Banana Pancakes

You don't need banana pancakes to make conversation with your kids but just in case...

Banana Pancakes

First of all, I like to keep things simple around here.  So, here is a simple homemade pancake recipe with ingredients you most likely have around your pantry. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Cup All-Purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 Tablespoon Sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons canola oil or melted butter
• 1 cup milk or almond milk
• 1 egg  
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1/2 - 1 whole very ripe banana - smashed (depends on how much banana taste you want)

DIRECTIONS:

Mix dry ingredients. Mix wet ingredients. Mix together. Heat the griddle to medium heat. I use a little melted butter on the griddle - we believe in butter around here!   Cook.



For mine this morning, I got to use a fresh egg from my neighbor's chickens, whole milk,  melted butter and all-purpose flour.  My family likes the all-purpose flour better than the whole wheat flour in pancakes.  I personally like the whole wheat pastry flour - it has a better texture than regular whole wheat flour and it's healthier than all-purpose.   But anyway....

Also, if you want to be even more simple and use a pre-mixed pancake mix - just add a very ripe banana to the mix. My in-laws do this, so I cannot claim this bit of genius that pumps up a normal pancake. I just enjoy the fruits. :)


This morning we enjoyed them with fresh mango, strawberries and maple syrup.   YUMMY!!!

Here's a picture - my family also likes them on the thin side.  I think that way they think they are actually eating more of them!
 
 

Valentine Dinner Re-visited

Hubby and I do not go out for dinner on Valentine's Day.  We learned a few years ago that we find it too stressful to try to fight the crowds and the food is generally overpriced.  So, we usually try to make it out another night and have dinner at home on Valentine's Day.    This year, since Hubby was sick (yes, he caught what I had last week) I made dinner. 

And yes, he cooks.   I'm keeping him.  

The kids also have so much fun setting the table all fancy and enjoying this Love Feast as a family.   

I made Chicken Piccata and a Mixed Greens Salad with Cranberries and Walnuts.  The chicken has a lot of butter but it's yummy and the salad balances it all out! 

  

Here are the recipes.   The Chicken Piccata is an old standby of mine.  Hubby loves it with veal. Add two kids to the mix and chicken works just fine, thank you!  ;)

Chicken Piccata

• 3 large Chicken Breasts - pounded out thin to make them very tender
• 1 shallot - minced
• 3 cloves garlic - minced
• Lots of butter
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1/2 cup Flour - I used whole wheat pastry - enough to coat chicken breasts
• salt and pepper - to taste
• 2 tbsp Capers
• 1 container of fresh mushrooms -cleaned and sliced
• Juice of 2 Lemons
• 1 cup White Wine
• 1 cup Chicken stock
• 1 package angel hair pasta

Pound out the chicken with a kitchen mallet and cut in half to make pieces smaller.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and dredge in flour.  

In a large skillet heat on medium-high the olive oil and about 1/4 cup of butter - enough to fully cover the bottom of the pan.  Saute shallots and garlic.  Add. chicken and brown on each side.  You may need to turn down the heat here.  Especially if your garlic starts to burn.   Remove chicken from the pan when browned and set aside.

Squeeze lemon juice, wine and chicken broth in pan.  Add mushrooms and capers. Turn heat back up until the sauce is simmering and let it simmer until mushrooms are cooked and the sauce reduces to about half.  Add chicken broth if you find it reduces too much and you need more broth. 

Add chicken back to sauce to warm up.  I usually turn down the heat here and cover the pan for a few minutes while I cook my angel hair pasta.

Cook angel hair pasta for 4-5 minutes.  

Drain pasta and place on places.  Use a slotted spatula or spoon to distribute chicken and mushroom/capers evenly on top of each pasta.   

Turn  heat off on the sauce and add about 1/4 cup of butter to the sauce until melted.   Evenly distribute sauce over chicken and mushrooms and serve. 

Mixed Greens with Dried Cranberries and Walnuts 

Okay, so I totally eyeballed this recipe and did not measure a bit.  But for you, I tried to put it into a recipe.

• 4-5 cups of mixed greens
• 1/2 cup Olive Oil
• 1/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar (or less depending on how tart you like)
• 2 TBSP Honey (more if you want it sweeter)
• 1/4 cup walnuts (sometimes I toast these in the oven)
• 1/4 cup Dried Cranberries
• Blue Cheese (optional)to taste.  I can't use this right now, so I didn't put it in mine.  

 Mix your dressing - I usually do this in a jar with a lid and shake shake shake. Toss with rest of ingredients.  Chill or serve immediately.  

There you go - gourmet dinner right in your home!

This post is linked to What I Learned This Week  (even though she is talking about boycotting my favorite tv show LOL) and Tasty Tuesday. 

Skip the Non-Stick

A friend passed along this link to me this morning. It's from the Enviromental Working Group about the dangers of cooking with non-stick cookware.

