delicious & nutritious

Crispy, yet fluffy GF Waffles with Rhubarb Sauce and Strawberries

2013-06-19T12:11:00.001-05:00

Recently when I wanted to make waffles for breakfast my husband implored me to find a recipe that was crispy on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside. He doesn't eat gluten free now that Lent is over (we gave up gluten for Lent:), but I am still trying - I feel better when I avoid it. Oh yeah, back to the waffles...I found a recipe for crispy fluffy waffles, so I gave it a try - he was happy. I tried it with GF flours and wasn't quite as happy, but made some adjustments and have found a new favorite waffle recipe. The first time I made these waffles I only used one egg white, but since the little guy needed some breakfast too I decided to cook him up an egg yolk and use the extra white in the waffle batter.

Rhubarb and strawberries are in season now, so we ate our breakfast waffles sans our usual maple syrup and avec rhubarb sauce and sliced strawberries. The end result...magnifique! Oh and I had a couple leftover that I ended up using to make myself a PB&J sandwich for lunch - I sometimes crave them and have not found a good GF bread recipe as of yet. Well, I have not really tried as I am already awful at making yeast bread...so I stick to "quick" breads and usually do much better.

Crispy & Fluffy Gluten Free Waffles

Ingredients

1/4 cup almond flour
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup buckwheat flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1 T cornstarch or arrowroot powder
2 tsp baking powder (gluten free)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup milk
6 - 8 T oil (any combo of coconut and light olive oil)
1 large egg, separated (+ an extra egg white - optional)
1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions

Combine dry ingredients (almond flour through baking soda), mix to combine and set aside.
Melt coconut oil, if solid, and add buttermilk, milk and vanilla. Separate egg(s), adding yolk to liquid mixture. I like to use a large spouted measuring cup for the liquid mixture and add the dry ingredients to it, but you could add the liquid to the dry and stir to combine. Allow the batter to rest while you whip up the egg whites.
Whip the egg whites with a mixer or by hand (this will take awhile by hand, but is possible) until soft peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter.
The egg whites will make the waffles nice and fluffy and the oil will make them crispy. So, start with 6 T of oil and add more if they are not crispy enough.
Pour the batter into your hot waffle iron and cook until crispy. Place on a cookie sheet and into a 200 degree preheated oven to keep the waffles warm. Makes 8-10 square waffles.

Prep Time: 20 min Cook Time: 20 min Ready in: 40 min

*My notes: It is easy to make your own buttermilk and creme fraiche (sour cream) from buttermilk starter and milk or buttermilk and heavy cream. I like to buy a half pint of buttermilk (not ultra pasteurized) and add it to milk to make more buttermilk or add it to heavy cream (check the ingredient label to make sure there are no other ingredients besides cream and that it is not ultra pasteurized) to make sour cream. Pour 1/4 cup buttermilk into a glass jar, add 1-2 cups milk or cream, shake to mix thoroughly and leave out on the counter for 24 hours to thicken. Then refrigerate. Voila - buttermilk and creme fraiche, without added ingredients like carrageenan.

For the Rhubarb Sauce, combine about 2 cups of chopped rhubarb with 1/2 cup honey and 1-2 T water. Bring to a boil then allow to simmer until all of the rhubarb has softened. Check for desired sweetness - should be just barely sweet and still quite tart. Optional - add a dash or two of cinnamon.

This post is part of Real Food Wednesdays and Simple Lives Thursday.

CSA 2013 Season!

2013-06-12T23:11:00.001-05:00

CSA Week 2

Our CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) started three weeks ago! I had hoped to start blogging again when the farmers markets opened or at least when our CSA started so I could post some ideas for all the seasonal veggies (and soon some fruits too) that are available at the farmers markets. But, life gets in the way...I'll try to remember what I did with most of our produce from the first two weeks of our CSA and ideas for this next week.

CSA Week 1

Let's see, Week 1 we received some leaf lettuce, spinach, radishes, rhubarb and two different kinds of chinese cabbage (pac choi and joy choi). We tried a Choi stirfry with cashews over rice and this yummy pasta dish, adding pine nuts that definitely increased the deliciousness (and nutritional value with more protein). Some of the rhubarb was used in a sourdough coffee cake and I still need to make something with the rest of it. The radishes were eaten with salt or on salads and most of the lettuce and spinach were used for various salads. Including one of our favorite wilted spinach salads, pictured here with strawberries, caramelized onions bacon and blue cheese.

Wilted Spinach Salad

Week 2 provided us with more chinese cabbage, spinach and leaf lettuce along with kohlrabi (greens not pictured as I used them the same night I received them and forgot to take the picture until later), a gorgeous head of butter crunch lettuce, and kale. This time the chinese cabbage was used to make a wonderful Bok Choy Salad that we took to a church potluck event. The kohlrabi was so tender, it left us craving more; we just sliced it up and ate it with salt. I used the kohlrabi greens in my rice and beans with greens and fried eggs meal - they were excellent! I'm trying hard to give up gluten so I've been using the buttercrunch lettuce to make lettuce wrap "sandwiches" for lunches. This Kale Salad was on my list of things to make, but wasn't quite as good as I had hoped. There are plenty of other kale salads that we prefer. With some of the spinach we made this curry dish, but would have like to have made this one if I had coconut milk in my cupboard. Also on my list of things to make is this Thai Crunch Salad with some adjustments of course, I wish I would have saved some of the chinese cabbage, but it will work well with lettuce and spinach. The leaf lettuce and spinach have gone into many salads and on sandwiches.

Please share your favorite seasonal recipes with me so I can try them too!

This post is part of Simple Lives Thursday and Real Food Wednesdays.

Healthy Weight & Cancer Treatment (guest post)

2012-11-12T18:19:00.000-06:00

As I sit in the hospital with my newborn son who developed a fever at 5 weeks old, I am disappointed with hospital food. It lacks flavor, nutrients and much needed fat in my opinion! I am only a nursing mother trying to help my baby recuperate, but there are many children and adults in this hospital that are eating off the same menu that I have been given. Leafy greens - none, just iceberg lettuce. Fresh fruit, some, but more canned/processed fruit than fresh. Vegetables - the usual and mostly starchy. Probiotics/cultured food - yogurt (99% fat free). International fare = pasta, stir fry, and Mexican options.Along my Real Food journey I have come to believe that your health has a lot to do with what you eat. Here to tell us more about how important what you eat during cancer treatment is Jillian McKee. Now, how do we get hospitals to change their menus to coincide with what patients need? Maybe some hospitals are better than others. If you have a good report to make on a hospital menu, please share in the comments below.

Bringing a wealth of personal and professional experience to the organization, Jillian McKee has worked as the Complementary Medicine Advocate at the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance since June of 2009. Jillian spends most her time on outreach efforts and spreading information about the integration of complementary and alternative medicine when used in conjunction with traditional cancer treatment.

