COVID-19 Whole 30: Complete

Everyone's lifestyle has changed at least in some regard, if not in every regard since mid-march. Our grocery shopping and diets went through a few phases:
1) Panic shopping: buy canned and frozen goods; stock up on essentials and favorites in case they aren't available later.
2) Drink more. Long days ended with a drink or two. Several trips to the liquor store . . . also, they deliver!
3) Add take-out to the menu once a week to support local business and give me a night off.
4) Back to normal but more comfort food: Shelves are stocked again so buy what feeds the soul. Chocolate. Crackers. Snacks for the kids (that mom likes too), etc. Sandwiches for lunch everyday. So much bread.

And then the clothes started to get tight and my gut didn't feel too great. I was tired and had low energy. Change was needed. After 2.5 months of eating poorly and not getting the normal exercise I had been accustomed to, I decided to do another round of Whole30. Chris was in, too.

And for the most part, it was awesome. Day 3-4 were terrible and hard and I was angry at everything (this is actually very normal). We ate good foods, snacked a lot less. Slept better most of the time and wasn't quite so low-energy with the kids. And I lost a couple of pounds.

I wanted to stick to it as closely as I could, but I ended up slipping a few times completely unaware until I was prepping our meal and adding an ingredient that shouldn't have been used. I use a meal planning app called CookSmarts and it's so awesome and yummy; they have a few whole30 friendly recipes and a ton of paleo options; but I hadn't read the recipe completely before choosing to buy the ingredients and make it.. so got to step 4 and realized, oops... this needs honey. Or this needs coconut aminos (which none of my go-to stores currently carry). So non-whole30 substitutes were used;  or we went with grace and used the honey. I also made an error when I bought almond butter. I didn't realize the brand I bought had sugar in it! I used it for a couple of days before deciding that it just didn't taste right and read the label.. Oops!

I also found it challenging to shop while taking Covid-19 precautions and not be able to do my normal comparisons between products - either the store only had one option or had signs up that asked customers not to touch products unless they bought them.

So, what did we eat?
Breakfast: Turkey, sweet potato egg bake with onions and bell peppers
Lunch: Salad with meat (chicken or steak), roasted sweet potato, walnuts, avocado, homemade dressing and a side of fruit
Dinner: I tried quite a few dishes. Our favorites: Egg Roll in a Bowl and Pesto Zucchini Noodles
We snacked on bananas and almond butter daily as well as mixed nuts.

I said this last time I did Whole30 and I'm going to say it again. I'm going to try and keep it up as long as I can. We have some travel plans at the end of July so if I can hang on until then, I'd be really pleased.

What have been your shopping/dieting struggles during this pandemic?

Everyone's lifestyle has changed at least in some regard, if not in every regard since mid-march. Our grocery shopping and diets went through a few phases:
1) Panic shopping: buy canned and frozen goods; stock up on essentials and favorites in case they aren't available later.
2) Drink more. Long days ended with a drink or two. Several trips to the liquor store . . . also, they deliver!
3) Add take-out to the menu once a week to support local business and give me a night off.
4) Back to normal but more comfort food: Shelves are stocked again so buy what feeds the soul. Chocolate. Crackers. Snacks for the kids (that mom likes too), etc. Sandwiches for lunch everyday. So much bread.

And then the clothes started to get tight and my gut didn't feel too great. I was tired and had low energy. Change was needed. After 2.5 months of eating poorly and not getting the normal exercise I had been accustomed to, I decided to do another round of Whole30. Chris was in, too.

And for the most part, it was awesome. Day 3-4 were terrible and hard and I was angry at everything (this is actually very normal). We ate good foods, snacked a lot less. Slept better most of the time and wasn't quite so low-energy with the kids. And I lost a couple of pounds.

I wanted to stick to it as closely as I could, but I ended up slipping a few times completely unaware until I was prepping our meal and adding an ingredient that shouldn't have been used. I use a meal planning app called CookSmarts and it's so awesome and yummy; they have a few whole30 friendly recipes and a ton of paleo options; but I hadn't read the recipe completely before choosing to buy the ingredients and make it.. so got to step 4 and realized, oops... this needs honey. Or this needs coconut aminos (which none of my go-to stores currently carry). So non-whole30 substitutes were used;  or we went with grace and used the honey. I also made an error when I bought almond butter. I didn't realize the brand I bought had sugar in it! I used it for a couple of days before deciding that it just didn't taste right and read the label.. Oops!

I also found it challenging to shop while taking Covid-19 precautions and not be able to do my normal comparisons between products - either the store only had one option or had signs up that asked customers not to touch products unless they bought them.

So, what did we eat?
Breakfast: Turkey, sweet potato egg bake with onions and bell peppers
Lunch: Salad with meat (chicken or steak), roasted sweet potato, walnuts, avocado, homemade dressing and a side of fruit
Dinner: I tried quite a few dishes. Our favorites: Egg Roll in a Bowl and Pesto Zucchini Noodles
We snacked on bananas and almond butter daily as well as mixed nuts.

I said this last time I did Whole30 and I'm going to say it again. I'm going to try and keep it up as long as I can. We have some travel plans at the end of July so if I can hang on until then, I'd be really pleased.

What have been your shopping/dieting struggles during this pandemic?

Whole 30: Day 32

My "Whole 30" is technically done, but I am really pleased with the results and I think I could benefit even more if I kept it up a little longer. I have a trip coming in the middle of June so I'm hoping I can keep it up at least two more weeks. I'm also loosening the rules a little bit -- enjoying a drink with friends, getting a good meal at a restaurant while on a date with my husband -- but at home, sticking to the rules.

So, what happened after 32 days? My body started feeling like mine again -- not bloated, feeling icky. I felt like I fit in my skin again. I also fit in my clothes better! I still have a muffin top, and my stomach isn't flat--that will require a lot more work, but my jeans fit again and I dropped 7 pounds. My skin still gets blemishes and my acne is still an ever present trouble, but its a tiny bit better too. I have more energy and overall have been sleeping better (just not this week).

If you are interested in knowing what other kinds of improvements they say you can experience on this reset, check out this PDF.

I told you before that I'd try to list out our favorite meals when we were finished. It's true, we did enjoy the foods we ate!

 - Whole 30 Sweet Potato Mash & Curry Meat Balls by Whole Smiths
 -  Creamy Pesto Zoodles & Chicken by Whole Smiths
 - Whole 30 Slow Cooker Beef Stew by Physical Kitchness

A few meals I attempted to make Whole 30 by substituting ingredients or leaving them out all together. Those were totally fine, just not awesome. A few meals we made were complete duds (chili and meat loaf). Our easiest meals were spaghetti squash with homemade beef ragu and salmon with roasted vegetables.

We did spent a lot more than usual this month -- we went through 6 or 7 eggs a day which means we bought nearly 4 dozen eggs a week. Eggs are not cheap these days! We had meat with every meal - ground pork and beef were more common but we had chicken and lamb too. We ate a lot of sweet potatoes, I would estimate we went through about 15 pounds.

The kids still ate their regular favorites so we couldn't stop buying bread all together. But we bought half as much! And we didn't buy any cereal (the boys were well stocked), and since we weren't eating cereal we didn't need to buy almond milk either. Chris didn't eat a PB & J sandwich for lunch every day so we didn't go through jelly or peanut butter like we used to and it was too difficult to find deli meat without all the preservatives so we skipped that too. It seemed like a lot of our go-to normal, every day foods were off limits so we just stopped buying them. (They were replaced by much more expensive foods so it's not like we saved money, but it did help to cut things out.)

