Letter of the Week: N

Bailey has been so independent in her crafting lately.  She wants to do everything her way and without my help.  I'm certainly ok with that, but I'm having to make the projects a little more simple so she can do it all herself.  Sometimes she doesn't like my "plans" either so they get scrapped for something else she comes up with.  I think I've created a monster!

 

Noodle N

Simple craft just involved gluing noodles onto the letter N.  Anything that involved glue is a hit with a 3 year old though.

Nest

I thought this one was hilarious but it was all her ideas.  I had gotten a package in the mail and this weird packing material was in it.  Bailey thought we could make a nest out of it.  She cut it up and put some cotton balls in it to look like eggs.  Then she put her robot bird on top of the eggs to keep them warm.  We fed the bird birdseed and worms and waited for the eggs to hatch.

DIY picture display

This is a terrible title for this post, but I have no idea what to call this particular thing.  If any of you brilliant people out there are more creative than me in naming things, help me out and comment on what I can name it.  hehe  Anyway, on to the post.  Sorry for rambling.  :)

 

This was a present for my dad and step mom for Christmas.  I love to give gifts, especially handmade gifts, but it's difficult to buy for someone that you feel like has everything.  One thing they do both love though is pictures of family.  Their house is full of pictures of their kids and especially grandkids.  I thought this was a unique way to display some of their pictures and an easy way to update with new pictures.  Just take it off of the clothespin and clip on another one in its place.  Here's what I did.


First I found a piece of wood.  We have LOTS of scrap wood lying around because my hubby likes to build a lot and we have done our share of updates in the house over the last 6 years. 

 

 Next I painted it.  I should have primed it first but I didn't.  I'm lazy like that, but by all means, prime yours first.  I used paint that I had leftover from another project too.  This particular paint was called Navajo white.

 

After it was thoroughly dry, I added vinyl lettering to the wood.  Easy peasy.  You can cut your own if you have a fancy machine or buy it at a craft store like Michaels, JoAnns, Hancocks, or Hobby Lobby.  (not pictured)




Next I mod-modged strips of card stock onto the fronts of tiny clothespins.  I don't have a picture of this step but you can see what it looks like on the close up picture below.



Then I took the fronts off of the clothespins, nailed the backs onto the bottom of the wood using tiny pin head nails and put the front back onto the clothespin.

  That's it!  Super easy and pretty cute I think.  You can add a picture hanger on the back so it can hang on a wall or you could put it on a shelf or mantle like I have it displayed.  You could also distress it to give it a little more character but I liked mine the way it was.  This makes a great Grandparent gift, housewarming gift, or just something to add a little charm to your house as well. 

Kale chips

This is not an original recipe by any means.  Kale chips has definitely made an appearance on just about every healthy blog out there I think.  Some of you though that read my blog may have never heard of this before, so I thought I would include it.  Dark leafy greens are EXTREMELY good for you, and especially kale.  If you want a snack full of nutrition, try some kale.  Here's what web md has to say about it.

One cup of kale contains 36 calories, 5 grams of fiber, and 15% of the daily requirement of calcium and vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), 40% of magnesium, 180% of vitamin A, 200% of vitamin C, and 1,020% of vitamin K. It is also a good source of minerals copper, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorus.
Kale’s health benefits are primarily linked to the high concentration and excellent source of antioxidant vitamins A, C, and K -- and sulphur-containing phytonutrients.
Carotenoids and flavonoids are the specific types of antioxidants associated with many of the anti-cancer health benefits. Kale is also rich in the eye-health promoting lutein and zeaxanthin compounds.
Beyond antioxidants, the fiber content of cruciferous kale binds bile acids and helps lower blood cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease, especially when kale is cooked instead of raw.

Not only is kale extremely healthy for you, I happen to like it.  My favorite ways to eat it are in soups like my kale and white bean soup or these kale chips.  Kale is pretty inexpensive so it can't hurt to give it a try.  Who knows?  You may like it.

Kale chips

1 bunch kale (organic is best)
2 T olive oil
sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Wash and dry kale thoroughly.  Chop or tear into bite sized pieces.  Place in single layer on cookie sheet.  You may have to use two.  Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat.  Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or until crispy.  Watch carefully and DO NOT burn.  They will get bitter if you do.  Sprinkle with sea salt and enjoy!

Philly Cheesesteak Bowl

I am such a sucker for a cheesesteak sandwich.  It's hard for me to resist it on any menu.  I absolutely love steak but then when you add those deliciously grilled thinly sliced peppers, onions, and mushrooms topped with melty gooey cheese.  Come on...forget about it.  This could easily be made into a sandwich by just putting it on a hoagie bun, but I couldn't find sprouted buns, so we just had the filling.  It did not disappoint.  The trick is to slice the steak as thin as you possibly can and don't cook it too long or it will get too tough.  The best part about this meal is that it came together in about 15 minutes.  We served ours with a big salad for a complete meal. 