Maintaining a Healthy Weight During Cancer Treatment

Dealing with cancer can be a scary experience. Most forms of cancer have painful side effects and many cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation, can be just as uncomfortable as the disease itself. Cancers such as mesothelioma, which affects the lining of the body’s vital organs and is caused by asbestos exposure, can be especially agonizing. Mesothelioma side effects include shortness of breath, pain during breathing, and a persistent wheezing cough. Most cancers can be treated with a combination of surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation. A common side effect for most types of cancers and their treatments is weight loss. Because of this, it is important to maintain a healthy weight and pay attention to proper nutrition so that your body stays strong.

Because both cancer and its treatments weaken the body, making sure you get the necessary vitamins and minerals is an important part of the healing process. Because the body is under attack by both the cancer itself and the treatment, cancer patients usually need more protein than the average person to maintain their energy. Therefore, when undergoing cancer treatments, it’s important to eat foods that are high in protein such as eggs, dairy products like milk, cheese and yogurt, and beans. Peanut butter is also a good source of protein and is easy on the stomach for patients who experience nausea during treatments.

Most cancer patients experience weight loss due to nausea and loss of appetite often caused by chemotherapy. Increasing calorie intake may not sound healthy, but if you have cancer, you need all of the calories you can get. One way to eat more to avoid weight loss is to use extra spices in your food. Many cancer patients undergoing treatment complain that food tastes bland, which causes them to not want to eat as much. By adding flavor to food with strong spices like oregano, curry, and cinnamon, your meals will taste stronger and better and this will help you consume the foods needed to stay strong. Some dieticians even recommend eating high fat foods during chemotherapy to maintain caloric intake. So, while it should be done in moderation, don’t be afraid to indulge in ice cream, pizza, or a cheeseburger.

Sometimes, even if you use spices in your food and eat high-calorie meals, you still may not be getting the nutrients you need due to constant nausea. If this is the case, try eating foods that are easy on the stomach and reduce nausea naturally such as ginger, rice, and potatoes. If eating a large meal makes your nausea worse, try snacking on several small meals throughout the day. Carry snacks with you so that if your stomach begins to feel better, you can munch on some much-needed calories while you can.

For more information on this subject or similar topics, check out Jillian's blog at: http://www.mesothelioma.com/blog/authors/jillian/

Here are some of my favorite recipes that are high in protein, nutrients and flavor...

Our Newest Addition

2012-11-05T14:16:00.000-06:00

The waiting is over! Our third child has arrived...it's a boy! Adler Kohlaiah Del Balso (aka Little Man Adler, his brother's nickname for him) entered this world on Wednesday, October 3, 2012 at 11:20pm. We had a wonderful waterbirth at home after an unexpected long labor (20+ hours). We enjoyed our family time together while Ryan was home on paternity leave. And are now getting used to life with a newborn once again.

I'm hoping to get back to blogging soon...I have so many recipe ideas to share. Unfortunately I've missed most of the gardening/season of plenty, but I still have some fall ideas to share and I even have a guest blogger lined up to share a post.

Berry Season - Strawberry Cream Pie

2012-06-16T18:30:00.000-05:00

Wow, it has been over a month since I posted anything. I had hoped to keep posting my weekly meal plans at least, but I've been lacking motivation. Pregnancy seems to do that to me, not to mention my husband's surgery and him being home for two weeks that really threw off my routines (but also enjoyed immensely).

Last week I finally got to go strawberry picking with my kiddos. I had hoped to pick two flats, but was getting a bit sore after just one. Then I heard someone say that they may not be open for picking again after that day. Suddenly I was motivated to pick two flats worth, ending up with just over 20 lbs of strawberries.

We were lucky to have a two day break from the heat, so I got to work right away making strawberry jam and fruit leathers/fruit roll-ups (they were fairly thin, and I rolled them up, so they were definitely more like fruit roll-ups than fruit leathers). We ate (and are still eating) a bunch of strawberries fresh, we have some in the freezer for baking and some for smoothies. My daughter finally got the pink ice cream she has been requesting for some time - fresh, homemade strawberry ice cream is hard to beat! Yesterday I created a Strawberry Cream Pie for a cookout and bonfire we hosted for our Bible Study. It was refreshing, creamy and DELICIOUS! For Father's Day I might make a strawberry mousse pie with a chocolate cookie crust (or we may just have strawberry ice cream).

After looking through a variety of strawberry pie recipes I hadn't found anything that really caught my eye or met all the desires that I had for the fresh, creamy strawberry pie that I was envisioning/craving. I took a chance and created one taking bits and pieces from various recipes that sounded interesting. The result was just what I hoped it would be.

Strawberry Cream Pie

Ingredients

Crust

7 Whole Graham Crackers*, crushed
1/2 cup Soaked & Dried Almonds, toasted
1/4 cup Coconut oil (or butter), melted
2 Tablespoons Sweetener of choice (dry would probably work best - turbinado, sucanat, palm, etc.)

Filling

8 oz Cream Cheese or Yogurt Cheese, softened
5 Tablespoons Maple Syrup, divided
1 teaspoon Vanilla
3/4 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1 Tablespoon Unflavored Gelatin
1/4 cup Water, cold
1/2 cup Water, boiling
2 + cups Fresh Strawberries, crushed
1 Handful of strawberries for decorating pie

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
For the crust, crush graham crackers in food processor and empty into a small bowl. Grind almonds in food processor until fine, add to graham cracker crumbs. Add sugar to almonds and graham crackers. Melt coconut oil (or butter) and pour over crust ingredients. Mix until thoroughly combined. Press into a deep dish pie plate. Bake for 10 minutes and allow to cool on cooling rack.
Remove stems and wash strawberries. Use a potato masher to crush strawberries, set aside.
Whip heavy cream with vanilla and 2 T maple syrup until stiff peaks form. Place whipped cream on top of crushed strawberries, but do not mix yet. Set aside in refrigerator.
Sprinkle packet of gelatin over 1/4 cup cold water and let sit for one minute. Rinse out mixing bowl and beat cream cheese with 3 T maple syrup. Add 1/2 cup boiling water to gelatin and cold water; stir to dissolve. Slowly add gelatin water to cream cheese mixture while mixer runs at a low speed.
When water and cream cheese mixture are fully combined (should be very watery) add to whipped cream and strawberries. Fold ingredients together. Pour into cooled graham cracker crust and refrigerate for at least two hours.
Prior to serving slice remaining strawberries and place around edge of pie and in the center (for decoration). Eat slowly to fully enjoy!

Prep Time: 3 h Cook Time: 10 min Ready in: 3 h 10 min

Strawberry Cream Pie courtesy of Jamie Del Balso.

*My notes: I've always loved graham crackers, but am not a fan of the ingredients in most traditional brands and I haven't gotten around to making my own yet. I do, however, like the Back to Nature graham crackers or New Morning as they have all natural and wholesome ingredients. Here are some recipes to try and make your own: GNOWFGLINS, Smitten Kitchen, 101Cookbooks, The Nourishing Homemaker (gluten & dairy free), Deliciously Organic, Heavenly Homemakers.

