Mostly Meatless Mama

Cheesy Quinoa with Veggies

noreply@blogger.com (mostlymeatlessmama) — Mon, 10 Mar 2014 06:33:00 +0000

Chances are if you watch tv or have a Facebook you have heard about quinoa. What is quinoa?

So in other words it is an extremely healthy superfood. If you haven't tried it yet you need to. It is so versatile and easy to make. If you don't like the veggies I use you can substitute any that you do like. I'm sure this recipe would work great with zucchini, tomatoes, etc.

You will need:

1 cup, Organic quinoa

Asparagus cut into 1 inch pieces, I used a whole bundle

Baby Bella mushrooms, sliced, about 6-10 depending on your preference

1 Red Bell Pepper, diced

1-1 1/2 cups choice of cheese, I used colby jack

about an ounce of cream cheese

also:

Steamer basket, I advise against boiling as your veggies will lose the majority of their nutrients.

This recipe makes about 3 servings 4 if you plan to use this as a side dish.

Bring 2 cups water to a rapid boil, add quinoa and boil for a few minutes. When water is almost completely absorbed turn heat off and leave covered. Quinoa is done when you can see a white edge on the grain.

Steam veggies until desired tenderness. combine with quinoa, shredded cheese and cream cheese. mix well and season to taste. I used Himalayan pink salt, garlic powder and pepper.

Serve hot and enjoy!! you can omit the veggies for picky kids and its a healthier version of mac and cheese!

Cheesecake!!

noreply@blogger.com (mostlymeatlessmama) — Sun, 09 Mar 2014 07:28:00 +0000

So on a whim tonight I decided I wanted cheesecake. I do not own a spring form pan but I do have two round cake pans that worked out nicely. I was craving chocolate, apples and cream cheese so I made two plain cheesecakes and topped one with ganache and one with cinnamon apples.

Crust:
Graham crackers, about 2 1/2-3 cups ground
1 stick of salted butter
1 cup sugar

Mix well and press into two round cake pans, lined with foil. makes for an easier clean up. Refrigerate until batter is ready.

Filling:
2 pounds or 4-8oz packages of cream cheese room temperature
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
2 tablespoons vanilla

Mix cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Add one egg at a time until completely incorporated. Pour batter into prepared round cake pans. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes. They are done when they feel dense in the center to your palm.**If you are using a 9 inch spring form pan this recipe will make one cheesecake and you need to bake for 60 minutes.**

Cinnamon apple topping:

Since I made everything from scratch I kind of skimped on the apples and made them in the microwave. Terrible I know but such a time saver.

3 apples peeled and sliced thinly
2-3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons brown sugar

Mix well in microwave safe dish. microwave for 3 minutes stopping every minute to stir. the last 30 seconds add the brown sugar and continue microwaving. Watch it because the sugar will bubble over and make a mess. After one cheesecake has cooled add the apple topping and enjoy! It would have been great if I had some whipped cream to give it that apple pie feeling.

Chocolate ganache topping:

1/4-1/2 cup of whole milk
1-1 1/2 cup chocolate chips
boiling water
a glass or metal boil to set on top of boiling water(essentially a double boiler
whisk

Set water to a rapid boil, and add chips to boil above water. As it begins to melt start to whisk out the chunks until smooth. Add a little bit of milk at a time and incorporate it until it is the consistency you want. Pour on to cooled cheesecake and refrigerate again.

These recipes were not nearly as time consuming as I thought they would be. And you can't beat made from scratch! So much better than a box or that no bake crap, bleh. Make sure to pin this and an other recipes on pinterest for safe keeping! Like my face book page too! All the fancy pants buttons are at the top of the page. Thanks so much for reading!!!

Golden Beet Pasta with Beet Greens

noreply@blogger.com (mostlymeatlessmama) — Thu, 27 Feb 2014 01:34:00 +0000

I am on a mission to eat healthy, delicious food everyday. Sounds simple enough but not so with a mobile six month old getting into everything. So I did all the prepping for this recipe during nap time. I have never cooked with beets and I didn't even know beets had greens either, but this is definitely a repeat recipe. Even Henry loved the beets!

You will need:
1/3 cup pine nuts, used flax seed, not bad but not the same effect
4 tablespoons olive oil or butter
2 large onions chopped

3-4 cloves of garlic minced

2 bunches of beets, I used 1 bunch but I wished I used 2 because it is so good! Peel and slice into thin rounds then cut in half
12 oz(1 box) of pasta your choice
1/3-1/2 freshly shredded parmesan cheese. The real stuff not that powdered cheese flavored crap.

1) Toast pine nuts or flax seeds until lightly brown, set aside
2) Saute onions until soft, add garlic and beet greens.

3) boil beets until soft, reserve 1 cup beet water, drain and set aside.

4) Boil pasta, drain and return to pot. Combine pasta, sautéed greens, beets, flaxseeds, cheese and 1/4 cup beet water until well incorporated.

5) Top with extra Parmesan cheese and enjoy this delicious vegetarian dish!

To DIE for Salsa and Guacamole

noreply@blogger.com (mostlymeatlessmama) — Wed, 26 Feb 2014 22:13:00 +0000

So I've been putting off this post for a while because its not an exact recipe. I never make the same guacamole or salsa twice so it is difficult to put into a recipe. No tomato, jalepeno, or onion has the exact same taste. But I have been slacking in the blogging department, and a friend has been begging for me to post it so here it is.

You will need for salsa:
oil, olive, grapeseed or coconut are great, stay away from corn, canola.
5-7 large tomatoes
about 1/2 a bundle of cilantro
1/2-1 yellow onion
1/2-2 limes
1/2-2 jalepenos, depending on the spiciness is how many you want to use. I rub my finger on the cut side of the pepper and touch my tongue. If it taste really spicy i only use half and add more if needed.
4-5 garlic cloves
salt to taste
food processor, you can use blender but be careful on how much you blend, you don't want soupy salsa.

1) slice your tomatoes and jalepenos in half, lightly coat in oil and bake at 400 until brown edges appear and your tomatoes shrivel a little, about 15-20 minutes. This helps bring out the flavor, makes your salsa a little less watery and a little more flavorful.

2)Put your tomatoes, jalepeno(s), cilantro, 1/2 an onion, garlic and salt cloves in the processor. Add the juice of 1/2 a lime to start, too much lime can ruin your salsa!

3) Process and taste, adjust, taste again until it is how you like it.