Philly Cheesesteak Bowl
serves 2-3

1/2 lb. grass-fed steak sliced thinly (skirt, sirloin, or ribeye would all work well)
1 green bell pepper thinly sliced
1 onion thinly sliced
4 oz. mushrooms sliced
2 T. butter (grassfed best)
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 T. hot sauce
2 oz. cheese (provolone or mozzarella work well)
salt and pepper

Heat oven to broil.  Season steak liberally with salt and pepper. In a oven safe skillet (I used cast iron), melt butter and then add Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce.  Add onions, peppers, and mushrooms and saute for a few minutes until veggies are crisp tender. Add steak and stir fry until steak is done.  Top with cheese and put under broiler until cheese is melted.  You may add more salt and pepper if desired.

Adapted from Health-Bent

What we ate: Jan 16-22

Total spent at Whole Foods:  $167  Again, all organic produce, wild caught shrimp, grass fed/pastured poultry, meat, dairy and eggs.

Average cost per person per meal:  $2.74  One meal we ate at my grandparents.  One meal my dad also ate with us.  The math was confusing this time but I think I got it right.

Breakfasts:  eggs, fruit smoothies, soaked whole wheat banana bread, sprouted 7 grain toast with grassfed butter

Lunches:  leftovers, take and bake Whole Foods pizza (not healthy), fruit, cottage cheese, peanut butter and bananas

Snacks:  cottage cheese, blueberries, apples, oranges, bananas, carrot sticks, peanut butter, cheese slices

Dinners
Monday:
Garlic butter shrimp, sweet potato fries, greens, and orange slices.  Ken and I love shrimp.  Bailey took one bite and refused the rest.  What's wrong with that girl?!  lol  She ate everything else though.

Tuesday:  Dinner at Grandparents' house.  My grandma made homemade chicken and dumplings.  They were delish as always!  She's a great cook.


Wednesday:
Pinto beans with bacon, boiled cabbage, leftover chicken and dumplings, and corn cakes.  My daddy was in town so he joined us for dinner.  This was plain old country cookin'.  Mmmm Mmmm good!  I soaked the beans for 24 hours with some baking soda to help with digestion and make them healthier.

Thursday:
Roasted whole chicken in the crockpot, roasted acorn squash and buttered peas.  This meal was a total disappointment.  I came in from a playdate and the house smelled fantastic liked delicious rotisserie chicken.  I guess I turned it on too early because it was WAY overcooked.  It turned to mush in my mouth.  Ick!  I choked it down, but surprisingly enough Bailey ate the entire meal and loved it.  Weird girl I tell ya. 

 Friday:
Spaghetti with side salad.   The spaghetti was rice pasta.  I used grassfed ground beef and the sauce was homemade.  I used organic jarred strained tomatoes and seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic, oregano, and basil.  Simple and satisfying.

 Saturday:
Naked taco bowls:  Leftover pinto beans and chicken, romaine lettuce, spinach, salsa, sour cream, and raw goat cheese.   This was lunch.  I thought it was pretty so I took a picture.  :)

 Paninis and sweet potato fries:  (fancy grilled cheese) Sprouted 7 grain bread, raw goat cheddar cheese, spinach, bacon, and pesto.  Yum!  I love almost any kind of melted sandwich.  The sweet potato fries were a hit with the whole family.  Even Eli loved them.  They were baked in coconut oil.

 Sunday:
BBQ Meatloaf, roasted broccoli and roasted parsnips.  I totally did not feel like cooking and I had to drag myself into the kitchen but surprisingly this meal came together in minutes and the oven did the rest.  It was a meal we all enjoyed.  This was our first time ever eating parsnips and we liked them.

Homemade household products: Part 2

Last week I shared with you homemade household cleansers to clean your house and laundry.  These will help reduce your chemical exposure as well as save you hundreds of dollars a year on unnecessary cleaning products.  I'd call that a win win!  Today I'm going to share with you the other part of this homemade household products series:  personal care items.  I'm not going to go into detail again on why we want to choose safe lower risk items to groom our bodies because I already did that in Part 1.  If you didn't read that post please do.  It will give you some background info.  If you don't want to make your own, please buy products without flouride, sodium lauryl sulfate, DEA, MEA, TEA, mineral oil, propylene glycol, aluminum, petroleum, and parabens.  This is not an exhaustive list, but just some that I look out for.  For everyone else interested in the recipes, let's get to it!

Toothpaste
2 drops Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap
Wet toothbrush

This is the method I use right now because it's so easy and doesn't require me to make something.  It works well for me.

Other options:  coconut oil (my fav go to for EVERYTHING), baking soda, salt, or this recipe if you want more of a traditional paste.

