We're in full blown winter now, which means I basically want to hibernate by the fire until spring. Comfort dishes full of root vegetables, hearty stews and soups, and hot dishes grace our table this time of year. We also just got our first 100% grass fed/finished beef from our farmer a few weeks ago and we are loving it! It's so nice to be able to open my freezer to delicious and healthy beef and not have to pay an arm and a leg for steaks and roasts. This week we're having several beef dishes and a couple of vegetarian dishes as well. I normally like a chicken dish, but I don't have any free-range chicken in the freezer, so it's not making the cut this week.
Monday
Breakfast: Biscuits, fried eggs
Lunch: Leftover winter lentil vegetable soup
Dinner: Chicken fried steak strips, mashed potatoes and gravy, roasted brussel sprouts
Tuesday
Breakfast: Pancakes, bacon
Lunch: Leftovers from Monday
Dinner: Stuffed acorn squash and rice, glazed carrots
Wednesday
Breakfast: Scrambled eggs and leftover pancakes
Lunch: Grilled cheese sandwiches, raw veg and kefir smoothies
Dinner: Slow cooker beef stroganoff (beef broth instead of canned condensed soup), old fashioned soaked egg noodles, sauteed green beans
Thursday
Breakfast: Soaked oatmeal
Lunch: Leftovers from Wednesday
Dinner: Family dinner at Grandparents' house
Friday
Breakfast: Kefir Smoothies
Lunch: Sandwiches
Dinner: Cabbage rolls, carrots
Saturday
Breakfast: Pancakes, eggs and bacon
Lunch: Leftovers from Friday
Dinner: Baked salmon, roasted butternut squash, broccoli
Sunday
Breakfast: Kefir smoothies or oatmeal
Lunch: Leftovers or out
Dinner: Frittata and Vegetable pancakes
Monday, January 14, 2013
Monday, December 3, 2012
Decking the halls
We just love Christmas around here. Such a special time to celebrate the birth of Christ, or like my daughter likes to say, "It's like having a giant birthday party for Jesus." Yeah something like that sweetie. :)
I also just love the way my house feels with all the decorations up. It just feels warm and cozy. Hey, do you want a tour? It's nothing fancy, but we like it. I'd offer you some hot cocoa or build a fire for you, but it's in the mid-70s here. How about some ice water and a cookie instead?
Our pretty tree. It's not fancy and it's a hodge podge of ornaments but I love it. There are so many stories behind all of the ornaments that it makes putting up the tree like walking down memory lane. There are homemade crocheted ornaments from my late grandma, cross-stitched ones from my mom, homemade ones from the kids, ornaments commemorating engagement, wedding, and children's births. It really is a special piece of Christmas for me.
There you have it. We have a few other things here and there in the house, but this is the bulk of it. Hope you enjoyed our tour.
What is your favorite Christmas decoration? Are you a glitz and glam kind of person, simple, homemade? I'd love to hear from you!
I also just love the way my house feels with all the decorations up. It just feels warm and cozy. Hey, do you want a tour? It's nothing fancy, but we like it. I'd offer you some hot cocoa or build a fire for you, but it's in the mid-70s here. How about some ice water and a cookie instead?
Bailey and her little tree in her room. She was so proud after she decorated it.
Our fireplace mantle. Simple and cozy.
Full view of the fireplace.
Our simple advent calendar/wreath. I love it.
Greenery in our dining room.
Living room pillows. Joy and Ho ho ho
Mary, Joseph and Jesus Love this piece.
My favorite Christmas decoration. Bailey adores this too and loves to rearrange the figures.
There you have it. We have a few other things here and there in the house, but this is the bulk of it. Hope you enjoyed our tour.
What is your favorite Christmas decoration? Are you a glitz and glam kind of person, simple, homemade? I'd love to hear from you!