You will need for guacamole:
5-6 Avocados
1 medium tomato
1/4 of an onion
1/2-2 lime juice depending on personal preference
1/2 jalapeno
4-5 garlic cloves
handful of cilantro
salt to taste

I like my guacamole smooth so I use a processor. if you prefer it chunky go the old school way and use a potato masher and dice all the ingredients.

1) Repeat step 1 for the salsa for your guacamole, if you are making both it is easier to do them at the same time.

2) Put everything in the processor and puree! season to taste with salt. If you are making ahead for a party of something I recommend pressing plastic wrap to the surface so that you don't get that gross oxidation on top that turns your green guac brown.

Organic Butternut Squash Soup

noreply@blogger.com (mostlymeatlessmama) — Fri, 14 Feb 2014 18:30:00 +0000

So this past grocery haul was my favorite so far! We bought so many beautiful vegetables that I have never cooked with before. One of them being Butternut Squash which was tonight's dinner, and turned out amazing! It was a little time consuming but I would suggest you prep all of your vegetables before you begin cooking. You will also need an emulsifier blender, I bought mine a while ago as a hand held mixer with interchangeable heads, and the second head is an emulsifier. I think you could use a blender but it could get messy.

Ingredients:

preferably organic

1 medium to large Butternut squash, peeled and chopped into small pieces, the smaller the better

1 large onion, diced

8-10 baby bells, sliced

5-6 garlic cloves, minced

1-2 cups spinach

32 oz broth, preferable vegetable, I made mine from boiled onion and garlic skins

salt and pepper if you'd like

If you have everything prepped this will be super easy to do, I know because I did not prep and it probably took me twice as long to make.

1) Saute your onions and mushrooms in butter or oil and set aside. I prefer butter's flavor in this recipe.

2) Saute your squash and garlic until soft, I used a lid so the steam could help the cooking process.

3) set broth to simmer and add squash, emulsify until there are no chunks left.

4) Add in spinach, mushrooms and onions.

Enjoy a healthy, delicious, and filling vegetarian recipe. I promise made from scratch can be easy! make sure you sign up for the email updates at the top of the page! I will be cooking with rainbow chard and golden beets later this week!

Thanks for reading, until next time,

Mostly Meatless Mama

Recipe adapted from: http://theharvestfoodblog.com

Baby Led Weaning or BLW

noreply@blogger.com (mostlymeatlessmama) — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 07:46:00 +0000

First things first, what is baby led weaning? "Baby Led Weaning, quite simply, means letting your child feed themselves from the very start of weaning*." "In the UK, ‘weaning’ means ‘adding complementary foods’, whereas in the States it means ‘giving up breastfeeding’."- babyledweaning.com

kellymom.com states:
[The following organizations recommend that all babies be exclusively breastfed (no cereal, juice or any other foods) for the first 6 months of life (not the first 4-6 months):
World Health Organization
UNICEF
American Academy of Pediatrics
American Academy of Family Physicians
Australian National Health and Medical Research Council
Health Canada

Reasons for delaying solids

Delaying solids gives baby greater protection from illness.

Although babies continue to receive many immunities from breastmilk for as long as they nurse, the greatest immunity occurs while a baby is exclusively breastfed. Breastmilk contains50+ known immune factors, and probably many more that are still unknown. One study has shown that babies who were exclusively breastfed for 4+ months had 40% fewer ear infections than breastfed babies whose diets were supplemented with other foods. The probability of respiratory illness occurring at any time during childhood is significantly reduced if the child is fed exclusively breast milk for at least 15 weeks and no solid foods are introduced during this time. (Wilson, 1998) Many other studies have also linked the degree of exclusivity of breastfeeding to enhanced health benefits (see Immune factors in human milk).

Delaying solids gives baby’s digestive system time to mature.

If solids are started before a baby’s system is ready to handle them, they are poorly digested and may cause unpleasant reactions (digestive upset, gas, constipation, etc.). Protein digestion is incomplete in infancy. Gastric acid and pepsin are secreted at birth and increase toward adult values over the following 3 to 4 months. The pancreatic enzyme amylase does not reach adequate levels for digestion of starches until around 6 months, and carbohydrate enzymes such as maltase, isomaltase, and sucrase do not reach adult levels until around 7 months. Young infants also have low levels of lipase and bile salts, so fat digestion does not reach adult levels until 6-9 months.

Delaying solids decreases the risk of food allergies.

It is well documented that prolonged exclusive breastfeeding results in a lower incidence of food allergies (see Allergy References). From birth until somewhere between four and six months of age, babies possess what is often referred to as an “open gut.” This means that the spaces between the cells of the small intestines will readily allow intact macromolecules, including whole proteins and pathogens, to pass directly into the bloodstream.This is great for your breastfed baby as it allows beneficial antibodies in breastmilk to pass more directly into baby’s bloodstream, but it also means that large proteins fromother foods (which may predispose baby to allergies) and disease-causing pathogens can pass right through, too. During baby’s first 4-6 months, while the gut is still “open,” antibodies (sIgA) from breastmilk coat baby’s digestive tract and provide passive immunity, reducing the likelihood of illness and allergic reactions before gut closure occurs. Baby starts producing these antibodies on his own at around 6 months, and gut closure should have occurred by this time also. See How Breast Milk Protects Newborns and The Case for the Virgin Gut for more on this subject.

Delaying solids helps to protect baby from iron-deficiency anemia.

The introduction of iron supplements and iron-fortified foods, particularly during the first six months, reduces the efficiency of baby’s iron absorption. Healthy, full-term infants who are breastfed exclusively for periods of 6-9 months have been shown to maintain normal hemoglobin values and normal iron stores. In one study (Pisacane, 1995), the researchers concluded that babies who were exclusively breastfed for 7 months (and were not give iron supplements or iron-fortified cereals) had significantly higher hemoglobin levels at one year than breastfed babies who received solid foods earlier than seven months. The researchers found no cases of anemia within the first year in babies breastfed exclusively for seven months and concluded that breastfeeding exclusively for seven months reduces the risk of anemia. See Is Iron-Supplementation Necessary? for more information.
Delaying solids helps to protect baby from future obesity.

The early introduction of solids is associated with increased body fat and weight in childhood. (for example, see Wilson 1998, von Kries 1999, Kalies 2005)

Delaying solids helps mom to maintain her milk supply.

Studies have shown that for a young baby solids replace milk in a baby’s diet – they do not add to baby’s total intake. The more solids that baby eats, the less milk he takes from mom, and less milk taken from mom means less milk production. Babies who eat lots of solids or who start solids early tend to wean prematurely.