I'm feeling really good -- proud of myself for doing something hard and happy with the results. I never really thought I could do it, but I did (minus a few slip ups like tasting things I had cooked for other people and using non-compliant condiments by mistake).

Thanks for following my challenge!

My "Whole 30" is technically done, but I am really pleased with the results and I think I could benefit even more if I kept it up a little longer. I have a trip coming in the middle of June so I'm hoping I can keep it up at least two more weeks. I'm also loosening the rules a little bit -- enjoying a drink with friends, getting a good meal at a restaurant while on a date with my husband -- but at home, sticking to the rules.

So, what happened after 32 days? My body started feeling like mine again -- not bloated, feeling icky. I felt like I fit in my skin again. I also fit in my clothes better! I still have a muffin top, and my stomach isn't flat--that will require a lot more work, but my jeans fit again and I dropped 7 pounds. My skin still gets blemishes and my acne is still an ever present trouble, but its a tiny bit better too. I have more energy and overall have been sleeping better (just not this week).

If you are interested in knowing what other kinds of improvements they say you can experience on this reset, check out this PDF.

I told you before that I'd try to list out our favorite meals when we were finished. It's true, we did enjoy the foods we ate!

 - Whole 30 Sweet Potato Mash & Curry Meat Balls by Whole Smiths
 -  Creamy Pesto Zoodles & Chicken by Whole Smiths
 - Whole 30 Slow Cooker Beef Stew by Physical Kitchness

A few meals I attempted to make Whole 30 by substituting ingredients or leaving them out all together. Those were totally fine, just not awesome. A few meals we made were complete duds (chili and meat loaf). Our easiest meals were spaghetti squash with homemade beef ragu and salmon with roasted vegetables.

We did spent a lot more than usual this month -- we went through 6 or 7 eggs a day which means we bought nearly 4 dozen eggs a week. Eggs are not cheap these days! We had meat with every meal - ground pork and beef were more common but we had chicken and lamb too. We ate a lot of sweet potatoes, I would estimate we went through about 15 pounds.

The kids still ate their regular favorites so we couldn't stop buying bread all together. But we bought half as much! And we didn't buy any cereal (the boys were well stocked), and since we weren't eating cereal we didn't need to buy almond milk either. Chris didn't eat a PB & J sandwich for lunch every day so we didn't go through jelly or peanut butter like we used to and it was too difficult to find deli meat without all the preservatives so we skipped that too. It seemed like a lot of our go-to normal, every day foods were off limits so we just stopped buying them. (They were replaced by much more expensive foods so it's not like we saved money, but it did help to cut things out.)

I'm feeling really good -- proud of myself for doing something hard and happy with the results. I never really thought I could do it, but I did (minus a few slip ups like tasting things I had cooked for other people and using non-compliant condiments by mistake).

Thanks for following my challenge!

Whole 30: Day 22

"We're almost done!" I told Chris this afternoon. His response: "No, we are two-thirds of the way through this. Not all most done." I guess we're feeling a little different about this whole thing.

But I realized over the last couple of days that I have had a few slip ups without even realizing it. And a few that were intentional -- but for good reason. The intentional slip ups were tasting things I had cooked trying to discern if it was cooked, things like pasta for the kids or tofu for my neighbor. I also licked my fingers while preparing cupcakes for Stephen's birthday party (cupcakes that I didn't even get to serve because the frosting didn't turn out)! The unintentional slip ups were because I forgot to read the label before using the ingredient; things like seasoned rice vinegar, fish sauce, and a rotisserie chicken from Safeway all have sugar in them.

So, my Whole 30 is no longer perfect. But I'm sticking to it -- and no I'm not starting over. I may not have the full benefit of going 30 straight days without sugar but I am certain that cutting it out as much as I have will benefit me regardless of those slip ups. (Trying not to feel guilty about it and see the big picture.)

Things we've been eating:
Breakfast: Egg scramble with onion, avocado, spinach and potatoes
Lunch: Salad and usually leftovers from dinner the night before
Dinners: Meat and roasted veggies, baked sweet potatoes. Trying new recipes all the time. Will try to post them at the end.
Snacks: Almonds, bananas with almond butter, apples, snap peas, and carrot sticks

Recent challenges: Stephen's birthday party (Mission Mini cupcakes), William's end of year school party (so many sweets, way too many for 4 year olds!) and hanging out with friends (wine). I did go out to eat one night for bookclub and I ordered a kale salad without the cheese and then just used olive oil as the dressing. It was really good!

Our grocery bill has been a lot higher this month. I don't know the damage quite yet but seeing how much meat we go through and the fact that last week alone we went through 4 dozen eggs, I'm not looking forward to seeing the total.

8 DAYS to Go!!

"We're almost done!" I told Chris this afternoon. His response: "No, we are two-thirds of the way through this. Not all most done." I guess we're feeling a little different about this whole thing.

But I realized over the last couple of days that I have had a few slip ups without even realizing it. And a few that were intentional -- but for good reason. The intentional slip ups were tasting things I had cooked trying to discern if it was cooked, things like pasta for the kids or tofu for my neighbor. I also licked my fingers while preparing cupcakes for Stephen's birthday party (cupcakes that I didn't even get to serve because the frosting didn't turn out)! The unintentional slip ups were because I forgot to read the label before using the ingredient; things like seasoned rice vinegar, fish sauce, and a rotisserie chicken from Safeway all have sugar in them.

So, my Whole 30 is no longer perfect. But I'm sticking to it -- and no I'm not starting over. I may not have the full benefit of going 30 straight days without sugar but I am certain that cutting it out as much as I have will benefit me regardless of those slip ups. (Trying not to feel guilty about it and see the big picture.)

Things we've been eating:
Breakfast: Egg scramble with onion, avocado, spinach and potatoes
Lunch: Salad and usually leftovers from dinner the night before
Dinners: Meat and roasted veggies, baked sweet potatoes. Trying new recipes all the time. Will try to post them at the end.
Snacks: Almonds, bananas with almond butter, apples, snap peas, and carrot sticks

Recent challenges: Stephen's birthday party (Mission Mini cupcakes), William's end of year school party (so many sweets, way too many for 4 year olds!) and hanging out with friends (wine). I did go out to eat one night for bookclub and I ordered a kale salad without the cheese and then just used olive oil as the dressing. It was really good!

Our grocery bill has been a lot higher this month. I don't know the damage quite yet but seeing how much meat we go through and the fact that last week alone we went through 4 dozen eggs, I'm not looking forward to seeing the total.

8 DAYS to Go!!

Whole 30: Day 12

Can I just say that I'm a little proud of myself for making it twelve days without all the things I love to eat? Cause I am. I didn't think I could really do this -- but I am doing it! I'm amazed that I could take control of this part of my life -- even for just 12 days, but hopefully for 30 and then forever afterwards.

I've had a few days of extreme fatigue but that is also paired with my cycle, so not sure how much of it to attribute to food. I've also had a few days of extreme hunger/anger (also known as "Hangry") but that was also my fault, I simply ran out of food to eat or didn't bring it with me when we went out. Lesson learned: always have something around that is safe to eat. Like almonds, sweet potatoes or apple slices with almond butter.

The day-by-day whole 30 book I have mentioned a feeling of wanting to "kill all the things" which did rear its ugly head a few times, but I was able to control the urge to a) cheat on the program and b) hurt anyone. Yeah me! (haha)

Some of the positive things I've experienced: better self esteem, I just feel better about myself when I feel better and know I'm doing good things for my body. I haven't stepped on the scale yet (because it's actually a rule of the program not to) but I can tell that my clothes fit better and I feel better in my own skin - not bloated and feeling fat. I feel good. Whether or not the numbers actually go down doesn't really matter.