Monday, November 26, 2012
Meal Plan Monday #7
Monday
Breakfast: Oatmeal and eggs
Lunch: Leftover creamy chicken, rice, and carrots and butternut squash
Dinner: Pancakes, eggs, bacon, hash browns
Tuesday
Breakfast: Smoothies
Lunch: Peanut butter and jelly, fruit and raw veggies
Dinner: Spaghetti and salad
Wednesday
Breakfast: Eggs and bacon
Lunch: leftovers
Dinner: Grandparents' house
Thursday
Breakfast: Kefir smoothies and sprouted toast with butter
Lunch: Egg salad sandwiches with fruit and raw veg
Dinner: Grass fed steaks, mashed potatoes, and roasted broccoli
Friday
Breakfast: Eggs and toast
Lunch: Leftovers
Dinner: Pizza
Saturday
Breakfast: French toast or sourdough pancakes
Lunch: Leftovers
Dinner: Chicken cordon bleu, green beans, sweet potatoes
Sunday
Breakfast: Kefir smoothies
Lunch: Leftovers
Dinner: Baked fish, honey glazed carrots, buttered peas
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Meal Plan Monday #6
Monday
Breakfast: Eggs, leftover biscuits
Lunch: Leftover pinto beans and corn cakes
Dinner: Chicken and veggie stir fry with rice
Tuesday
Breakfast: Eggs and leftover biscuits
Lunch: Leftover stir fry
Dinner: Granparents' house
Wednesday
Breakfast: Smoothies
Lunch: Egg salad sandwiches
Dinner: Roasted chicken, green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy
Thursday
Breakfast: Oatmeal with nuts and fruit
Lunch: Leftover chicken
Dinner: Salmon, quinoa and butternut squash
Friday
Breakfast: Eggs and bacon
Lunch: Leftovers or chicken salads
Dinner: Pizza, salad
Saturday
Breakfast: Bacon, eggs, smoothies,
Lunch: Leftover pizza
Dinner: Dinner and a Movie at church
Sunday
Breakfast: Leftover oatmeal
Lunch: Reuben sandwiches, sweet potato fries
Dinner: Thanksgiving meal at church
Make and freeze with leftover chicken: Chicken pot pie filling, and creamy chicken and rice
This post was shared at Erin Branscom
Breakfast: Eggs, leftover biscuits
Lunch: Leftover pinto beans and corn cakes
Dinner: Chicken and veggie stir fry with rice
Tuesday
Breakfast: Eggs and leftover biscuits
Lunch: Leftover stir fry
Dinner: Granparents' house
Wednesday
Breakfast: Smoothies
Lunch: Egg salad sandwiches
Dinner: Roasted chicken, green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy
Thursday
Breakfast: Oatmeal with nuts and fruit
Lunch: Leftover chicken
Dinner: Salmon, quinoa and butternut squash
Friday
Breakfast: Eggs and bacon
Lunch: Leftovers or chicken salads
Dinner: Pizza, salad
Saturday
Breakfast: Bacon, eggs, smoothies,
Lunch: Leftover pizza
Dinner: Dinner and a Movie at church
Sunday
Breakfast: Leftover oatmeal
Lunch: Reuben sandwiches, sweet potato fries
Dinner: Thanksgiving meal at church
Make and freeze with leftover chicken: Chicken pot pie filling, and creamy chicken and rice
This post was shared at Erin Branscom
Friday, November 9, 2012
Rest and relaxation for the reluctant mama
My babies left me today for the entire weekend....for the first time ever! My husband is a youth pastor and will be taking the teenagers on a weekend fall retreat. I've taken my daughter on one of these retreats when she was about 4 months old, and she did great. She was in that beautifully portable stage that babies are a that age. They sleep anywhere and go to anyone.
As my daughter grew, her portability deminished. She was disruptive during lessons, running around during the activities, and made it impossible for me to be a responsible chaperone. It was just easier for me to stay at home with her while my husband traveled on these trips. While I adore my daughter, I grieved that a part of my ministry with these teenagers and their families had changed.
By the time my daughter was weaned and old enough to stay with family, our son was born. Long story short, it's been four years since I've gone on a youth trip, and I REAAALLY miss it. My little bubby is now 19 months old. He's never been away from both my husband and I for more than a day, but we both decided he could probably handle a weekend away from us, so they are both spending the weekend in KY/IN while we go on our Fall Retreat.
I have mixed emotions. On one hand I'm thrilled to have kid free weekend so I can focus on the lessons, minister intensely to the students, and participate fully in the activities like the high ropes course (YIKES). On the other hand, I'm worried about how my kids will do away from me in a completely different state. My little guy is a momma's boy and my little girl has a runny nose today. I know they are in good hands though, and more importantly I know that my God is in control. I'm thankful for Him for giving me this opportunity to be recharged and revitalized. Not in the conventional sense, because let's just be honest, I probably won't be getting a lot of sleep this weekend. I do plan on being recharged by feeding on God's word and also getting a "break" from being a frazzled mama. Time away is good, right?! ::hold me:: :) Happy weekend everyone! God bless!
As my daughter grew, her portability deminished. She was disruptive during lessons, running around during the activities, and made it impossible for me to be a responsible chaperone. It was just easier for me to stay at home with her while my husband traveled on these trips. While I adore my daughter, I grieved that a part of my ministry with these teenagers and their families had changed.
