• White or brown sugar? Sub in sucanat, or honey or an acceptable sugar free sweetener. Get help subbing in my post on Substituting Sweeteners in Baking and Cooking
• Chocolate Chips? Sub in my Homemade Chocolate / Carob Chips (new & improved version coming soon!)
• Others? Don’t think you’ll find many, but ask away if need be. (There was an entry in a previous AFW of a cake that looked incredible, but used PB cups – I have a great healthy sub for that – Healthy “Almost Reese’s!“)

Welcome to Allergy-Free Wednesdays (AFW)–a weekly blog hop where folks can share their allergy-free cuisine, gain knowledge about allergy-related topics/issues, and connect with others living or caring for someone with food allergies. Your weekly submissions are shared on 7 blogs! Additionally, each hostess will feature a favorite recipe(s) from the week before. Your hostesses are:

• Tessa @ Tessa the Domestic Diva
• Laura @ Gluten Free Pantry
• Nancy @ Real Food Allergy Free
• Amber @ The Tasty Alternative
• Michelle @ The Willing Cook,
• Janelle @ Gluten Freely Frugal
• and–Me .

Wondering What You Can Link Up on Allergy Free Wednesday? Anything that is fitting for an allergy free diet in some way (we’re not that strict). For the complete rules, click here. Here goes – starting off with my favorites–and you should check out the other hostesses’ posts to see if you were featured there!

My Favorites from Last Week (with substitution ideas)~

Dairy-Free Paleo Chicken Tikka Masala from Tessa the Domestic Diva

I spotted this this past week and bookmarked it! LOVE the flavor blends here.  I would use my Easiest Coconut Milk and DIY Liquid Stevia Drops.  I am betting that Moroccan Vinaigrette and Chat Masala spice blend would taste great on this!

Baked Coconut Crusted French Toasts (V) from Vegan Richa

YUMMMM!  Use your favorite GF bread if you are on a GF diet.  And my Easiest Coconut Milk.  I would use a candida-diet friendly sweetener as well.  My son is deathly allergic to egg white so I would LOVE to make French Toast for him!

Chocolate Sweet Potato Frosting (DF) from Sandi’s Allergy-Free Recipes

Love this idea.  My friend, Ricki, at Diet Dessert N Dogs, has a recipe just like this that I featured on Facebook awhile back.

I would use a candida-diet friendly sweetener for this.

and Readers’ Favorite

Personal Pan Cauliflower Pizza Crust (DF) from Oatmeal with a Fork

I’ve had my eye on cauliflower pizza crusts for awhile now.  I am hoping I can make this with my Powdered Egg Replacer or a chia or flax egg so my son can have this.  It looks great, doesn’t it?

I can’t wait to see what you all have this week!

Personal Cauliflower Pizza Crust, Chocolate Sweet Potato Frosting, Baked Vegan French Toast, DF Chicken Tikka and More is a post from: Whole New Mom

Save 10% on amazingly delicious almonds with NO ENGINE FUEL ON THEM! Use Code WNM at Just Almonds.

Thanks for subscribing! As a thank you to my special readers, here is a copy of Free Soaked Whole Grains Cookbook.

I think you'll really enjoy the cookbook. My Baked Doughnuts are in there - -my kids repeatedly ask me to make them (and my husband does too!).

For another great soaked grain recipe, you may wish to try Baked Oatmeal / Oatmeal Cake (2 ways, with a surprise) Enjoy!

Today’s post is from Tiffany at Don’t Waste the Crumbs. Tiffany’s become a fast friend ever since I featured her post of Mole Removal with Apple Cider Vinegar on Allergy-Free Wednesday awhile ago. She’s interested in “getting the bottom” of health topics, plus she works hard to give her family the healthiest options possible on a budget.  Now you can see why I like her .

I love her topic today–How to Regrow Food in Water. If you’ve been following my posts and Facebook page, you know I’ve been struggling to expand our garden. This looks like a great way to easily grow organic produce, and a great project to get the kiddos involved with. Without further ado–here’s Tiffany.

The only plant I can keep alive is the Lucky Bamboo.

I’m sure you guys remember that bamboo plant that was really popular about ten years ago? (From Adrienne-I don’t remember that? Did I miss something big?) The bamboo that’s often sold at kiosks at the mall? The one that doesn’t even need dirt or sunlight, just rocks and water?

Yep, that’s the one. A decade ago, I fed three beautiful bamboo shoots headache-inducing fluorescent light from my office desk 24 hours a day and offered it fluoridated tap water to drink. And it thrived. A perfect fit for my black thumb.

My friends and family have beautiful gardens, and I admittedly am jealous. I would LOVE to spend a sunny afternoon watering my plants, showing the kids how to pick zucchini, and pulling up home-grown potatoes for dinner. Instead I’m having to add organic zucchini and potatoes to the shopping list, since both summer squash and potatoes are listed on this year’s dirty dozen.

I know that having a well-producing garden takes hard work and a lot of effort, and I’m completely willing to go through a few seasons of a poor crop yield in order to turn my black thumb green, but it’s just not in the cards right now.

Our small yard is suitable, but it gets very little sun. The one area we do get sun is the same spot where the neighboring feral cats prefer to do their business. And cat poop is a big no-no in gardens.

I have a plan to deter the cats using pine cones and perhaps a lavender plant near their entry point (with reminders on my calendar to water it). If these work, I’ll give my two (black) thumbs up to a raised bed garden in the small area of sunshine. Of course it’ll be lined with chicken wire–just in case.

But until then, I’m growing lettuce in my oatmeal bowls.

It sounds strange, I know, but it couldn’t be a more ideal situation. In fact, it reminds me of my Lucky Bamboo days.

No dirt required, just a little bit of sunlight.

Have a black thumb? No room for a garden? Got bowls? Then there’s hope for you too!

How to Regrow Lettuce in Water 

1. When preparing lettuce for salads, chop off the bottom 3 inches or so and keep it intact.

Fit anywhere from 1 to 4 bottoms into a shallow bowl and fill the bowl with 2-3 inches of filtered water – enough to cover the roots but not the top of the plant.