Delaying solids helps to space babies.

Breastfeeding is most effective in preventing pregnancy when your baby is exclusively breastfed and all of his nutritional and sucking needs are satisfied at the breast.

Delaying solids makes starting solids easier.

Babies who start solids later can feed themselves and are not as likely to have allergic reactions to foods.
Most babies will become developmentally and physiologically ready to eat solids by 6-9 months of age. For some babies, delaying solids longer than six months can be a good thing; for example, some doctors may recommend delaying solids for 12 months if there is a family history of allergies.
Although some of the reasons listed here assume that your baby is breastfed or fed breastmilk only, experts recommend that solids be delayed for formula fed babies also.]

"after all is said and done, it pretty much comes down to this: There are no benefits, only risks, to starting a baby before they're biologically ready, and since we can't see the gut, we have to go by outside cues, and waiting until a bare minimum of 6 months is the safest way to play it. If a couple weeks is the difference between a gut infection and not, the choice is pretty clear." ---thestir.cafemom.com

I cut and pasted a lot of the science behind delaying solids because those were the same websites I read that helped solidify my decision to delay starting solids until 6 months and following through with baby led weaning. I am only a couple of weeks into BLW but I started with carrots steamed really soft he really liked them and only gagged one time. next we tried avocados cut into thick slices and he absolutely loved them! he probably ate 1/4 of the avocado in one sitting. Next was banana, I just handed him half, and he was sort of so-so about the whole thing, like he could take it or leave it which really surprised me because I had heard babies love bananas. Today he had some cantalope and let me tell you, I have never seen him demand another piece like he did with the cantalope.

Another awesome thing about baby led weaning is that you can save so much money! Seriously, who doesn't love saving money? If you don't you're in the wrong blog, dude/lady. If you have any further questions for me feel free to leave comments in the comments section below. make sure you like my facebook page, and sign up for my email notifications for when a new post is up! thank you for reading and I hope this post can help you make a decision on what's best for your family when it comes to introducing solids.

Skinny Brownies

noreply@blogger.com (mostlymeatlessmama) — Fri, 07 Feb 2014 01:45:00 +0000

So I stumbled upon this recipe while looking for something to do with my vanilla yogurt that was just starting to turn sour. I literally just opened it today and had to do something with it fast. I came across this "skinny" recipe from sallysbakingaddiction, and normally I am a little weary of anything "skinny". I try my best to avoid things that are labeled fat-free, low-fat, sugar-free, because typically they are full of other fake sugars and chemicals that are worse than just eating the sugar or fat by themselves. But this recipe had none of that so I said why not?

You will need:
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
6 oz. vanilla yogurt(can use Greek is recommended, I did not though)
1/4 cup milk(use skim for less cal)
1 large egg(or two egg whites)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup sugar
1/2 unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 old fashion rolled oats(She recommends to process the oats first but I already have a powdered oats mix that I add to smoothies so I used that)

Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8x8 baking dish foil and spray with oil.
Place all of the ingredients except for the peanut butter into food processor. Grind the oats first in the processor, then add wet ingredients and blend well. finally add dry ingredients and mix well.
Pour batter into prepared baking dish. Microwave peanut butter for about 30 seconds. Drop melted peanut butter by spoonfuls onto the batter, swirling gently with a knife to create a marbled effect.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from the sides of the pan. Wait until COMPLETELY cooled before cutting into. Hard I know but it makes them much easier to cut into.

Crockpot Black Bean Soup

noreply@blogger.com (mostlymeatlessmama) — Thu, 06 Feb 2014 02:17:00 +0000

Another one of my make-it-up-as-you-go recipes! It can be made vegetarian and you can add or subtract pretty much any ingredient you want.

You will need:
3 Cups black beans, (soaked overnight or boiled for 5 minutes)
4 cups broth (your choice)
1 can Garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed (organic)
3 carrots sliced about 1/4-1/2 inch thick
3-4 stalks celery sliced
5-6 garlic cloves minced
1 onion chopped
1 can stewed tomatoes(organic)
1 1/2 cups water
teaspoon of cayenne pepper
tablespoon garlic powder
pinch of salt and pepper

So to start you need to prep your beans, anytime I think of making beans I totally forget that they need to soak for at least 8 hours. Well, F that! I recently came across a tip to boil your beans on high for 5 minutes and it is more or less an equivalent to soaking overnight.

After you soak or boil your beans put them in your crockpot along with all the other ingredients. Everybody in the pool at once. cook on high for 5-6 hours, season additionally to taste.

Granola bars

noreply@blogger.com (mostlymeatlessmama) — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 07:42:00 +0000

So I read through a bunch of recipes online and decided to wing my own granola bars hoping they would turn out good. Well, they turned out amazing! So easy to make too. I had all of these ingredients laying around my kitchen so it was practically free to make. Keep in mind this is just a base recipe you can pretty much add and subtract anything you want or don't want in your bars.

Ingredients:

2 cups rolled oats

Dried cranberries(I'll ballpark it around a 1/2 cup)

Shaved almonds(1/2 cup)

Peanut butter chips (1/2 cup)

Sunflower seeds(1/2 cup)

Tablespoon of cinnamon

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 stick of butter

3-5 tablespoons honey, raw local if you have the option

4 tablespoons peanut butter

Foil

Baking sheet or casserole dish

1) Mix the first set of ingredients really well and set aside.

2) melt butter in a pan on med/low heat, add brown sugar, honey and peanutbutter. Be careful not to burn or let bubble.

3) line casserole dish or baking sheet with foil.

4) combine butter mixture with dry ingredients and incorporate well.

5) pour into baking sheet and pack granola down.

6) Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

7) pull from oven and allow to cool but cut bars before it completely sets.

8) refrigerate until completely cool then portion in plastic wrap/foil/ziplock bags for a quick treat on the go.

Cheesy Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

noreply@blogger.com (mostlymeatlessmama) — Tue, 04 Feb 2014 15:00:00 +0000

What you will need:

Peppers 1-2 per person, I used poblanos but if spice is an issue try using a red or yellow bell pepper.