It's not news to her.  It's not news to me.  It may not be news to you.  But it might and that's why I'm posting it.  Cooking on non-stick cookware is not as safe as we are led to believe.  Many countries have actually banned the use of non-stick cookware.  Banned - as in no use, deemed as dangerous to the public, not good. 

I haven't cooked with non-stick for 15 years.   Even when we travel to a vacation house, I take my cookware. Yes, if you don't already know, we sell a line of premium stainless steel cookware.  I'm not writing this post to sell you anything but rather as a public service announcement of sorts.   I know eating off of non-stick can't be avoided in restaurants and well, neither can a lot of things.   So, that's something I have to just live with and make eating out a treat, not the norm.

How do I cook eggs?  With a smooth stainless steel frying pan and a little butter.  The best part is that the eggs taste amazing.    I taste the eggs, the butter and anything I put in them - not whatever else comes from the actual pan. 

 Isn't stainless steel harder to clean?  Yes, a little harder, but I usually put some water in the pan right after I cook something that sticks and it easily slides out by the time the pan cools and I am ready to clean it.  I'm willing to spend a little more time cleaning to forsake eating chemicals from my cookware. 

My personal choice for cookware is the highest grade of stainless steel I could find.   I personally feel like it is worth the expense for a lifetime of healthier cooking for my family.    But that's just me.

Please please please know that  I am, by no means, judging what you cook with - just passing along some  information that I find worth passing along.

Judge for yourself.
Why You Should Skip the Non-Stick
Safer Cookware to choose From
What is PFOA? - the stuff on non-stick cookware

Sweet Surprise Not So Sweet

While reading a copy of Scholastic Parent & Child magazine yesterday, I came across THIS ad defending High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS).  The ad labeled Dry Cleaner was the one in the magazine.  Go ahead and open that up - it will pop up in a new window.  You might want to see the ad to understand where I'm coming from. 

I have to tell you that it gets under my skin a little lot.

First of all, I take great offense in that the ad seems to poke fun and assume that as a consumer, I might not be educated enough about what foods to feed my family and that if my advice about food is not coming from my doctor then it is not good advice.   I take a great deal of advice from our doctors.  They are smart people and I trust them.   But I also find value in the advice of trusted friends or people that I do business with like my hairdresser or dry cleaner.  Many of them spend a great deal of time researching what is good to feed their families and they actually see a difference in the health and behavior of their kids by eliminating certain ingredients found in processed foods.  You don't have to be a doctor to know what is healthy for you and your family.  Granted, there is a lot of information out there to sift through which leads me to my second point.

Let's say you are a parent trying to figure out what is good for your kids and you are reading the free magazine that comes home from school with your child.  A magazine that is published by a trusted source such as Scholastic and you see this ad in the Health & Wellness section.    In my opinion,  it sends biased message that says it's okay to feed your child processed sugar.  As a matter of fact, if you go to the website, it will also lead you to believe that a parent should be more interested in caloric intake than the individual ingredients found in our foods.   Yes, I think we should be interested in caloric intake - definitely.  But let's say that I make a granola bar from scratch with honey or an unrefined form of form sugar such as sucanat.   Let's compare it to a granola bar bought in a box with HFCS and other preservatives.   My homemade granola bar may end up having more calories than the one out of the box but mine is also filled with ingredients that are whole, unrefined and assimilated by the body in a healthier way.   In other words, the body uses more energy to process (burns fat) my homemade granola bar and takes from it the natural vitamins that it needs.  Therefore, my higher calorie homemade granola bar is actually a better choice for my kids.     Or take the apple that is full of natural sugar but also fiber and vitamins.  It has lots of calories but it is a much better choice than a few graham crackers with the same amount of calories coming mostly from the processed sugar in them.  And you know what?  I didn't learn that from my doctor. 


When I talk about this ad being a biased message, I am saying this because it is part of a campaign defending High Fructose Corn Syrup sponsored by the Corn Refiners Association.   Do you think that they might have any interest in how the public perceives their product? 


They compare it to regular table sugar - yeah, I'll give them this.  It may not be any worse.   And yes, we should all be watching our sugar intake in all forms.   That is the one positive message coming from this campaign.  We should be eating sugar in moderation. Well, that could be said for all food actually - moderation is the key.  Our portion sizes are huge in this country and has no doubt contributed to the obesity epidemic we face. 

And another thing I saw on the website is the add that says this is a "Schmear" campaign.   By whom?  Moms?   The general public?  Really?

Okay, so what are your thoughts on this?  I'd love to know.  Maybe there is something I am not seeing or getting.   Or maybe you agree with me and have some more points to add to the discussion.

So, let's discuss.

Homemade Hummus

My kids love to dip fresh veggies in this hummus. I was buying it from Trader Joe's for a long time but if you look at the ingredients it's hard to buy a store made hummus that doesn't have soybean oil in it.  Not to mention more salt than I want.

So, I remembered that my Sister-in-law sent me this recipe a few years back from her neighbor who was of middle-eastern descent.  So, I easily replaced my store-bought hummus with this.  It actually saves me money, too!  Bonus. 