Set the bowl in an area that gets sunlight. Countertops and window sills would be excellent choices.

2. Add and/or change the water as necessary (likely every couple days) and within 2 weeks you should start to see new growth from the inner portion of the lettuce bottom.

Continue to water and the plants will continue to grow.

3. When or if the bottoms outgrow the bowl, transfer the plant(s) to a larger vessel. Within 4-6 weeks, you will have successfully grown another half-head of lettuce!

Note that I said half-head of lettuce.

Since only the inner leaves will produce again, this technique will only yield about a half-head worth of lettuce leaves.

The regrowing process also only works one time. I’ve heard of some trying for round two, but the results haven’t been consistent. (But then again, if it’s only costing water, it couldn’t hurt to try, right?)

Regrowing lettuce works best with romaine, but some of the “fancier” varieties like green leaf, red leaf and butter lettuce will produce too, just at a much slower rate.

Guess what? This same regrowing technique can be used with lots of other produce you’re likely spending your hard-earned grocery dollars on too!

Other Plants That Grow in Water

• Green onions can be grown in small, skinny glasses (think shot glass) and will produce a full-sized green onion as the original. This also works for red onions, pearl onions, white onions, scallions, leeks and fennel. Just make sure your container is wide enough to fit the root.
• Thai foodies will be happy to hear that lemon grass re-grows just like green onions, although it takes a bit longer to see progress in growth.
• Celery can be re-grown in a shallow, small-diameter dish (think mini-pie tin or small custard cups). The outer stalks will eventually turn a darker color while new stalks grow from the center.
• Even bok choy and cabbage (both red and green) can be re-grown similarly too.

There are a few more foods that can be regrown from scraps, but I’ve left those out because they require dirt. And I don’t have dirt, remember?

Why Regrow Food?

It sounds silly almost, to let what we would ordinarily throw away sit on our counter tops for a month and a half, just so that we end up with half the amount of food we originally started with. But there are some valid and good reasons to at least make the attempt.

1. Re-growing food doesn’t cost anything. There’s no dirt, no special equipment and if you really want to pinch pennies, use the cold water than runs from the shower while you’re waiting for it to get hot (Note from Adrienne–Unless you have a fancy whole house filter, tap water is for sure not desired. See Is Your Water Safe?). It would then literally cost you nothing.

2. Re-growing food actually saves money. Even though the process takes some time and may not yield an enormous crop, it’s still food to eat that you won’t have to buy. Small changes like these can add up to a greater savings in the long run. (And with my meager grocery budget, I’ll take all the help I can get!)

3. If you start with organic, you’ll grow organic. The list of most contaminated foods gets scarier each year, and three of the vegetables listed above rank high on the Environmental Working Group’s list of produce with the most pesticides (celery ranks #2, lettuce is #14 and green onions are #29).

4. Even the blackest of thumbs can regrow food. Like the Lucky Bamboo, minimal effort is required. Just add water, change it, and let it sit where there’s sun. Could it be any easier?

One final note from Adrienne.  If you’re going to be growing all of this lettuce and other greens, you are going to need some dressing to go along with it.  

Homemade Dressings That We Love:

- Moroccan Vinaigrette
- Our “Favorite” Dressing – Five Ways
- Five Ingredient Dressing 

Enjoy!

Tiffany is a frugal real foodie who is trying to master real foods and incorporate them into her kitchen without breaking the bank. She documents her baby-sized strides at Don’t Waste the Crumbs.

What color is your thumb? Have you tried regrowing your own food?

Were you successful? Leave your thoughts in the comments!

Organic Produce Even the Blackest Thumb Can Grow is a post from: Whole New Mom

Save 10% on amazingly delicious almonds with NO ENGINE FUEL ON THEM! Use Code WNM at Just Almonds.

Thanks for subscribing! As a thank you to my special readers, here is a copy of Free Soaked Whole Grains Cookbook.

I think you'll really enjoy the cookbook. My Baked Doughnuts are in there - -my kids repeatedly ask me to make them (and my husband does too!).

For another great soaked grain recipe, you may wish to try Baked Oatmeal / Oatmeal Cake (2 ways, with a surprise) Enjoy!

Sorry you haven’t heard from me much this week. We’ve been totally overwhelmed with gardening stuff.

We’ve really been up–down–and all around with our garden plans and finally settled on some vinyl raised beds that we’ve been arranging for and putting in all week.

And it’s still going on today.

I think I am going to have to write more about gardening once I feel that I have really learned something.  :).  I’m going to call the series something like “A Real Urban Garden (since that’s my last name and all. Pretty clever, eh?)

Honestly, with a last name like Urban I get a kick out of being “famous” all over the place.

You know–Urban Outfitters, The Urban Grind (a coffee shop near our home), etc.

I was going to skip a deals post today, but there are sooo many great free and discounted books that I thought I should crank this out for you all.

Enjoy and I will see you next week with some hopefully very interesting posts.

Discounted and Free Ebooks

As always, please remember to check the prices of these books before “purchasing.”  The prices can change super-fast and so I don’t want you to pay if you don’t mean to.  They were all the quoted prices at the time of posting.

Also, to save you even more money, there is no need to own a Kindle or other reading device.  Just download Kindle for PC or Mac at Amazon and read on your computer – Yippee.  Saving money gets me all kind of excited.  Some times ridiculously so.  I’m funny that way.

Enjoy the reading!

(Oh, since the government now requires that I make it super clear that some links are affiliate links, sorry, but I need to interrupt my train of thought by telling you that many or all of the links in this post are affiliate links.  If you click on them and make a purchase, I might receive a commission.  Thanks in advance for your support of my blog .

Jane Austen Collection: 18 Works, Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Love and Friendship, Emma, Persuasion, & More

Just 99 cents!