By the time my daughter was weaned and old enough to stay with family, our son was born. Long story short, it's been four years since I've gone on a youth trip, and I REAAALLY miss it. My little bubby is now 19 months old. He's never been away from both my husband and I for more than a day, but we both decided he could probably handle a weekend away from us, so they are both spending the weekend in KY/IN while we go on our Fall Retreat.
I have mixed emotions. On one hand I'm thrilled to have kid free weekend so I can focus on the lessons, minister intensely to the students, and participate fully in the activities like the high ropes course (YIKES). On the other hand, I'm worried about how my kids will do away from me in a completely different state. My little guy is a momma's boy and my little girl has a runny nose today. I know they are in good hands though, and more importantly I know that my God is in control. I'm thankful for Him for giving me this opportunity to be recharged and revitalized. Not in the conventional sense, because let's just be honest, I probably won't be getting a lot of sleep this weekend. I do plan on being recharged by feeding on God's word and also getting a "break" from being a frazzled mama. Time away is good, right?! ::hold me:: :) Happy weekend everyone! God bless!
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Getting cultured and strange happenings in the kitchen
For those of you who are new to real food, this post may leave you a bit squeamish and may seem totally out there. We're diving into the world of lacto-fermentation around here. Lacto-WHAT???? Hang with me folks, it's really not all that weird and it is a practice that has been around for a looooooong time.
Ever eaten yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, sour cream, sour pickles? All of these are or used to be a cultured/fermented food in traditional cultures. Cultured/fermented foods are incredibly nutritious. You take an already healthy food like vegetables, fruit, milk, whole grains and then give them a turbo boost making them a SUPER health food through the process of fermentation. Let me explain.
When you ferment a food, natural good bacteria feed on the sugar and starch in the food creating lactic acid. Through this process, the food is naturally preserved and new beneficial enzymes, B-vitamins, and probiotics are also created. Fermented foods are also said to be easier to digest, improve digestion all around, help leaky gut, clear acne, and increase immunity.
Most of us by now have heard of probiotics. It's a hot buzz word right now in the health field. Probiotics help populate the digestive system with beneficial bacteria that help fight off bad bacteria in the body. Many believe that the health of the gut can determine the health of the individual. Proponents of the GAPS diet, have used probiotics and fermented foods to heal all sorts of conditions, from autism to eczema. The stories from people that have benefited from probiotics are truly amazing. Many people opt for the capsule supplement form of probiotics, and I did too before I learned about fermentation. Here's why: Dr. Mercola tested the amount of probiotics in fermented vegetables in comparison to a high quality probiotic supplement. He found that the supplements contained billions of healthy bacteria but the fermented vegetables contained TRILLIONS! One serving of these vegetables would be like taking an entire bottle of probiotics. Powerful stuff. I'm a little too cheap to keep buying expensive supplements. I think I'll stick to a $2 head of cabbage and make my own sauerkraut. Much better bargain in my opinion.
So without further adieu, here's what's going on in my kitchen. It feels like a laboratory at times. Pretty cool stuff. I was scared to death to try this at first and waited a long time to try it. Now I'm a fermenting machine. It's really fun! You should try it.
Kombucha This is one that I had never heard of before learning about fermentation. I admit it is a bit strange, but the benefits of this liver cleansing drink are unmatched. It's a fizzy sweet tea that has a bit of a vinegary taste to it. It's an acquired taste and I look forward to learning how to flavor the drink to make it a little more palatable for the kiddies.
Raisin chutney I really love this. It's great on fish, chicken, quinoa, etc and has an Indian flare to it. My little guy will take small bites of this one, but the four year old still won't touch it.
Sourdough starter. Everyone in the house loves my sourdough starter. House favorites are sourdough waffles, sourdough crackers, sourdough crepes and tortilla chips, and crockpot sourdough bread.
Other ferments I look forward to trying soon:
Milk kefir: drinkable yogurt
Water kefir: A naturally carbonated drink that can be a substitute for soda
Ketchup: A healthy alternative to a sugar laden junky condiment.
Ginger ale: The real deal
Salsa
My Pinterest Board: This is my collection of fermented recipes. Try one and report back!
Ever eaten yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, sour cream, sour pickles? All of these are or used to be a cultured/fermented food in traditional cultures. Cultured/fermented foods are incredibly nutritious. You take an already healthy food like vegetables, fruit, milk, whole grains and then give them a turbo boost making them a SUPER health food through the process of fermentation. Let me explain.