I haven't been out to eat yet so I haven't had to battle the menu, but I have had two social nights with friends were we stayed clear from the alcohol and cheese and crackers. I also spent an evening camping and was able to bring completely compliant foods, precooked and ready to eat (thanks Kate!) and I passed up the roasted marshmallows and s'mores with semi-ease. I knew that sugar rush would be too much. Those events were a little tricky, but afterwards I just felt so good about my choices and willpower.

I've found some really great recipes online. Nothing has been "boring" as I had first feared. I do end up cooking more since Chris and I need completely different lunches than we did before. No more sandwiches for us. I've also been making homemade dressings which are delicious.

I have confidence that I can finish out the month and I'm excited to see what other things improve for my body/skin/self-confidence in the next two weeks.

Can I just say that I'm a little proud of myself for making it twelve days without all the things I love to eat? Cause I am. I didn't think I could really do this -- but I am doing it! I'm amazed that I could take control of this part of my life -- even for just 12 days, but hopefully for 30 and then forever afterwards.

I've had a few days of extreme fatigue but that is also paired with my cycle, so not sure how much of it to attribute to food. I've also had a few days of extreme hunger/anger (also known as "Hangry") but that was also my fault, I simply ran out of food to eat or didn't bring it with me when we went out. Lesson learned: always have something around that is safe to eat. Like almonds, sweet potatoes or apple slices with almond butter.

The day-by-day whole 30 book I have mentioned a feeling of wanting to "kill all the things" which did rear its ugly head a few times, but I was able to control the urge to a) cheat on the program and b) hurt anyone. Yeah me! (haha)

Some of the positive things I've experienced: better self esteem, I just feel better about myself when I feel better and know I'm doing good things for my body. I haven't stepped on the scale yet (because it's actually a rule of the program not to) but I can tell that my clothes fit better and I feel better in my own skin - not bloated and feeling fat. I feel good. Whether or not the numbers actually go down doesn't really matter.

I haven't been out to eat yet so I haven't had to battle the menu, but I have had two social nights with friends were we stayed clear from the alcohol and cheese and crackers. I also spent an evening camping and was able to bring completely compliant foods, precooked and ready to eat (thanks Kate!) and I passed up the roasted marshmallows and s'mores with semi-ease. I knew that sugar rush would be too much. Those events were a little tricky, but afterwards I just felt so good about my choices and willpower.

I've found some really great recipes online. Nothing has been "boring" as I had first feared. I do end up cooking more since Chris and I need completely different lunches than we did before. No more sandwiches for us. I've also been making homemade dressings which are delicious.

I have confidence that I can finish out the month and I'm excited to see what other things improve for my body/skin/self-confidence in the next two weeks.

Whole30: Day 2

Just a quick note to say that I successfully survived the day! Here's what I ate:

Breakfast: 3 eggs scrambled with onion, avocado and spinach
Snack: carrot sticks, apple slices and almonds
Lunch: spaghetti squash with beef ragu and salad
Snack: apple slices and almonds
Dinner: pork tenderloin, green beans and a sweet potato (it was all delicious)

I had a pretty low-energy day as I didn't sleep well the night before, but I did make it to a water aerobics class. I had been wanting to try it for a while but the schedule never fit with mine. Today, William's school was canceled and that freed me up to go! It was great. I'm sure I looked terrible and didn't do half of it right, but I had fun and felt good afterwards.

I took a nap today or laid down anyway - not sure if I truly slept but my body was a dead weight and I couldn't move when I intended to get up. That happens a lot for me, so not really diet related.

Chris decided to join me in the diet too! So far so good!

Just a quick note to say that I successfully survived the day! Here's what I ate:

Breakfast: 3 eggs scrambled with onion, avocado and spinach
Snack: carrot sticks, apple slices and almonds
Lunch: spaghetti squash with beef ragu and salad
Snack: apple slices and almonds
Dinner: pork tenderloin, green beans and a sweet potato (it was all delicious)

I had a pretty low-energy day as I didn't sleep well the night before, but I did make it to a water aerobics class. I had been wanting to try it for a while but the schedule never fit with mine. Today, William's school was canceled and that freed me up to go! It was great. I'm sure I looked terrible and didn't do half of it right, but I had fun and felt good afterwards.

I took a nap today or laid down anyway - not sure if I truly slept but my body was a dead weight and I couldn't move when I intended to get up. That happens a lot for me, so not really diet related.

Chris decided to join me in the diet too! So far so good!

For Health and Life

For a while now, I've been thinking about some changes I need to make in my life. My diet specifically. I've become aware of how the things I eat are actually effecting the way I feel (and look). I cannot be in denial any longer. I've realized that in the past six months, my metabolism as changed. It seemed to happen overnight, really. Suddenly I looked down and my shape had changed.

I had joined a gym a year ago and go fairly regularly. If the kids aren't sick and I can get there, I go. Basically two or three times a week. I haven't been able to go on the weekends, it just seems harder for some reason. (Schedule, fun things, chores, naps, etc.) But even with the gym, my eating habits were in charge of my health and the number on the scale never went down. Only up . . . and up.

I had seen friends post about Whole30 and my sister did it a while back. If you haven't heard about it, its basically a reset for your body--for 30 days you only eat whole, natural foods including vegetables, meat, some fruit and healthy fats. No additives, no sugar, no grains, no dairy. All of my very favorite things. I had cut out gluten in 2012 because I was told gluten is related to inflammation of which I was suffering greatly. I did it for over a year and it helped a lot. In 2016 I stayed away from dairy because I was trying to breast feed a dairy sensitive baby and my acne cleared up a lot. So I know the food that goes into my body matters. It makes a difference.

More recently I have noticed (and a friend also pointed out) how much of the kid's food I was eating. Just picking things off their plate or scarfing it down before washing dishes. Extra calories. It all adds up. And if they didn't add up to do damage, they were certainly wrecking my ability to go an hour without eating. I am being honest here. I found myself eating nearly all day long. My ability to judge if I was full or hungry was long gone.

And so was my energy. I haven't been sleeping all that well lately and waking up really tired. Napping helps in the moment but also keeps me up at night. And in general I would say my focus has been lacking . . . and when I lack focus I do a lot of Facebook feed scanning. Not how I want to spend my days.

So, all this is to say is that I am hoping to make changes. Today is Day 1 of my attempt to eat healthy, whole, natural foods and nothing else. (I celebrated this decision by eating two bagels, a cupcake and drinking two beers yesterday.)

My cart from this morning's grocery run: Full before I left the produce section. Success.

Day 1 Stats:

Breakfast: scrambled eggs with avocado 

Morning snack: banana and snap peas

Lunch: chicken breast and roasted green beans

Afternoon Snack: Almonds, apple slices and snap peas

Dinner: Spaghetti squash and homemade beef ragu

Except for breakfast I felt full after each meal/snack. I also drank a lot more water than I usually do. Definitely reached 8 cups! I also had a cup of tea at church (without honey). My cravings didn't really bother me today --I was feeling quite motivated to do well so maybe that helped. 

I don't know if I'll post everyday, but wanted to at least make it known that I had started! 

Day 2 awaits!

For a while now, I've been thinking about some changes I need to make in my life. My diet specifically. I've become aware of how the things I eat are actually effecting the way I feel (and look). I cannot be in denial any longer. I've realized that in the past six months, my metabolism as changed. It seemed to happen overnight, really. Suddenly I looked down and my shape had changed.