We love Jane Austen.  My husband is an English professor (a really good one, if I must say so myself–if you have any English questions, feel free to ask.  And he also has an MDiv so if you have any Bible questions he’s pretty good with those as well. The health questions are for me though .)  Anyway, he is teaching some of these works this year so we all watched Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice as a family.

One night as we were getting the kiddos ready for bed, one of my sons made a comment about S&S and said, “Yes, like when we were watching Sense and Sustainability.”

We all chuckled and I realized that I guess that’s what happens when your mom is a whole foodie blogger.  :).

So I responded by saying, “Well, maybe next time we can watch Pride and Probiotics.”

I love funny moments like that with my family.

Anyway, those two books are so interesting.  If you are into reading alone or with your family, what an inexpensive way to get these books into your home .

The Bronte Sisters – The Complete Novels (Annotated) + Extras

Also Just 99 cents!

Another great addition to your quality literature collection–ebook style.  You know, Charlotte and Emily Bronte–they wrote Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights and more.

Simplify Your Homeschool Day: Shorten Your Day, Sweeten Your Time

Even if you’re not a homeschooler, some of these tips are very handy for helping your kiddos with schoolwork and even chores.  I for sure need sweetened time .

You Can Afford Grass-Fed Beef!

The ultimate guide to saving money by eating high-quality, local meat

Definitely get this book!  I love the quote, “Run your pantry like a wholesaler.”

That’s what I do as much as possible.  See Frugal Pantry Storage Tips, and old post I wrote that tells you basically how I run our kitchen.

The Farmer’s Market Seasonal Cookbook:

Cooking Fresh Food Fast While Eating Local and Staying Green

I love this book.  Tantalizing fresh recipes that make you want to grow a garden or head to your local farmer’s market .

JeBouffe Home Canning Step by Step Guide

I am still chicken to can chicken…or anything else you might can.  If you’re like me and still aren’t comfy canning, download this book .

Paleo Recipes For Busy People – The 30 Day Paleo Diet Challenge

I’m kind of “on the fence” about the paleo diet, but I do think reducing grains and such can help with many health issues.  Good recipes to check out.

Chia Seeds: The Ultimate Collection – Over 50 Healthy & Delicious Recipes

Some very interesting ways to get chia into your diet.  I don’t approve of all of the ingredients but most of the book is AOK.

25 Festive Smoothies, Shakes and More

Slow Cooker Chicken – The Slow Cooker Aficionado Chicken Recipe Cookbook

There are a few straggling “cans of this” and “packets of that” strewn throughout this book, but overall it’s a very whole-foodie-friendly book.  A great tool for the cook who wants to plan ahead and be done with dinner early in the day.

Growing Culinary Herbs

Fabulous book, from what I can tell. I am hoping to grow cilantro and maybe parsley this year.

Create Your Dream Garden (52 Brilliant Ideas)

Loads of great tips, regardless of what kind of garden you are trying to get (fruits, vegetables, or just decorative).  Another great download .

How to Plant a Fruit Tree:

How You Can Enjoy Your Own Fresh Fruit Before You Know It

I don’t think we’ll be planting a fruit tree anytime soon (maybe a berry bush next year) but this book is what you want to read if you are considering it.

Deals from My Sponsors

Just Almonds is one of my chosen almond suppliers. In fact, theirs are the only almonds I have in my home right now. Their almonds make the sweetest Homemade Almond Butter, and they carry almond flour as well.  Get 10% off with code WNM here.

Peepods carries beautiful cloth pads for menstrual cycles, breastfeeding, and incontinence.  I love their product and I love their mission.   Every purchase of a set of pads goes to support women in Belize and Ethiopia.  Get 10% off with code wholenewmom.

Sorry, I have an uber-busy day so the books are all the deals that I have today.  

Hope you understand .  See you next week.

Free and Discounted Ebooks and Healthy Living Deals – 6/15/13 is a post from: Whole New Mom

Save 10% on amazingly delicious almonds with NO ENGINE FUEL ON THEM! Use Code WNM at Just Almonds.

Thanks for subscribing! As a thank you to my special readers, here is a copy of Free Soaked Whole Grains Cookbook.

I think you'll really enjoy the cookbook. My Baked Doughnuts are in there - -my kids repeatedly ask me to make them (and my husband does too!).

For another great soaked grain recipe, you may wish to try Baked Oatmeal / Oatmeal Cake (2 ways, with a surprise) Enjoy!

• White or brown sugar? Sub in sucanat, or honey or an acceptable sugar free sweetener. Get help subbing in my post on Substituting Sweeteners in Baking and Cooking
• Chocolate Chips? Sub in my Homemade Chocolate / Carob Chips (new & improved version coming soon!)
• Others? Don’t think you’ll find many, but ask away if need be. (There was an entry in a previous AFW of a cake that looked incredible, but used PB cups – I have a great healthy sub for that – Healthy “Almost Reese’s!“)

Welcome to Allergy-Free Wednesdays (AFW)–a weekly blog hop where folks can share their allergy-free cuisine, gain knowledge about allergy-related topics/issues, and connect with others living or caring for someone with food allergies. Your weekly submissions are shared on 7 blogs! Additionally, each hostess will feature a favorite recipe(s) from the week before. Your hostesses are:

• Tessa @ Tessa the Domestic Diva
• Laura @ Gluten Free Pantry
• Nancy @ Real Food Allergy Free
• Amber @ The Tasty Alternative
• Michelle @ The Willing Cook,
• Janelle @ Gluten Freely Frugal
• and–Me .

Wondering What You Can Link Up on Allergy Free Wednesday? Anything that is fitting for an allergy free diet in some way (we’re not that strict). For the complete rules, click here. Here goes – starting off with my favorites–and you should check out the other hostesses’ posts to see if you were featured there!

My Favorites from Last Week (with substitution ideas)~

Spicy Sunbutter Noodles from Oatmeal with a Fork
So so sad that we haven’t been successful at growing zucchini here yet.  Yes, I know. I told you I have a brown thumb.