Menu Monday 5/7/2012

2012-05-07T16:24:00.000-05:00

This Week’s Meal Plan 5/7 – 5/13

Last week’s vacation was wonderful! Despite having rain nearly every morning, we still had sun and dry weather every afternoon and sometimes in the late morning too. The rain was usually light and we were still able to take hikes in the rain. The kids spent most of their days outdoors – riding horses, playing with the dogs, helping Opa with a project or Oma with the horses, taking rides on Opa’s new tractor or on the four wheeler, fishing and lots of hiking! Our menu varied a bit from what I thought we might have, one night we had a wonderful walleye fish fry with oven fries along with a salad and another night we had tacos with refried beans and rice. My mom sent me home with one of the pot pies she had made and both my dad and his friend got their turkey. My dad’s friend doesn’t care too much for eating wild game, but enjoys hunting so we took home about half of it and get to try wild turkey for the first time this week.

Breakfast

Soaked and Dehydrated Granola with Yogurt; Spelt Pancakes and Sausage; Homemade Raisin Bran; Eggs and Bacon; Irish Oats with nuts; Cottage Cheese Pancakes; Muffins with Smoothies

Lunch

Leftovers; Sandwiches; Hot Dogs or Brats; Quesadillas

Snacks

Fruit and String Cheese; Trail Mix; Cheese and Pretzels; Pistachios; Popcorn with nutritional yeast; Banana Flax Muffins; RaspberryRhubarb Quinoa Muffins (didn’t get to this before our trip last week)

Dinner

Monday: Chicken Pot pie

Tuesday: Venison Stroganoff with salad

Wednesday: Wild Turkey Carnitas with black beans

Thursday: Sesame Maple Tofu Stirfry over rice

Friday: Hamburgers and Salad

Saturday: Crockpot Split Pea Soup

Sunday: Pizza and salad

Please share your favorite lunch ideas, we are always looking for new ideas. Later this week I hope to share my Homemade Raisin Bran recipe.

Menu Monday 4/30/2012

2012-04-30T06:00:00.000-05:00

This Week’s Meal Plan 4/30 – 5/6

Ryan is on vacation this week (HURRAY!) and we are planning to add two more "square foot gardening" sections to our garden as well as a trip to my grandparent’s cabin. My dad will be turkey hunting and my mom is bringing up her horses and of course the dogs too (my kids will be in heaven). Trout fishing opens on the Peshtigo River, so Ryan will enjoy some fly fishing and the kids and I will do lots of hiking/exploring, riding the four-wheeler, and some horseback riding with Oma. Because of our trip, I am a bit unsure of what exactly our menu will be, but I tried to give you an idea of what it might be like.

Breakfast

Fench Toast Casserole; Soaked and Dehydrated Granola with Yogurt; Pancakes and Sausage; Homemade Raisin Bran; Eggs and Bacon; Oatmeal with nuts

Lunch

Leftovers; Sandwiches; Hot Dogs or Brats; Hamburgers; Split Pea Soup

Snacks

Fruit and String Cheese; Trail Mix; Veggies & Dip; Cheese and Crackers; Pistachios; Rhubarb Bars; Raspberry Rhubarb Quinoa Muffins

Dinner

Monday: Meatloaf with baked beans and coleslaw

Tuesday: Bokchoi Pasta and salad (I need to thin out my bokchoi from the garden)

Wednesday: Ham, salad and potatoes or baked beans (at the cabin)

Thursday: Ham casserole and salad (at the cabin)

Friday: Chicken Pot Pie (at the cabin)

Saturday: Dinner out – Broasted Chicken with Coleslaw and Fries

Sunday: Pizza and salad (home)

I made another batch of Homemade Raisin Bran last week and it turned out much better than last time. Soon I will share the recipe. If you have any favorite breakfast recipes, please share them! I am starting to get tired of some our options/traditions.

Menu Monday 4/23/2012

2012-04-23T15:22:00.000-05:00

This Week’s Meal Plan 4/23 – 4/29

This is the end of the month and we had some bulk purchases, so we are mostly using what is on hand this week. I didn’t get to try another batch of the Homemade Raisin Bran last week, but maybe this week. The carrot cake (sugarcane free) was a success. Even the frosting ended up without powdered sugar since I forgot that I was out. I used maple syrup instead and it was a very pleasant, subtle sweetness, rather than an overpowering sweet frosting.

Breakfast

Soaked and Dehydrated Granola with Yogurt and Strawberries (x2); Egg Puff; Homemade Raisin Bran; Eggs and hashbrowns; Oatmeal with nuts (x2)

Lunch

Leftovers; Quesadillas; PB&J; Egg Salad Sandwiches

Snacks

Fruit and String Cheese; Date Balls; Yogurt with nuts & honey; Granola Trail Mix; Veggies & Spinach Dip; Bananas and PB; Chocolate Chip Cookies

Dinner

Monday: Venison Tacos with Black Beans

Tuesday: Grilled Steelhead with EVOO, lemon and oregano with salad and potatoes

Wednesday: Crockpot Indian (from freezer) with chapatis and veggies

Thursday: Chicken Parmesan Peppercorn Salad

Friday: Venison Spaghetti (from freezer) over brown rice noodles with a salad

Saturday: Grilled Chicken with baked beans and coleslaw

Sunday: Cheeseburgers and salad

This week I need to get started on making another batch of granola and start getting my seedlings outside for some fresh air and sun during the day. I could be making something with bok choi soon, I may need to thin out the ones growing in the garden. The kale, lettuce, and spinach may have some leaves for picking soon too. Last week my kids sampled a couple of radishes. Everything outside seems to be doing quite well. My seedlings are not nearly as far along as the Fenrick's tomato seedlings, but they should do fine.

Favorite Links From This Week

2012-04-21T09:31:00.000-05:00

Here are some blog posts that were intriguing to me and may be to you too. If you found anything interesting this week, please share in the comments.

You CAN Afford A Natural Life
How to Love Your Enemies
Inspiration For Eating Seasonally This Spring
Sorting Diet Advice Fact From Fiction

Just this week I picked up a copy of Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food and started reading it last night. Previously I had checked out his Food Rules from the library and enjoyed perusing that. So far the first chapter has been very interesting. The following quote is one that resonated with me because I have been realizing this to be true over the past year or so.

"All of our uncertainties about nutrition should not obscure the plain fact that the chronic diseases that now kill most of us can be traced directly to the industrialization of our food: the rise of highly processed foods and refined grains; the use of chemicals to raise plants and animals in huge monocultures; the superabundance of cheap calories of sugar and fat produced by modern agriculture; and the narrowing of the biological diversity of the human diet to a tiny handful of staple crops, notably wheat, corn, and soy."

Menu Monday 4/16/2012

2012-04-16T06:00:00.000-05:00

This Week’s Meal Plan 4/16 – 4/22

I was so excited to finally make it to my second trimester, for many reasons, one of which was gaining back some energy. These last two months have been exhausting for me – making everyday tasks 10x more difficult than normal. Unfortunately I am running into the feeling I had when I was pregnant with my son – lack of motivation. Meal planning is an extreme challenge at the moment as well as cooking meals. Not because I’m tired, I just don’t want to; which is not very typical for me. I may need to take a break from blogging for awhile, but should continue my meal plans - as I need to keep myself accountable. If you see any menu ideas that you would like a recipe for, please let me know.