I had joined a gym a year ago and go fairly regularly. If the kids aren't sick and I can get there, I go. Basically two or three times a week. I haven't been able to go on the weekends, it just seems harder for some reason. (Schedule, fun things, chores, naps, etc.) But even with the gym, my eating habits were in charge of my health and the number on the scale never went down. Only up . . . and up.

I had seen friends post about Whole30 and my sister did it a while back. If you haven't heard about it, its basically a reset for your body--for 30 days you only eat whole, natural foods including vegetables, meat, some fruit and healthy fats. No additives, no sugar, no grains, no dairy. All of my very favorite things. I had cut out gluten in 2012 because I was told gluten is related to inflammation of which I was suffering greatly. I did it for over a year and it helped a lot. In 2016 I stayed away from dairy because I was trying to breast feed a dairy sensitive baby and my acne cleared up a lot. So I know the food that goes into my body matters. It makes a difference.

More recently I have noticed (and a friend also pointed out) how much of the kid's food I was eating. Just picking things off their plate or scarfing it down before washing dishes. Extra calories. It all adds up. And if they didn't add up to do damage, they were certainly wrecking my ability to go an hour without eating. I am being honest here. I found myself eating nearly all day long. My ability to judge if I was full or hungry was long gone.

And so was my energy. I haven't been sleeping all that well lately and waking up really tired. Napping helps in the moment but also keeps me up at night. And in general I would say my focus has been lacking . . . and when I lack focus I do a lot of Facebook feed scanning. Not how I want to spend my days.

So, all this is to say is that I am hoping to make changes. Today is Day 1 of my attempt to eat healthy, whole, natural foods and nothing else. (I celebrated this decision by eating two bagels, a cupcake and drinking two beers yesterday.)

My cart from this morning's grocery run: Full before I left the produce section. Success.

Day 1 Stats:

Breakfast: scrambled eggs with avocado 

Morning snack: banana and snap peas

Lunch: chicken breast and roasted green beans

Afternoon Snack: Almonds, apple slices and snap peas

Dinner: Spaghetti squash and homemade beef ragu

Except for breakfast I felt full after each meal/snack. I also drank a lot more water than I usually do. Definitely reached 8 cups! I also had a cup of tea at church (without honey). My cravings didn't really bother me today --I was feeling quite motivated to do well so maybe that helped. 

I don't know if I'll post everyday, but wanted to at least make it known that I had started! 

Day 2 awaits!

A Cake Smash and a Party

On Friday we had a little cake-smash party at home for Stephen. I had found a delicious dairy-free, sugar free cake recipe and discovered you can actually whip coconut milk into a frosting! I baked it on Thursday, frosted it on Friday during nap time and as soon as Stephen woke up, I said, "Okay, baby! Time for some cake!"

He wasn't too happy about it, but he didn't cry at all. He very calmly touched it and played with the candle for few moments before moving on to the frosting.

He very seriously got his fingers messy, never even attempting to put them in his mouth. (He puts everything in his mouth, I thought this would be a little more exciting!)

Then he sort of tipped the cake over and got a little more messy! And then this little guy started to have some fun.

And he finally tasted it! And then he loved it and ate a large piece of it for his snack. It was seriously yummy!

On Saturday, the birthday festivities continued with a little play-date style party in the park. It was really hot so we nabbed the only 5 foot piece of shade there was, set out blankets, bubbles and balloons for all the littles to play with while the adults enjoyed donuts and coffee. It was a really great morning and I enjoyed all of our friends who were able to make it out.

We all sang "Happy Birthday" and gave Stephen a second cake, he put his hand on top making a perfect hand print and then was ready to play again. 

I love the innocents of one year olds! By the time they are two, they already know what sweets are and presents and they adore all the attention. 

Happy First Birthday Little Man! We love you!

On Friday we had a little cake-smash party at home for Stephen. I had found a delicious dairy-free, sugar free cake recipe and discovered you can actually whip coconut milk into a frosting! I baked it on Thursday, frosted it on Friday during nap time and as soon as Stephen woke up, I said, "Okay, baby! Time for some cake!"

He wasn't too happy about it, but he didn't cry at all. He very calmly touched it and played with the candle for few moments before moving on to the frosting.

He very seriously got his fingers messy, never even attempting to put them in his mouth. (He puts everything in his mouth, I thought this would be a little more exciting!)

Then he sort of tipped the cake over and got a little more messy! And then this little guy started to have some fun.

And he finally tasted it! And then he loved it and ate a large piece of it for his snack. It was seriously yummy!

On Saturday, the birthday festivities continued with a little play-date style party in the park. It was really hot so we nabbed the only 5 foot piece of shade there was, set out blankets, bubbles and balloons for all the littles to play with while the adults enjoyed donuts and coffee. It was a really great morning and I enjoyed all of our friends who were able to make it out.

We all sang "Happy Birthday" and gave Stephen a second cake, he put his hand on top making a perfect hand print and then was ready to play again. 

I love the innocents of one year olds! By the time they are two, they already know what sweets are and presents and they adore all the attention. 

Happy First Birthday Little Man! We love you!

My Kitchen Help

After my meal train ran it's course and people stopped bringing my family delicious meals after Stephen's birth, I had a real struggle finding time and energy to plan my grocery list, go shopping, and prepare food. Our city has made it so easy for all of that to be unnecessary. You can have your pick of any restaurant, or use a company that prepares the food and you just microwave it like Munchery or Freshly, or you can pay a company to deliver the ingredients for meals that you cook yourself like Blue Apron. Or you can pay for a service to prepare a meal plan and you still do the shopping and cooking.

I had been curious about the last option for a while. Would it really save me time? Would I like the meals? What about my budget, would it cost more in the long run?

I tried two meal plan services this fall. The first was an introductory offer from emeals. I think they gave me three weeks worth of meals, lists and recipes. You can select which type of meals you want such as vegetarian, budget friendly, 30-minute meals, etc. It wasn't as time saving as I would have liked, but that could have been because they didn't have a dairy free option and that's what I needed. So, I couldn't make everything they recommended and had to edit my list/plan after I printed it all out. They also didn't sync up to my grocery store so it wasn't very budget friendly. The meals I did make were tasty and usually something I hadn't made before.

The second service was cooksmarts. They also gave me three weeks of meal plans to test out. This is more tech savvy site, you don't have to print out anything if you don't want to. And you can customize everything. Choose between original, gluten free, or paleo options for each recipe and they automatically change the grocery list and preparation instructions. Each week they send you four meal options of which you can choose as many as you need. They didn't have a dairy-free option so I usually stick with the paleo version unless it's an easy topping to omit myself.

After trying them both, I decided to sign up with cooksmarts. It was reasonable, only $7 a month. That's worth the time I would save preparing my own meal plan and the stress. Now each week, I login to the site, check 3 to 4 meals I want to make, edit the grocery list for things I already have, print and send Chris to the store! (He is amazing, let me tell you!)

The only real downside I've experienced so far is that it isn't budget friendly and doesn't sync up to grocery store sales at all. This would be an amazing perk. The other thing worth noting is that while they are very good at giving you videos to explain cooking methods, the meals take time. But they are delicious. And I've learned a thing or two in making them!

I'm grateful that I tried these services. I've learned a lot. And while I won't be using them for life, they have been great to get me through this season. And no, I wasn't paid to give a review. I just wanted to share what I'm using to keep me inspired to cook meals for my family. Sometimes you just need a change. And some help!