It's easy and good. Plenty of garlic to chase those colds away.  I use organic canned chick peas - rinsed.  I suppose you could make your own if you have the time. Tahini is hard to find - I finally found it at Whole Foods. Or any middle eastern grocery store. Sometimes, they carry it in the Asian or middle-eastern section of your regular grocery store.  Or you could make your own - it's just toasted sesame seeds and olive oil crushed together much like peanut butter.  

Homemade Hummus

• 1 can chick peas - rinsed
• 1 lemon
• 5-6 cloves of garlic - minced
• pinch of sea salt
• 1 T Tahini
• 1/2 tsp. olive oil (I think I add a little more of this actually, maybe more like 1 tsp.)
• 1/3 cup of water

Place chick peas in food processor. Add juice from the lemon. Add garlic, tahini, olive oil and water. Process just until all mixed - it should be a thick texture.

It makes a good amount and my kids like it better!

For more un-processed food recipes check out Kitchen Stewardship today and her Fall Festival of Super Foods - Un-Processed Edition.  

Quinoa Avocado Salad

Quinoa Avocado Salad

Quinoa (pronouced KEEN-wah) is an a high protein grain (that's not really a grain but more a seed) that is native to South America.  It's been called it a complete protein, meaning it has all nine essential amino acids.  That's good news to vegans.   I made this salad for lunch at home the other day and it filled me up for a long time.  Not only is quinoa's amino acid profile well balanced, it is especially well-endowed with the the amino acid Lysine which is essential for tissue growth and repair.  It is also a good source of magnesium, folate and iron.   You can read here for more information than you probably ever want to know about Quinoa.

 

 Quinoa Avocado Salad

• 1 Cup Quinoa
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 medium tomato - chopped
• 2 Tbsp of olive oil
• 2 scallions - chopped
• 1 tbsp tamari
• 1 ripe avocado - chopped
• handful of fresh chopped parsley
  

You can add many things:   I add them all! 

• 1/2 cup pine nuts or sunflower seeds
• 1 stalk of celery - chopped
• 1 sm or 1 medium chopped cucumber

Cook 1 cup of Quinoa according to package directions.   Let it cool.  Toss all ingrediants together once it has cooled. Chill.

I like to let it marinate a little bit before I serve it but you can eat it right away!  

Submitted to Real Food Wednesday. 

Apple Breakfast Bars

A friend passed this recipe along to me a while back.   I pulled it out because I needed something quick and easy to eat on the mornings I have to run out of the house early.   I thought my kids would love it - they didn't.   My kids don't like dried fruit very much and these have dates in them.   Hubby loved it, though and they are the perfect answer for what I needed. 

So, I'm sharing it with you.  Maybe your kids will love them!  And, look Ma, no oil, sugar or butter in these!

Apple Breakfast Bars

• 1 1/2 cup quick rolled oats (you can use regular rolled oats but the texture will be different - see note below)
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 2/3 cup dates, chopped
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 cup orange juice or fresh juice from an orange
• 1 1/2 cups raw apples, shredded

Combine all ingredients.  Let stand 10 minutes.  Press mixture into an 8x8 baking dish. I did rub a little butter on the pan so they would not stick.  Bake at 375F degrees until lightly browned., about 25 minutes.   Regular oats might take a little longer to cook.   Loosen with spatula and cut into bars while still warm.  They are tasty warm but I enjoyed them the next day, cooled, also.

Shredding apples on my Saladmaster machine. 

All Mixed up

 

Pressed into the 8x8 baking dish

Done!

I promise they taste better than they look.  Hubby and I ate them in 2 days.



A word about oats:  What is the difference between Quick, Rolled, Steel cut?
Very simply -   The way they are cut.
So, beginning with steel cut you are getting a less processed  oat.  From what I've read, that doesn't necessarily mean the quick are still not a healthy option.  They are still oats - just cut more finely.  Rolled and quick oats are quickly steamed during processing so that they cook faster.

With each type of oats the consistency is different.    We eat the regular rolled oats around here.  I use the quick to bake with as it seems to create a less-chewy consistency that my kids will eat.  We never eat the instant packaged oatmeal - they are loaded with sugar and salt.   I used to make a homemade "instant oatmeal" but my kids prefer the regular oats.   

The nutritional content as far as calories, fiber and protein are exactly the same in all of them which leads me to think that the vitamins are probably close to the same even though the rolled and quick go through a little more processing.  

It's probably a Good, Better, Best situation.  Good being quick, better being regular rolled, best being steel-cut as they are likely the most nutrient-dense.    All in all, though - I think it's up to you and if you have any of the three in your family's diet you are doing great.   Again, this is only my opinion and my experience.   You can Google steel cut vs. rolled. vs.quick oats and find a plethora of opinions on the matter.

Submitted to Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam  

Packing a Healthy Lunch Your Kids Will Eat - WFMW

Whenever I talk about eating healthier and feeding my kids healthy food, I often get the same question.

