Pumpkin Pie Smoothie and Sugar free thoughts

I did something I never thought I would be able to do. For the past month I have been sugar free! As a whole our family sticks to a whole foods diet but, I have a weakness. At home I mostly use evaporated cane juice (still a form of processed sugar, albeit healthier) but I would occasionally sneak in a candy bar or soda (I can hear the collective gasp of the whole foodies out there now!). I felt like the Lord was really prompting me to do a fast from all processed sugars. I know white sugar is bad for my health and immune system, my energy was depleted, I couldn't lose weight, I suffer from migraines, and I crave sugar at times. I wondered, could all this be from eating white sugar?? So at the beginning of September I embarked on, yet another, 30 day challenge- no processed sugar. (Natural sweeteners were okie dokie in my book)

Today is my last day. I was anticipating this past month to be hard. To be honest, I wasn't sure if I could do it. But to my surprise, it wasn't that bad at all! There were maybe 2 or 3 times where I really wanted something sweet. My biggest temptations though weren't chocolate or baked goods but drinks. Yes, drinks. I wanted a soda, or a pumpkin spiced latte, or that lovely southern staple, sweet tea. To combat this I drank lots of water (which I got kind of tired of!), orange juice, and smoothies.

One of my major cravings this month was pumpkin. It is finally turning to fall weather and I wanted to partake in the muffins, lattes, and cakes with everyone else! So I came up with this pumpkin pie smoothie. I know there are loads of these recipes on the internet but each of them had at least one ingredient I wasn't very happy with. So here is my simple and tasty recipe:

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie (about 2 servings)

1 frozen banana

3/4 c. of milk

2 tbsp. honey

1/2 c. pumpkin puree

1/2 t. vanilla

1/4. t. cinnamon (or try pumpkin pie spice!)

a few ice cubes

Blend the banana and milk until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and blend. Enjoy!

My 2 year old daughter absolutely loved this and it gave me the pumpkin boost I needed to make it these last couple days.

As far as the results of my sugar fast...I'm still pondering. I have lost 5 lbs. but over the past month I have also been biking every day and eating smaller portion sizes. One thing I will say is that my energy level has been WAY up. I no longer get my usual 3 pm slump. Yay! So, I am still pondering whether I want to make this a lifestyle change or maybe just cut back.

Have you tried a sugar free diet? Any thoughts?

Fall!

Things are changing here in south Georgia...

Which is really unusual for our neck of the woods.

I usually don't have to put away my beloved sandals

until the end of October.

So this whole chilly September thing in bizarre.

Not that I'm complaining.

This is my FAVORITE type of weather.

Slightly overcast with a bit of a chill in the air.

*insert contented sigh here*

We celebrated the first day of fall with a family walk.

There was frolicking...

Leaf throwing...

Even a little family acrobats...

I sure do love spending everyday with this bunch.

How are you enjoying fall? Pumpkin Spice Latte, anyone? Bonfires? Cozy Socks?

Food for Thought

Last year, sometime, I was at the library. I was thumbing through the magazines they were giving away and I found a Time magazine which was focused on childhood obesity. Since I tend to be pretty health conscience I picked it up and took it home. A large part of the issue was talking about school lunches and how incredibly unhealthy they are. It gave 3 samples of a normal days lunch for students in a public school and then gave the nutritional break down. Yikes! I was disgusted by the amounts of processed foods that many students today are consuming! My thoughts on the subject were sparked again when my friend Nikki posted this blog post. In which I left way too long of a comment. :)

My children are homeschooled so it isn't like I have to worry about what they are eating when they go to school but it does make me a little upset that schools are okay with feeding their children junk.

I came across a blog today that I find totally fascinating! Fed up with Lunch: The School Lunch Project is a blog by a teacher at a public school who is eating a school lunch every (school) day in 2010 and documenting it. Here is her agenda, if you want to check it out. My first thoughts as I was scrolling through her site was the incredible amount of waste with every single lunch! Back when I was in school we got a tray and they scooped our food onto it for us. But it seems (at least at her school) things all come pre-packaged.

I am encouraged to see a number of schools starting to take notice and trying to do better. If you have a child who is in public school or about to start I would encourage you to check out their food options.