Quinoa, I used a non-gmo box variety "Nature's Earthly Choice"

Avocado for garnish

Green chive onions, the green part chopped and set a side

1 cup Organic spinach, try to buy organic because of its porous leaves they tend to hold more pesticides

1 cup finely shredded cheese, I chose 1/2 cup pepper jack, 1/2 cup colby jack

1 tblspn butter

oil, any can be used I prefer something like grapeseed, olive or coconut oil.\

You will also need:

Foil

baking sheet

Preheat oven to 350

1) Prep your poblano peppers by slicing around the stem and pulling the majority of the seeds out. Cut a slit in the pepper where it will be facing up. rince with water to get all of the seeds out. rub pepper down with oil on the outside. Bake in oven for 10 minutes.

2) Cook quinoa as directed on box, when almost done add spinach and chives. when it is done cooking add butter and cheese. Mix until cheese is completely melted.

3)Once your peppers have a chance to cool, hold open flaps and fill with quinoa mix. put back in the oven for an additional 5-7 minutes.

4) Garnish with extra cheese and avocado. Enjoy!

Our Breastfeeding Journey

noreply@blogger.com (mostlymeatlessmama) — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 19:11:00 +0000

*A little forewarning: This is my personal story. I'm not writing this to bring down formula feeding mothers. I'm not trying to brag or rub in any mothers face how successful I've been. I'm writing this as a celebration of six months of exclusive breastfeeding. A celebration of my determination, my belief in my son's instinctual need for nourishment from my breast. And as a celebration for women everywhere who can do with their bodies what nature intended. Please don't take offense because that is not my intention.*

There is so much to say about breastfeeding and I’m not quite sure where to start so I guess I’ll start with me. I had it all planned out, I would go into labor on or around my due date, give a natural, vaginal birth, delay the cord clamping, immediate skin-to-skin and a successful latch, because you know, that’s how every birth should go. Man, was I in for a rude awakening!

I go in on a Saturday morning for an induction at 42 weeks and 1 day. I didn't give birth until Monday morning at 3:15 am. You can read the details of my birth story here. What transpired after that really still hurts me to this day and I don't know if I'll ever get over it. So there I was, already beat down from my less than perfect induction, sad that I couldn't see my baby for 3 hours(nicu rules), but I was ready to see him and breastfeed him. Ready to do the one thing I knew I could do. No doctor or nurse was going to dissuade me from doing what I had read about and prepared for since the beginning of my pregnancy. Well they did.

I didn't want Henry to have pacifiers or formula. No nipple confusion or bottle preference to hamper an already difficult endeavor. Well, after the first visit to try breastfeeding him a nurse explained to me, in more or less words, "if we don't give him a pacifier he'll be left to cry until they can get to him". Well I already can't be with my baby 24/7 so fine, give him the pacifier so he doesn't have to cry for someone's attention.

After that hurdle Henry began to latch, and for longer than just a few minutes at a time. So there I was, a few hours after giving birth walking back and forth from the nicu and my postpartum room every three hours to feed him. I overslept. By 45 minutes. A nicu nurse comes to my room to scold me and tell me how Henry is hungry and they aren't allowed to give him any formula because I said not to. I felt awful. Why couldn't she come get me after 5 minutes? For God's sake I just had a baby a few hours before, I'm exhausted and my body hurts. So she convinced me to "rest" and let them take over the night feedings and I could come back in the morning well rested.

The next morning I head to the nicu rested and ready to nurse my baby. I walk in set up our little station and bring Henry to my breast to latch. He latches for a second and begins to cry. I try again and again. Still crying and no latch. My heart was breaking. My baby had given up on breastfeeding but I wasn't giving up on him. I knew he could do it because he had done so well before. So I give him the bottle.

Upon returning to my room, feeling defeated but not giving up I began to pump. I pumped for about 30 minutes before each feeding and what little colostrum I could get I would give to my son after offering the breast but before giving the formula. This continued the rest of our stay. They sent me home with about 8 cases of the individual liquid formula bottles. "Just in case", as if they didn't believe I could get him back to breast. After all that I had been through, this was the one thing that was totally in my control and I wasn't going to give up.

On the fifth day of his life my milk finally came in. All of the pumping I did in the hospital made me so engorged. My breast were so swollen, armpit to armpit. and I was in so much pain. I wasn't giving up though. I sent Eli to the store for cabbage to relieve some of the swelling. As soon as we got home from the hospital we laid in bed skin-to-skin, and we nursed as much as he would allow. As often as he wanted. When I felt he wasn't latching I was giving him formula for a medicine dropper. It felt like forever but he was completely back to breast within just a couple of days.

Those first three weeks were brutal, the next three were a little better and by three months we were old pro's! Henry is such a natural nurser now.

Once you can get though the initial pain of finding the correct latch their is no pain. If it hurts then there is something wrong, whether it is a latch issue, flat or inverted nipples, tongue and/or lip tie etc. These issues can all be corrected and worked through. Medically diagnosed low supply can be boosted though a special diet. It's never too late for relactation either if that's what you want to do. There is so much you can do if you just hold on to hope.

We have been going six months strong with no end in sight. I have been extremely lucky with Henry. I've never had mastitis, supply issues, any latch problems, I have a great support system from my husband, my family and even my friends. You would be surprised that some of my best friends are people I've never met in person but they have the same views as me on a lot of things including breastfeeding and extended breast feeding. Initially I knew I wanted to breastfeed but I didn't know there were benefits past the age of one.

Well there are a ton! And America seem to be one of a few countries in such a rush to wean. Why? The natural weaning age averages at 4.2 years, so why is the mother of a toddler nursling whispered about? Told he/she is too "old" to nurse. They need "real" food. You're going to give your baby psychological problems. Who decides this? Certainly not science. And in a world obsessed with sex, sexualizing everything from advertising, clothing, to our children why oh why is breastfeeding, the most natural thing we can do, criticized?

Maybe if everyone, doctors, nurses, parents, grand parents, siblings friends and strangers could be a little more supportive, a smile and a head nod instead of a scowl and a few choice rude words. You don't know the struggles of any mother, breastfeeding or formula feeding alike. So please understand that this is a critical time for any mother and nursing child. Don't criticize her and make yourself look like an ignorant fool. Don't ask her to leave, cover up, or go to the bathroom. She is not feeding her child to make you happy at the same she is not trying to make a statement. She's only doing what nature intended and responding to her child's needs.

Thanks to everyone who reads this. Feel free to share my story to your friends on Facebook, pinterest, or follow the rest of our story on Instagram. The more we can change people's perspective on breastfeeding the more normal it becomes.

I want to thank everyone in my life that has supported me. Especially my husband. Eli is so kind, when I'm feeling weak he reminds me I am strong. When I feel like giving up he reminds me how far I've come. We were destined for each other since day one and I couldn't imagine any other life for me than to be his wife and the mother of our child and future children.

