Wellness Mama

I just wanted to share one of my favorite health sites that I stumbled across in my search for how grains can impact our dental health and found out grains have a huge impact on overall health.
It's been a very interesting learning experience for me and I have been slowly implementing a lot of what I learn to our everyday life.
The site is full of great homemade natural household & beauty recipes and wonderful recipes and menus for grain-free, sugar-free, nutrient-dense meals.
It's Wellness Mama and you can check it out at the link below.
I think you will enjoy it, too!

www.wellnessmama.com

A Good Book and Barbeque Chicken

I just finished reading one of our favorite children's book to my 'students'. "The Bronze Bow" by Elizabeth George Speare. It is a wonderful book about truly learning to forgive.

It's set in the time of Jesus when the Romans were taking over Israel. A young boy has only one purpose: to avenge his father's death by defeating the hated Romans.

It is full of action, determination, tenderness and hope.

Parts of the story correlated with our Sunday School lessons, which made it come more 'alive' to us. We were hanging on every word and couldn't wait to find out how it ended!

We highly recommend it as a read-aloud book for the children, but would be great for silent reading for older children and adults, alike.

Now, while we were reading, we didn't want to worry about what to have for dinner. I threw a whole chicken in the crock-pot with homemade barbeque sauce. We served it with rice and a salad.

And we read chapter after chapter!

Homemade barbeque sauce:

~2 x 14 oz. cans chopped or diced tomatoes

~1 onion, finely chopped

~1 tablespoon black molasses

~3 tablespoons worcestershire sauce

~garlic powder, as desired

~Mix all together in a bowl and pour on top of chicken in crock pot.

~Set crock pot on low and cook for 8-10 hours.

~The sauce gets nice and thick on the chicken and enough left over to use as a gravy on rice or potatoes.

Have fun reading!

Crispy Kale Chips

I found this super simple recipe for kale chips.

They are light, crispy and delicious!

Kale is a dark leafy green that is a nutritional powerhouse full of health boosting nutrients!

~Wash and dry your kale bunch.

~Tear leaves off of the tough stem into bitesize pieces.

~Spread on cookie sheet.

~Sprinkle with sea salt.

~Bake at 350* F. for 15 minutes or until crispy.

~Great alone, as a unique 'side' or on top of eggs or soup.

Don't be shy! Give it a try!

Random Thoughts (of Thanksgiving)

Just sitting here contemplating life as of late.

Hmmm.

Baby is coming very soon.

Very Thankful!

Our 9 year old son has been experiencing unusual neurological symptoms for almost 2 months now. (I will let you know our thoughts and journey on that at a later time!)

He is having a good day today.
Very thankful!

The little girls are creating a recipe in the kitchen.

They are calling it Apple Surprise.

I will be surprised if they actually clean up their mess when they are through!

Teenage daughter #3 just taught Jacob how to slur the guitar.

~Sounds impressive.

The house has 4 make-shift forts in the living room.

I know it is Tuesday (beans and rice night) but think we will have granola for dinner.

Made an eye exam for college son for when he comes home for Thanksgiving.

Thankful that he is coming home!

Making sweet potato casserole (recipe follows) to put in freezer just in case baby wants to come a bit early.

Even made Buckeyes with the kids to put in freezer for Christmas.

To tell you the truth~they will probably be gone before December 1.

That's the trouble with trying to get things done a little early.

Oh well. I try!

Trying to get the kids to finish their schooling before dinner.

They always seem to find something that is more important to do.

Like, the little girls going into my closet to find clothes for dress-up or

the boys going outside to shoot their bows and arrows.

I hear someone screaming.

I guess it is time for clean-up and schoolwork after all!

I have several children already asking for the Buckeyes in the freezer.

After you clean up, I say!

It's working.

Even 4 year old is cleaning up!

It's amazing, really.

She is usually the one that says I can just throw out her things, that she likes to play with sticks and stones anyway.

That's what she says when I tell her,

"If you don't pick up your toys, I will give them away and you can just play with sticks and stones like the American Indians used to do."

I have actually given away a lot of her toys.

We have way too many 'things' anyway.

Oh, a clutter-free Christmas sounds nice.

You know, gifts that will last out the month of December and maybe beyond!

A Little House On the Prairie Christmas sounds nice.

A doll and a stick of candy in Laura's stocking.

The clelebration was CHRISTMAS!

The gifts were:

ENJOYING RELATIONSHIPS: JESUS, FAMILY, FRIENDS

SPECIAL CARE WITH THE CHRISTMAS DINNER, ETC.

PRECIOUS TRADITIONS:

Reading the Christmas story,

A special breakfast and dinner.

Visiting special people.

I am thankful for the simple gift of Christmas!

Why do we make it more than that?

You know, worrying about how many different kinds of cookies we will make.

Running all over town for the perfect Christmas clothes we want our kids to wear.

Buying and returning. Buying and returning.
Decorating, thinking, planning.

I do all of these things.
It is fun!
Unless it stops being fun! You know what I mean?
When Christmas day comes, none of that matters, really.
Jesus was born!
He died and rose again!
It is both simple and extraordinarily miraculous at the same time!
We are happy!
We have the most precious and perfect gift!
Not just at Christmas,
but always!
So much to be thankful for!
Life is not always easy.
But it is good!
We have everything we need!
Our daily bread is given to us every day!
Oh, if I could only keep that thankfulness in my heart each and every day!

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day!