What do you feed your kids for lunch?

I actually have this very same issue.  Trying to stay away from packaged foods is nearly impossible with the lunch situation.   I have the hardest time packing a healthy lunch that my kids will actually eat.  I suspect many of you do also. 

For one thing, my kids want what everyone else is eating.   They really don't want to bring something strange to school for lunch.   I go to lunch with my kids a lot and I see what happens to the foods that parents send that the kids are too embarrassed to pull out of their lunchbox.    And it usually ends up in the trash.

I applaud any parent's effort to send a nutritious lunch to school and I think sending the alternative is, well, not such a good alternative.

I would love to hear from you on this topic. I need new ideas! 

In the meantime, here has what I've been doing so far this year.

Here are non-negotiables for me:

• Water always. 
• 100% juice boxes only.
• Whole grain bread without High Fructose Corn Syrup.  There are about two brands out there in your mainstream grocery store.  Trader Joes and Whole Foods do carry only this type of bread but I choose not to spend $4 on a loaf of bread.  Just sayin'.   I also use Naan bread, pita bread and whole wheat tortilla shells sometimes. 

Let's talk about the sandwich...
I saw this sweet little Kindergarten boy at lunch the other day with a tuna salad sandwich.  Five year old kids at the table were already saying ewwww!  Apparently, it starts early.   Thankfully, he did not seem bothered by it at all - he was chowing it down. 

• My children do not love deli meat so I only pack a deli sandwich a couple times a week.  I try making chicken salad which my daughter loves but my son hates.  I try to buy whole sliced turkey or chicken and give them the things that they love like Bologna and Salami only on occasion. 

• My kids dislike mayo, so we use mustard.  
• lettuce and tomato add a boost to the sandwich.  
• Whole cheese slices - cheddar, mont-jack, provolone.

• I only use all-natural peanut butter - my kids have never known the difference.  And only all fruit jams or reduced sugar jelly.   Smucker's reduced sugar (not sugar-free) jelly has less sugar in it than many all fruit jams.  Go figure. 
  

Snacks and sides:

• They want snack chips.  So, I try to pack the lesser of the evils.  I will pack real potato chips which, although they are fried, they do not have hydrogenated oils in them.  I also pack pretzels a lot and tortilla chips.   Doritos, Cheetos, Cheez-its and the likes are a rare treat as most of them have hydrogenated oils in them.  

• I noticed a girl in my son's class that had homemade waffles for her snack.  No butter or syrup - just the waffles - she ate them up and was so excited!   We love the whole wheat waffles from Trader Joes or Vans waffles that you can find at your grocery store- those might be a good option. 
  

• Air-popped popcorn with sea salt for a snack.
  

• I send whole cheese that I slice from the block.  My kids seem to like this better than cheese sticks.

• Nuts - my kids will eat almonds and cashews.  I realize many kids won't.  You could make up your own trail mix and send that.  My kids don't like dried fruit of any kind - I guess I've spoiled them with too much fresh!  Here is an entire article from Family Fun about making your own trail mix.

Other things I pack.

• Organic yogurts with granola (Trader Joes has great granola and even a gluten free one)  Here is a great link to homemade granola.  And a video on how to make homemade granola bars.
  

• Red, yellow, orange, green bell peppers with hummus.  My kids love vegetables so I am lucky in this regard. 
• Raw broccoli, grape tomatoes, peeled carrots, cukes, and celery are always a hit with them.
• Cooked and chilled edamame.
• Pickles - not a fresh veggie but they love them.
  

• Both of my kids will eat a salad if I pack it in their lunch, so once a week, I do that.

• I also bought the Thermos containers and send leftover spaghetti, soup or mac & cheese.

• I have these little plastic containers from Tupperware called Midgets that I send with dips like hummus and peanut butter.  I'm working on a homemade Ranch Dressing - any recipes out there?   Dips seem to make my kids eat just about anything! 

Dessert

• Dessert - I try to send homemade goodies if I have them.  
• Fruit salad or fresh fruit every single day.
• Yogurt 
• I will pack cookies. They are kids.  Kids love cookies.  I love cookies.  Bonus if they are homemade.  
  

I talk to my kids a lot about making good food choices.  I want them to want to eat healthy even though they see other kids eating things that are not so good for them.  I try to teach them about packaging and marketing and how that is not what we should look for in food.   I also allow them treats so they don't feel they are missing out on something.  Most days I think they get it.


So, that is about all I've come up with!  Your turn - what do you pack for your kids lunches?

*updated:  found this great post that pretty much covers mine and then some - wanted to share it with you because there are some awesome ideas here. 
Packing a Lunch: Healthy Food to Go at Kitchen Stewardship

**More updates:  Another great one over at Musings of a Housewife - School Lunches - be sure to check out the comments, too. 

For more Works For me Wednesday ideas, head on over to We are THAT Family.  