I tend to try to keep things low maintenance though which is why I use Dr. Bronner's.  If you buy toothpaste, you want to stay away from flouride and sodium lauryl sulfate.  Both bad news!



Hand Soap/Body Wash
1 part Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap
4 parts water

Put in a foaming pump, otherwise it will be very watery.

OR

My friend Tanya's recipe which is SUPER frugal (She spends $10 to make 8 GALLONS!  Wow!)

1 bar of soap (I'd recommend Dr. Bronner's bar soap)
1 gallon of water
2 T glycerine

Grate your favorite bar soap and add to 1 gallon water, heat on stove top until soap dissolves. Add 2 TBL glycerine. Let sit for 24 hours, this is the time needed to gel ingredients together. If too thick blend the mixture at the end of 24 hours with hand mixer. 


Shampoo/Conditioner
No poo (shampoo) method.  This is definitely not for everyone but it can't hurt to give it a try because it is extremely inexpensive and if it works for your hair, you can go days without having to wash your hair.  


1 T baking soda
2 T apple cider vinegar
water (boiled if you have hard water)


Add 1 T baking soda to a cup of water.  Pour over hair and massage the scalp thoroughly using a gentle circular massage.  Rinse with water.  Then add apple cider vinegar to a cup of water.  Pour on head concentrating mainly on the ends of the hair.  This acts as your conditioner.  Start doing this every other day.  Then decrease to once a week and eventually just rinse when you need it.  I'm NOT there yet.  There is definitely a learning curve and your hair can go through a very greasy transition stage.  



Lotion

Coconut oil:  Put on right after showering.  I use this one most often again because it's one less thing I have to make.

  OR

Whipped body butter: coconut oil, shea butter, arrowroot powder:   Here is the recipe


Lip balm
coconut oil:  Slather on lips  :)

OR

This recipe (It's at the end)


Deodorant (I already shared this with you this summer)
1/4 cup baking soda
1/4 cup arrowroot powder or cornstarch
6-8 tbs coconut oil
2-3 drops of tea tree oil

Mix baking soda and cornstarch to combine. Add coconut oil and mix or mash together. Add a few drops of tea tree oil to increase antibacterial properties. Store in a small lidded container.

Note: If your house is hot like mine you may need to keep it in the fridge. Coconut oil is solid but begins to melt in temperatures above the mid 70s. I'm not sure how long this recipe lasts because I haven't used a whole recipe yet. I have a feeling it will last a VERY long time. I've been using it since July and I'm not even halfway through with it yet.  Also don't apply immediately after shaving as the baking soda may cause some irritation. Wait a few minutes.

What we ate: Jan 9-15

Total spent at Whole Foods:  $125 (rounded up)  Again, highest quality food I can buy: all organic produce, sprouted bread, nitrate free bacon, organic pastured eggs, grass fed dairy.


Total average cost per person per meal (3 people):  $1.98

Breakfasts:  eggs(pastured), bacon (nitrate free), soaked oatmeal, smoothies, sprouted spelt toast with grassfed butter, fruit, grain free coffee cake

Lunches:  leftovers, taco salads, cottage cheese, fruit, homemade yogurt, carrot sticks, peanut butter

Dinners:

Monday:
Unstuffed cabbage casserole.  This was really good.  Ground beef, onions, garlic, strained tomatoes, riced cauliflower topped with cabbage and more tomato sauce mixture.

Tuesday:
Chicken tenders with alfredo sauce, buttered carrots, and sauted green beans.  Whoa baby!  I love alfredo sauce and I could probably eat it every day.  This was a yummy way to still enjoy my beloved alfredo sauce without the carb heavy and processed pasta.  

 Wednesday:
Zuppa Toscana  A simple meal and a great way to get in kale and homemade chicken stock.  It's a tad spicy though so if you don't like spice, hold back a little on the red pepper flakes.

 Thursday:  It snowed and we were feeling particularly lazy.  We had a gift card for a free Papa John's pizza.  Definitely not real food nor healthy but hey, it filled the bellies.  Everyone slips up every once in a while.  :)



Friday:  Still feeling lazy in the food department.  We had a large late lunch and were out at Lowe's until late looking at toilets.  Sorry for the TMI.  This is real food that we eat when we don't feel like cooking.  I had cottage cheese, avocado and fruit (not pictured).  Ken and Bailey had similar things but I can't really remember specifically.

Saturday:
Liver, red skinned mashed potatoes, and green beans.  NOT a huge fan of liver but we're trying to eat more of it because it's one of the most nourishing foods you can eat.  HELP!!!  What's a good way to fix it?  The initial taste isn't bad but the weird aftertaste and texture as I chew gets to me.  

Sunday:
Breakfast.  Whole grain pancakes with grassfed butter and real maple syrup, eggs, and bacon.  No vegetables but still nourishing.  We had huge salads for lunch if that makes any difference.