Sweet Potato Cassserole adapted from Allrecipes.com
Serves 8-10

~4 1/4 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes
~1/2-1 cup sugar, honey or agave nectar
~1/2-2/3 cups butter
~1/3 cup evaporated milk
~2 eggs, beaten
~1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
~1/3 cup butter, melted
~1 1/3 cups chopped pecans
~1 cup light brown sugar or sucanat
~2/3 all-purpose flour

1) Mix together sweet potatoes, sugar, 2/3 cup butter, milk, eggs and vanilla.

Spread in greased 9 x 13" baking dish.

2) Mix melted butter, pecans, brown sugar and flour.

Spoon on top of sweet potato mix.

3) Bake at 350` for 25-30 minutes.

~Can be frozen, thawed and heated when needed.

~Could add cinnamon and nutmeg.

~I plan on omitting the pecans or making 2 smaller dishes; one with pecans and one without.

Gluten-Free Recipes

We are trying to cut down on gluten in our home.
Our daughter, Chloe, has hypoglycemia.
Every once in a while she would get dizzy along with an overall funny feeling.
I brought her in to get a saliva and urine test and that is when we found out she had hypoglycemia.
It was recommended that she eat a gluten-free diet as much as possible.
We have made very small changes and she hasn't had an episode in quite some time.
Many people can be allergic to gluten without even realizing it.

Here are some symptoms of gluten intolerance:
~weight loss
~weight gain
~nutritional deficiencies
~gastro-intestinal problems
~poor digestion
~aching joints
~depression
~eczema
~headaches
~exhaustion
~irratibility and behavioral changes
~infertility
~cramps
~tingling and numbness
~slow infant and child growth
~decline in dental health

We are going to try to incorporate more gluten-free meals for our family.
I know we could do without having any of the above symptoms!
Anyway, I found this really wonderful site for gluten-free recipes.
Complete with menus and beautiful photos!
Please check it out if you are at all interested or curious!
http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/

I DO want to encourage all of you to never be afraid to be the person God created you to be!
You have a lot to offer others with your gifts!
We could all use a little help here, you know, and your specific gift can help so many!
Take the time to ask God to reveal what your gifts are and do NOT be afraid to use them!
You may not even feel you have anything to give.
But YOU DO!
All you have to do is
BE YOURSELF!
God knew what He was doing when He created you.
I just want to say~
~Thank you for just being YOU!

Homemade Hummus

We love homemade hummus at our house!

~With fresh veggies,

~tortilla chips,

~on a salad,

~with warm pita bread

~or on a sandwich!

My sis-in-law gave me this recipe years ago:


2 cups garbanzo beans (chick-peas). I use dried beans, soaked overnight, drained and then cooked until soft with fresh water, but you can use canned, too.

~Joni suggests adding kombu seaweed to the cooking water for a ton of extra nutrients!

~save a little bit of water for blending, if needed, for smoothness, etc.

1 teaspoon sea salt

Juice of 1 fresh lemon

2/3 cup tahini (sesame seed butter). I buy sesame seeds and use them whole with a little water instead of the tahini. My blender blends them up real good. Tahini is easiest but it can be quite exspensive. And anyway, tahini is nothing but sesame seed ground up into a butter!

1 teaspoon sliced green onions.

~You could add any vegetable you want, roasted red peppers etc.

1-5 garlic cloves.

1 Tablespoon-1/2 cup fresh olive oil

Water, as needed.

Put all ingredients in blender and blend, adding a little oil at a time.

~Add water as needed.


This is an easy recipe for a child to make!
You will never want to buy store-bought again!
I hope you LOVE it!

Bug Off!

I was searching for natural insect repellents and came across a few ideas that I am going to try.

1. Pure vanilla dabbed on the wrists, neck and ears. And we would smell wonderful, too!

2. Witch hazel with a few drops of either tea tree oil, lavendar oil or peppermint oil in a spray bottle. Lightly mist the body.

3. Rub a lavendar flower on your body and clothes OR~lavendar oil mixed with a carrier oil on the skin. Smelling nice again!

4. 4 drops thyme oil

8 drops lemongrass oil

4 drops lavendar oil

4 drops peppermint oil

~Put 2 drops of this blend in with 2 t. carrier oil such as olive, almond, jojoba

~OR~put 5 drops of the above blend with 1 T witch hazel and 4 T water.

Carol's Carrot Muffins

My Dear neighbor, Carol, brought over these DELICIOUS whole-grain agave-sweetened carrot muffins and EVERYONE loved them!

Even the pickiest eaters!

Of course, I HAD to get the recipe!

Here it is:

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 1/2 t cinnamon

1 t baking powder

1/4 t salt

4+ carrots

2 large eggs

1/3 cup sucanat (natural sweetener from health food section)

1 t vanilla

1/2 c agave syrup (natural low-glycemic sweetener from health food section plus Costco is carrying it now at a great price!)

1/3 cup olive oil

Heat the oven to 375*F. Line or grease muffin cups and set aside.

Whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Grate the carrots and stir together with the remaining ingredients. Stir the carrot mixture into the flour mixture. Divide the batter between the baking cups and bake until a skewer inserted into muffin center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Immediately remove muffins from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

12-16 muffins

163 calories, 5 grams of fat

Perfect for anytime of the day!

Very moist and tasty!

Where Are The Beans?

Sometimes I have to be quite sneaky in order to make sure our kids are eating a well rounded selection of foods.

I know some people who have to sneak in ways to get their husbands to eat good foods!

I've snuck in spinach & greens into spaghetti sauce and ground up nuts and seeds into bakery, etc.

I came across a great article by First magazine called "10 brilliant ways to use white beans."

White beans have a mild flavor and one of nature's best sources of slow-digesting soluble fiber and plant protein. They actually have the ability to block the body from turning carbs into sugar thus boosting weight loss!

They also give us tons of energy!

Some of these I have tried, others I will try very soon.