My Rollercoaster Ride with Being Healthy

There was once a time in my life where I could honestly say that I had not eaten fast food of any kind for about 3 years.  No chicken nuggets, no french fries, no cheeseburgers that came from a restaurant with a drive-thru.

I was a serious "health nut" as they say.
Organic - check.
No processed foods - check.
Triple Osmosis filtered water - check.
I even had a filter in my shower to remove whatever yuckiness could go into my body through the city water.   I used the stone crystal for deodorant, herbal wrap detoxes, all natural colon cleanses, I was completely dairy free for awhile, I can skim the labels of food to find yucky additives in seconds flat - the list goes on, y'all.   

I hadn't tasted a Big hamburger, that begins with an M and ends with a C, in about 5 years.  Maybe more.

Then I got pregnant with my first child.

The cravings I had were unbelievable.  I used it as a license to eat whatever I wanted. 

Here I was in a 12 week natural childbirth class with a nutrition plan that was perfectly laid out to feed me and my baby into optimal health.   Yes, I had my first child without one single drug - I told you, I was a nut.   Anyway, I was not only eating everything on that plan which was A LOT of good whole foods, but I was suddenly eating every piece of junk food I could get my hands on.   

Hubby loves to tell the story of when I was about 7 months pregnant and  he walked into the office where we worked together -  the office where we distribute a line of products designed to help people eat healthier - to find me eating a Big hamburger, that begins with an M and ends with a C, large fry and large coke.

He asked me,"Is that what I think it is?" 
"Yes, it is." 
"Can I have a bite?" 
"Don't even think about it."

And so began a new love affair with fast food.   I feel it only fair to tell you that I gained...get ready for it...80 pounds during my first pregnancy.  80. Pounds.  It took me over a year to lose that weight.

Losing it, of course, included not eating any more fast food.   I also ended up with Ulcerative Colitis.  I don't know what to attribute this to other than my eating habits taking a nose dive during the pregnancy. 

Now fast forward to having two kids and being a busy mom.    Let's face it, getting fast food is often just easier.  The kids are hungry and time is short.   Over the last few years, I have fed myself and my kids fast food more than I would like to think.

So here I am the last couple years, cooking pretty healthy at home but often running through a drive-thru with my kids. I even allowed some processed foods to come into my home because they BEG me at the store.  I feel like I've been sending them a mixed message. 

So, the time has come for a change...again.   For one, it's really not within my new budget to spend money on food that is anything but nutritionally sound.   Secondly, my health and my family's health is just that important.

Am I completely finished feeding my kids fast food?  Well, no.  I'd like to be but they still ask for it and sometimes it just is the easier option.  I would say that rarely is more like it.   And we try to make better choices about what kind of fast food we eat.   It is not all created equal. 

What I learned from this is that eating healthy is a habit.  It starts with one good choice and leads to another good choice.  And another and so on until eating healthy is just part of who you are.

The same goes for eating unhealthy.  It starts with one bad choice (I was pregnant for crying out loud - who can blame a pregnant woman?!?) and leads to another bad choice.  And another and so on until eating unhealthy is just part of who you are.

The crazy thing is that eating unhealthy is a lot easier of a habit to get into than eating healthy.  The sugar in processed foods is like a drug to our body.  I once had a holistic nutritionist tell me that she felt sugar was a worse addiction than heroin.   Since I have never been a heroin user, I just can't fairly say.    But if she is right then it would go to prove why it is so hard to get off of processed and fast foods.  We become addicted to them.   And like any addiction, it damages our body.  Luckily, we have amazing cells that can rebuild themselves quickly just by eating healthy again.  Whew!


So, yeah - I'm on the wagon again.  Going back to some of my better habits and trying to eat healthier.  Picking up some tips from websites and bloggers and reading up on some current health issues.  Back to the basics, ya know?  Since I've been down this road before, I really feel like I can recognize a fad or a trend in health.  And letmetellyou - there are many. 

I have one final word of advice about nutrition that I've gathered in my rollercoaster ride of healthy/not so healthy eating.  Moderation is absolutely the key.   Changing your eating habits overnight will most likely set you up for failure.  But eventually, what you think you could never live without will not even taste good to you anymore.  So, take it slowly and savor the new choices you are making.

Okay, that is all.  Now where is that chocolate...dark in it's purest form, of course.  ;)

*I must put this disclaimer on here that I am not a doctor or a nutritionist and you should always follow your own doctor's orders or make educated decisions about your own health.  Anything stated here are simply my own experiences and opinions.

Convenience Factor - What I Learned This Week

Our family has decided to make an effort to be better stewards of our money and be on a little tighter budget. To say that we are being affected by the recession would be an understatement. I'm not going to go into that too much because my husband would not be a happy camper with me telling cyberspace our financial state and all. Let's just say, we really have needed to re-think the way we live our life. It's not necessarily been such a bad thing, though.

We decided that we waste a lot of money on things that provide us convenience. While they do free up some time for us, we also find that they don't add much benefit to our life. One question I asked myself a lot is, "What are my kids learning by the fact that we pay someone else to do so much for us?"