My very first NIP(Nursing in public)

Silicone teething necklace

noreply@blogger.com (mostlymeatlessmama) — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 05:01:00 +0000

As the mother of a beautiful little boy, six months old to be exact, I have been looking for something natural to ease his teething pain. All day long he's gnashing his gums together and looking for anything he can get a grip on to soothe his achy gums. I also have a very distracted nurser. He can't focus, he has to what we call "shift gears" with his feet, scratch me, himself, pretty much everything but nurse. But I've finally found something that can soothe his gums, help him focus during our nursing sessions, and is a fashion statement for me.

Kate Kidwell owner of http://mistermanpants.com/ :

"Silicone Teething Beads!!! These necklaces and bracelets are for both Mom and baby. Wear something fun and fashionable that your baby will enjoy chewing on. There is a nice tight knot between each bead on some of the necklaces. It also has a plastic breakaway clasp."

These necklaces and bracelets are BPA, Phthalate and Lead free,

durable, feature matte finish beads, are easy to clean, and some styles have a knot between beads so if to break only one bead drops(not all styles have this feature).

This product has been a Godsend! Henry loves it, I love it and I constantly get compliments on it.

So for my lucky readers only http://mistermanpants.com/ has given me a coupon code for 10% off of your online order and free shipping on orders over $30! MisterManPants.com also has sunbaby cloth diapers, wetbags, trainers, Baltic Amber, decals, and taggies.

Your exclusive coupon code is "MostlyMeatless". Now head on over and go shopping!!

Thanks for reading,

M-M-M

*Disclosure*

This necklace is not intended to be worn by your baby. It is for your baby to chew on under supervision only. Inspect periodically for damages before allowing your child to chew on it.

Organic Flour Tortillas

noreply@blogger.com (mostlymeatlessmama) — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 23:21:00 +0000

So I have placed the original recipe below, but I will put my changes in parentheses. Although this recipe is probably a medium difficulty it is so worth it to have made from scratch tortillas, without all of the yucky chemicals and preservatives in store bought tortillas. The original author suggest using a rolling pin if you don't have a tortilla press. Please, do yourself a favor and get the press! It makes it 100x easier. Also if you are using the press do yourself another favor and take a gallon sized ziplock bag and cut the zipper and two sides off so it looks like a book page. You can buy a Tortilla press here. Please don't do what I did. Buy or use a skillet. I forgot I had a cast iron skillet and used my beautiful WearEver pan and now it has black spots I can't wash off, but I digress.

Ingredients

3 cups flour(I used Organic)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
⅓ cup canola oil(I stay away from corn products[GMO] so I used grapeseed oil, but olive would work as well)
1 cup warm water

Instructions

In a large bowl combine flour, salt, baking powder, and oil. Slowly add the water, mixing with a wooden spoon. Stir until it forms a sticky ball.(use your hands! don't be afraid to get messy! just be sure to remove any rings first)
Turn the ball onto a floured surface, and knead for 2 minutes until a soft smooth dough has formed.
Wrap dough in plastic wrap, and let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Divide dough into 16 equal portions. Roll each portion into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap for 10 minutes.
Flatten dough, and using a rolling pin or tortilla press to roll flat. They will be about 6 or 7 inches in diameter.(before you flatten out be sure to sprinkle a little flour on top, it'll keep your tortillas from sticking to your press)
Heat a skillet or a griddle to medium high heat. Cook tortillas for about 1 minute on the first side, until it starts to bubble. Flip, and cook for about 1 more minute until golden brown.
Remove and serve. If not using right away, allow to cool completely before storing.

Bonus Trade Secret!!!! If you like having fresh tortillas but hate how much of a process it is to make them, then just freeze them! You can either freeze the balls or freeze the already prepared and reheat on a skillet.

Once again if you have any questions feel free to ask in the comments section. I'd love to know if you plan on trying this or if there is another recipe you'd like to read about.

Coconut Oil, Miracle Stuff!

noreply@blogger.com (mostlymeatlessmama) — Tue, 21 Jan 2014 21:37:00 +0000

So If you haven't already discovered the power of coconut oil you need to run to the store right meow and pick yourself up a tub of organic cold pressed coconut oil. You can do anything with this stuff! It literally can cure just about any ailment, you can cook with it, use it to add to a smoothie, put it on anything!

Moisturizer

Body lotion

Cloth Diaper rash cream

Makeup remover, even waterproof!

Took gun grease off my husbands hands

Hair conditioner, overnight hair treatment

Eczema

Deodorant when mixed with baking soda and essential oil

Toothpaste mixed with baking soda and EO like peppermint or cinnamon

Shaving cream

Acne

Aftershave

Stimulate eyebrow and lash growth

You can just eat it to add a few good calories to your day

Cramps

Antibacterial

Pinkeye

Asthma

Migraines

Warts

Antiviral

Lice

Cold sores

Dandruff

Kills fungus

Burns

Bug bites

Scrapes

Sunscreen

Lip balm

Cellulite

Bug repellent

Softens feet

Eat a spoonful with your vitamins to aid in absorption

Sugar scrub

I wasn't joking when I said there were a ton of use! There are more than these but you get the picture. Coconut oil is essential for any green home. Tell me how you use it in your home in the comments!

Homemade deodorant and toothpaste

noreply@blogger.com (mostlymeatlessmama) — Tue, 21 Jan 2014 03:48:00 +0000

So my goal in life(so far) is to make anything and everything! And if I can make it out of good natural products that are better for me and my family than their store bought counter product then even better! So today's Pinterest project is homemade deodorant. Notice I said deodorant NOT antiperspirant. Conventional antiperspirant is bad for you because it contains aluminum and parabens.

It's simple to make and the ingredients necessary should already be a staple in any "green" home. You will need:

5-6 tablespoons coconut oil organic and cold pressed. This had so many uses you need in your home. Like yesterday.

1/4 cup Arrowroot powder/starch- thickens your deodorant.

1/4 cup baking soda

Container- I used a small seasonal butter container that I saved. I save everything in my home that would normally be thrown away. You never know when you might need it!

Essential oils- optional but makes a great addition. I used lavender E.O. But Vanilla would be great too.

Mix well and pour into container. Rub a small dab on your armpits and your done! The whole process literally takes 5 minute and the container should last 2-3 months of daily use.

For the toothpaste I used an old peanutbutter jar.