Well, one year it was a worm that got ‘em. I will for sure be trying this.  I LOVE thai flavored food. Use Homemade Nut or Seed Butter and Homemade Liquid Stevia Drops for this.

Fresh Strawberry Pie in a Chocolate Cookie Crust (GF & V) from Tessa the Domestic Diva
My son was about to eat this off of the computer screen!  I would use my Homemade Chocolate / Carob Chips and of course, would make Homemade Cookies for the crust.

Vanilla Cream Parfaits with Gingersnap Granola (DF, GF, & SF) from Gabriela’s Health Coaching

I would try this with an extra thick version of my Easiest Coconut Milk, but I am not sure if it would work or not. These parfaits look wonderful!  Or just make the granola by itself.

and Readers’ Favorite

Cocoanutty Good Bars from My Sister’s Pantry
I typically only use oats if I can soak them first.  In this case, if I was feeling like a real purist, I would soak and dry the oats first. I would also use my Homemade Chocolate / Carob Chips and a candida-diet-friendly sweetener.  Yum!

I can’t wait to see what you all have this week!

Cocoanutty Good Bars, Spicy Sunbutter Noodles, Chocolate Strawberry Pie, Vanilla Cream Parfaits, and More is a post from: Whole New Mom

Save 10% on amazingly delicious almonds with NO ENGINE FUEL ON THEM! Use Code WNM at Just Almonds.

Thanks for subscribing! As a thank you to my special readers, here is a copy of Free Soaked Whole Grains Cookbook.

I think you'll really enjoy the cookbook. My Baked Doughnuts are in there - -my kids repeatedly ask me to make them (and my husband does too!).

For another great soaked grain recipe, you may wish to try Baked Oatmeal / Oatmeal Cake (2 ways, with a surprise) Enjoy!

Today, courtesy of Megan from Allergy-Free Alaska, I have a real treat for you all. I have long enjoyed Megan’s posts and simply delectable recipes. Like me, Megan has been altering her diet in order to improve her health, since she suffers from psoriatic arthritis, spondylitis, and secondary Raynaud’s phenomenon. Despite her limitations, Megan homeschools and makes fabulous allergy-free recipes to share with her readers.  Without further ado, here’s Megan.

Thank you, Adrienne, for inviting me to share one of my recipes with your readers! I’m honored to “be here!”

Although I’ve been gluten and refined sugar free now for several years (among other things), becoming completely sugar free is somewhat of a new adventure for me.

Based on some recent blood test results, my naturopathic physician, Dr. Amy Chadwick of Soaring Crane Clinic in Palmer, Alaska, discovered my cells aren’t processing sugar correctly. Instead of turning the sugar into energy, my cells turn it into either fat or protein.

I was surprised by the news, but after being completely sugar free for 3 weeks now I’ve lost nearly 5 pounds, which I find absolutely incredible! Especially since over the last several month I’ve been trying to lose a few pounds and haven’t had any success.

My weight just wouldn’t budge. I’ve also noticed an increase of energy, and my endless black hole of an appetite has subsided. I can control my hunger now and it is much easier for me to recognize when I’m full.

There were lots of other fascinating things I found out from that one blood test (the Biology of Functions test), and I’m hoping within the next few weeks my doctor will be able to write a guest post for me on Allergy Free Alaska explaining it all (with my full permission to disclose my medical information).

But onto the main point of this post, the cobbler:

I’m an absolute sucker for desserts, or sweets of any kind really.

Some of my favorite refined sugar free recipes are my Guilt-Free Pecan Pie Cookies (Paleo & vegan), Orange Creamsicle Popsicles (Paleo & GAPS friendly), Sugar Free Chocolate Macaroons (grain free), and one of my absolute favorites – Liquid Gold a.k.a. Dairy Free Caramel Sauce (Paleo & vegan).

The caramel sauce will turn any dessert into an incredible one, but it’s also amazing in coffee (you can thank me later)! (From Adrienne-I am going to try this in my Rich and Nutritious Coffee Substitute !)

This Sugar Free Triple Berry Cobbler is a family favorite, making it the perfect dessert to bring along on a picnic, to make ahead of time for a camping trip, or to enjoy just because. Whatever your reasoning, I’m sure you will love it!

Back to Adrienne here:  I think this cobbler would also taste great with this Whipped Coconut Pudding, on top, or there is a great Dairy-Free Whipped Cream recipe in this cookbook, and I am working on another version to share with you all soon.

From my Alaskan kitchen to yours – I hope you all enjoy this recipe as much as we do (and thanks again, Adrienne)!

All my love,

Megan

Back to Adrienne again. I encourage all of you to check out Megan’s blog, Allergy-Free Alaska.  She really does a beautiful job with her recipes and I look forward to seeing how this new sugar-free lifestyle might be an added blessing to her health.

What topping would you put on your cobbler? I’m thinking it would be perfect for July 4th!

 Shared at Diet, Dessert, and Dogs, Frugally Sustainable, The Shabby Creek Cottage, GNOWFGLINS, The Nourishing Gourmet, and Raising Homemakers.

Triple Berry Cobbler – sugar and gluten-free, with egg and grain-free options is a post from: Whole New Mom

Save 10% on amazingly delicious almonds with NO ENGINE FUEL ON THEM! Use Code WNM at Just Almonds.

Thanks for subscribing! As a thank you to my special readers, here is a copy of Free Soaked Whole Grains Cookbook.

I think you'll really enjoy the cookbook. My Baked Doughnuts are in there - -my kids repeatedly ask me to make them (and my husband does too!).

For another great soaked grain recipe, you may wish to try Baked Oatmeal / Oatmeal Cake (2 ways, with a surprise) Enjoy!

We’re trying to get a handle on our “not doing so great” garden.

Our greens are doing fabulously–they always do.  Kale, Chard ,and Bok Choy are thriving, but our tomatoes–not so much.

I had soooo hoped we’d have an abundance this year, but alas, it appears not to be so.

But we aren’t giving up yet. Getting a few more plants tomorrow and hoping to put some peppers in the ground and we’ll see how it goes.