After my meal train ran it's course and people stopped bringing my family delicious meals after Stephen's birth, I had a real struggle finding time and energy to plan my grocery list, go shopping, and prepare food. Our city has made it so easy for all of that to be unnecessary. You can have your pick of any restaurant, or use a company that prepares the food and you just microwave it like Munchery or Freshly, or you can pay a company to deliver the ingredients for meals that you cook yourself like Blue Apron. Or you can pay for a service to prepare a meal plan and you still do the shopping and cooking.

I had been curious about the last option for a while. Would it really save me time? Would I like the meals? What about my budget, would it cost more in the long run?

I tried two meal plan services this fall. The first was an introductory offer from emeals. I think they gave me three weeks worth of meals, lists and recipes. You can select which type of meals you want such as vegetarian, budget friendly, 30-minute meals, etc. It wasn't as time saving as I would have liked, but that could have been because they didn't have a dairy free option and that's what I needed. So, I couldn't make everything they recommended and had to edit my list/plan after I printed it all out. They also didn't sync up to my grocery store so it wasn't very budget friendly. The meals I did make were tasty and usually something I hadn't made before.

The second service was cooksmarts. They also gave me three weeks of meal plans to test out. This is more tech savvy site, you don't have to print out anything if you don't want to. And you can customize everything. Choose between original, gluten free, or paleo options for each recipe and they automatically change the grocery list and preparation instructions. Each week they send you four meal options of which you can choose as many as you need. They didn't have a dairy-free option so I usually stick with the paleo version unless it's an easy topping to omit myself.

After trying them both, I decided to sign up with cooksmarts. It was reasonable, only $7 a month. That's worth the time I would save preparing my own meal plan and the stress. Now each week, I login to the site, check 3 to 4 meals I want to make, edit the grocery list for things I already have, print and send Chris to the store! (He is amazing, let me tell you!)

The only real downside I've experienced so far is that it isn't budget friendly and doesn't sync up to grocery store sales at all. This would be an amazing perk. The other thing worth noting is that while they are very good at giving you videos to explain cooking methods, the meals take time. But they are delicious. And I've learned a thing or two in making them!

I'm grateful that I tried these services. I've learned a lot. And while I won't be using them for life, they have been great to get me through this season. And no, I wasn't paid to give a review. I just wanted to share what I'm using to keep me inspired to cook meals for my family. Sometimes you just need a change. And some help!

Slow-Cooker Recipes

Since my maternity leave is over, and no one is signing up to bring me meals anymore, I've been working hard to keep my freezer stocked with frozen vegetables and slow-cooker meals. Things that could be put together quickly and without much thought so I don't have to stress about dinner if I didn't have time to plan ahead or make it to the grocery store.

Last summer, I made five slow-cooker meals for my sister that could be prepared and frozen ahead of time so that she could easily make a real meal for herself and husband after the new baby arrived. I've been making those same meals for myself this month and thought it's about time I actually share the recipes with you (now that I've tasted and approved them!).

Here's the one I just made tonight, which was so easy, I made two bags:

Pineapple Chicken Stir-Fry

 - One bag of frozen stir fry vegetables

 - One can of pineapple drained

 - Half of a bottle of sweet and sour sauce

 - Two chicken breasts

Add everything to a freezer bag (label it of course!). Freeze it. 

Thaw it out the night before you want to cook it. 

Throw the contents in a slow-cooker and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 6 hours. 

Serve with rice.

The rest of the recipes can be found here.

*I also noticed that my original post to Pinterest about those meals is my most popular post - being "pinned" 52 times! I'm telling you, slow cooker meals are the way to go!

Since my maternity leave is over, and no one is signing up to bring me meals anymore, I've been working hard to keep my freezer stocked with frozen vegetables and slow-cooker meals. Things that could be put together quickly and without much thought so I don't have to stress about dinner if I didn't have time to plan ahead or make it to the grocery store.

Last summer, I made five slow-cooker meals for my sister that could be prepared and frozen ahead of time so that she could easily make a real meal for herself and husband after the new baby arrived. I've been making those same meals for myself this month and thought it's about time I actually share the recipes with you (now that I've tasted and approved them!).

Here's the one I just made tonight, which was so easy, I made two bags:

Pineapple Chicken Stir-Fry

 - One bag of frozen stir fry vegetables

 - One can of pineapple drained

 - Half of a bottle of sweet and sour sauce

 - Two chicken breasts

Add everything to a freezer bag (label it of course!). Freeze it. 

Thaw it out the night before you want to cook it. 

Throw the contents in a slow-cooker and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 6 hours. 

Serve with rice.

The rest of the recipes can be found here.

*I also noticed that my original post to Pinterest about those meals is my most popular post - being "pinned" 52 times! I'm telling you, slow cooker meals are the way to go!

Freezer Meals for Sis

When I made arrangements to spend a week with my sister, her husband and their new baby, I knew one thing I really wanted to do for them was stock their freezer with good, homemade meals that could easily be thrown in a crock-pot and called done.  I scoured the internet and Pinterest for great and easy recipes. I narrowed it down to five, made my list and once I got to Vegas, went shopping.

I also planned on making two larger dinners to eat while I was there, hoping there would be left overs from both and count for more that just one meal.

The results from my grocery shopping spree:

It didn't really take long at all to put together the five recipes, which technically made six meals. Even with taking a few breaks in between, I was done within 3 hours. Here's what I made:

• Sweet Teriyaki Chicken
  Mexican Chicken Taco Stuffing
• Pineapple Chicken Stir Fry
• Sloppy Joes
• Orange Beef Stew (two bags)

My sister will have to pair most of the meals with something like rice, hamburger buns, or taco shells, but really, that should take minimal planning/preparation.  All of the meals are crock-pot meals that would take 4-6 hours to cook. So, she'll drop them in the crock-pot after lunch and when hubby comes home - wha-la - dinner is served!

Other things I tried to help with while I was there: grocery shopping, laundry, clean the bathrooms and general clean up and babysitting. Yep, I got to babysit twice while I was there. Can't believe they trusted me!

UPDATE: To view the recipes mentioned above, click here.

When I made arrangements to spend a week with my sister, her husband and their new baby, I knew one thing I really wanted to do for them was stock their freezer with good, homemade meals that could easily be thrown in a crock-pot and called done.  I scoured the internet and Pinterest for great and easy recipes. I narrowed it down to five, made my list and once I got to Vegas, went shopping.

I also planned on making two larger dinners to eat while I was there, hoping there would be left overs from both and count for more that just one meal.

The results from my grocery shopping spree:

It didn't really take long at all to put together the five recipes, which technically made six meals. Even with taking a few breaks in between, I was done within 3 hours. Here's what I made:

• Sweet Teriyaki Chicken
  Mexican Chicken Taco Stuffing
• Pineapple Chicken Stir Fry
• Sloppy Joes
• Orange Beef Stew (two bags)

My sister will have to pair most of the meals with something like rice, hamburger buns, or taco shells, but really, that should take minimal planning/preparation.  All of the meals are crock-pot meals that would take 4-6 hours to cook. So, she'll drop them in the crock-pot after lunch and when hubby comes home - wha-la - dinner is served!

Other things I tried to help with while I was there: grocery shopping, laundry, clean the bathrooms and general clean up and babysitting. Yep, I got to babysit twice while I was there. Can't believe they trusted me!

UPDATE: To view the recipes mentioned above, click here.

Let the cookies do the talking

When I found out that we were expecting, I wanted to find creative ways to tell people. We ended up telling everyone in different ways. I think the way I told my co-workers was the most creative by far.