Breakfast

Oatmeal (x2) with nuts and fruit or boiled eggs; Soaked and Dehydrated Granola with Yogurt and Strawberries (x2); Egg Puff; Homemade Raisin Bran; Eggs with toast or rice; French Toast Casserole

Lunch

Leftovers; Quesadillas; PB&J; Egg Salad Sandwiches

Snacks

Graham Crackers and milk; Smoothies; Yogurt with nuts & honey; Granola Trail Mix; Veggies; Frozen Smoothie Pops; Bananas and PB; Carrot Cake – I’m going to attempt to avoid sugarcane of any sort and use dates and maple syrup, but maybe I’ll sacrifice and use some powdered sugar for the frosting

Dinner

Monday: Sweet and Spicy Tofu Stirfry* over Brown rice

Tuesday: Grilled Honey Lime Chicken Fajitas with tomatillo salsa and black-eyed pea salad

Wednesday: Grilled Venison Salad with walnuts, Gorgonzola and pears

Thursday: Grilled Steelhead with Asparagus and Butternut Squash

Friday: Skillet Chicken Parmesan over Brown Rice Noodles and Broccoli

Saturday: Soup from freezer

Sunday: Pizza and Salad

The new dehydrator is working great, but because of my lack of motivation/planning it took me a lot longer than I had anticipated getting all of my granola ingredients soaked and dehydrated. Needless to say, this did not get made last week, nor did the raisin bran or the yogurt. Now that the ingredients are soaked and dehydrated, I can make granola this week. And yogurt hopefully today.

*The magazine also has a Sweet and Spicy Sauce version which our family prefers - unfortunately it is not listed in this posting of the recipe, but at least you can get an idea of the recipe/details.

Co+op Deals - April & May 2012

2012-04-14T15:12:00.002-05:00

This is a list of the coupons available in the Co+op Deals booklet for April and May, all the coupons expire May 31, 2012. For more information on a co-op near you, click here.

Frontier Extracts ($1 off)
Nature’s Path – Any Boxed Cereal ($1 off)
Traditional Medicinals – Any Tea ($1 off)
Westsoy – Any 32 oz Non-Dairy Beverage (75¢ off)
Crofter’s Organic – Any Fruit Spread Item (75¢ off)
Once Again - Any Nut Butter Item (50¢ off)
Lakewood - Any 12.5 or 32 oz. Juice (50¢ off)
Santa Cruz Organic – Any Applesauce Item (75¢ off)
Dr. McDougall’s – Any Item (35¢ off)
Muir Glen – Any Pasta Sauce (75¢ off)
Napa Valley Naturals – Any 25.4 oz Cooking Oil (excludes Olive Oil) ($1 off)
The Ginger People – Any 12.7 oz Sauce (75¢ off)
Earth’s Best – Any 3 Puree and Yogurt Smoothie Pouch Items ($1 off)
Clif – Any Builders Bar (35¢ off)
Drew’s – Any Salsa ($1 off)
Lundberg Family Farms – Any Rice Chips (75¢ off)
Guayaki – Any 16 oz Yerba Mate Can ($1 off)
Lara Bar – Any Lara Bar or Uber Bar (40¢ off)
Panda – Any Boxed Licorice (40¢ off)
R.W. Knudsen – Any 4-pack Spritzers (75¢ off)
Chobani – Any Champions Low Fat Greek Kids Yogurt (50¢ off)
Uncle Matt’s – Any 59 oz Orange Juice ($1 off)
Nancy’s – Any 32 oz Kefir (50¢ off)
Organic Valley – Any Omega 3 Milk (75¢ off)
Earth Balance – Any Coconut Spread ($1 off)
Stonyfield – Any Three 6 oz Yogurt Cups ($1 off)
Rudi’s – Any Flatz (75¢ off)
Woodstock – Any 10 oz Frozen Fruit ($1 off)
Amy’s – Any Enchilada (75¢ off)
Cascadian Farm – Any Frozen Potatoes (75¢ off)
Kashi – Any Frozen Item ($1 off)
Rising Moon Organics – Any 8 oz Frozen Pasta ($1 off)
Biokleen – Any Household Cleaner ($1 off)
Wellness – Any 5.5 oz Canned Cat Food (50¢ off)
American Health – Any 60 ct or larger Ester-C Item ($1 off)
Boiron – Any 2.6 oz Arnicare Gel or 2.5 oz Arnicare Cream (excludes Arnicare Gel Bonus Pack) ($1 off)
Aura Cacia – Any Essential Oil ($1 off)
Desert Essence – Any Organic Baby Care Item ($1.50 off)
Dr. Bronner’s – Any Organic Shaving Gel ($1 off)
Kiss My Face – Any 16 or 32 oz Bath Gel ($2 off)

These coupons may be used at Natural Food Co-ops in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Check HERE to see if there is a Co-op near you. Often the booklets are at the stores themselves or may be sent to you if you are a member. Not all products are available in all of the stores and only good at participating Co+op Deals program stores.

Find more Natural and Organic Coupons at this link: Seeking Truth Daily

Grilled Carne Asada

2012-04-12T16:44:00.000-05:00

Ryan and I love Mexican food. Unfortunately we have not found a GREAT (authentic) Mexican restaurant in our current city, though we have tried. The first time we tried Carne Asada (and were blown away at how good it was), we were in an unlikely location for finding GREAT Mexican food. We were way up in the mountains of Colorado in Glenwood Springs. Sorry, I can't remember the name of the restaurant, one of our hotel staff (who happened to be Hispanic) suggested it to us. And rather than eating our typical favorites, Ryan decided to ask what the waiter recommended and went with it. It was by far the best Mexican meal we have eaten, in the USA. Since then we have tried the same meal at other Mexican restaurants, but have not had anything nearly as good.

I finally decided to try making it myself. After looking through several recipes online I decided to create my own - none of them sounded quite like what we had in Colorado. The result - quite tasty, if I do say so myself. This was the second time I have made it and each time I learn a little something. If you like Mexican, it is definitely worth a try! This meal can easily be made gluten free by serving with corn tortillas instead of flour. Scroll down past the Carne Asada recipe for two bonus condiment recipes:)

Grilled Carne Asada

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb Skirt or Flank Steak (or Venison), sliced thin
1/2 Onion
1 handful Cilantro
2 + cloves Garlic, minced
1 Orange, juiced
1 - 2 Limes, juiced
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Cumin
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper, 1/2 tsp chili powder, or 1 jalapeno (depending on preferred heat level)
1/4 cup Olive Oil

Directions

To ensure thin slicing of meat, put in freezer for an hour or so if fully thawed. Meat tends to be easier to slice thin when slightly frozen.
To make marinade, combine onion through Cayenne pepper in a food processor and process until fine. Stir in olive oil.
Place thinly sliced meat into marinade, stirring to coat and refrigerate for at least an hour, but up to eight.
Preheat grill to high. Oil grill grates to prevent sticking. Meat will not take long to cook, about 2 minutes on each side as it is very thin.
Serve with tortillas, refried beans, grilled onions (green or regular), grilled peppers, sour cream and guacamole. Salsa is optional - it doesn't come with the meal in a restaurant, but is always on the table.