6 tbl spoons coconut oil

6 tbl spoons baking soda

And 25 drops of peppermint essential oil

Mix really well. I melted the oil slightly in the microwave 10-15 second so make sure it blended well. Then refrigerated to solidify again. Optionally, you can add stevia to your mix to sweeten it but I preferred it without sugar.

I just made it tonight and used it on my teeth and they feel amazing and so fresh! You have got to try this recipe.

About Me!

noreply@blogger.com (mostlymeatlessmama) — Tue, 21 Jan 2014 03:40:00 +0000

So a little more about me, I'm an almost 22 year old SAHM to a beautiful baby boy, Henry Eli. I reside in the great state of Texas with my husband Eli who is is stationed at Fort Bliss, El Paso. I am a self proclaimed pinterest warrior and I love trying new things! I'm slowly honing in on my cooking and crafting skills. I love a good DIY project and making my own cleaning products. I like to live as green as possible and make as many of my own cleaning products as I can. If it can't be cleaned with baking soda, vinegar or lemon juice it can't be cleaned! I love finding new ways to eliminate toxins from our home.

DIY Cleaning Products

noreply@blogger.com (mostlymeatlessmama) — Mon, 20 Jan 2014 22:39:00 +0000

So if you are regular reader or just stumbled upon my blog on you need to know that I try to make everything for my home. So I am going to list a few recipes and tips for a more natural, harsh-chemical free cleaning in your home. Not only is it better for you and your family, babies and pets alike, it is better for the enviornment. Less waste, less chemicals, and more money in your pocket. And I am ALL about saving money. Not to mention the personal pride you will having knowing you can clean your home with safe products YOU made!

A few basic items I always keep on hand in my home are: vinegar, salt, baking soda, lemon juice, peroxide, rubbing alcohol and spray bottles. You can pretty much get all of these things at your local dollar store. No sense in spending more money. Also labels will come in handy.

My favorite all uses cleaner is a vinegar citrus spray. I take old spaghetti sauce jars that I saved, fill with whatever citrus peels are available and fill the rest of the way with vinegar. after soaking for about a week I pour the vinegar into a spray bottle and label.(50/50 vinegar and water)

LAUNDRY:

M-OXICLEAN:

1 part baking soda

1 part hydrogen peroxide

2 parts water

Mix it all in a container to spot treat or just add straight to laundry if presoaking. (I've tried it on a couple things and it works AMAZING!) You just have to shake it before you use each time. With hydrogen peroxide I would suggest you use a darker colored bottle to make it last longer. Also I would spot test in an inconspicious area to make sure there is no color change.

BLEACH ALTERNATIVE:

To Whiten Clothes

Add a cup of lemon juice to the wash cycle to boost the whitening action of your laundry detergent.

STAIN REMOVAL:

Pour lemon juice over the stain. Then, rub the area with salt; and place the garment out in the sun for several hours. Wash as usual. I do this very often! It gets poo stains out of diapers, tomato sauce out of my husband's white shirts. It is such a simple trick that really works.

KITCHEN:

To clean cooked on stove top messes or baked on metal tray messes I dust a light layer of baking soda and spray with my vinegar citrus spray as I previously mentioned. the bubbling action lifts hard to clean baked on messes. I also use for stuck on stains on my counters.

Plain old white vinegar can be used as a rinse aid in your dishwasher.

The same citrus vinegar I use to clean my hard floor surfaces. I have a libman's refillable spray mop that I put 1 part mix, 3 parts water and a little elbow grease. No heavy fumes and cleans so well!

BATHROOM:

Prepare to have your mind blown! You can clean your tub with fruit! YUP! What you need is a grapefruit and salt. Cut grapefruit in half, sprinkle salt on it and scrub away! That's it! but be forewarned if you scrub too hard you may scratch your tub, so start slow and work your way up.

If you're not into the fruit thing you can clean your tub the same way as the oven. Sprinkle baking soda and spray with cirtus vinegar. wait about 5 minutes and wipe clean.

TOILET BOWL CLEANER:

1/2 cup of baking soda in the bowl

a couple of drops of essential oil

and a splash of vinegar in that order.

Wait for it to stop fizzing then scrub with brush and flush!

VARIOUS HOME CLEANERS

GLASS CLEANER

Funnel

Measuring cup and spoons

32-oz. spray bottle

Newspaper

INGREDIENTS

3 cups water

2 Tbsp. rubbing alcohol

¼ cup distilled white vinegar

5 drops lavender essential oil (optional, for scent)

½ Tbsp. liquid castille soap

In a well-ventilated area, use funnel to pour water, alcohol, vinegar and oil, if desired, into bottle. Shake. Add soap. Shake well. Spray windows or mirrors; wipe with newspaper.

I have faux suede couches that stain easily. so to clean them I just spray with rubbing alcohol and wipe clean with a white rag.

I think that's all I have for now, but if you have any of your own recipes you'd like o share you are more than welcome to post them in the comments. If you can even replace one cleaning product with its more natural counter part it is a step in the right direction. Thanks so much for reading!

Super awesome chocolate cake and icing!

noreply@blogger.com (mostlymeatlessmama) — Mon, 20 Jan 2014 16:32:00 +0000

Dieters beware! if you are at all afraid of carbs sugar and all things delicious do not read this! I'm warning you. It'll cause you to lust after it and eventually cheat. On your diet. This cake is rich and moist and chock full of chocolaty goodness and so easy to make! I can't lay claim to this recipe although I wish I had. I heard the original recipe maker has a seat in heaven right next to Jesus, but that could be a rumor.

Ingredients:

1¾ cups all purpose flour
2 cups granulated white sugar
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1½ tsp baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk (or substitute by putting 1 tbsp white vinegar in a cup then filling the rest up with milk; let stand 5 minutes until thickened)<----this is what I did ( second time making it I was out of vinegar so I just used regular milk and it was still good.)
½ cup butter, melted
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 cup hot coffee (or 2 tsp instant coffee in 1 cup boiling water)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9-inch baking pans (or line with parchment paper circles) and set aside. I did not use the parchment paper. I wish I had because I had such a hard time removing my layers.(made the recipe again, this time lined with foil and it was so much easier!)
In the large bowl of a standing mixer, stir together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Add eggs, buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla extract and beat until smooth (about 3 minutes). Remove bowl from mixer and stir in hot coffee with a rubber spatula. Batter will be very runny. I was unsure about the runniness of it but I could not of made a better first try.
Pour batter evenly between the two pans and bake on middle rack of oven for about 35 minutes, until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs attached.
Allow to cool 15 minutes in pans, then run a butter knife around the edges of each cake. Place a wire cooling rack over top of each pan. Wearing oven mitts, use both hands to hold the racks in place while flipping the cakes over onto the racks. Set the racks down and gently thump on the bottom of the pans until the cakes release. Cool completely before handling or frosting.