When you ferment a food, natural good bacteria feed on the sugar and starch in the food creating lactic acid. Through this process, the food is naturally preserved and new beneficial enzymes, B-vitamins, and probiotics are also created. Fermented foods are also said to be easier to digest, improve digestion all around, help leaky gut, clear acne, and increase immunity.
Most of us by now have heard of probiotics. It's a hot buzz word right now in the health field. Probiotics help populate the digestive system with beneficial bacteria that help fight off bad bacteria in the body. Many believe that the health of the gut can determine the health of the individual. Proponents of the GAPS diet, have used probiotics and fermented foods to heal all sorts of conditions, from autism to eczema. The stories from people that have benefited from probiotics are truly amazing. Many people opt for the capsule supplement form of probiotics, and I did too before I learned about fermentation. Here's why: Dr. Mercola tested the amount of probiotics in fermented vegetables in comparison to a high quality probiotic supplement. He found that the supplements contained billions of healthy bacteria but the fermented vegetables contained TRILLIONS! One serving of these vegetables would be like taking an entire bottle of probiotics. Powerful stuff. I'm a little too cheap to keep buying expensive supplements. I think I'll stick to a $2 head of cabbage and make my own sauerkraut. Much better bargain in my opinion.
So without further adieu, here's what's going on in my kitchen. It feels like a laboratory at times. Pretty cool stuff. I was scared to death to try this at first and waited a long time to try it. Now I'm a fermenting machine. It's really fun! You should try it.
Homemade yogurt. So easy, frugal and great in smoothies.
Homemade sauerkraut Only two ingredients: cabbage and salt
Sorry the jar is almost gone. I liked this one and ate three jars pretty quickly. My kids are still getting used to it, but I think they'll like it with time. Fermenting the applesauce gives it a bit of a tang and fizziness.
Kombucha This is one that I had never heard of before learning about fermentation. I admit it is a bit strange, but the benefits of this liver cleansing drink are unmatched. It's a fizzy sweet tea that has a bit of a vinegary taste to it. It's an acquired taste and I look forward to learning how to flavor the drink to make it a little more palatable for the kiddies.
Other ferments I look forward to trying soon:
Milk kefir: drinkable yogurt
Water kefir: A naturally carbonated drink that can be a substitute for soda
Ketchup: A healthy alternative to a sugar laden junky condiment.
Ginger ale: The real deal
Salsa
My Pinterest Board: This is my collection of fermented recipes. Try one and report back!
Monday, November 5, 2012
Meal Plan Monday #5
We're going to be gone this weekend on our youth Fall Retreat so this is a short week. I also didn't want to have go to the store and have a lot of leftovers so this is pretty much what we have on hand in our house. It's a simple meal plan, as I don't have a lot of time this week either.
Monday
Breakfast: eggs, raw fermented applesauce
Lunch: Leftover split pea soup from last week (me & kids), leftover lasagna casserole (hubs), fruit
Dinner: Dirty rice, sweet potatoes
Tuesday
Breakfast: Oatmeal with coconut oil, maple syrup, fruit and nuts
Lunch: leftovers
Dinner: Grilled chicken topped with raisin chutney, carrots, roasted cabbage
Wednesday
Breakfast: Almond flour apple scones, bacon
Lunch: Big salads
Dinner: Potluck @ church (Pinto beans and cornbread)
Thursday
Breakfast: Yogurt and fruit
Lunch: Leftovers, big salads or egg salad
Dinner: banana and egg pancakes, homemade hashbrowns, bacon
Friday
Breakfast: leftover pancakes
Lunch: whatever's left in the house :)
Monday
Breakfast: eggs, raw fermented applesauce
Lunch: Leftover split pea soup from last week (me & kids), leftover lasagna casserole (hubs), fruit
Dinner: Dirty rice, sweet potatoes
Tuesday
Breakfast: Oatmeal with coconut oil, maple syrup, fruit and nuts
Lunch: leftovers
Dinner: Grilled chicken topped with raisin chutney, carrots, roasted cabbage
Wednesday
Breakfast: Almond flour apple scones, bacon
Lunch: Big salads
Dinner: Potluck @ church (Pinto beans and cornbread)
Thursday
Breakfast: Yogurt and fruit
Lunch: Leftovers, big salads or egg salad
Dinner: banana and egg pancakes, homemade hashbrowns, bacon
Friday
Breakfast: leftover pancakes
Lunch: whatever's left in the house :)
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