I really want our family to be able to grow more of our own food but for beginners with brownish thumbs, it’s tough going.

Ah well–

I hope these weekly ebooks and deals are an encouragement to you.  The Organic Gardening is for sure one I am going to be reading:).

Many of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you click on them, I may make a commission. Thanks for your support of my blog. Please read my disclaimer here.

Amazon Books

As always, remember that these books are free as of the time of this posting, but the prices can change at any time.

Also, you do not need a Kindle or other fancy device to read these books.  Just download Kindle for PC or Mac at Amazon and read on your computer.

Organic Gardening Beginner’s Manual

Loads of great tips for getting your garden going.  I need to read and re-read this one .

Superfoods Guide Eat Clean,Eating Healthy & Simply…Naturally

How and why to get these foods into your diet.

Kale Recipes: From Breakfast to Desserts

This was a MUST download for me, seeing as my son just walked in the door with our first bundle of greens.  I was a little confused about the kale dessert recipe – it doesn’t look like a dessert (?) but they look wonderful and boy will I need these .

Food Preservation (Meat, Eggs and Dairy)

Canning, smoking, and more. I get a little worried about preserving animal proteins, but I hope to work on it. Especially jerky!

Almond Flour Recipes: Delicious Low-Carb, Gluten-free treats made Simple!

If you are grain-free, or thinking about removing some grains out of your diet, this is a good place to start. Most of the recipes call for eggs, but not all.

35 Healthy Coconut Oil Recipes

We love coconut oil. The recipes here look great. Make sure you check out the fabulous coconut oil sale at Tropical Traditions below.

Gluten-Free Slow Cooker: Easy Recipes for a Gluten-Free Diet

99 cents

I didn’t buy this one, but the reviews were quite good. If you need to break out your slow cooker more, this is a bargain-basement price for a decent cookbook.

I Have Cancer. And I’ve Never Felt Better!

Fascinating chronicles of a woman who is dealing with cancer.

The Tomato Cookbook: Tomato Recipes From Soup to Grilled

Great tips for cooking and storing tomatoes, along with tempting recipes, including the famous Fried Green Tomatoes.

Oh, how painful it is to read this book while seeing my languishing tomato garden. We’re going to try to transplant more tomorrow. Here’s hoping for better success.

20% Off Our Favorite Probiotics

If you missed my series on Why I Don’t Have Fermented Foods on My Blog and The “Straight Poop” about Probiotics, take a quick look at them. I feel like mine and my family’s health is moving to a new level after this whole experiment with these fermented food probiotics.

There was sooo much good information in the teleseminar, you should really go and sign up for the call and listen while doing dishes, or prepping dinner.  It’s great.

And if you would like a great discount (20%) on the probiotics that my family is thrilled with, you will get your coupon code via email after registering for the call.  Your code is good for the rest of today.

Tropical Traditions

Tropical Traditions still has their great sale going on their high quality Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil.

Buy 2 gallons for only $99!  Until midnight, June 9, 2013.

According to all I have learned, this oil has the highest quality of antioxidants and other nutritional benefits of all the coconut oils on the market.

I put a little coconut oil in my  Rich and Delicious Coffee Substitute in the morning and we tons of my recipes use coconut oil. Like these No-Bake Coconut Delights.  They are sooo quick and taste great and have lots of coconutty goodness in them. I’m working on a new version to share with you soon!

Tropical Traditions has a few other items on sale (click on the sale link in the upper right corner), but this coconut oil deal is the best deal, in my opinion.

New customers to Tropical Traditions get a free informational book about coconut oil which also includes great recipes, and I get a referral bonus for connecting you with them  . Thanks!

(By the way, I also have coconut oil for sale in my Natural Store.  It might be a bit cheaper, especially if you are local  . There are lots of other great things there as well. Thanks for your support of my blog!)

Deals from My Sponsors

Just Almonds has some of the best almonds I have ever had. They make the sweetest Homemade Almond Butter.  Get 10% off with code WNM here.

Peepods carries beautiful cloth pads for menstrual cycles, breastfeeding, and incontinence, and every purchase of a set of pads goes to support women in Belize and Ethiopia.  Get 10% off with code wholenewmom.

 Hope you have a great weekend! See you next week!

Free and Discounted Ebooks, Coconut Oil Sale, and More Healthy Living Deals – 6/8/13 is a post from: Whole New Mom

Save 10% on amazingly delicious almonds with NO ENGINE FUEL ON THEM! Use Code WNM at Just Almonds.

Thanks for subscribing! As a thank you to my special readers, here is a copy of Free Soaked Whole Grains Cookbook.

I think you'll really enjoy the cookbook. My Baked Doughnuts are in there - -my kids repeatedly ask me to make them (and my husband does too!).

For another great soaked grain recipe, you may wish to try Baked Oatmeal / Oatmeal Cake (2 ways, with a surprise) Enjoy!

Stevia is quite the “sweetener in the news” these days.

It used to be something most hadn’t heard about, but now it’s showing up all over the place–in bottled drinks, in the sweetener section of your grocery store, and on blogs (such as mine .)

But what is stevia, what are the different forms it’s available in, and how can you use it?

I get loads of questions about stevia from readers.  Mostly it’s about how to use it, how to measure it, etc. So–in the hopes of having a helpful “go to” resource for all of you, here is more about this amazingly sweet plant and how you can use it.

What is Stevia?

Stevia Rebaudiana is a plant in the stevia group of plants that grows wild in Paraguay and Brazil. The glucosides in the leaves are the extremely sweet part of the plant.

Stevia:

- is super sweet (the leaves are about 10-15 times as sweet as sugar while the extract is about 300 times as sweet as sugar)

- has no calories,

- doesn’t feed candida (read What is Candida-The Beginning of My Sugar-Free Life),

- has a glycemic index of zero (meaning it doesn’t affect blood sugar levels), making it a sweetener of choice for those who suffer from candida, or who have sugar metabolism issues, like diabetes.