 

 

I purchased the cookie cutters in the shape of a onesie and a baby carriage from Amazon, made sugar cookies and then decorated them with blue and pink frosting. Most of them made it to work without too much damage.

I've never been very patient with frosting but I decided I wanted to give it my best shot, and take up the whole night if I had to. And it actually wasn't that bad. I watched a video online which helped calm my nerves, and other than my frosting getting a little too thin (I think it was too warm) at the end, it went very well. I have to say they turned out better than I could have hoped.

My co-workers loved them! And I didn't even have to voice my announcement, they could guess just by looking at the cookies! And they were thrilled.

When I found out that we were expecting, I wanted to find creative ways to tell people. We ended up telling everyone in different ways. I think the way I told my co-workers was the most creative by far.

 

 

I purchased the cookie cutters in the shape of a onesie and a baby carriage from Amazon, made sugar cookies and then decorated them with blue and pink frosting. Most of them made it to work without too much damage.

I've never been very patient with frosting but I decided I wanted to give it my best shot, and take up the whole night if I had to. And it actually wasn't that bad. I watched a video online which helped calm my nerves, and other than my frosting getting a little too thin (I think it was too warm) at the end, it went very well. I have to say they turned out better than I could have hoped.

My co-workers loved them! And I didn't even have to voice my announcement, they could guess just by looking at the cookies! And they were thrilled.

Curried Sweet Potato-Apple Soup

The other day I made this soup and said, "I think this is one of my favorites!" I'd made it several times and have had the recipe for a couple of years. But I had never thought to share it with you until those words came out of my mouth. So here it is. (The recipe was taken from Food Network Magazine/Sept 2010 issue and is by Claudia Sidoti for those of you who need the real source.)

Ingredients:
3 Medium sweet potatos
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 Small onion, chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, smashed
1 2-inch piece ginger, peeled and grated
3/4 Teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, plus more for garnish
1 1/2 Teaspoon Madras curry powder
Kosher salt and ground pepper
2 Cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/4 Cups chunky applesauce
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1-2 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:
1) Preheat the oven to 425 degree. Peel and dice 2 1/2 sweet potatoes. Melt 2 Tbs butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the ginger, nutmeg, 1 3/4 tsp curry powder, salt and pepper to taste and cook until toasted, 1 more minute.

2) Add the diced sweet potatoes, chicken broth, and 2 cups water to the pot, cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the applesauce.  Simmer, covered, until the sweet potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes. Puree the soup with a blender until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

3) Meanwhile, peel and thinkly slice the remaining 1/2 sweet potato and toss with the olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake until crisp, 7-10 minutes.

4) Heat the remaining 1 Tbs butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining 3/4 tsp curry powder and cook, stirring, until browned; remove from the heat and add the vinegar.

Pour soup into bowls, top with the curry butter, cilantro and sweet-potato chips.

Enjoy!

The other day I made this soup and said, "I think this is one of my favorites!" I'd made it several times and have had the recipe for a couple of years. But I had never thought to share it with you until those words came out of my mouth. So here it is. (The recipe was taken from Food Network Magazine/Sept 2010 issue and is by Claudia Sidoti for those of you who need the real source.)

Ingredients:
3 Medium sweet potatos
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 Small onion, chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, smashed
1 2-inch piece ginger, peeled and grated
3/4 Teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, plus more for garnish
1 1/2 Teaspoon Madras curry powder
Kosher salt and ground pepper
2 Cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/4 Cups chunky applesauce
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1-2 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:
1) Preheat the oven to 425 degree. Peel and dice 2 1/2 sweet potatoes. Melt 2 Tbs butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the ginger, nutmeg, 1 3/4 tsp curry powder, salt and pepper to taste and cook until toasted, 1 more minute.

2) Add the diced sweet potatoes, chicken broth, and 2 cups water to the pot, cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the applesauce.  Simmer, covered, until the sweet potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes. Puree the soup with a blender until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

3) Meanwhile, peel and thinkly slice the remaining 1/2 sweet potato and toss with the olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake until crisp, 7-10 minutes.

4) Heat the remaining 1 Tbs butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining 3/4 tsp curry powder and cook, stirring, until browned; remove from the heat and add the vinegar.

Pour soup into bowls, top with the curry butter, cilantro and sweet-potato chips.

Enjoy!

Lefse Lesson

For as long as I can remember, my grandmother made Lefse for Christmas every year. It's a thin Norwegian potato bread that you cover with butter and sugar and roll up to eat. It was one of my favorites as a child (and as an adult). My grandmother passed away several years ago, and with her so did the frequency of lefse. Just one of the many things I missed about her.

A few years ago, my grandmother's sister and her daughter taught my sister how to make it. Since I was going to be spending Christmas with sister Molly and my grandmother's sister this year, I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to learn myself.

Molly did most of the preparation work and did the first few pieces to show me the ropes and then she let me go at it! We rolled the dough as thin as we could, but often it just wouldn't hold together as we moved it from the board to the griddle. As Molly said the other day, "We had a lot of casualties." 

It might not have looked as presentable as grandma's always did, but the taste and feeling of comfort from the past were too good to pass up.

I can picture my grandma working over the hot griddle for hours as she prepared batch after batch for her large family Christmas gathering. (Could she ever make too much?) I wonder if she had casualties like we did and how much practice she had in order to make them so perfect each time.

I wonder if she learned along with her sisters from her mother and what those lefse making sessions looked like with five girls gathered in the kitchen. I think all of them continued the tradition with their own families.

I wonder what tricks she learned as she went and what tips she would offer if she were the one giving us the lesson? I think if I could, I'd ask her to invite me over next time she was going to make them, just so I could learn by watching a pro. That would have been special.

It was somehow special for me to make them with my sister this year too. Something she "passed down" to me from grandma's generation. Somehow feeling that with her and I knowing (my other relatives also know now too), this tradition won't have to fade away.

For as long as I can remember, my grandmother made Lefse for Christmas every year. It's a thin Norwegian potato bread that you cover with butter and sugar and roll up to eat. It was one of my favorites as a child (and as an adult). My grandmother passed away several years ago, and with her so did the frequency of lefse. Just one of the many things I missed about her.

A few years ago, my grandmother's sister and her daughter taught my sister how to make it. Since I was going to be spending Christmas with sister Molly and my grandmother's sister this year, I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to learn myself.

Molly did most of the preparation work and did the first few pieces to show me the ropes and then she let me go at it! We rolled the dough as thin as we could, but often it just wouldn't hold together as we moved it from the board to the griddle. As Molly said the other day, "We had a lot of casualties." 

It might not have looked as presentable as grandma's always did, but the taste and feeling of comfort from the past were too good to pass up.

I can picture my grandma working over the hot griddle for hours as she prepared batch after batch for her large family Christmas gathering. (Could she ever make too much?) I wonder if she had casualties like we did and how much practice she had in order to make them so perfect each time.

I wonder if she learned along with her sisters from her mother and what those lefse making sessions looked like with five girls gathered in the kitchen. I think all of them continued the tradition with their own families.

I wonder what tricks she learned as she went and what tips she would offer if she were the one giving us the lesson? I think if I could, I'd ask her to invite me over next time she was going to make them, just so I could learn by watching a pro. That would have been special.

It was somehow special for me to make them with my sister this year too. Something she "passed down" to me from grandma's generation. Somehow feeling that with her and I knowing (my other relatives also know now too), this tradition won't have to fade away.