1. Lean & Juicy Burgers: Mix 1 cup of pureed beans into 1# of lean ground beef and shape into patties. Grill 10 min., turning once.

2. Mexican Pizza: Spread 2 cups of mashed beans on dough. top with queso blanco, cheddar, chorizo, olives, onions and jalapenos. Grill until cheese melts.

3. Sicilian-Style Pasta: Cook crumbled italian sausage 4 min. Stir in 1 cup of beans, a handful of spinach and a spoonful of capers. Toss with hot cooked pasta.

4. Mediterranean Dip: Puree 2 cups of beans, 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese and the juice of half a lemon. Serve with pita chips and crudites.

5. Tuscan Bean Toss: Combine 2 cups of beans with olive oil, minced garlic, chopped rosemary and a sprinkle of coarse sea salt. Serve with rustic bread.

6. Hearty Tuna Salad: Combine 1/2 cup of beans, canned tuna, diced tomatoes, minced red onions and chopped parsley. Serve on whole-wheat bread.

7. Rich Brownie Bites: Pruee 2 cups of beans and combine with 1 box of your favorited brownie mix. Bake according to package directions.

8. Chocolate-chip Cookies: Replace half the butter in your favorite chocolate-chip cookie recipe with the same amount of pureed beans. Bake as usual.

9. Bean Gratin: Heat oven to 400* F. Combine 2 cups of beans, garlic and 3/4 cup of broth in baking dish. Top with bread crumbs; dot with butter. Bake until bubbly.

10. Southern Succotash: Saute chopped onions, garlic and bell peppers in butter until soft. Stir in corn and 1 cup of beans; cook 3 min. Season with black pepper.

Whole-Grain Waffle and Pancake Mix

This is a great make-ahead mix for the busy cook whether serving family or special guests.

10 cups whole-grain flour (you can use a variety to what suits your needs.)
1-1/2 cups buckwheat flour (at health food stores)1
1/2 cup stone-ground cornmeal
1-1/2 cups oatmeal (You can blend in your blender or coffee grinder or just leave it whole.)
2 cups buttermilk powder
5 T baking powder
2 T baking soda
1 cup sucanat (natural sweetener found at the health stores)
2 T salt

Mix all together in a very large bowl and divide up into labeled gallon-sized freezer storage bags. Store extra in freezer. These also make wonderful gifts. Just remember to add the directions, which follow:
To make pancakes or waffles:
1 cup pancake or waffle mix
1 egg
1/2 to 2/3 cup water
2 T oil

You can add ground flaxseed, chopped fruit, etc. on top of the batter when cooking to add extra nutrition and flavor.

I make many batches of cooked waffles and freeze them. We just take them out and put them in the toaster!

Some great toppings that we use are:
pure maple syrup (for special occasions)
plain yogurt with a bit of honey & vanilla added
warmed up berries
applesauce
natural peanut butter with mashed banana

We've been having waffles on Sunday mornings as a special treat. I make the batter up the night before. I found this wonderful waffle maker that makes 4 large squares at the local Salvation Army!

Enjoy good health!

Make Any Meal Healthier

Just a few ideas to help us make our meals a little bit healthier!

1. Use meat as a condiment: According to the Mediterranean Diet, red meat is often a flavoring rather than the focus. Replace half the amount called for in a stir-fry, for example, with beans and veggies. This boosts fiber and antioxidants while reducing calories and saturated fat.

2. Reinvent your favorites with fish: for example, tuna burgers or salmon tacos. Having 2-3 servings of fish a week gives you a dose of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

3. Jazz up your grains: Stir in colorful veggies, like carrots, red cabbage or zucchini using olive oil to cook or season. This healthy fat helps your body absorb the antioxidants in the veggies.

4. Have fruit for dessert: In the Mediterranean, cookies and pastries are more special occasion treats than everyday fare. Baked pears sprinkled with toasted almond or yogurt with dried figs and honey are low-calorie options, plus it gives us a perfect chance to act like a gourmet chef! Last night we thawed frozen strawberries just slightly and put a dollop or two of homemade yogurt with a touch of honey and vanilla on top! Everyone loved it~kids and all! And oh so simple!

Here is the yogurt recipe that works for me! You need a candy thermometer and glass mason jars. When I made this exact recipe, I used 2 quart jars and 1 pint jar, but you could just as easily put it into any container with a lid.

Ingredients:
1/2 gallon of milk
6 T of room temperature yogurt starter, which is any plain yogurt from the store. I like to use organic Greek yogurt, but you can use any brand~greek or not.
1 c instant nonfat dry milk powder

1. Pour 1/2 gallon of milk into a pot and heat on stove over medium heat with a candy thermometer hooked onto the side of pot so that the tip is in the milk. When bubbles start to form around the edges (around 180 -200 degrees-it was 185 on my thermometer), remove from heat and stir in the instant dry milk powder.
2. Let the mixture cool until 110 degrees-It took about 30-35 minutes~if you need to speed it up a little you can put it in the fridge for a bit but keep your eye on it as it may not turn out if it gets too cool.
3. Once it reaches 110 degrees, stir a little milk mixture into the 6 T of yogurt starter and then add the yogurt starter and milk back into the pot and stir gently to mix.
4. Pour yogurt into mason jars and put on oven rack without the lids and switch on the oven light.
5. Keep in the oven overnight for 8 hours or more. Take out of oven, put on lids and put in the refrigerator.
6. Keep a small amount of yogurt for your starter for the next batch!

I just made yogurt last night and it turned out beautifully. Nice and creamy!

Enjoy God's wonderful food!

"Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth." 3 John 2

Christmas Excitement and a Few Breakfast Recipes

Yesterday was the beginning of the Christmas season for me and my family! I went shopping with my girls and their friends (we split up, of course!). It was very enjoyable. I made it to Target for one coveted thing and then to the mall where I got a few things for Christmas plus new winter jackets for the little boys from JC Penny's for $17.99 a piece. Early Bird special! What a deal!

Stopped at REI and believe it or not, I am DONE with my Christmas shopping! I am trying to keep it simple, remember, and I think it is more in my attitude than anything! I want to feel relaxed and enjoy everything about Christmas so I didn't stress about anything! (I am getting older and a tiny bit wiser! I refuse to get stressed!)

That said, I know I still had to be somewhat organized as far as my lists go and all. (Heaven knows it is NOT my house that is organized!). So I made my list some time ago, made a few adjustments along the way and a few pit stops here and there along with my regular errands!

Lenny found some giant evergreen trees that were being hauled away for a land clearing and he cut the top off of one and him and Jacob hauled it back to our house. We have our Christmas tree! God provides!

Last night, we took all the kids plus a few extra to the local Fantasy of Lights parade. It is my favorite parade of the year. All the floats are in lights: dogs, children, silly characters, nativity scenes, horse and buggy and even Santa at the end! The bands (4 of them!) and the children's choir play and sing traditional Christmas carols. I always bring hot chocolate and doughnuts! We end up with a small gathering of friends that make it to the parade each year, too!

These pics are from http://www.livingstondaily.com/.

It brought joy to my heart! Christmas is coming! The precious time of year to focus on the birth of Jesus and all the blessings that come with it!

A time of GIVING and RECEIVING! GIVE the joy, RECEIVE the joy! It is very important to RECEIVE as well as GIVE!

Tomorrow is the first Sunday in Advent, the time that commemorates the special period leading up to the celebration of Jesus' birth. I think I will make a special recipe that was given to me years ago as a Chrismas morning breakfast recipe. I just adjusted it for a 'cleaner' version.
I had planned on this post being about quick healthy breakfasts, but I am so excited for the Christmas season that I HAD to mention the parade and all! So now, I will add a few extra recipes with the quick ones!

Since I am not the greatest with a camera yet (I am still working on it!), I do not have pictures. I guess I do it all backwards! Aren't I supposed to have the pics first and then the recipes? Oh well! It is a work in progress!

By the way, the Cranberries and Apple recipe was SO GOOD that the day after Thanksgiving I had to buy more cranberries so I could make it again! (Check the recipe bar on the side of this blog for the recipe.) I bought more sweet potatoes, too, because the sweet potato recipe I got from eatingwell.com was awesome, also, and I plan on making that recipe time and time again, too. www.eatingwell.com/recipes/maple_roasted_sweet-potatoes.html

Quick healthy breakfasts:
1. Handful of almonds (no more than 14, which is a serving-I take 7) and a piece of fruit
2. Piece of leftover chicken, turkey or fish straight from the fridge on top of whole-grain toast with a smear of plain yogurt on top and a bed of spinach. Okay, if you want the truth, several times I just grabbed the meat and put it on a handful of spinach and just ate it like a cavewoman! A few almonds would be a perfect addition!
3. Plain yogurt with a swirl of honey and a topping of granola OR nuts and raisins OR cut up fruit OR seeds and cinnamon. Whatever you have.
4. Oatmeal: boil water, put dry oatmeal in a bowl or cup, add water, cover with a saucer and let sit for a few minutes. Stir in natural nut butter, fruit, cinnamon, etc.
5. Homemade trail mix: Raw almonds and other nuts, raw seeds, raisins and other dried fruit with no added sugar or sulfites, dark chocolate chips (at least 60% cacoa, which is really GOOD for you!)
6. Whole-grain toast with natural nut butter
7. Protein shake (all natural) mixed with water, cow's milk, or rice or nut milk.
8. Smoothies: fruit, nuts, seed, oatmeal, peanut butter, honey or other natural sweetener, fruit, yogurt, milk

9. 1-2 hardboiled eggs.

Holiday Morning French Toast

1/2-3/4 c. honey
4 T butter, melted
3 t. cinnamon, divided
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored & thinly slice
1/2 c. dried cranberries
1 loaf of day-0ld whole-grain bread or 2 whole-grain baguettes, cut into 1" slices
6 eggs
1 1/2 c milk
2 t. vanilla

1. Combine honey, butter & 1 t cinnamon in 9 x 13" pan. Add apples and cranberries; coat well. Spread apple mixture evenly over bottom of pan. Arrange slices of bread on top.
2. Mix eggs, milk, vanilla and remaining 2 t cinnamon until well blended. Pour mixture over bread, soaking completely. Cover and refrigerate 4 to 24 hours.
3. Bake, covered with aluminum foil at 375* for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake 5 min. Remove from oven; let stand 5 min. Serve warm.

This is a beautiful-looking and wonderful smelling dish! I have made it for Christmas morning, but get it all ready the day before!

Another favorite at our house is Baked Oatmeal. We like to call it purrua bake!

1/2 c. oil
3/4 c. natural sweetener: honey, sucanat, evaporated cane juice crystals
4 eggs
6 c. oats 4 t baking powder
1 c. ground flaxseed
1/2 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 to 1 c water (to moisten the flaxseed. You do not need to add water if you do not use the flaxseed.)
2 c. milk

Opt: you can add apple, berries, nuts and raisins etc.

Combine all ingredients in order listed. Pour into greased 9x13" pan. Bake at 375* for 30-40 minutes until lightly browned. Can refrigerate overnight before baking.

Top with banana and milk! Everyone loves this! The kids and even all of their friends! I usually make it plain without the optionals.