Prep Time: 4 h Cook Time: 10 min Ready in: 4 h 10 min

Carne Asada courtesy of Jamie Del Balso.

Fresh Salsa

6 ripe tomatoes, I like to use Romas because they are a bit less juicy, quartered
1/2 sweet pepper, green pepper or jalapeno
1/2 onion
1-2 cloves of garlic
1 large handful of cilantro
1/2 of lime, juiced
salt to taste

Combine pepper, onion and garlic in food processor and process until it reaches your desired consistency. Remove and place in a bowl. Add quartered tomatoes and cilantro, pulse until tomatoes reach desired consistency. Combine tomatoes with onion mixture add salt and lime juice and voila - Fresh Salsa, without all the chopping by hand. You can do the chopping by hand if you prefer an even chunkier salsa. I do it both ways, depending on my mood.

Guacamole
2 avocados, ripe
2 Tblsp fresh salsa (see above)
1 clove garlic, minced
salt to taste

Mash avocados, add fresh salsa, minced garlic and salt to taste. If you want Guacamole for a crowd, double or triple the above recipe. Note: If you don't have the above ingredients for salsa, at least add some lime juice and potentially fresh chopped cilantro and fresh chopped ripe tomatoes. Oh and I have been known to make guac in my food processor after making salsa - if I need to make a large quantity.

This post is part of Real Food Wednesday, Simple Lives Thursday, It's a Keeper Thursday, These Chicks Cooked, Creative Juice, and Gluten-Free Wednesday.

Menu Monday 4/9/2012

2012-04-09T16:03:00.000-05:00

Carne Asada

This Week’s Meal Plan 4/9 – 4/15

My dear husband got me an Excalibur Food Dehydrator for my birthday:)! I am so excited to soak my oats and nuts and dehydrate them to make granola – this should be much easier than what I have been doing/trying. I might try the Raisin Bran cereal in the dehydrator too, we shall see. Oh and making yogurt will be easier and more precise now. Then, this summer, bring on the extra fruit to make fruit leathers. This amazing machine has been on my wish list for awhile, but it is rather large and a bit pricey and there are a few other appliances on my list, so I had not yet made the plunge. I still have Christmas money to spend on some of these items, but couldn’t decide which to get. My hubby helped make the decision for me and I am quite excited to use it.

Breakfast

Oatmeal and boiled eggs; Cottage Cheese Pancakes (from freezer); Homemade Raisin Bran*; Soaked and Dehydrated Granola* with Yogurt (x2); Tasty Frittata*; French Toast

Lunch

Leftovers; Quesadillas

Snacks

Fruit and String Cheese; Graham Crackers with Cream Cheese; Yogurt with nuts & honey; Granola Trail Mix; Peach Quinoa Muffins* (haven’t gotten around to making these)

Dinner

Monday: Venison Carne Asada with Mexican Brown Rice* and Beans* (recipe coming this week)

Tuesday: Grilled Chicken Salad with Apples, Walnuts, Gorgonzola and Balsamic Vinaigrette

Wednesday: Venison and Veggie Soba Noodle Stir Fry

Thursday: Pan Fried Walleye with Sweet Potato Fries and Wilted Spinach Salad

Friday: Chicken Pot Pie

Saturday: Pureed Broccoli Soup* with Toasted Asiago Bread

Sunday: Pizza and Salad

For some reason I seem to be running out of inspiration for meal ideas. Maybe it is due to my “plan/schedule” of Mondays = Rice, Tuesdays = Beans, etc. It seemed to be helping me make sure there was variety in our meals as well as easier for me to plan, but I couldn’t come up with two weeks’ worth of dinners. It’s kind of like writer’s block for me, but its meal planning block. Please share your dinner ideas/plans/favorite meals with me so that I can get out of this block.

*Links with an asterisk will be altered from original recipe (to be made healthier or add more/different ingredients).

Favorite Links from This Week

2012-04-07T07:42:00.002-05:00

Here is a post from last year in case you want to make these fun Easter recipes that can help teach about the resurrection. And some random posts that I came across this week that looked interesting to me. Please feel free to share posts that you found interesting this past week - I'm always up for reading/learning more. Hope everyone has a Happy Easter celebration of our Lord and Savior's sacrifice for each of us.

Easter Story Recipes - We did the Resurrection Rolls last year, this time we may try the Easter Cookies
How to Build a Raspberry Support System - I may need to do this, if our transplanted raspberries take off
Natural Hair Detanglers - this may come in handy in the future
Healthy Coconut Oil Peanut Butter Cups - something I have wanted to re-create all my life (can't wait to try it)
Why Sugar Fasting (Part 1) (Part 2) - I have been known to say that sugar is probably the cause of most health problems in America. Finally it is getting a bit more news/press lately as to just how bad it is. Here are some posts from a blogger's personal point of view as well as some medical reasons for giving up sugar.

Left-over Rice - For Breakfast

2012-04-04T09:12:00.000-05:00

Lately I have found myself throwing away left-over rice that has sat in the refrigerator for far too long. :( Once we are finished eating the left-over food that went with the rice I never know what to do with it. Then, it came to me the other day - BREAKFAST. I was cooking eggs for a typical fried eggs and toast meal, but I wasn't really in the mood for toast. Suddenly I had an urge to have my yolk a little runny (which is not normal for me at all - I like my fried eggs over HARD). Thinking of the left-over rice in the fridge, and an article that I had read about breakfast in other cultures not being so "set" as our American breakfast, but usually more like last night's dinner re-heated; I decided to try a scaled down version of Bibimbap for breakfast. Basically seasoned rice (soy sauce and hot sauce) with a runny egg over the top - and I LOVED IT!

I enjoyed my runny egg over rice breakfast so much, I decided to do it again, but this time I added sauteed carrots and spinach to it. Even better! Really this could be a meal for any time of day - Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner. Now I am looking forward to having left-over rice in my fridge and using it to add variety to my breakfast repertoire. In the recipe below I added some veggie ideas for the Breakfast Bibimbap, but I say whatever you have on hand would go great with your runny egg and seasoned rice. Oh and measurements for seasonings below are approximate, I didn't really measure, I drizzled the Tamari and Toasted Sesame Oil over the rice. Be Creative!

This post is part of Real Food Wednesday, Simple Lives Thursday, It's a Keeper Thursday, These Chicks Cooked, Creative Juice, and Gluten-Free Wednesday.