Gluten Free Mexican Dinner Ideas

Technically, most Mexican food can be gluten free. Use a corn tortilla and leave off the sour cream and you're good to go! These casserole dishes are almost just as easy and very tasty. These two recipes are very similar to each other but they are both really delicious!

*Please note that these are not original recipes, I took them from members of Sparkrecipes.com

"My Favorite Mexican Chicken Casserole"  Makes 8 servings
You need:  
1.5 cups crushed lite Tostitos 
1 lb shredded cooked chicken meat (breast) 
1 can (15.5 oz) garbanzo beans, drained 
1 can (15.5 oz) kidney beans, drained 
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 cup prepared salsa (make sure it's gluten free) 
1 cup chopped red onion 
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves 
1 tbsp minced garlic 
salt and pepper, to taste 
6 oz reduced fat shredded 4-cheese mexican cheese
6 oz fat-free shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
Prehet oven to 350 degrees (F). Grease a 13x9 inch baking dish, then scatter the crushed tortilla chips evenly on the bottom.
Combine chicken, beans, tomato sauce, salsa, onion, cilantro, garlic, salt & pepper in a bowl. Place half the mixture evenly in a baking dish. Combine the cheeses, then sprinkle half over the mixture.
Cover with the remaining half of the chicken mixture and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.

Bake for 30 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Can garnish with: diced ripe tomatoes, gluten free sour cream and fresh cilantro.

_________

Mexican Brown Rice Casserole Makes 8 Servings
You need:
1 cup uncooked brown rice 
1 cup uncooked lentils 
1 28 oz can Enchilada sauce (gluten free) 
4.5 cups water 
Open crisper & see what veggies you have. I [SparkRecipe Member] used carrots, celery, onions, bell peppers, ortega chilis and spinach.  
1 TBS olive oil 
4 oz soft goat cheese
Olives to garnish

Directions:

In a sauce pan put rice, lentils, can of enchilada sauce and water.
Bring to boil and then simmer until cooked. About 45-60 minutes.

While the rice/lentil mix is cooking, cut up veggies & saute until soft.

In the casserole dish layer rice, veggies and chunks of cheese. Then top with olive garnish.

Bake 60 minutes @ 350.

Let sit 10-15 minutes before serving.

Technically, most Mexican food can be gluten free. Use a corn tortilla and leave off the sour cream and you're good to go! These casserole dishes are almost just as easy and very tasty. These two recipes are very similar to each other but they are both really delicious!

*Please note that these are not original recipes, I took them from members of Sparkrecipes.com

"My Favorite Mexican Chicken Casserole"  Makes 8 servings
You need:  
1.5 cups crushed lite Tostitos 
1 lb shredded cooked chicken meat (breast) 
1 can (15.5 oz) garbanzo beans, drained 
1 can (15.5 oz) kidney beans, drained 
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 cup prepared salsa (make sure it's gluten free) 
1 cup chopped red onion 
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves 
1 tbsp minced garlic 
salt and pepper, to taste 
6 oz reduced fat shredded 4-cheese mexican cheese
6 oz fat-free shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
Prehet oven to 350 degrees (F). Grease a 13x9 inch baking dish, then scatter the crushed tortilla chips evenly on the bottom.
Combine chicken, beans, tomato sauce, salsa, onion, cilantro, garlic, salt & pepper in a bowl. Place half the mixture evenly in a baking dish. Combine the cheeses, then sprinkle half over the mixture.
Cover with the remaining half of the chicken mixture and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.

Bake for 30 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Can garnish with: diced ripe tomatoes, gluten free sour cream and fresh cilantro.

_________

Mexican Brown Rice Casserole Makes 8 Servings
You need:
1 cup uncooked brown rice 
1 cup uncooked lentils 
1 28 oz can Enchilada sauce (gluten free) 
4.5 cups water 
Open crisper & see what veggies you have. I [SparkRecipe Member] used carrots, celery, onions, bell peppers, ortega chilis and spinach.  
1 TBS olive oil 
4 oz soft goat cheese
Olives to garnish

Directions:

In a sauce pan put rice, lentils, can of enchilada sauce and water.
Bring to boil and then simmer until cooked. About 45-60 minutes.

While the rice/lentil mix is cooking, cut up veggies & saute until soft.

In the casserole dish layer rice, veggies and chunks of cheese. Then top with olive garnish.

Bake 60 minutes @ 350.

Let sit 10-15 minutes before serving.

Gluten Free Breakfast

Since I was sharing my new diet with you all, I thought I should share a few of my favorite recipes with you. I'll share a few breakfast dishes here and maybe later I'll post my favorite dinner options. Both of these recipes were taken from members of SparkPeople.com

Cinnamon Quinoa with Walnuts  
You need:
1 Cup Whole Grain Quinoa
2 Cups Water
2 oz. Chopped Walnuts
1 Tbsp. Ground Cinnamon
1 tsp. Ground Nutmeg
1 tsp. Ground Ginger
Sugar, start with 1 tbsp, add more if desired.
(or course you can adjust the spices to your liking)

Directions:
Rinse the quinoa well in cold water.
Add the quinoa, water and spices to pan and bring to a boil, then simmer on very low for 25 more minutes.
When water is absorbed, mix in the walnuts.
Enjoy hot or cold. Makes four 1/2 cup servings


Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Quinoa
You need:
1 Cup of quinoa (washed)
2 cups unsweetened apple juice*
2 cups light vanilla soy milk
2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1.5 cups (one package) of crasins
2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Rinse quinoa

Bring quinoa and apple juice to a boil in a 12 quart pan

Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until most of the apple juice is absorbed.

Add soy milk, cinnamon and crasins. Simmer, covered for another 15 mins, stirring occasionally

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.

Serve this hot or cold. It's a nice breakfast or snack. Makes 6 cups (1 cup = serving)

* I didn't have apple juice so I just used water and then added a chopped apples to the quinoa once was simmering.

Since I was sharing my new diet with you all, I thought I should share a few of my favorite recipes with you. I'll share a few breakfast dishes here and maybe later I'll post my favorite dinner options. Both of these recipes were taken from members of SparkPeople.com

Cinnamon Quinoa with Walnuts  
You need:
1 Cup Whole Grain Quinoa
2 Cups Water
2 oz. Chopped Walnuts
1 Tbsp. Ground Cinnamon
1 tsp. Ground Nutmeg
1 tsp. Ground Ginger
Sugar, start with 1 tbsp, add more if desired.
(or course you can adjust the spices to your liking)

Directions:
Rinse the quinoa well in cold water.
Add the quinoa, water and spices to pan and bring to a boil, then simmer on very low for 25 more minutes.
When water is absorbed, mix in the walnuts.
Enjoy hot or cold. Makes four 1/2 cup servings


Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Quinoa
You need:
1 Cup of quinoa (washed)
2 cups unsweetened apple juice*
2 cups light vanilla soy milk
2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1.5 cups (one package) of crasins
2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Rinse quinoa

Bring quinoa and apple juice to a boil in a 12 quart pan

Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until most of the apple juice is absorbed.

Add soy milk, cinnamon and crasins. Simmer, covered for another 15 mins, stirring occasionally

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.

Serve this hot or cold. It's a nice breakfast or snack. Makes 6 cups (1 cup = serving)

* I didn't have apple juice so I just used water and then added a chopped apples to the quinoa once was simmering.

Creating Space

Several months ago, I joined Pinterest and one of the first things that I "liked" was a spice rack that was attached to a cupboard door. Well, it has taken me several months to actually get to it, but I did it! With the help of my handy-man husband, I now have some extra space in my cupboard!