Mercola even thinks it’s a great sweetener, and if you are familiar with him, you know how picky he can be about things.  (Source)

There are some who have questions about stevia’s safety.  I have done quite a bit of research into this and I feel very comfortable using it. More of that in a future post. For now, let’s focus on what the various forms of stevia are and how you can use them.

NOTE: Product links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase after clicking on them I might make a commission.  I so appreciate your support of my blog.

Different Forms of Stevia

The plant – plain and simple

The stevia leaves can be dried, crushed, and used as a sweetener. They are sweeter than sugar, but the “licorice-y” aftertaste is stronger than that of the pure white powder extract.  You can also buy stevia in this powdered form.

I have never used this form. I hope to grow stevia myself soon and get more experience with this and also make stevia extract with it!

Green Stevia Drops

This is a liquid form of stevia, but it is not refined.  Approximately 1 Tablespoon of this is the equivalent of 1 cup of sugar.  It has a stronger aftertaste than the refined powder with a more “licorice-y” taste.

I personally haven’t used this form either but hope to try it soon.

Stevia Blends

These typically come in convenient packets that make it easy to take with you and add to your favorite beverages while on the run. They also come in baking blends so you can easily use them 1:1 for baking.

I never buy these, for several reasons.

a.  Most of them have fillers that are not what I want in my body (natural flavors, etc.).

b.  They are a expensive compared to using the pure extract powder.

Remember, I am cheap – er – frugal.  I would rather carry around my little container of stevia extract powder in my purse with a little stainless steel scoop and use that.  See below for scoop info.

c.  The packets are just more garbage to add to landfills.  As much as we can, we try to be a “no throw away” family. If everyone does their part we can clean up this world little by little.

Liquid Stevia Drops

These drops have become really popular over the past several years. They come in many varieties–both plain and flavored.

You can get mint, lemon, orange, chocolate, and even fancy flavors such as English Toffee, Root Beer, Hazelnut and Vanilla Cream!  We love these drops and get them occasionally.  My kids love having a treat of flavored water.  The root beer and chocolate drops are their current favorites.

If you are trying to get your family off of soft drinks, these drops are a great thing to bring into your household. You could buy sparkling water and add these to it.  And if you’re advanced in your fermentation skills, you could add these to your “fizzed” water kefirs or kombuchas.

I have a recipe for Homemade Liquid Stevia Drops that is a super frugal way to make your own stevia drops for use in recipes, beverages, or hot cereals.

Pure Stevia Extract Powder

This is the form of stevia that I most often use.

It is a super sweet powdery substance that comes in containers from 1 oz up to 1 lb.  I currently buy the 1 lb size to save money (I buy almost everything in bulk). Stevia’s shelf-life is long and that container lasts us about 1 year or more.  And we use stevia a lot.

I use NuNaturals because I like the taste of it the best (some of the stevia powders out there have a stronger aftertaste), plus it is extracted without chemicals.  There are a few other companies out there that extract with just water like NuNaturals, but this one is my choice for taste, strength, and purity.  Other brands I have tried are not as strong so you end up using more which costs more in the long run.

How to Use Stevia

There are tons of recipes using stevia on the internet (and on my blog .)

You can use stevia to sweeten drinks (like my Sugar-Free Lemonade), or my Rich and Nutritious Coffee Substitute.

Or, you can mix some into warm cereals, or put on top of cold cereals (we don’t eat these much at all, but I do like Erewhon for a healthy option.)  One of our favorites in this Cream of Brown Rice.

Baking with stevia is a little tricky.  Here are some tips that I think will help.

Mix It Up

I find that it’s better to use a mixture of alternative sweeteners to get a smoother “more like sugar” taste.  Plus, stevia on its own has no bulking agents so you will have to add something to your recipe to get it to work something like the original if you are only using stevia.

What I typically do is cut the sweetener in a recipe in half and use one half of a no glycemic index, candida-diet-friendly sweetener (like xylitol in my case.  You of course, can use a sweetener that is appropriate for your health needs) and then use stevia powdered extract for the other half.   See the next section for measuring stevia.

Measuring Stevia

Since the stevia extract powder is about 300 times as sweet as sugar, a little goes a looooong way.  That’s why a 1 lb container lasts a long time.

But it can be pretty tricky measuring something so strong.

When I bought my first container of stevia extract, it came with a teeny plastic scoop in the container and it served its purpose well for a long time. However, it eventually broke and I found that few stevia extracts come with such a scoop. I ended up finding the same scoops at soap making companies, but they broke quickly so I had to find a better alternative.

These mini stainless measuring scoops fit the bill perfectly. I only needed one of the scoops, but they are pretty reasonable so I was willing to buy the set.

The 2nd smallest scoop is 1/32 of a teaspoon (the standard “stevia scoop” size) and it fits nicely in my small stevia container.

I purchased one of the smaller stevia containers (about a 3 oz size) and then refill it with stevia from the 1 pound size. Alternatively, you can of course find some other small container to hold your stevia.  This is the first brand of stevia I bought and it happened to be the right size for everyday use.  (If you choose to buy it, I hope the container is still the same size as it was years ago:).)

Converting for Stevia Use in Recipes

Typically I assume 1 scoop of stevia equals 2 Tablespoons of sugar. But that will depend on the type of stevia you use. I have found that the strengths really vary from brand to brand.

Same goes for the liquid drops.  I’ve found it hard to find a “one size fits all” chart to depend on so I recommend you use stevia “to taste” in your recipes and then keep track of what you like. I use NuNaturals all the time in my recipes so if you are using recipes from my blog, you will know that that brand will work. Perhaps I can figure something out to share in the future, but for now this is how I am using stevia in recipes that don’t call for it.

So–what do you think?

I hope that helps you figure out how to use this super sweet, all natural alternative sweetener and that it makes it easier for you to use it in your family should you need and/or choose to do so.

Do you use stevia? If so, what kind?