Remember the number one rule for the Christmas Season! ENJOY IT! and ABSOLUTELY NO STRESSING! Keep it simple, especially in your mind. Pray for peace and joy to fill your heart and that God give you a loving spirit and you WILL have a MAGICAL CHRISTMAS!

Holiday Health Maintenance Plan

Okay, 6 days until Thanksgiving and 5 weeks until Christmas and 9 weeks until the New Year! Time is flying and wouldn't it be nice if we were a little ahead of the game instead of a little bit behind? It sure would be nice to greet the New Year knowing we had a wonderful Thanksgiving where we didn't completely stuff ourselves and then go to an average of 7 -10 Christmas gatherings and not completely stuff ourselves at each one of those, too! (7-10 is also the average weight gain in pounds during the holidays, too!)

Let's try to have a 'little' bit of self-control! Or maybe we just need a nice 'little' plan!

Here is a plan that we could use:

1. ENJOY THIS BEAUTIFUL SEASON! This is the number one rule!

2. Take your 'Tea Time' every morning (see 'Tea Time' post). This calms and centers us for the day ahead!

3. Stick with your workout plan trying not to let 2 days go by without exercising! If you do not already have a workout plan, start walking 3-4 times a week but no dilly dallying! Work up a sweat.

4. Add bursts of high-energy pace (really fast) with bursts of medium pace into your walking routine. For example, walk at medium pace for 2 minutes, pick up the pace considerably (practically running) for 1 minute, then back down to medium pace and then back up to high pace. Keep doing this for 20 minutes. This tricks the body into high-metabolism mode and burns fat much more efficiently. Of course, it works nicely with running, swimming and biking, too!

5. Put strength training into your day with this super-simple body weight plan:

It DOES NOT matter how old you are! You CAN do this!


Work in squats, push-ups and crunches throughout the day. When you get up in the morning, take 2 minutes to do 25 squats, 25 push-ups and 25 crunches one after the other. Of course, you can work up to the 25. Start with 10 each if you have to and before you know it you will be doing 25! Now, if you are pregnant or just can't seem to get on the floor for push-ups, you can do wall push-ups. Just put your hands on the wall and bring your feet as far away as you can and bring your nose to the wall. Hey! You have to start somewhere!

Now the trick is to do this 3-exercise-strength-training-set 4-5 times throughout the day, every day! It only takes a few minutes! I sneak them in whenever I walk into my room or into the bathroom. If you do 25 reps at a time, you will end up doing 100 squats, 100 push-ups and 100 crunches by the end of the day! Yay!

6. Make sure to drink your 8-10 glasses of water each day. Make it easy by always bringing a water bottle in the car. I get the big case of Ice Mountain at Costco and leave the whole case in my van. I have a reusable water bottle for the house.

7. Now what to do with all the food at all of these gatherings? First of all, remember, ENJOY THIS WONDERFUL TIME OF YEAR! But remember that 'failing to plan is a plan to fail'! It really is true! If a person wants to live a healthy lifestyle, a person has to plan. So:

Whatever dish you need to bring to the gathering, make sure it is a 'clean-eating' dish. Meaning GOOD FOR YOU HEALTHY INGREDIENTS! That way you always have something healthy to eat along with all of the other goodies. You could always offer to bring a veggie tray OR A BOWL OF MIXED BERRIES, too! But a nice healthy pumpkin pie would be much more fun to eat! *I will have a few recipes at the end of this post*

Remember the 50% plate rule? 50% of your plate should consist of veggies and fruit~preferably fresh, 25% should be your protein (meat etc), and 25% grains and starches.

This is just a rule of 'thumb'. It just feels good to have a PLAN!

8. Drink water on the way to the gathering or eat a piece of fruit so you are not so tempted to eat everything in sight!

9. Enjoy your favorites! But instead of going for seconds, sip slowly on your drink and visualize a fit and happy 'you'! You just KNOW someone will be secretly admiring your 'self control!' And then go into the bathroom and do 10 wall push-ups just to keep you focused! We are in CONTROL NOW!

10. Keep a notepad by your bed to write 5 things you are thankful for each night and maybe even a little summary of your exercise etc, and what your goals are. It is also a good time to breathe nice and deep (yoga breath-fill the belly with air on the inhale and feel the belly button sink back to the spine on the exhale). Know that this was a GOOD day!

Now a few 'clean-eating' recipes: (Make sure to check out the Cranberries and Apple recipe posted earlier.)



PUMPKIN PIE

9" pie crust, unbaked *recipe follows*

2 c. cooked, mashed pumpkin

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 to 1/3 c. honey

2 T molasses (optional)

1 t. ground cinnamon

1/2 t. ground ginger

1/4 t. ground cloves

1 c. light cream or half-and-half or milk plus 2 T melted butter or yogurt

1/2 t vanilla

Blend filling ingredients with beater or blender. Pour into crust. Bake at 400` for 45-55 minutes, or until knife inserted halfway cetween center and crust comes out clean. Cool on rack.

Variation: Replace pumpkin with 2 c. cooked sweet potatoes, add 1/2 t. ground nutmeg and 1/2 c. unsweetened, shredded coconut, if desired. Bake at 350` for about 1 hour.



EASY OIL CRUST

2 c. whole wheat flour

1 t. salt (optional)

1/2 c. oil

1/4 c. cold water

Stir flour and salt in a bowl. Combine oil and water and mix into flour with a fork. form into 2 balls with your hands and let sit, covered with a cloth, for 5 minutes. Roll out between sheets of waxed paper. Place rolled dough into pie plate; fill and bake. Makes 1-10" or 2-9" crusts.