I also picked up some 3M hooks to hang my measuring spoons and cups which created a lot more space in my utensil drawer for other things!

I love finding space saving ideas for my little city apartment!

Several months ago, I joined Pinterest and one of the first things that I "liked" was a spice rack that was attached to a cupboard door. Well, it has taken me several months to actually get to it, but I did it! With the help of my handy-man husband, I now have some extra space in my cupboard!

I also picked up some 3M hooks to hang my measuring spoons and cups which created a lot more space in my utensil drawer for other things!

I love finding space saving ideas for my little city apartment!

Surprise Birthday Party

We had a surprise birthday party for our friend Mark last night. It was a pretty relaxed get together with pizza, cake, ice cream and games. I had a lot of fun and I hope he did too.

I thought I'd share a few recipes with you as well as my latest creative endeavor that were enjoyed by all at the party.

First, the decor:

I made the birthday banner out of scrapbook paper and printed letters on our black/white printer and cut them out. It turned out really well and can totally be used again . . . and again! We picked up some helium balloons too which was totally fun. I loved them. Seriously, I played with them for an hour after everyone went home.

Now, the cake:

 

Alright, before you laugh at my lettering . . . okay. I'll wait! Let me just say now that you are done laughing, that this is the best cake recipe ever! It's the same cake I made last time. It's Betty Crocker's "Best Chocolate Cake," and it does not disappoint. I have issues with frosting, so I was a bit nervous about this one, but the recipe I found online was really easy and it turned out great.

Here's the recipe for Betty Crocker's Best chocolate Cake:

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour or cake flour

2 cups sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 cup water

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

4 oz. melted unsweetened chocolate (cool)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour baking pan (13x9x2 or two 9-inch or three 8-inch round layer pans). Measure all ingredients into large mixer bowl. Blend 1/2 minute on low speed, scraping sides of bowl constantly. Beat 3 minutes on high speed, scraping bowl occasionally.  Pour evenly into pans. 

Bake oblong 40 to 45 minutes, layers 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool.

 I also made Butterfinger ice cream! Sorry, no photos of that. But in case you are interested, here is the recipe.

We had a surprise birthday party for our friend Mark last night. It was a pretty relaxed get together with pizza, cake, ice cream and games. I had a lot of fun and I hope he did too.

I thought I'd share a few recipes with you as well as my latest creative endeavor that were enjoyed by all at the party.

First, the decor:

I made the birthday banner out of scrapbook paper and printed letters on our black/white printer and cut them out. It turned out really well and can totally be used again . . . and again! We picked up some helium balloons too which was totally fun. I loved them. Seriously, I played with them for an hour after everyone went home.

Now, the cake:

 

Alright, before you laugh at my lettering . . . okay. I'll wait! Let me just say now that you are done laughing, that this is the best cake recipe ever! It's the same cake I made last time. It's Betty Crocker's "Best Chocolate Cake," and it does not disappoint. I have issues with frosting, so I was a bit nervous about this one, but the recipe I found online was really easy and it turned out great.

Here's the recipe for Betty Crocker's Best chocolate Cake:

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour or cake flour

2 cups sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 cup water

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

4 oz. melted unsweetened chocolate (cool)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour baking pan (13x9x2 or two 9-inch or three 8-inch round layer pans). Measure all ingredients into large mixer bowl. Blend 1/2 minute on low speed, scraping sides of bowl constantly. Beat 3 minutes on high speed, scraping bowl occasionally.  Pour evenly into pans. 

Bake oblong 40 to 45 minutes, layers 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool.

 I also made Butterfinger ice cream! Sorry, no photos of that. But in case you are interested, here is the recipe.

Eggs Benedict Day

Good morning! Yesterday while perusing the Internet and one of my favorite blogs, I came across this recipe for eggs benedict. And I happened to have everything I needed to make them, so I did! My sauce wasn't has photogenic has hers was, but it still tasted pretty good!

You can find the recipe here on The Pioneer Woman blog.
Have a wonderful weekend!

Good morning! Yesterday while perusing the Internet and one of my favorite blogs, I came across this recipe for eggs benedict. And I happened to have everything I needed to make them, so I did! My sauce wasn't has photogenic has hers was, but it still tasted pretty good!

You can find the recipe here on The Pioneer Woman blog.
Have a wonderful weekend!

Peanut Butter Banana French Toast

This week on Pinterest I found a recipe that I just could not wait to try: Peanut Butter Banana French Toast.

First, you make a peanut butter and banana sandwich (which are great as they are), then you dip each side of the sandwich in the french toast batter and place on the griddle like you would when making regular french toast. Top it with a bit of syrup or powdered sugar and you are in breakfast heaven!

You can find the recipe I used here: www.therauberhouse.com/2012/01/26/peanut-butter-banana-french-toast/

This week on Pinterest I found a recipe that I just could not wait to try: Peanut Butter Banana French Toast.

First, you make a peanut butter and banana sandwich (which are great as they are), then you dip each side of the sandwich in the french toast batter and place on the griddle like you would when making regular french toast. Top it with a bit of syrup or powdered sugar and you are in breakfast heaven!

You can find the recipe I used here: www.therauberhouse.com/2012/01/26/peanut-butter-banana-french-toast/

Homemade Applesauce

Last week I tried making applesauce for the first time. I found a recipe in the America's Test Kitchen Slow Cooker cookbook (from the library) that looked pretty easy -- and it was.

Here's what you do*:

Peel, core, and cut about 3 pounds of apples into 1 1/2" chunks. (I used Jonagold apples; others that were recommended were: Pink Lady, Jonathan, Macoun, Golden Delicious, empire, McIntosh, or Rome.)

Put all the cut up apples into the crock pot along with 1 cup apple juice or apple cider, 2 tablespoons of sugar and a pinch of salt.

Cover the crock pot and cook on low for about 4 hours. The apples will be very soft and begin to disintegrate. Then, mash the apples thoroughly with a potato masher and season with additional sugar to taste and adjust the consistency with additional hot apple juice if needed. 

And you're done! Serve at room temperature or chilled.

With my first batch I decided to get a little creative and added two small chunks of fresh ginger to the apples while they were cooking. I took the chunks out before mashing the apples. It added just a hint of ginger spice--a little extra flavor! You could also add 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon to the the apples while they cook instead.

*Recipe taken from "America's Test Kitchen Slow Cooker cookbook.

Last week I tried making applesauce for the first time. I found a recipe in the America's Test Kitchen Slow Cooker cookbook (from the library) that looked pretty easy -- and it was.

Here's what you do*:

Peel, core, and cut about 3 pounds of apples into 1 1/2" chunks. (I used Jonagold apples; others that were recommended were: Pink Lady, Jonathan, Macoun, Golden Delicious, empire, McIntosh, or Rome.)

Put all the cut up apples into the crock pot along with 1 cup apple juice or apple cider, 2 tablespoons of sugar and a pinch of salt.

Cover the crock pot and cook on low for about 4 hours. The apples will be very soft and begin to disintegrate. Then, mash the apples thoroughly with a potato masher and season with additional sugar to taste and adjust the consistency with additional hot apple juice if needed. 

And you're done! Serve at room temperature or chilled.

With my first batch I decided to get a little creative and added two small chunks of fresh ginger to the apples while they were cooking. I took the chunks out before mashing the apples. It added just a hint of ginger spice--a little extra flavor! You could also add 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon to the the apples while they cook instead.

*Recipe taken from "America's Test Kitchen Slow Cooker cookbook.