If you have about 20 minutes here is an great TED talk by Jamie Oliver

~A

See you later, Alligator!

John and I, normally, aren't the type to make New Year's resolutions. But for some reason, this year, without even telling each other we both made one. Mine, was to be better about sticking to my schedule. (But..ahem...we just won't talk about that.) And John's was to go "No-Poo". And since we share the same shower and he wanted me to make it for him. I decided I'd go "no-poo" as well. Now, he bravely stated on Facebook that he was going "no-poo" with no explanation whatesoever. I...not so much. For well over a year now I have been concerned about bath products. I've heard of the ridiculous things they put in them. I started buying soap at our farmer's market that I knew had no chemicals in it. We bought all natural toothpaste (although, I might try baking soda soon) but I was reluctant to give up my shampoo and conditioner. It's not that I needed perfume-y smelling hair or even that I doubted how well no-poo would work on John. But, I did doubt how well it would work on MY hair. You see, I have A LOT of hair. To the point where any hair stylist who has ever worked on my hair has made the comment "You have a lot of hair!" No joke. Now add to that the fact that I haven't cut it in 5 years and that equals massive amounts of hair. I just wasn't sure how clean it would get and I was really doubtful that it would detangle my hair. But, it's cheaper and healthier so, it couldn't hurt to give it a try. I. was. shocked. It worked so well! I absolutely could not tell the difference in my hair. No, scratch that. I could tell a difference and it was for the better. It's shinier and softer than ever. We are on week two and I am sold! I've used it on all of the children and we've all had the same results. Awesome. So, no more store bought shampoo for me! Just give me some vinegar and baking soda from now on!

To see the method I used (and a great "no-poo explanation) you can go here. The only thing I did different was to add a couple drops of tea tree oil to the baking soda mixture. I also usually make a triple batch of what she does (again...lots of hair!). If you give it a try let me know what you think!

Hope everyone is having a blessed day!

~A

One year later

I realized today that it had been a little over a year since I had made my breakfast vow, which was my commitment to wake up earlier in the morning and prepare breakfast for my family and stop feeding them convinience breakfast items. We had decided that bagged cereal and other processed breakfast foods were 1) too expensive and 2) too full of sugar (or more likely HFCS).

So, how has it been? Not bad at all! On mornings where I wake up a little later than usual I have my quick staples:
~oatmeal
~toast
~smoothies

And on mornings where I have a little extra time....and energy....I have other things I fix:
~pancakes
~scrambled eggs
~waffles

One thing that has been very helpful over this past year is to fix some things ahead of time. I have a baked oatmeal recipe that we all love that can be made the day before and warmed up in the morning and of course we all love breakfast cookies! It has also been really helpful to make baked goods in bulk. Usually if I bake something (muffins, quick breads, even pancakes and waffles) I double the batch and freeze the rest. This has been WONDERFUL for mornings that I've been sick or have been up all night with someone who is sick.

Over the past year I have only bought ceral twice. Once, when I had just had Kate and was recovering from my surgery and the second time when our house was overrun with the flu (me included!), which was just this past week. I knew I was doing pretty well with my commitment when Bradley had no idea what cereal was and kept calling it oatmeal. :)

Is anyone else out there trying to stay away from processed breakfast foods? What are some things that you regularly serve at your house?

Thanks for checking in! We have been busy busy busy around here!

Wish you and yours many blessings!
~A

NO MEN ALLOWED!!

Today's post is strictly for the ladies. So, to the two men that read this (Hi Dad and John!), please step away from the computer before I die of embarrassment.

I have been wanting to write a post about this ever since I read it. I've been a teensy bit busy lately (ha!) and it slipped my mind. But just the other day I remembered and had to post on it! The IT I'm referring to is our lovely little monthly friend. Periods. Those of you who know me well know I don't usually discuss these kind of things. I embarrass WAY too easily over this stuff. So, I'm taking the easy way out! I'm sending you over to Laura's blog to read THIS post.

Go ahead. I'll wait.......



Crazy, huh?? The thing that freaked me out even more than the post was the comments section. Woman after woman said " So that's what's been going on!" or "That same thing happened to me!" Yikes. Was anyone else aware of this? I've been in the baby making business for the past 6 years or so. My "friend" and I parted ways for a while but we are about to reconnect here shortly. But, boy, have things changed! I have a few ideas about some healthier alternatives, which were discussed over at Laura's blog. (Again, taking the easy way out!)