Breakfast Bibimbap

Ingredients

1 cup Left-over Rice
1 teaspoon Tamari (Soy Sauce or Shoyu)
1 teaspoon Toasted Sesame Oil
Hot Sauce to taste
2 Tablespoons Butter
1/2 Carrot, sliced in rectangles
1 Handful of Spinach
1 Handful of Mushrooms, sliced or chopped
1 Handful of Bean Sprouts
1 - 2 Eggs
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

Re-heat left-over rice and add Tamari/Soy Sauce, Toasted Sesame Oil and Hot Sauce.
Melt 1 Tablespoon of butter in a pan over medium heat, add sliced carrots, mushrooms and bean sprouts (or veggies of choice). Season with salt and pepper.
Pour boiling water over spinach until wilted, and press out excess water.
Place cooked/wilted veggies over seasoned rice.
Add remaining Tablespoon of butter in hot pan and add egg(s), salt and pepper as desired. Cook egg sunny side up or over easy, so that yolk is still "runny" - which adds great flavor to this dish. Place egg on top of veggies and rice.
Dig in!

Prep Time: 5 min Cook Time: 10 min Ready in: 15 min

Breakfast Bibimbap courtesy of Jamie Del Balso.

Menu Monday 4/2/2012

2012-04-02T06:00:00.000-05:00

Dandelion Greens Salad

This Week’s Meal Plan 4/2 – 4/8

This week I finally got around to making homemade Raisin Bran Cereal, and it wasn’t bad. But I still need to work on it to make the flakes thinner and tastier. We also made a Dandelion Greens salad with orange slices and poppy seed dressing. A bit on the bitter side, but the oranges and dressing helped balance it. Oh and I almost forgot to mention that if you do decide to go foraging for Dandelion greens, be sure to forage somewhere there has not been fertilizer applied. The first shoots in the spring are supposed to be the most tender, and the smaller the shoots the better.

Breakfast

Homemade Raisin Bran

Oatmeal and boiled eggs (x2); Homemade Raisin Bran cereal; Over Easy Eggs over Seasoned Rice; Smoothies and muffins; Cottage Cheese Pancakes; Out of Town

Lunch

Leftovers; Chicken and Black Bean Quesadillas; Chicken Salad Sandwiches; Hot Dogs & Mac n Cheese; Easter Lunch; Easter Brunch (out)

Snacks

Ants on a Log; Smoothie pops; Yogurt and fruit; Hummus & Veggies; Popcorn; Soft Pretzels; Carrot Cake

Dinner

Monday: Venison & Bean Enchiladas (from freezer)

Tuesday: Potato Soup

Wednesday: Mustard Glazed Corned Beef with cabbage salad (skipped this a few weeks ago)

Thursday: Birthday Dinner – out:)

Friday: Out of Town

Saturday: Reuben Sandwiches and Wilted Spinach Salad

Sunday: Pizza

Favorite Links from this Week

2012-03-31T08:12:00.001-05:00

Appetizing, huh?

I'm not sure why I bother grilling sweet potatoes like this. They always seem to turn out this way. I do much better grilling them whole, like a baked potato. Well, another week has gone by...

Coconut-Honey Candy - I really want to try these, but I'm out of most of the ingredients
How to Naturally Get Grease Stains out of Clothing - something I should be doing more of (grease stains always appear in the strangest of places on my clothing)
Fruit Sweeteners - I've been known to try different sugar alternatives, KS has several articles on various sweeteners
Sugar Detox Diary - We have decreased our sugar intake, but never got it completely out of our lives
Why Rototillers My be More Harmful Than Helpful - this has come across my path more than once
Daylily Greens - Foraging free food is something I want to do more of, this week we ate a dandelion greens salad (they are supposed to be most tender when they first arrive in the spring - just be sure that the place where you are gathering them from has not been treated with fertilizer/weed killer)

Dandelion greens salad with oranges and poppy seed dressing. The greens are slightly bitter, but the oranges help cover up the bitterness. Oh and I was out of honey, so I substituted maple syrup in the dressing and it worked just fine.

Crockpot Indian

2012-03-28T21:24:00.002-05:00

Chicken Tikka Masala and Mattar Paneer are my two favorite dishes to order at an Indian restaurant, although I am not sure how authentic the first is. When we were in India I was never able to find it on a menu and Americans living in Bangladesh and India had not heard of it. Anyway, this recipe is kind of a combination of both of my favorite dishes. I have made a more traditional Chicken Tikka Masala, but it is a bit of work with the marinade and skewers and grilling, so I much prefer this easier crockpot version. You can also do it with bone-in chicken pieces (layering the sauce, chicken, and cauliflower in your crockpot), but the paneer is just so much easier.

If you do not have access to an Indian grocery store and cannot find paneer in your area, you could always make your own using milk and lemon juice. I have not yet done this, but maybe I will someday, just to see what it is like. If you do have access to an Indian grocery store, pick up a can of pureed mango while you are there and use it to make Mango Lassi to go with your meal (plain yogurt, mango puree, water to thin, and sugar or honey to taste - blend until smooth). Oh and freeze the left-over mango puree for more Mango Lassi or Mango Margaritas:)

Due to my children eating this meal, we do not make it very spicy. If you want more spice, feel free to add a chopped jalapeno with the garlic and ginger.

It is definitely worth the time to make some Whole Wheat Chapatis (Roti) to go with the meal, and I recommend letting the flour mixture sit for 2 hours or more (when I remember to start early enough, I do this). And I've tried the dry skillet method, but it doesn't work well for me, so I use an oil sprayer to coat the pan before each Chapatis goes in. Here is another recipe from one of my favorite Food Network Hosts, for Indian Griddle Breads (aka Chapatis).

Paneer Mattar Masala

Ingredients

1 Package of Paneer
3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
1 Large Onion, chopped
3 Cloves Garlic, pressed
1 Tablespoon Chopped Fresh Ginger
1 1/2 Teaspoons Ground Coriander
1 Teaspoon Turmeric
2 Teaspoons Ground Cumin
2 Teaspoons Paprika
1/2 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
28 oz Can Crushed Tomatoes
1/2 Juice of, Lemon
1/2 Head of Cauliflower, broken into small florets
1 Cup Frozen Peas (thawed or frozen)
1 Salt to Taste
1/2 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream

Directions

Cut the paneer into bite sized pieces and set aside. (I typically only use half of a block and freeze the other half for another time or another recipe.)

In a skillet, heat 3 Tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat and add the chopped onion.
While onion is softening, mix together the dry spices in a small bowl.
Add the paneer to the onions and brown slightly then add the garlic and ginger. Once this is fragrant add the dry spices and mix thoroughly to coat.
Stir in the crushed tomatoes and lemon juice. (The original recipe calls for using an immersion blender or blending about half of the sauce, but I just keep it thick - do what you like. If you do want to blend it, then don't brown the paneer with the onions; add it after the sauce is blended.)
In your crockpot combine the sauce, (paneer if blending sauce), and cauliflower.

Because the original recipe called for chicken, the instructions were to cook on high for one hour and then low for 4 - 4 1/2 hours, but with paneer that is not necessary. If you want to cook this all day, while you are at work - then I would put it on low and cook for the entire day. If you have much less time or want to start it in the middle of the day (say during nap time) then cook on high for an hour or so and turn to low until cauliflower is at desired tenderness.
Add the peas during the last half hour of cooking.
Before serving, stir in the Heavy Cream, use as much as desired. If you don't have cream, half and half or whole milk will also work, but my preference is the creaminess of the heavy cream.
Serve over rice and with Whole Wheat Roti/Chapatis.