We've done a lot of cutting back in small areas but just this last week we've done the following:

First, we let our lawn service go.
Now, before you go and laugh at how much this is not a sacrifice (you are probably right), let me tell you that for Hubby - it really is. He has about 1 full day off a week and we spend most of that day at church. So, he really doesn't have much time to do yardwork. I could not use our old mower because I could never get it started (I know, I know), so eventually we just hired someone to do it. The opportunity cost at the time just made sense. We've had the same lawn service for a pretty low cost for almost 10 years. I hated to cancel it because we love the guy so much. But we did - it just makes sense now. So, Hubby went to Sears and got himself a fancy push mower that was a floor model and one I can work if I need to. Which I'm hoping I don't.

That hubby of mine can certainly work a deal. He got a the mower for more than 50% off. I think he actually is enjoying mowing the lawn which I did not think I would ever see.

Second, we let our housecleaning service go.
Yes, I cried.

Again, you might be saying, "no big sacrifice, Janel." Yeah, well you are right. Many women clean their own homes, so why can't I? Now I do have to say that I have only had a cleaning service because she is part of a barter program in which we belong. I have not paid her cash in 2 years. But again, we decided we need to save the bartering dollars for more important things like vet bills and the dentist. Yes, we barter those things - it's a beautiful thing.

Third, we decided to eat out for dinner only once a week. We sell an amazing line of premium cookware for crying out loud. Why are we going to out dinner so much? Weight gain, stomach issues all spending money all say we shouldn't be eating out so much - enough said. So, I've been cooking every night this week. I actually baked, too! I enjoy cooking so much and really find that the more of a habit I make it, the more I can easily throw a meal together faster than going out to eat. Also, I feel so much better about what I'm feeding my kids because I have control over what goes into the food.

Last but not least, I am looking for part-time income now that both of my kids are in school. So, I started looking for a job outside the home only to realize a couple things:

1. I have not been in the actual workforce for almost 10 years and people are not so much interested in me compared to the other thousand people that are out of work that actually do have skills they need.

2. I am on my computer a lot. And there are ways to generate income by being on my computer. One thing I like to do is encourage and promote other people. There are actually ways that I can generate income by doing just that in the online world. I've had some amazing opportunities this week in this area and I am very excited.

Needless to say, the first week without the many conveniences has been busy.
Busy but good.
It feels good to make an effort to take care of our own stuff and also save money.

In my mind, it's a positive way the recession has affected us. It's made us more aware of what we really don't need and what we can do ourselves.

How about you? What positive affect has the recession had on you, if any?

For more lessons learned this week you can head over to Musings of a Housewife. She's been talking a lot about eating more whole foods and less processed. Good stuff over there.

Free Stonyfield Farms yogurt, a book, movie tickets!

Win Free Stonyfield Farms yogurt, a book, movie tickets to Food, Inc. !!!

You know I love Stonyfield Farms yogurt, don't you? I talk about it all the time on this blog.

No artificial anything.
Organic.
Good.

Anyway, if you are on Facebook and become a fan of Stonyfield, you can quickly enter this contest HERE.
But hurry, it ends July 17!

Let the Vacation Begin, the Shrimp Boil is on!

True to our little family tradition, we have purchased our fresh shrimp upon arrival to the beach and I am preparing the Shrimp Boil. For us, this marks the beginning of our week at the beach. I actually could eat this every night - the shrimp is so good here because we get it the day it comes off the boats.

Anyway, wanted to share the tradition with you.
Reposted from July 2008

Shrimp Boil or Frogmore Stew

My friend adds sausage and lemons to hers. I've made it like that before and decided to merge our recipes. My family loved the added sausage and lemons.
And no, we have no idea what Frogmore means. If you do, please let us know.


Here you go!


Ingredients

2 TBSP of OLD BAY Seasoning per gallon of water
3 lemons halved
Red-skin potatoes (depending on size, 3 or more per person)
Spicy smoked sausage, cut into 1-inch slices (1/4LB. per person) I used lite turkey
Fresh corn, shucked and broken into halves or thirds (1 1/2 ear per person)
Shrimp with the shell and tails on, rinsed (1/2 LB. per person)

I add a half of stick of salted butter. (for good measure)

Directions
Fill a large steamer pot half way with water.

Add Old Bay, Butter and the lemons.

When the seasoned water comes to a boil add the potatoes and boil for 15 minutes or longer depending on size. They should start to soften. We like ours pretty soft so we boile them forever.

Add the corn and boil for at least 7 minutes or until desired texture.

Add sausage and boil for 7 minutes.

Add shrimp and cook for 3 minutes then drain and pile in large container.

Serve with lots of paper towels, melted butter for the corn, cocktail sauce for the shrimp and sour cream for the potatoes.

* Another addition to a shrimp boil that I think sounds good but I have not tried- those little pearl onions. I just HATE peeling those little suckers.

