. My computer crashed and I lost almost all my photos. If I had been posting, the best would have been saved here.

At this point, I have no idea how many post will be made a month or the content of those post. Hopefully, there will be something of interest for you to read though.

Orange Glazed Meatballs

2011-09-18T10:47:00.000-07:00

Yummy.

This recipe comes from a Taste of Home cookbook. I altered it only slightly.

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef (leaner the better)
1/2 cup of your favorite cheese (shredded or finely chopped)
3 TBS finely chopped parsley
2 TBS minced garlic (the refrigerated kind)
onion flakes (apply liberally)
3 tsp paprika
salt and pepper to taste
1 piece of bread tore in tiny pieces
1/4 cup ketchup
1 egg, beaten

Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients except ground beef.

2. Add ground beef. Mix well.

3. Form meat mixture into round balls. Should make about 24 meatballs.

4. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Sauce Ingredients:

1 jar orange marmalade
1/4 cup orange juice
3 green onions chopped
2-3 picked jalapenos (seeded and chopped)

Directions:

1. Dump all ingredients into a sauce pan. Reserve 1/2 of the green onion for garnish.

2. Stir well.

3. Heat stirring often.

4. Pour glaze over finished meatballs.

5. Top with remaining green onions.

Serve with rice and a veggie. Beware... These meatballs are hard to put down. I think I gained 2 pounds the day I made these.