Prep Time: 30 min Cook Time: 5 h 30 min Ready in: 6 h

Paneer Mattar Masala courtesy of Jamie Del Balso.

This post is part of Real Food Wednesdays and Simple Lives Thursday.

Healthy on a Budget - Join a CSA

2012-03-27T05:30:00.000-05:00

This summer will be our fourth year of being part of a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and we have loved every minute of it! Not only do you get farm fresh organic produce, but you are supporting your local community and your local farmer. And, it is a better deal than paying Farmer's Market prices for the same produce. Of course, it all depends on the weather - some years are good and some, not so good. We have not experienced a bad year, but I have heard of some instances that were not so productive - and thankfully the members stood faithfully by their farmers knowing that they too were suffering through the bad year for crops.

What is a CSA exactly? It is when local farmers provide you with fresh produce, meat, eggs, or other items from their farm. Usually there will be a weekly designated pick-up location, day and time where you will get your items, I have heard of home delivery in some areas. Most of the time you don't get to choose exactly what you want, it all depends on what is produced that week. Be ready for some produce that you have not tried before.

There may be many CSA options in your area, or not many at all. Local Harvest is a great website to check out options nationally. If you are in Dane County, WI, MACSAC is the place to go.

How to choose a CSA? That can be a difficult question to answer. It depends on what you are looking for. Here are some things to think about/check out before making your decision.

First off would be availability - who still has shares/subscriptions/memberships available, many start signing up members in January and some fill up quickly.
Will you need help with figuring out what to do with unfamiliar produce? Some CSAs are primarily a "one-man-show" which will likely not be able to provide you with a ton of recipes each week. Others have a team of people helping the farmer and may provide you with lots of helpful information, such as recipes, storage tips, etc. Ask to see a sample newsletter to get an idea of what kind of information the CSA will provide you with from week to week.
What is it that you are looking for? Mainly veggies, fruit and veggies, other options such as meat, dairy, grains, eggs, etc.? On the Local Harvest or the CSA's website you should be able to get an idea of what produce your CSA will have available throughout the season.
How much produce can you (and your family) eat each week. Does the CSA offer a half share or an every other week share or large and small shares?
Pick-up day, location, and time - what works best for you? Some have pick up locations only at the farm, others have several locations to choose from around the city/county, some offer Farmers Market pick-up, some even do home delivery. Make sure you will be able to commit to the weekly or bi-weekly scheduled pick-up day/time.
Farm events - some CSAs offer various events at the farm, a farm tour, maybe a pick your own pumpkin, pesto making, herb picking, etc. Some do not, what is important to you?
Produce dissemination method. Most that I have encountered box up the items for the week and you bring a bag to take the items home in. My favorite way to get my produce was farm stand style. The CSA team set up a farm style stand and a list of what you could take that week. A trade or take basket is also nice. If you don't want something you can leave it/trade it for something else or if you want more of something you may be able to take extra (not all CSAs have this option).
Cost, what can you afford? Remember, you will be receiving this over the course of the growing season. Although it is a bit of upfront cost, it will essentially save you money (and your body will be healthier for it too). *Check to see if your insurance company will reimburse you for CSA memberships. So, let's see, last year my CSA cost $430 for the season (21 weeks) for half a bushel of fresh produce. That works out to be about $20/week, but if our insurance also reimbursed us, we would have only paid $11/week. Also, if you are low income, don't dismiss this as a potential opportunity to get fresh, local, organic produce. Many CSAs offer discounted programs to various income levels - don't be afraid to ask!

*In Dane County, many local insurance companies offer CSA reimbursement/rebates - some up to $200. If your insurance does not currently reimburse, contact MACSAC to see if they could help you with a letter to send to your insurance company. We currently have Blue Cross Blue Shield and MACSAC was very excited at the potential of getting such a large insurance company to participate in the rebate/reimbursement program, but because it is a large company, it takes a different process. I'm sure the more people/clients that contact BCBS in regard to CSA reimbursement, the more likely they would be to add it to their benefits.

Have you tried a CSA? If not, have you considered it or is this new to you? If you are thinking of joining for the 2012 season, start researching now!

This post is part of Simple Lives Thursday, for more great ideas about simple living, check out this link.

Menu Monday 3/26/2012

2012-03-26T06:00:00.000-05:00

This Week’s Meal Plan: 3/26 – 4/1

I’m looking forward to a bit of cooler weather this week. Don’t get me wrong, we have been thoroughly enjoying this early spring, but there is some baking that I've been meaning to get to. Not to mention, I'm in need of re-stocking my Stock/Bone Broth stockpile in the freezer. There are two bags in my freezer that are almost at overflowing – chicken bones and veggie scraps, all ready for making stock and my chest freezer is out of jarred stock. The cooler weather will allow me to do this without feeling like the house is getting overheated.

Breakfast

Baked Oatmeal (x3); Yogurt and Granola; Peach and berry Smoothies; Eggs & Toast; Homemade Raisin Bran? (didn’t get to this last week, but again with the cooler weather, maybe I will)

Lunch

Left-overs mostly; Chicken Salad Sandwiches; Peanut Butter & Peach Jam (our last jar of homemade jam)

Snacks

Yogurt with honey and nuts; Apples & Peanut Butter; Hummus & Veggies/Pita Chips; Quinoa muffins (maybe I will actually make these this week); Ants on a Log; Oranges

Dinner

Monday – Crockpot Paneer Masala with Roti
Tuesday – Chicken Potpie
Wednesday – Grilled Chicken with grilled potatoes, carrots & celery
Thursday – Grilled BBQ Steelhead and Cabbage Salad
Friday – Hungarian Venison Stew over Egg Noodles and Roasted Cauliflower
Saturday – Dinner out/take out
Sunday – Grilled Pizza

What’s for dinner/breakfast/lunch or snack at your house this week?

SHARE Wisconsin

2012-03-25T07:00:00.000-05:00

Last month I came across a flyer for SHARE WI - a volunteer run buying club. Previously, in Denver, I had come across SHARE and tried it out and was not impressed. Although the prices were cheap, ALL of the meat was processed, and this was not clearly indicated in their flyer or on their website. I actually e-mailed them letting them know that I could buy conventional chicken (not processed) for much less than what they were charging. I never heard back from them and I never ordered from them again.

After having this experience I was curious as to what was available through SHARE WI. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the Fit and Frugal section with Organic/Natural products. And, I decided to try it this month. Yesterday I picked up my order from a local church and I must say, that I was happy with the result. If you are looking to eat natural/organic on a budget, it is definitely worth looking into. Above is what I received in my Organic Produce box. I also ordered a few of the Gerber Amish Farm chickens, despite not being organic or pastured, I decided to give it a try. Since the chicken I have been ordering from my CSA does not indicate that it is either organic or pastured, but is more expensive, I thought, why not.