PEAR, PROSCUITTO AND HAZELNUT STUFFING

This recipe is from www.eatingwell.com/recipes/pear_prosciutto_hazelnut_stuffing.html. Click onto the link for the recipe and nutritional value, etc. I am planning on making this. I think it sounds gourmet and the holidays is a perfect time for me to try anything gourmet. Otherwise, I am a pretty basic cook! I will still make the original stuffing for the kids. This website has a lot of great sounding recipes and I already have it bookmarked! For more healthy Thansgiving recipes, just look for the link that says Healthy Thanksgiving recipes. There is even a green bean casserole one that uses fresh mushrooms and a homemade white sauce!


Please remember, this is just a plan to keep us on track. I have NEVER followed a plan perfectly! I like to have a plan, though. I feel better and I enjoy and appreciate good, healthy food! I still enjoy good, unhealthy food, too, but the majority of the time I try to eat healthy!


There is a saying that I really believe to be true: "Nothing tastes as good as thin feels." That is so true. Just undereat once and awhile and you will know what I mean! We are so used to overeating that we hardly get the chance to feel what 'thin' feels like.



Please do not stress about anything during the holidays! Thanksgiving and Christmas are very special events that are supposed to bring us closer to our Heavenly Father. There is absolutely no reason to feel stressed! Just K.I.S.S! Keep It Simple, Sweetheart!


Plan on all shopping, etc, to be done by December 1st. In December, enjoy baking cookies and visiting and surprising someone with the gift of time (babysitting, running errands for etc). Christmas is not about shopping, though I know it has to be done. I refuse to let it dominate my entire Christmas season! I really do want a simple Christmas! To be able to enjoy our loved ones knowing we were first loved by God! (Please see earlier post "Can We have A Simple Christmas?" and check out the comments for a lot of wonderful ideas.)

Have a beautiful Thanksgiving and Christmas season!

PS. If anyone has an idea that works nicely for them, just let us all know! Or maybe a good healthy recipe, etc. Thanks! I love other peoples ideas!

Baked Cranberries and Apple

This is a recipe from Tosca Reno's Eat Clean Cookbook. ( http://www.eatcleandiet.com/) I am going to make this for Thanksgiving. I think it looks beautiful and all the ingredients are good for you!

Baked Cranberries and Apple

Yield: 4 servings

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

1-12 oz. bag fresh cranberries, rinsed

1 large Mutsu or other firm apple, peeled, seeded and chopped

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

peel of one orange, cut into ribbons

juice of 1/2 fresh orange

2 cinnamon sticks

pinch ground nutmeg

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Prepare a medium casserole dish by spraying with a touch of olive oil.

3. Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl and toss until well mixed. Place in casserole dish and cover. Bake for 30 minutes.

4. Remove lid and bake 10 more minutes or until sauce turns to syrup and fruit is cooked.

Tosca's Tips: Mutsu apples, also known as Crispin apples, are large, sweet and firm. Make this recipe your own by experimenting with different types of apples.

1/2 cup serving: 190 calories, 4 g fat, 42 g carbs, 13 g fiber, 4 g protein, 58 mg sodium, 0 g cholesterol

Autumn Apple Recipes

Just a few pics of my Fall decorating mentioned in an earlier post. Leaves are free (unless you have no trees then you must ask permission before cutting). I had so much fun flitting about the yard finding the best colors.

Here is a caramel apple recipe that doesn't use the commercial candy caramels. I haven't made them yet this year, but I am quite sure they turned out nicely when I made them last year. I tried to find a half-way healthy version and this is the closest I could get.

CARAMEL APPLES from http://www.familyfun.com/

1 1/2 T butter

1 1/2 c. lt. brown sugar

6 T water

8-10 apples

popsicle sticks (you can also use cinnamon sticks, clean twigs or even chopsticks)

Melt butter in a saucepan. All brown sugar and water. Stir until smooth. Bring to boil, then coner and simmer for 3 minutes, until pan's sides get steamy and the mixture is thin but sticky. Remove from heat. Pierce the center of each apple with popsicle sticks and swirl into caramel mixture. You can sprinkle chopped nuts, chocolate, granola, etc. Refrigerate 1-2 hours.

I may try to use Sucanat instead of brown sugar.

BAKED APPLES from American Wholefoods Cuisine

1 medium to large apple per serving (Rome, Northern Spy or other 'baking' varieties)

honey or maple syrup

raisins (optional)

crushed pineapple (optional)

chopped nuts (otional)

apple juice

Preheat oven to 350* to 375*

Remove core from apple, leaving bottom intact so that the hollow can be filled. Cut a thin slice from the top to flatten it. If desired, peel can be removed from top half, but this is not necessary.

Drizzle sweetener of choice into the hollow, allowing about 1 teaspoon per apple, Fill with optional ingredients as desired. place in a baking dish and surround with a little apple juice or water to a depth of about 1/2 inch to prevent scorching.

Bake for about 30 minutes. Probe with a fork or skewer to determine doneness. Apple
should be tender but not mushy when baking is completed. May take longer for some types.

Serve warm, at room temp, or chilled. If desired, apple can be garnished with a dollop of yogurt.

PS. Lenny went to work today and it wasn't on the golf course! He was hired by an auto company working on batteries. We will be getting a paycheck again! We are so thankful! Lenny says he will never worry about losing a job again because he knows that somehow we will make it! God provides!