Shared at The Prairie Homestead, The Better Mom, Real Food Forager, Sugar Bee Crafts, Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free, Chef in Training, Raising Homemakers, We Are that Family, Frugally Sustainable, The Shabby Creek Cottage, GNOWFGLINS, The Nourishing Gourmet, and Skip to My Lou.

Stevia – What it Is and How to Use It is a post from: Whole New Mom

Save 10% on amazingly delicious almonds with NO ENGINE FUEL ON THEM! Use Code WNM at Just Almonds.

Thanks for subscribing! As a thank you to my special readers, here is a copy of Free Soaked Whole Grains Cookbook.

I think you'll really enjoy the cookbook. My Baked Doughnuts are in there - -my kids repeatedly ask me to make them (and my husband does too!).

For another great soaked grain recipe, you may wish to try Baked Oatmeal / Oatmeal Cake (2 ways, with a surprise) Enjoy!

• White or brown sugar? Sub in sucanat, or honey or an acceptable sugar free sweetener. Get help subbing in my post on Substituting Sweeteners in Baking and Cooking
• Chocolate Chips? Sub in my Homemade Chocolate / Carob Chips (new & improved version coming soon!)
• Others? Don’t think you’ll find many, but ask away if need be. (There was an entry in a previous AFW of a cake that looked incredible, but used PB cups – I have a great healthy sub for that – Healthy “Almost Reese’s!“)

Welcome to Allergy-Free Wednesdays (AFW)–a weekly blog hop where folks can share their allergy-free cuisine, gain knowledge about allergy-related topics/issues, and connect with others living or caring for someone with food allergies. Your weekly submissions are shared on 7 blogs! Additionally, each hostess will feature a favorite recipe(s) from the week before. Your hostesses are:

• Tessa @ Tessa the Domestic Diva
• Laura @ Gluten Free Pantry
• Nancy @ Real Food Allergy Free
• Amber @ The Tasty Alternative
• Michelle @ The Willing Cook,
• Janelle @ Gluten Freely Frugal
• and–Me .

Wondering What You Can Link Up on Allergy Free Wednesday? Anything that is fitting for an allergy free diet in some way (we’re not that strict). For the complete rules, click here. Here goes – starting off with my favorites–and you should check out the other hostesses’ posts to see if you were featured there!

My Favorites from Last Week (with substitution ideas)~

Homemade Summer Sausage / Lunch Meat from The Frugal Farm Wife
This looks amazing.  My kids haven’t had summer sausage ever, I don’t think, because of all the nitrates and such. Who needs any extra cancer-causing stuff these days?

Dark Chocolate & Raspberry Truffles from Tessa the Domestic Diva
Yum Yum and Yum – and those red sprinkles aren’t loaded with Red No. 40 either!
You can use my Homemade Coconut Butter to fill these yummies and I bet other fruits would taste great as well!

Crispy Sunflower Seed “Bacon” Bits from Vegan Mommy Chef
We LOVE bacon, but I don’t always want to spend the money, and I am not always thrilled with eating pork.  When we buy it we get good quality, but–well–more on that later, maybe.  I will be trying this.  It appears we are having some issues with eating dairy as well (beyond my oldest not being able to eat it at all) so I might need something like this to add flavor to some dishes .

Does White Flour Contain Bleach? from Don’t Waste the Crumbs
A super-informative post about what is really in white flour. Icko.

and Readers’ Favorite

How to Make a Healthier Cup of Coffee from Laura’s Gluten-Free Pantry
I’ve been doing this to my Rich and Nutritious Coffee Substitute. So guess I am doubly healthy .

I can’t wait to see what you all have this week!

A Healthier Cup of Coffee, Homemade Lunch Meat, Chocolate Raspberry Truffles, Vegan “Bacon” Bits, and Is There Bleach in White Flour? is a post from: Whole New Mom

Save 10% on amazingly delicious almonds with NO ENGINE FUEL ON THEM! Use Code WNM at Just Almonds.

Thanks for subscribing! As a thank you to my special readers, here is a copy of Free Soaked Whole Grains Cookbook.

I think you'll really enjoy the cookbook. My Baked Doughnuts are in there - -my kids repeatedly ask me to make them (and my husband does too!).

For another great soaked grain recipe, you may wish to try Baked Oatmeal / Oatmeal Cake (2 ways, with a surprise) Enjoy!

Ways to Use White Chocolate Chips:

- Baked in Cookies (like these Chocolate Chunk Macadamia Coconut Cookies – Grain Free and Vegan) – Baked in Bars – Sprinkled on or blended into ice cream (like this Chocolate Almond Chip Coconut Milk Ice Cream) – mixed in a trail mix – Gently melt and drizzle on a cookie or dessert, like these No-Bake Coconut Delights – or eat them on their own, which is what happened for all-ahem-15 batches or so that I tried. And now, for the big question–

Where to Buy Cocoa Butter

There are several sources I can recommend at this time and I am working on another one. 1.  Green Polka Dot Box – high-quality, organic and non-GMO online shopping.  They have Divine Organics, which is top-notch quality. 2.  Amazon.  This brand is about the most reasonably-priced organic cocoa butter I have seen in small quantities. And the reviews are great. Too bad they didn’t have this when I bought my stash .

How to Use Stevia (I need to write a blog post about this.)

For stevia measuring, 1 scoop is 1/32 of a teaspoon.  I know–that’s really small! I use these measuring spoons for simple scooping. The second to the smallest is the scoop you need for stevia.

How will you use your White Chocolate Chips?

Shared at Raising Homemakers, Frugally Sustainable, The Shabby Creek Cottage, GNOWFGLINS, The Nourishing Gourmet, Diet, Dessert, and Dogs, Rattlebridge Farm, The Shabby Nest, The Prairie Homestead, Skip to My Lou, The Better Mom, Real Food Forager, Sugar Bee Crafts, Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free, Chef in Training, and We Are that Family.

White Chocolate Chips (Dairy, Sugar, and Soy-Free) is a post from: Whole New Mom

Save 10% on amazingly delicious almonds with NO ENGINE FUEL ON THEM! Use Code WNM at Just Almonds.