What's So Good About The End Of Strawberry Season?

The beginning of peach season.

More Wordless Wednesday at 5 Minutes For Mom.

A Few Things to be happy about....

It is cloudy here today. Muggy. Not my favorite kind of day.

I just like it to be either sunny so we can go to the pool or rainy - just decide, ya know?

So, in light of the lack of sunshine...
I am going to just name a couple things I am feeling happy about right now and not in any particular order.

• These shoes I found over the weekend on clearance for nine whole American dollars! $9!!! So cute, yes?

• This book I am reading. Soul Cravings by Erwin McManus

I posted this quote from the book on Facebook and Twitter this morning because I love it so much - "When we are optimistic about the future, we find the energy to create it."

• The Twilight Saga: New Moon movie trailer. I have a minor obsession with the Twilight saga. I'm trying to keep in perspective. :)

• Sunscreen without Oxybenzone. Neutrogena's Sensitive Skin and Pure & Free Baby

Know of any others? I would LOVE to find more.

• Satellite campus of my church in my neighborhood. I am just so excited to be a part of a core team of people getting ready to launch this! I can't wait!

• A Monday without an appointment. I'm still in in my pj bottoms at 9 am and very happy to be that way. Doing laundry, working on the computer and chatting it up with my 5 year old.

• Fresh Blueberries. Actually, I made a bowl of cereal this morning, topped it with the blueberries and when I went to pour milk on top I realized it was sour. Don't you just hate when that happens? So, I just enjoyed the blueberries by themselves.

• My new favorite song:

What are you happy about today????

Instant Oatmeal For Less - WFMW

I am not sure where I picked up this recipe but it's a good one and a great money saving idea. I used to use it all the time but my kids really prefer the whole oats to the quick ones now. I still make it to keep in a pinch, though. It's sooo much better than the packaged instant oatmeal and works out to be about 25 cents a serving. It is definitely one of my greatest kitchen tips!

Instant Oatmeal

• 1-18 oz. container of quick-cooking oats
• 1 envelope of nonfat dry milk (3.2 oz)
• 2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup raisins(optional)
• 1 tsp. cinnamon

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well. Transfer to an airtight container. For breakfast: Scoop 1/2 cup oatmeal mix into a microwavable bowl. Add 1/2 cup water. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir and let rest for 5 minutes or until cooled a bit. Makes about 16 servings.

For More Greatest Tips - Works For Me Wednesday hop on over to it's new location at We are THAT Family.

Go Red for Women

Today is the American Heart Association's wear red day - for women.

Did you know that heart disease is the #1 killer for women in the US?

It traditionally has not gotten the attention as other diseases that affect women. It is also mainly associated as a man's disease but women are more likely to die from severe heart attacks than men for several reasons.

My grandmother and grandfather both passed away from heart disease after numerous bypass surgeries and my father had his first bypass surgery before he was 40.

I have to admit that while I know these facts, I often do not eat and exercise like I should. As I approach 40, though I find myself feeling a lot more tired lately and just not feeling so hot. So, I am really trying to make more of an effort to eat healthier and get back into an exercise routine.

How about you? Any heart disease stories in your family? Any steps you want to pass on that are heart healthy?

Here are some ways you can start. Reduce Your Risk.

Easy Two-Layer Fudge

As I was making this tonight, I remembered someone asked for it in my comments last week.

So, here is the easiest fudge you will ever make. Thanks to my super SIL for the recipe.

My mom actually makes the best fudge. I tried for years to duplicate her recipe and it was pretty good - but oh, so involved. This is just incredibly easy and people love it! You can also play with it like I did last week and make different flavors (like Peppermint Fudge). Plus, my mom still makes hers every year, so I take the easy route.

Two-Layer Fudge
Yield: 4 dozen pieces

1 package (8 Squares) of Bakers Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate
1 package (6 squares) of Bakers White Chocolate
1 can of Sweetened Condensed Milk - divided.
1 tsp. Vanilla
1/2 cup chopped Walnuts (optional)

Microwave the chocolate and 3/4 cup of the condensed milk in a medium microwavable bowl on HI for 2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute and returning to the microwave for the remaining 1 minute. Stir until melted and creamy.

Add Vanilla and walnuts if you want them;mix well.

Spread evenly into a foil-lined 8 inch square pan.

Microwave white chocolate and remaining milk on HI for 1 1/2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute and returning to the microwave for the remaining 1/2 minute. Stir until melted and creamy.

Spread evenly over chocolate.

Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Cut into 48 pieces.

Eat. Give. Share. Eat more.
********************************************

Okay, now to make Peppermint Fudge, I OMIT the walnuts in the chocolate layer.
I use 3/4 cup Andie's Peppermint chips* instead of the Bakers White Chocolate.

It will be pink! :) I love pink. Then I sprinkle some of the chips on top. Very festive.

*Note: I am having a hard time finding these chips this year. Sooo, if you can't find them in your neck of the woods, go ahead and use the Bakers White Chocolate and add 1/4 tsp of Peppermint extract. Sprinkle with crushed peppermints.