Two Chickens and A Big Pot

With the economy not so great and flu season upon us, I thought I would share with you what I have been cooking quite a bit these days.
Go and get the best whole chickens you can find. Maybe you know someone raising chickens or you can buy organic chickens from the grocery store. My dear friend, Melissa, gave us whole chickens they raised out of the goodness of her heart during our unemployment. Other times I have bought them from her. When she doesn't have them, I buy them at Costco. It is well worth the extra money because I will tell you how to save a lot of money in the long run. Now, remember, we have 10 people in our house to feed and my hubby is still unemployed. I have been buying just the basic groceries and getting my veggies from the gardener down the road. So, here is what to do with 2 whole chickens:

1. Put both of them in a very large pot. I used my canning pot which is very large. Cover them with water, put in a whole bulb of garlic, peeled and separated. Garlic is excellent in warding off colds and flu! Put in your favorite seasonings-parsley, basil, oregano, black pepper and bring to boil, then simmer until the leg falls off when pulled gently. The house smells wonderful, too!

2. Take the chickens out and when the 'broth' is cooled slightly, you put it in the fridge. My pot was too high for my fridge so I transferred the broth to my large bread-baking bowl which was shorter. The fat will rise to the top by morning and you skim off the fat and then strain the broth with a strainer. Put the broth in freezer-proof containers and freeze. Keep some out for other meals for the week. I have 2 gallons of broth! I am not kidding! It is sitting on my counter right now! (I have to transfer still to freezer containers.) Never buy broth again! This is so much healthier and definitely more economical. And SO SIMPLE! Any leftover chicken can be chopped and put in the freezer for later use. Such a time-saver!

Here are some meal ideas to make with all your chicken.

1. The first night we had a chicken dinner with garlic smashed red potatoes and garden veggies. (More garlic for colds and flu.)
2. I am making chicken noodle soup tonight for dinner. Just sautee onion, celery, garlic, and carrots in a little bit of broth and season to taste. Add more broth, chicken and noodles. (Whole-grain is best.) The broth is SO GOOD, you may not need very much seasoning at all! And you know what they say about chicken noodle soup during cold season, don't you?
3. If you sort, rinse and soak some dry Great Northern beans the night before you need them, the next day you just rinse again, add fresh water and boil until soft. Then you can make super easy, super delicious White Chicken Chili. Just add chicken, cumin and salsa to the bean pot. Dinner is DONE and SO DELICIOUS and GOOD FOR YOU!
4. Add some brown rice to the scene and some different spices (check into middle eastern, greek, mexican etc.) and you have beans and rice with the option of chicken. I do vegetarian a few times a week! Garden veggies and pita bread is a great addition, as well as plain yogurt. I will add the whole-wheat pita bread recipe at the end. It takes a little time, but you can make them on a day when there is time and freeze them and then warm up when needed.
5. There is still some chicken left, so you can make chimichangas, or chicken lasagna or bean and rice soup or any other recipe that may only need a few additional ingredients!
I will include the Chimichanga recipe, too!

WHOLE WHEAT PITA OR POCKET BREAD
This recipe is from Whole Foods For The Whole Family-La Leche League International Cookbook
1 T yeast
1 T honey
2 1/2 t salt
1 T oil
6-7 C whole wheat flour

Dissolve yeast and honey in water. When bubbly, add salt, oil and 6 c flour. Knead 5-10 minutes, adding more flour if necessary. Let rise until doubled, about an hour. Punch down and divide into 12-20 equal pices, depending on how large you want the pitas. Roll each into a ball and roll out on a floured surface about 1/4 " thick. Place circles on greased cookie sheets and let rest 30-45 minutes. Heat oven to 450*. Just before baking, turn the pitas over. Bake 8-10 minutes, switching position of pans halfway through. The pitas should be puffed in the middle and only slightly browned. To keep them soft, place them inside of a paper bag to cool or eat them warm. Recipe may be halved or doubled.
These freeze well and are great to have on hand for quick meals or bag lunches. Freeze wrapped in foil and thaw, and warm in 450* oven in foil for 15 minutes.

MAKE-AHEAD CHIMICHANGAS
I found this recipe years ago in Better Homes and Garden magazine. Everyone loves it! It is great to pack on a trip! You can even eat it cold in a pinch!

1 lb. cooked beef, pork, or chicken
1- 16-oz jar of salsa (or homemade)
1- 16 oz can refried beans (Here is where your homemade beans come in. (Just mash and add a little olive oil and mozzarella)
1- 4-oz can diced green chili peppers
1-1 1/2 envelope taco seasoning mix (I just can't buy it so I add my own mexican spices-cumin, crushed red pepper, garlic, black pepper-whatever)
16- 8-inch flour tortillas (whole grain is best-homemade recipe at bottom)
16- Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese, cut into 16 5x1/2-inch sticks (I also use mozzarella)

Using two forks, shred cooked meat or chicken. In a large pot combine meat or chicken, salsa, beans, undrained chili peppers, and seasoning mix. Cook and stir over medium heat till heated through.
In a skillet, heat tortilla, one at a time, over medium low heat about 30 seconds per side. For each chimichanga, place 1/3 C meat mixture atop a tortilla, near one edge. Top with a cheese stick. fold in sides; roll up, starting with cheese side. Put seam side down on a cookie sheet and bake in 350* oven for about 30 minutes.
You can freeze leftovers in freezer containers for up to 6 months. Thaw and bake.
Top with salsa, chopped lettuce and tomato and plain yogurt, if desired.