For the frosting I found this recipe below. It did not have an author so it shall remain anonymous.

Original recipe below! If you try any recipes I post it needs to be this one!

http://foodess.com/2011/03/moist-chocolate-cake/

Cloth Diapering 101

noreply@blogger.com (mostlymeatlessmama) — Mon, 20 Jan 2014 06:00:00 +0000

So I have been asked by a few moms how and why on earth do I do it? First off, you save SO MUCH MONEY!! So I found these charts with the help of google to show you how much *on average* you spend on disposable diapers. Not to mention that these cost only calculate per child, so double or triple prices depending on how many children you have or want to have.

Okay so this next chart is a little on the higher cost side. I can tell you from my own personal experience it is way cheaper than this to CD. I mostly use pockets now that my little dude's thighs are bigger. I buy diapers from eBay around 5-7 dollars a piece. NOT 20 and up. That's crazy talk to me! my personal stash of about 35 diapers at lets say $6 bucks a piece cost is a total of $210 dollars not only for one baby but for 10 babies if I felt like it! I'm not that crazy though, four maybe but don't tell my husband ;).

Wipes can be made from anything. Literally. My wipes consist of and organic cotton ones I ordered from etsy ($20 for 20 pieces), and cut up recieving blankets or tee shirts, but if you do the DIY route I would suggest sewing a basic edge because it will fray in the wash unless you use those jagged craft scissors. And to moisten the wipes I just use plain old water in the peri bottle the hospital gave me. Easy peasy right? you will also need a pail liner which is basically a fancy PUL bag that goes into any ordinary kitchen trashcan, if I could of done it differently I would of bought two. So when one is in the wash you still have something to put diapers in. they cost about 20 a pieceor 40 for two. If you want to use diapers for when you go out you will also need a wet bag those cost about $8-10 dollars a piece.

So my grand total to cloth diaper is about $260-300 versus $1,500-$4,000 depending on your brand of choice. That alone makes it so worth giving cloth a chance.

This is a breakdown of each type of cloth diaper.

How to Wash:

I have a normal washer and dryer, none of that fancy front loading stuff. I usually run through the wash twice. First with detergent that I make. you can find the recipe here: http://www.mostlymeatlessmama.blogspot.com/2014/01/homemade-detergent-little-elbow-grease.html

secondly with a hot wash cold rinse.

Additional Pro's to Cloth Diapering:

Money saving as shown above

Extra cushion for falls

Better for the enviornment

Less leaks and blowouts

No disposable diaper smell

Less likely to get diaper rash

potty train sooner because they can feel a wet sensation vs. disposables

no harsh chemicals on your baby's most delicate skin.

depending on how many additional washes a week you do water and energy cost only go up by a few dollars I do about 3 washes a week

Freaking Adorable! many different prints and colors to choose from.

Cons:

Can be bulky and you may need to buy a size up in clothes
bigger diaper bag
time to wash, stuff and organize
Inital cost vs. spread out cost of disposables
pockets, need to be line dried or put on a drying rack
may be hard for babysitters or grandparents at first
there is definitely a learning curve but once you get the hang of it it's easy.
You need a CD safe detergent

This my diaper bag that I use for short trips and quick errands, it is also my purse.

And this is the bag I use for when we will be out all day.

If you have any additional questions feel free to leave me a comment and I will get back to you ASAP.

http://www.mothering.com/community/a/cloth-diaper-cost-is-it-worth-it Chart 1 &2

http://fitnessista.com/2011/10/what-i-learned-about-cloth-diapers/ Chart 3

Mexican Beef Stew

noreply@blogger.com (mostlymeatlessmama) — Mon, 20 Jan 2014 02:57:00 +0000

So in the past few weeks aside from learning the ropes in mommyhood I have been trying some new recipes! My favorite so far has been my Mexican beef stew! I was shopping at Albertson's and happened upon some freshly roasted Hatch Chiles and I knew I had to make something with them, so here's my recipe for my readers.

Mexican Beef Stew:

Ingredients: (these are not set in stone! Don’t like something? Substitute something else! Very loose interpretation)

Beef for stew (about 1 lb.)

Red potatoes, quartered and then halved again

Baby carrots, cut in half

½ of a cabbage head, sliced thinly

Spinach, two large handfuls, chopped

1 red bell pepper, diced

4-5 cloves of garlic, chopped finely

½ lb. roasted hatch chiles

½ an onion, chopped

1 bunch of cilantro, chopped

1 can of chick peas, rinsed

1 can of diced stewed tomatoes

1 can of tomato paste

1 32oz vegetable broth

Direction:

· Melt 1-2 TBL spoons of butter in a pan and start browning beef, cook to medium and remove from heat. At the same time boil red potatoes and carrots until soft. Drain and set aside.

· In a crock pot, put everybody in the pool! Set on high and cook for about 4 hours or until cabbage is translucent.

· Season however you like! I sprinkled a thin layer of garlic and onion powder, salt and pepper.

If you can’t already tell I kind of winged this, I never write down recipes I try but this is definitely a keeper! Fed two people for three days, for lunch and dinner. AND we didn’t get tired of it! Also relatively cheap to make. Let me know how you made the recipe your own in the comments section!

Next week I hope to get back into up-cycling and crafting so check back to see what I made!

Until next time, MMM

Vegetarian soup fit for a carnivore!

noreply@blogger.com (mostlymeatlessmama) — Mon, 20 Jan 2014 02:50:00 +0000

NEW ORGANIC RECIPE!!! woot woot right?! and its delicious and vegetarian if you want it to be or add meat of you'd like. Like usual this recipe was winged by yours truly in desperation for something new and hot for this cold winter. My carnivore husband absolutely adored it and between the two of us finished the pot that night!! This recipe also freezes very well. My usual routine now after grocery shopping is to immediately chop and freeze the veggies for this recipe and make about 4-5 batches of this soup it makes life so much easier and what mom doesn't want easier?