Thanks for subscribing! As a thank you to my special readers, here is a copy of Free Soaked Whole Grains Cookbook.

I think you'll really enjoy the cookbook. My Baked Doughnuts are in there - -my kids repeatedly ask me to make them (and my husband does too!).

For another great soaked grain recipe, you may wish to try Baked Oatmeal / Oatmeal Cake (2 ways, with a surprise) Enjoy!

Do the recent tragedies like the tornados in Oklahoma have you shaken up?

Do you wonder if you have have everything together to provide for your family in a time of need such as that?

I know I can answer “yes” to both of the above questions.

I see the videos and hear the stories and I feel such pain for those in such horrid situations.

And then my mind naturally turns to my family.

Have I done enough to prepare?

Am I ready?

The answer is “no.”

Well, I have done quite a bit, some of which you can see in my post on Frugal Pantry Storage.

You also know that I make a lot of things myself, so I have a fairly “sustainable” lifestyle.

And we’ve been ordering extra food from Vitacost, Green Polka Dot Box and Country Life Natural Foods when it makes sense so that we have some real food stored up.

But I’m not where I want to be.

First of all, let me tell you that the Oklahoma tornadoes hit home for me in a special way.

We lived in Shawnee, OK for 2 years. That’s the place where the first tornado hit.

Some of the photos online were shot just from the University where my husband taught–just across the street from where we lived.

Scary.

And Moore is quite close to Shawnee.

We got used to hearing tornado sirens there and when we lived there another “big one” came through and we were pretty close to needing to head over to the basement of the school’s chapel.

This all got my thinking that I need to step up my preparedness and self-sufficient lifestyle.

Don’t get me wrong. We need other people. And I can’t do everything myself. But it’s time to get some water put away and figure out how to can and all that stuff.

That’s why I am super excited about this week’s Bundle of the Week – Homesteading, Self-Sufficiency and Preparedness.

It’s an amazing deal.

In case you haven’t noticed, I don’t promote many of these bundles. Just the ones that are ones that I would for sure buy.

This is one of those “must buy” bundles in my book.

Note: The following links are mostly affiliate links and I am an affiliate for this bundle. If you make a purchase through my links, I will receive a small commission.  And believe me–it’s really small.  I just wanted to share this because it’s so great! Thanks for your support of my blog!

For just $7.40, you get all this

Your Custom Homestead by Jill Winger (retail: $8.99)

Jill lives on a farm in Wyoming, but she spells out in simple, easy-to-follow steps how you can make your own homestead wherever you live. Apartment dwellers, suburbanites and city folk alike will find a way to make their place into a homestead of their own.

Real Food Storage: How-To and Recipes by KerryAnn Foster (retail: $29.99)

This book is must buy.

Honestly, I am planning a full-fledged review on this book for you all soon, so that tells you how good I think it is.
KerryAnn is a good friend of mine and she really knows her stuff when it comes to whole food storage.

It’s a lot harder to prepare for emergencies when you are on a whole food diet. You can’t just go and pick up extra boxes of Mac and Cheese, candy bars, and bags of gummy snacks and figure you’ve got your bases covered .

KerryAnn shares her family’s story of living off their own food storage during a recent bout of 11 months of unemployment.  This super long ebooks  shows you how to store real and traditional foods as healthy food insurance for your family, and has more than 200 recipes that can be made from your stockpile.

On top of all that, you’ll find an online resource guide to help you save money on bulk purchases, and a master spreadsheet to help you plan and track your food storage plan.

Getting Prepared by Robin Egerton and Angela England (retail $4.99)

Getting Prepared is a like beginner’s manual to help prepare you for life’s unexpected happenings (like the tornados). You get step-by-step instruction for prioritizing preparations, creating a 72-hour emergency kit, preparing for a whole month of survival, and guidance for how to get your family in emergency preparations–and more. If you’ve ever thought about getting better prepared and developing an emergency plan, but you don’t know where to start, this is the book for you!

Pioneering Today by Melissa K. Norris (retail: $2.99)

In Pioneering Today, you will get practical and information about cooking from scratch, gardening, and preserving your own food. You will also learn to lower your grocery and energy bills, reduce your time in the kitchen, and you also get 40+ delicious recipes to improve your family’s health with wonderful whole food cooking.
Whether you live in an urban jungle, or “out in the middle of nowhere,” you can have more of the simple life and start your homesteading journey today.

Reuse, Refresh, Repurpose by The Frugal Girl (retail: $3.99)

In Reuse, Refresh and Repurpose, you get 20 useful ideas to help you get the most out of your clothes. Practical, step-by-step photos and instructions help you make old clothes look new–or show you how to turn them into something entirely new altogether! And many of the ideas don’t even require any cutting or sewing so you don’t need to be super skilled to use this book!

Buy all five now in this great homesteading bundle for only $7.40!

But Hurry – This Sale Ends Monday, June 10, at 7:59 am, EST.

What a great assortment of resources, eh?

I would for sure grab these and then make sure you are subscribed to my blog. I’ve got a bunch of great preparedness and sustainability stuff coming (including giveaways) that believe me, you won’t want to miss!

Upcoming stuff – you don’t want to miss:

- water filter giveaway
- more on essential oils
- and an all important Sugar-Free White Chocolate recipe .

Which book do you most look forward to reading?

Are You Ready for an Emergency? Preparedness & Sustainability Resources–on the Cheap is a post from: Whole New Mom

Save 10% on amazingly delicious almonds with NO ENGINE FUEL ON THEM! Use Code WNM at Just Almonds.

Thanks for subscribing! As a thank you to my special readers, here is a copy of Free Soaked Whole Grains Cookbook.

I think you'll really enjoy the cookbook. My Baked Doughnuts are in there - -my kids repeatedly ask me to make them (and my husband does too!).

For another great soaked grain recipe, you may wish to try Baked Oatmeal / Oatmeal Cake (2 ways, with a surprise) Enjoy!