TORTILLAS
This recipe comes from Laurel's Kitchen-A Handbook For Vegetarian Cookery and Nutrition

1 C. stone-ground cornmeal
1 1/2 C water
3 T butter
1 1/4 C whole wheat flour
1 t salt

Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add half the butter. Stir in cornmeal quickly; then immediately lower heat and cover pan. Let the cornmeal cook over very low heat for 5 minutes. Stir in remaining butter and set aside to cool.
Mix flour and salt. Stir in cooled cornmeal and knead, adding water, if necessary (or more flour) until a soft dough is formed. Pinch off 12 pieces and roll into 2 inch balls.
Flatten each ball between palms to form a flat circle. Roll with a rolling pin to 6-7 inches. Keep turning the circle to keep it round, and sprinkle board and rolling pin with cornmeal as needed to prevent sticking.
Cook on a got ungreased griddle for 1 1/2 minutes on each side, or until flecked with dark spots.
Line a basket or bowl with a large cloth. Stack the tortillas in bowl and keep covered with cloth.
They can be made long in advance, even a day or two before needed. Heating for a few seconds on each side makes them soft and pliable for handling again.
Makes 12 tortillas. Can be doubled.

I have made these recipes many times. They are fun to make and very nourishing!
Children love to help rolling the dough into little balls and flattening. It is a fun family activity.

I hope you try a few! Let me know if you have any questions about any of these!

Have fun being frugal! (And Healthy!)
~Laura

The Blessings of Keeping House-Part 1

Happy October! I love October! Everything just seems so much cozier! The sun goes down earlier and the day just seems to slow down a bit. I love feeling all cozy at home. I feel like I have more time to focus on homemaking. I love homemaking! I feel as if our house is the house that love built and that thought alone makes me happy to enjoy the blessings of keeping house!

I am so very thankful to have a safe and loving home! We are blessed!

Now you wouldn't think of me as a 'cleaner' or even an organized person by nature, but I do really enjoy doing all the things of keeping house if I make time for it and enjoy it in the process. Plus, I am not afraid of looking for help! (Check out the FlyLady at http://www.flylady.net/)

I grew up as a city girl, but I believe I am truly a country girl at heart. So now, here it is October and the homefire is burning in my heart! I am surrounded by my family, everyone is safe and sound and we have a world of blessings at our fingertips!

What can I bake, is what I was thinking last night, that would be special? I remembered I had a recipe for Beignets (pronounced ben-yays), a creole doughnut that Lenny and I enjoyed on our honeymoon in New Orleans 20 years ago. It is a nice whole-food recipe using whole wheat flour. They turned out very nice, the kids and Lenny loved them and they weren't overly sweet! Perfect! Of course, I will share the recipe with you. In New Orleans, they serve them at breakfast with orange juice. It is a wonderful treat for the family or for special company. If you want to get all romantic, serve them to your husband for a fun breakfast in bed! Try it and you might find a delivery boy at your door with a bouquet of flowers! You never know!


More on the blessings of Keeping House later!
Have a cozy October!

Oatmeal Banana Pancakes

These are a big hit with our family. They are very moist and filling and do not even need a topping, though homemade berry sauce and even peanut butter on them are quite a treat!

3-4 eggs (you could also use 1-2 eggs and add 3+ egg whites for more protein without all the fat)

3 c. milk, regular, rice, almond etc.

3 c. oats

1 c. whole-grain flour (wheat, rye, spelt etc.)

4 t. baking powder

1 t. salt (sea salt is what I use.)

1/3 c. sweetener (sucanat, honey, evaporated cane juice crystals, etc.)

3/4-1 cup freshly ground flaxseed

1c. water

2-3 mashed bananas (I freeze overripe bananas, thaw, snip and squeeze right into the bowl.)

I used 1 c. shredded zuchini last time I made these as I was out of bananas. They were great, too!

Mix all ingredients and let sit a bit to soften the grains. Spread batter onto oiled or buttered griddle with a measuring cup as they are thick. Flip when bottom is brown.

Makes about 30 pancakes. Can be cut in half.

Elizabeth-5 years old says, "These are fantastic. You don't even need anything on them!"

I always make more than I need because they are great for a snack anytime of the day!

I hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

Whole-Grain No Bake Granola Bars

My oven is out of order, so I looked for a no-bake granola bar recipe. I found this one at recipezaar.com. Everyone loved it and I love it because it has good ingredients. I send them with my loved ones to sporting events, practices and endless rounds of golf.

20 min prep
Serves 24

2 cups puffed brown rice cereal (unsweetened-Wal*Mart had them for $1.00 a bag)
2 cups old fashioned oats
1/4 cup roasted almonds, chopped (*I use raw and grind them in my coffee grinder)
1/4 cup roasted sunflower seeds (raw, again, for me)
1/2 cup shredded coconut (*I didn't have any, so I used ground flaxseed)
1/2 cup dried fruit, chopped
1/2 cup peanut butter (*I used 3/4 c. because I didn't feel that the bars held as well together with just a 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup brown rice syrup or honey (*increase to 3/4 c. & I sometimes use a small amount of blackstrap molasses to make up the 3/4 cup)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips (optional)

1. Combine cereal, oats, nuts, seeds, coconut and fruit in a large mixing bowl.
2. Heat the peanut butter, syrup, and vanilla in a small sauce pan until warm. Do not boil.
3. Pour the peanut butter mixture over the cereal mixture. Mix well while syrup is still warm. I use my hands.
4. Pour mixture into a 9x13 pan lined with waxed paper, or lightly sprayed with oil.
5. Pack the mixture down firmly with moist fingers or the bottom of another 9x13 pan sprayed with cooking spray.
6. The chocolate lover should sprinkle on the chocolate chips at this point and press them in firmly. (for less chance of melting during sporting events, mix choc. in with dry ingredients)
7. Cover with plastic wrap
8. Cool completely
9. Cut into 24 bars
10. Wrap individually with plastic wrap and store in fridge.

I hope you like them as much as we did!

*Also, look for another granola bar recipe that our kids say taste like Clif Bars! (They do!) I will post them another time! Enjoy the happiness that comes with wholesome cooking!