Ingredients(organic if you like):

3 large carrots sliced into rounds
2-3 red potatoes cut into bite size
4-5 stalks of celery
one can of chickpeas rinsed and drained
4-5 large garlic cloves minced
1 onion quartered
cilantro if you like, chopped
one can of stewed tomatoes
2 veggie broth cans or chicken or beef really(Or 1 carton, it all equals 4 cups).
1 cup water
rice/noodles/pasta
season to taste

The cooking is pretty simple all the kids in the pool at once except for the pasta! Add your choice of pasta/noodles/rice when veggies are done continue cooking until done to desired tenderness and remove from heat and enjoy!! Don't forget the cheese and crackers on top!!

Can't sleep...

noreply@blogger.com (mostlymeatlessmama) — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 08:56:00 +0000

So tonight I made an awesome chocolate cake. Awesome. I got some laundry done. Equally awesome. Henry is going through a wonder week and teething so he's not in the best of moods. That's okay. I made my husband breakfast and lunch for tomorrow. I enjoy that too. But what I really want is to learn a new craft like knitting or crocheting. Make something with my hands again. I get an immense surge of pride when I make something with my hands and even more so if it's something I can give/sell to someone. I made an IG page for my hairbows and that was a bust. I guess I just need some me time that isn't a shower alone. Although some days it's the only me time I get. That's okay too because I'm a mother now and you make sacrifices as a mother for your children. Well, at least there should be some sacrifices. I'm starting to ramble but you get the point. I want to make again! I really don't care what it is either. Preferable something I can sell to bring even a little income into my home but that takes time. There's just so much I wand to do but I'm limited on time and resources. So I guess what I'm getting at is that I'm going to make a better effort to make something I'm proud of. Craft something useful and beautiful. Make time for me to just be me. Alexis. I am a mother and a wife and I cherish those titles, but I don't want to forget who I was and what made me happy.

If you've made it this far into my post thanks for listening. It is currently 2am and sleep evades me once more. So I guess that's all for tonight.

Oh and here's a picture of my awesome cake.

And my precious baby boy

Homemade detergent, a little elbow grease and a lot of money saved!

noreply@blogger.com (mostlymeatlessmama) — Thu, 09 Jan 2014 03:12:00 +0000

So I've been making my own detergent for 8 months. that being said I've only made two batches. Can you buy one bottle of detergent that last four months? I don't think so lady! So you will need:

Container for detergent, I bought a steralite container that has a latch locking lid
Borax, you can get this at Walmart or even at the Dollar General.
Arm & Hammer washing soda, I REPEAT WASHING SODA NOT BAKING SODA!
1 bar of laundry soap.(Fels Naptha, Zote, Dr.Bronner's)
Cheese grater( I have two in my home, one for cheese and one for soap)
Optional: Essential oils like lavender or vanilla if your prefer a scent to your laundry

So you want a well mixed and even mixture of the three ingredients.

Cute painted Laundry box, painting optional!

Shred the soap! I find that using the larger grate is easier, the soap tends to clump when I used the smaller shred. the pieces might seem big but the dry out and crumble into smaller pieces once well incorporated.

Once the soap is shredded, add one cup each of the washing soda and the borax, stir, add another cup of each, repeat once more. So that is a total of 3 cups washing soda and 3 cups borax.

Your final outcome should look something like this. And guess what? 2 tablespoons of this baby in your washer before you add the clothes and your clothes comes out just as clean as conventional detergent, without all those excessive harmful chemicals. Also if you do add the E.O just a few drops will do!

Spinach Lentil Soup

noreply@blogger.com (mostlymeatlessmama) — Thu, 09 Jan 2014 01:57:00 +0000

So twice this week, and as I type right now I have made an awesome "winger" soup. I literally threw some stuff in a pot and hoped it worked, and it did. so for the soup you will need:

Spinach (it shrinks a lot so 2 handfuls chopped, or if you're lazy like me freeze whole leaves ahead of time then crumble when frozen for easy no mess chopped spinach)
Lentils (1/2 cup rinsed and drained)
Rice(any kind, I used 1/2 cup of white)
Chicken broth (4 cups or one 32 oz container)
1 cup water
1 Medium Onion quartered
3-5 cloves of garlic minced
salt & peppa, minus the spinderella, (hi-five if you get that!)
Garlic powder
Onion Powder

Optional ingredients:

Sausage( 2 links I used andouille, taken out of the casing, rolled into balls and cooked in a separate pan)
shredded Colby jack cheese for garnish
chopped cilantro
1/3 can of cream of mushroom

First you are going to want to bring the broth, rice and lentils to a boil then set on medium heat because these take the longest to cook. Once they are almost done add the all of the other ingredients including the sausage balls you already cooked to the pot and season. Voila! Spinach Lentil Soup. See how easy that was and it's such an easy meal to throw together or freeze to cook for another day.

Cheesy Tuna Shells

noreply@blogger.com (mostlymeatlessmama) — Tue, 24 Dec 2013 04:16:00 +0000

The recipe I have today is one I sort of fudged together and got an amazing result. It's very simple to make and it screams, "yeah, I freakin made that and it is awesome!!" well, maybe not verbatim but something close to that.

You will need:
Shells, or whatever pasta you like
Cheese,2-3 cups, I chose shredded Colby Jack but whatever you want as long as it melts easily
3-4 Fresh garlic cloves, minced
milk
2 cans of tuna
frozen broccoli or whatever veggies you like
garlic powder
onion powder
pepper
salt

1) Start a pot of water boiling and add pasta. Simultaneously in a small pan lightly brown garlic.
2) When pasta is almost to desired tenderness add veggies.
3) Strain pasta and leave in strainer.
4) Return hot pot to stove and add milk, this depends on how saucy you want your pasta and how much you are making. I used enough to cover the bottom of the pot like 1/8 of and inch-ish. also add half of the cheese you want to use.
5) Return pasta, veggies, and add tuna. or if you fancy and don't like tuna you can swap for chicken. Add the other half of the cheese and garlic. stir all together.
6) Season how you like and voila! Done.

You can switch this up however you like, swap tuna for chicken or beef or no meat at all. ooh or maybe substitute mozzerella cheese and sundried tomatoes for an italiany pasta. If you do make it let me know how it turns out!!

Boiling....

If you've never worked with fresh garlic like I hadn't until this year here is a visual on the easiest way to peel it. crush it with the blade and it's a million times easier to peel.

Don't be impressed, I used my fancy slap chop to mince the garlic ;)

browning the garlic

Yummy broccoli jumps in the pool!

Milk and cheese before the pasta

added the pasta, tuna, veggies and more cheese and seasonings!

Stir and enjoy!! and top with more cheese!