Souper Saturday - White Turkey Chili

By request, I am planning to host the Souper Saturday Carnival each Saturday through the colder months.

I am not big on rules, but if you want to read more details go HERE.

Basically, link anything that says:
"Soups On! " in your house.
Comfort.
Warmth.
Easy would be good, too. ;)


This week, since we baked a huge turkey and we have so much left over, I am going with the turkey theme.

White Turkey Chili.
It is favorite and one of my MIL's favorites.

Here you go,

White Turkey Chili

• 2 Cups of turkey breast (you can use ground white turkey breast if you don't have any leftover - just cook it up with the next 3 ingredients and then add remaining ingredients)
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
  
• 1 small onion - chopped
• 2 -4 oz cans of chopped green chilies
• 2 -15 oz cans of white cannellini beans(white kidney beans. great northern beans work, too) - drained and rinsed
• 1 -10 oz box of frozen white corn
• 2 -15 oz cans of reduced-sodium chicken broth
  
• 2 cloves fresh chopped garlic or 1 Tbsp garlic powder
  
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp salt
  

Additions after soup is cooked:

• Chopped fresh Cilantro to taste
• Hot sauce to taste
• White cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese to taste
• Sour Cream
• Tortilla chips
  

You will need at least a 4 quart stock pot.
Heat turkey with onion and chilies in the olive oil until onion is turning clear.
Add remaining ingredients.
Bring to boil.
Reduce to simmer for at least 30 minutes. I let it simmer longer to infuse the flavors better - about 2 hours.

Add any of the above additions to jazz up the flavor. Especially the cilantro. Serve with the tortilla chips or over cooked rice even. Yum!

Turkey Pot Pie with calories to spare!

I was just thinking about how much food I have consumed in the last day or so.

I was also just thinking about how a month on Weight Watchers would not hurt one little bit.
Then I clicked on A Box of Chocolates and saw this carnival that Mel is hosting.

So, I am joining in. (Although, I think it is a little more than 5 points. )

And giving you something to do with the turkey leftovers!



Turkey Pot Pie - maybe 6 points.

12 oz. cooked white meat turkey
16 oz frozen mixed veges: carrots, green beans, corn
10 3/4 oz canned cream of fat free cream of Mushroom Soup
1/4 cup canned chicken broth
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
2 rolls of reduced fat crescent roll dough (okay, I know this is what the recipe calls for, but c'mon - I used more which raised the points a bit - and this is why I hate to diet)

Preheat oven to 375
Heat turkey with frozen veges, mushroom soup and broth. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until hot - about 4 minutes. Add thyme.

Spoon mixture into a deep 9 inch pie plate. Cute each crescent roll to form 2 triangles. Arrange triangles over the mixture and bake for about 5 minutes. Reduce oven temp to 325 and bake for 15 more minutes or until rolls are a deep golden brown. Cut into 4 pieces and serve.

Yield 1 3/4-2 cups per serving.

Souper Saturday - Texas Stew

Okay, so I did promise to introduce my new buttons this week. Here's one of them!

So cute, huh? Thanks Jo-Lynne!
Be sure to grab it for your post and link back to me.

The reason for this button?

I love making soup. It is such a great meal in the Fall and Winter and my family loves it!

My plan is to share some of my favorite recipes with you and hope you will play along and share some of yours with me.

If you have a favorite recipe that is not soup, please share that, too!

Today, I am re-posting one that is a family fave. I hope you will enjoy it, too.

And don't forget to play along! Because I am not sure what I will do if nobody links up! Here is how you do that...

Just grab the button for your post, post your recipe, sign up with Mr. Linky there at the bottom of the post, link back to my blog and leave me a comment if you have a chance.

I will try to do this at least one Saturday a month - maybe every other.

So, here it is - the easiest stew you might ever make!

Texas Stew (From Easy Weeknight Favorites - Southern Living)

8 servings

2 lbs beef cut into 1 inch pieces
1 (14 1/2 oz.) can of Mexican style stewed tomatoes - undrained
( I use regular stewed tomatoes so it is not so spicy)
1 can condensed beef broth - undiluted
1 (8 oz.) jar of mild to medium salsa picante sauce
1 (10 oz.) package of frozen corn
2 carrots, scraped and sliced
1 medium onion - chopped
2 garlic cloves - minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 t. salt
*******************
1/3 Cup of water
1/4 Cup of all-purpose flour

Saute meat until it browns. Then combine the next 10 ingredients in a 4-5 quart pot or crock pot. Cover and cook on high until starts to boil - reduce to low for up to 10 hours (note to Saladmaster customers: Saute your meat, add next 10 ingredients, Cover, heat to medium until the vapo-valve clicks. Reduce to low for about 2-4 hours. You will save yourself lots of time, but you can also leave it cooking all day.)

Combine water and flour - bring soup back to a boil and stir into soup until thickened. Serve.