Does anyone else have any suggestions?

~A

Product Review: Soap Nuts!

I had first heard of Soap Nuts when reading Lindsay's blog. If any of you know me well, you know that I am always on the look out for ways to avoid chemical cleaners. I've been struggling to find affordable, effective alternatives to toothpaste, shampoo, and dishwasher detergent. For the past year I have been using Charlie's soap for laundry soap. And I've been very happy with it. But then I heard about how cheap and versatile soap nuts were. That was enough for me to order a sample packet! Here's a little blurp from her blog:

"Soap Nuts are the only laundry soap that grows on trees, thus giving us the most sustainable and natural option out there. It is 100% safe and natural for the most sensitive skin. Soap nuts are the dried fruit of the Chinese Soapberry tree. They contain saponin, a natural cleaner. They are simply harvested, de-seeded, and then dried in the sun. Great for hard water and high efficiency machines. It is biodegradable, hypo-allergenic, brightens colors, low sudsing, and contains a natural fabric softener. You can reuse a handful of nuts for 5 or more loads (depending upon water temperature, etc), and then they can be added to your compost! Most soap nut orders come with a reusable cotton bag which you use to place the nuts in and then throw in the washer, keeping them contained. The best price I have found is the NaturOli Soap Nuts. If you buy it in larger quantities ($50 for 800 loads), you are looking at around $0.07 per load! You can also purchase them in smaller quantities, which will be no more than $0.12 per load. Plus you will save additional money as there is no need for dryer sheets or fabric softeners.

By simply boiling soap nuts in water you can use it for: all household cleaning, liquid hand soap, plant cleaner, jewelry cleaner, produce wash,toothpaste, and even shampoo! It has also been found to be effective for skin allergies. You can even use some of this liquid in your dishwasher! I am in the process of experimenting further with soap nuts for these uses. I will let you know how it goes!"

My review: I was very pleased! The clothing came out clean and fresh smelling. I line dried my clothing and they dried soft (with the exception of the towels. Those pesky towels!). Just a note: If you are washing in cold water you must let your soap nuts soak in hot water for 5 minutes and then add them to the wash. Once I finish my last bag of Charlie's soap I think I'm going to order a larger quantity of soap nuts and give them a try for a while!

As soap nuts are very frugal, can accomplish so many different purposes in one product, and is completely sustainable…that seems to be the way to go!

Thanks for reading!
~A

CSA~week 2

No fun pictures this week. Sorry. We've a major flu bug running through the house right now and even if I had the time to take pictures...it wouldn't be a pretty sight. I haven't been able to leave the house in 3 days and so I had John pick up my goods on the way home from work. Here's what we got:

~cucumbers
~kale
~cabbage
~squash (still haven't used mine from last week!)
~strawberries
~beans
~beets
~eggplant
~carrots
~basil
~mystery herb (maybe sage?)

I also made an important discovery last week. I don't like beets. I made two different things with mine from last week. I made some roasted veggies with them and then I also made a chocolate beet cake. The cake was okay. Very moist, but not the best chocolate cake I've ever had. I did get to sneak some beets into their diet. :) To me, beets taste very...earthy. (that's my nice way of saying they tasted like dirt!) But we'll try some new recipes, thanks to your wonderful suggestions, and see if we can't find a better recipe.

Thanks for checking in. Now, I need to get back to cleaning up...well, I'll just leave it at that!

Running the race,
~A

CSA~week 1

I was SO excited to go pick up my goodies today. And boy, oh boy did we get a bunch!Here's what was in the box:
-Kale
-Red Potatoes
-Carrots
-Beets
-Strawberries
-Peaches
-Beans (of the green variety)
-Onions
-Squash (3 kinds, one of which I'm not sure what it is)
-Banana Peppers
-Rosemary
-Basil
-A dozen free range eggs

I can't believe how much I got for 1 week! We'll be feasting on lots of veggies. The children were all giddy, I think because they saw how excited I was. I let each one pick out their favorite thing and then they get to help me decide how to cook it.