For more information and to order for April, click HERE. It looks like not every state has a SHARE program, but here is a link to the few states that do.

I'm looking forward to the Black Earth Meats Ground Beef next month, three 1-lb packages for $12.95 (that's $4.31/lb). Through my CSA I pay $5.50/lb for the same thing. I buy a lot of ground beef to add to my ground venison (which is so lean, it has no fat, but it needs some fat for better flavor and texture).

Let me know if you decide to try it and what you think.

Favorite Links from this Week

2012-03-24T20:36:00.003-05:00

Links I've been reading this week:

Five Foods Women Should be Eating
5 Foods Everyone Should Eat More Often for Optimal Health (And Avoiding the Flu)
Is Dr. Mercola Trustworthy
What Goes on this Real Food Baby's Tray (thinking back to feeding my first baby solid food)
Aluminum Dryer Balls - Do They Work? (going to have to try this, haven't bought dryer sheets in years)

Do you have any links that you would like to share?

Super Simple Grilled Fish

2012-03-21T14:02:00.000-05:00

I honestly cannot tell you where exactly the inspiration for this main course came from. On one of my recipe searches I found a recipe for fish using fresh herbs. And this is what I ended up with. We make this quite often as it is super simple and incredibly tasty! Our whole family loves it. The kids even request to eat the lemons.

Early in our marriage I discovered Steelhead, a type of trout that is more like Salmon than trout. Ryan has never been a huge Salmon fan, but he does like Salmon. And since Steelhead does not have added coloring, but still has the pink color that Salmon has, we often end up with Steelhead, not to mention that it is often less expensive. If you have a different favorite fish, feel free to substitute that in place of the Steelhead. Our family of four eats about 3/4 of a pound of fish - so that is the size of fish that I currently buy for us. A typical portion of protein is anywhere between 4 - 6 oz per person, so do a little math and you can figure out how much you will need for your family.

This post is part of Real Food Wednesday and Simple Lives Thursday.

Grilled Steelhead

Ingredients

1 Steelhead Filet (or other fish)
1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Lemon, sliced
1 Handful of Fresh Herbs (I like Thyme and Oregano, but be creative)
1 Leek or onion, sliced thin
Salt
Pepper
Aluminum Foil
Parchment Paper

Directions

Preheat grill by turning all burners to High.

Use one to two pieces of aluminum foil, depending on size and thickness of foil. It should be big enough to fully enclose the fish. If using Heavy Duty Foil then only one sheet is needed, but if using standard foil, use two sheets and double up on them.
Line the aluminum foil with a piece of parchment paper.
Place fish filet in the center of the parchment paper and coat with EVOO. Sprinkle with Salt and Pepper, onions or leeks, fresh herbs and gently squeeze a bit of lemon juice onto the fish. Place the lemon slices evenly over the herbs, onions, etc. on top of the fish.
Close the parchment paper up, wrapping it around the fish. Wrap the aluminum foil around the parchment paper so that it is completely sealed.

Turn the middle burner on your grill to low and leave the other two on high. Place the fish foil packet over the low heat and cook for 10-15 minutes. With a fork, check for doneness at 10 minutes. Fish should flake easily.
That's it - super simple and DELICIOUS!
Serve with a side of broccoli and a baked sweet potato for an extremely nutritious meal.

Prep Time: 10 min Cook Time: 15 min Ready in: 25 min

Grilled Steelhead courtesy of Jamie Del Balso.

Spring Cleaning - Decluttering!

2012-03-20T10:20:00.000-05:00

Today is the official first day of spring, although around here it has felt like spring for a few weeks now - which is a rarity. In college (in MN) we used to joke about there being only "Four Days of Spring" and most years it feels the same here in WI. Since it is truly spring and even feels like it, bring on the Spring Cleaning! This post is part of the Spring Cleaning Challenge and Giveaway over at I Dream of Clean. Check it out for more spring cleaning tips and chances to win some great prizes.

One of my favorite tips that I have heard along the way, I think it may have been a seminar on organization at MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers), is a strategic way of decluttering your house (or individual rooms). What is great about this method is that you can tackle one room at a time, that way if you only have an hour you can pick a smaller room and get one done and still feel a sense of accomplishment.

Now, on to the method, you will need two boxes (or bins) and a trash bag.

One of the bins is for items that have made their way into the wrong room/place

The other bin is for items to either sell (at a rummage sale, consignment store, etc.) or giveaway (Goodwill, Salvation Army, etc.)

The trash bag - is for you guessed it, TRASH!

When you are finished with each room, be sure to put the items that have been misplaced into their intended location. And anything that does not sell at your rummage sale or is not taken by the consignment store should then be IMMEDIATELY taken somewhere to be given away - so that it does not end up as clutter in your house again. Be sure to record your giveaway items so that you can deduct them on next year's taxes.

Now the hardest part about decluttering, at least for me, is my desire to hold onto things that I may be able to use in the future. You've got to get into business mode, do your best to get out of sentimental mode. If you haven't used it in a year or more, the likelihood of you using it again in the future is very slim. If it is something that someone else may find useful, put it in the sell/giveaway bin. If it hasn't fit you in the last year (unless of course you are pregnant or just had a baby), put it in the sell/giveaway bin. Anything that is broken or missing pieces - should go into the trash. If it has holes or stains, put it in the trash - it just creates more work for someone else at a giveaway place to throw away unusable items.

Alright, sound simple enough? You can do it, I have faith in you! My goal over the next day or two is to tackle my bedroom - the place where I throw things, shove things, etc. when company is coming and then shut the door and my sewing/crafting area - it really needs some organization. Where do you plan to start?

Menu Monday 3/19/2012

2012-03-19T07:00:00.000-05:00

This Week’s Meal Plan: 3/19 – 3/25

This week is a bit different since Ryan will be out of town for three nights and I’m hoping that my parents can watch the kids for a couple of days while I get some projects done around the house. My plan is to eat from the freezer while Ryan is gone and do minimal cooking so that I can focus on organizing my craft/sewing area, sewing 1-2 more sets of curtains, mending clothes, decluttering, and some major spring cleaning! It’s probably too ambitious for me to get all of it done, but if I even get a portion of it accomplished I will be HAPPY!

Breakfast

Sourdough Crepes; Granola and Yogurt (x2); Fried Eggs & Toast; Egg Puff; Homemade Raisin Bran? (something I’ve been wanting to try)

Lunch

Left-overs mostly; Egg Salad Sandwiches; Reuben Sandwiches; Peanut Butter & Honey Toast

Snacks

Fruit; Cheese & Crackers; Hummus & Veggies/Pita Chips; Quinoa muffins; Ants on a Log

Dinner

Monday – Reuben Sandwiches, pineapple, and cabbage salad

Tuesday – Paella (from freezer)

Wednesday – Enchiladas (from freezer)

Thursday – Soup (from freezer)

Friday – Potluck dinner at Bible Study

Saturday – Glazed Corned Beef and Cabbage Salad

Sunday – Pizza and Salad

Please share your meal plans! I love getting inspiration from you.