Lilly was totally fascinated by the carrots long green plant part. She obviously didn't know they came like that. We planted some carrots last year in our garden but we must have planted them at the wrong time because they never came up.

I was surprised Luke picked this summer squash but then again he's always like squash. Last winter he begged me to buy an acorn squash at the supermarket. I'm not complaining!

Hello you beautiful peach! I've been waiting all year for you and in a couple more weeks I'll be buying you by the bushels and sticking you in my freezer. Yum! We got a whole bag full but I have a feeling they will be gone in a few days. If there are any left I might make some peach shortcake. (He was equally excited by the banana peppers. My children LOVE banana peppers.)Kate was just happy to get a car ride. :)That's it for this week. I hope I can use all this stuff before next weeks batch! If you have any good recipes or suggestions for any of this, PLEASE let me know. I love trying new things!

Running the race,
~A

Book review: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle

A whole book about food? Really? Yes. It's true. And it was fascinating! It's written by author Barbara Kingsolver (author of "The Poisenwood Bible"), her husband Steven Hopp, and daughter Camille. It follows their family as they move to a rural farm and begin the process of eating only local food for a year. When I first heard about this concept I thought, "I can do that. I buy lots of stuff locally." Then, I took an inventory of my kitchen. Honey-local, Eggs-local, Olive oil-uh oh, cheese-eek!, mushroom-hmm.... and on it went. Turns out I didn't buy as local as I thought. It was challenging. And I'm always up for a challenge! She not only challenged me in that way but she argues for the economic, social, and health benefits for putting local food at the center of the family diet. The book is laid out month by month as Shelia shares stories, her husband adds problems with industrializing food, and their daughter adds first person stories and recipes. It made me appreicate the small farmer so much more! And maybe....made me wish I was one too! It's a really good read!

A couple of yummy recipes

My meal plans the past couple weeks have been non existent. Two times a week someone from my sunday school class is bringing meals. The nights they aren't bringing food my mom has been making meals for us. It's been SO nice not to have to worry about that area of life. Since I haven't been able to share my meal plans for the past couple weeks I thought I'd share some of my new favorite recipes.

Giant Breakfast Cookies
1 cup butter, melted
¾ cup honey
2 eggs
1 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. baking soda
1 t. vanilla
½ cup buttermilk
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups whole rolled oats
1 cup raisins or chocolate chips

Mix butter, honey, eggs, salt, cinnamon, soda, vanilla and buttermilk. Stir in flour and oats. Fold in raisins or chocolate chips. Scoop heaping tablespoons of dough onto a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Allow cookies to cool 3-4 minutes on cookie sheet before removing cookies to cool on a wire rack.

These are basically like healthy oatmeal cookies. My children love these. For a small family you could probably cut this recipe in half, as it feeds my crew for two days. Normally the second day we crumble the cookies and pour milk over it. Yum.

Caramel Corn
3 ¾ qts (15 cups) popped corn (no need to be exact with the measurements here!)
1/2 cup rapadura or sucanat (or brown sugar can be used, if desired)
1/4 cup honey
½ cup butter
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp vanilla

In small saucepan heat your sweetener choice, butter, salt & vanilla, stirring occasionally, until bubbly around edges, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in soda. Continue to stir as you pour over popped corn till coated.

This has been my sweet snack of choice recently. It's so easy to make and so delicious, it's pretty hard to pass up. I had been looking for a caramel corn recipe for a long time but every one I came across had corn syrup and way too much sugar. Needless to say, I was pretty excited when I found this one!

On a totally unrelated (but exciting!) note, I ordered a grain mill yesterday. We have been wanting to get one for almost a year now and we finally did it! We've heard the best things about the nutrimill. If you don't know the benifits to grinding your own flour, read about it here . It should be arriving sometime next week. Now, to find a good source of wheat. Any sugggestions?? I'll let you know how it goes!

Life is pretty crazy right now on the homefront. Kate is, by far, the easist baby I've ever had. It's the other ones I'm having a problem with. Between having a new baby, moving to a new house, having the grandparents visit, and being down with colds and flu's, they are a little...worked up. It's been a challenge.

Anyway, thanks for reading! Hope your day is blessed!

Running the race,

~A