From the moment you hold your baby in your arms you will never be the same.
You might long for the person you were before,
When you had freedom and time,
And nothing in particular to worry about.
You will know tiredness like you never knew it before,
And days will run into days that are exactly the same,
Full of feedings and burpings,
Nappy changes and crying,
Whining and fighting,
Naps or lack of naps.
It might seem like a never-ending cycle.
But don't forget...
There is a last time for everything.
There will come a time when you will feed your baby for the very last time.
They will fall asleep on you after a long day
And it will be the last time you ever hold your sleeping child.
One day you will carry them on your hip then set him down,
And never pick them up that way again.
You will scrub their hair in the bath one night
And from that day on they will want to bathe alone.
They will hold your hand to cross the road,
Then never reach for it again.
They will creep into your room at midnight for cuddles,
And it will be the last time you eve wake to this.
One afternoon you will sing "the wheels on the bus" and do all the actions,
Then never sing them that song again.
They will kiss you goodbye at the school gate,
The next day they will ask to walk to the gate alone.
You will read a final bedtime story and wipe your last dirty face.
They will run to you with arms raised for the very last time.
The thing is you won't even know it's the last time
Until there are no more times.
And even then, it will take you a while to realize.
So while you are living in these times, remember there are only so many of them
And when they're gone, you will yearn for just one more day of them.
For one last time.
Danniel J. Lennax
Thursday, April 30, 2015
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Chef Salad
Anything is optional:
Greens (organic iceberg, spring greens, baby spinach, kale, endive, etc.)
Hard boiled eggs, sliced
Ham, cubed
Beets, cooked and sliced or shredded
Olives, diced or sliced
Cucumbers, halved and sliced
Carrots, shredded or sliced
Tomatoes, diced
Onion, finely sliced (red, yellow, green)
Cheese, shredded or crumbled (cheddar, Gorgonzola, blue, Parmesan, etc.)
Organic baby peas
Sunflower seeds, hulled
Salt & pepper
Add a dressing of your choice...viola...eat as a main dish or as a side!
Greens (organic iceberg, spring greens, baby spinach, kale, endive, etc.)
Hard boiled eggs, sliced
Ham, cubed
Beets, cooked and sliced or shredded
Olives, diced or sliced
Cucumbers, halved and sliced
Carrots, shredded or sliced
Tomatoes, diced
Onion, finely sliced (red, yellow, green)
Cheese, shredded or crumbled (cheddar, Gorgonzola, blue, Parmesan, etc.)
Organic baby peas
Sunflower seeds, hulled
Salt & pepper
Add a dressing of your choice...viola...eat as a main dish or as a side!
Slow Cooker Asian Glazed Chicken
10 minutes prep/6-8 hours to cook
3-4
boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
½ c. soy
sauce
4 t. honey
3 cloves
garlic, crushed
½ t. ground
ginger
1 T.
Sriracha hot sauce
½ c. water
2 T.
arrowroot powder
1 T. water
2 T. green
onions, finely chopped
1 t. sesame
seeds
Grease
crockpot. Place chicken in crockpot.
Combine soy
sauce, balsamic vinegar, honey, garlic, ginger, hot sauce, and ½ c. water in a
bowl and pour over chicken. Cook on LOW
6-8 hours or HIGH 3-4 hours.
Once done
cooking, pull chicken out and place on a large plate. Mix arrowroot powder and 1 T. water in a
small bowl and pour into remaining liquid in the slow cooker. Turn heat to high and cook another 15
minutes.
Shred
chicken and add back to slow cooker.
Serve over
rice or steamed broccoli, topped with green onions and sesame seeds.
Pizza
24 hour soak/20 minutes prep/ 25 min to cook
2 cups yellow
lentils
1 1/2 cups water (plus water for soaking and rinsing)
2 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons dried herbs of your choice (such as oregano or basil)
1/2 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder (optional)
1 1/2 cups water (plus water for soaking and rinsing)
2 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons dried herbs of your choice (such as oregano or basil)
1/2 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder (optional)
Frozen spaghetti sauce
Desired toppings: SUPREME: sliced salami, crumbled sausage,
shredded cheese (we omit the cheese and it's still delicious), sliced onions, olives, bell peppers, mushrooms, fresh diced tomatoes (added after it's cooked) HAWAIIAN: deli ham (we use a nitrate free, preservative free deli ham), fresh pineapple chunks TACO: ground beef cooked with taco seasoning, added taco seasoning to the spaghetti sauce, shredded lettuce, salsa, green onions, olivesWash lentils (removing any stones or other impurities) and soak overnight. Drain and finely grind in food processor. Add 1 ½ cups water, oil, salt, and herbs and blend until mixed completely. (If you have a high powered blender like a BlendTec or Vitamix you can skip grinding the soaked lentils in the food processor and just blend all the ingredients with the soaked lentil in the blender until a smooth batter.
The consistancy is a very thick batter, not a doughy bread. Spread onto greased cookie sheet or pie pan. I like to use ground flax seed to sprinkle the greased cookie sheet with prior to pouring the pizza batter on it. It seems to pull away from the sheet better after it's cooked.
Preheat oven to 400 °F. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
For best results if using for pizza, bake first, then add toppings and heat until cheese melts and toppings are heated (approximately 10 more minutes).
The pizza is easily removed from the pan if it is allowed to cool for about 15 minutes. If you like your pizza hot, it's still delicious and holds together, just the very bottom layer of the pizza dough might remain on the pan.
We like our pizza served with a green salad!
Seasoned Chicken
15 minutes prep/ 10-15 minutes to cook
2 full
chicken breasts or 8 chicken thighs
¼ c. butter
or other cooking fat, melted
2 T. Organic
No-Salt Seasoning (Kirkland brand found only at Costco...it has dried carrots, basil, celery seed, oregano, , onion, garlic, and so much more. It's a delicious blend and I use it for seasoning my veggies too. If you don't have access to this particular blend you can make your own by combining any of the herbs listed above and expanding to others like rosemary and thyme, and just use approximately 2 T. of your own blend)
¼ t. salt
¼ t. black
pepper
Mix last
four ingredients in a bowl. Baste
chicken with HALF the seasoning mixture.
Grill at medium to low heat for 5-7 minutes on each side, or until
chicken is done, while basting frequently until all of the butter mixture is
gone.
This seasoned chicken goes with almost any side dish. We love it with any kind of potatoes (baked, diced and seasoned, fries, potato salad, etc.), any kind of vegetable, or even rice. It's flavors
Spaghetti
20 minutes prep/ 45 min to cook
1 spaghetti
squash (or 1 lb. brown rice spaghetti noodles)
1 lb. ground
beef
Spaghetti
Sauce:
4 T. cooking
fat or oil
2 large
onions, chopped (2 c.)
2 small
green bell pepper, chopped (1 c.)
4 large
cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 qt
tomatoes or 2 each 30 oz. tomatoes, undrained
2 each 16
oz. tomato sauce
4 T. chopped
fresh or 4 t. dried basil leaves
2 T. chopped
fresh or 2 t. dried oregano leaves
1 t. salt
½ t. pepper
For
spaghetti squash: Slice the spaghetti squash lengthwise. Remove seeds and pulp. Place
cut side up in a baking dish with about 1” of water. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until
the squash easily shreds and is tender.
For
brown rice noodles: Bring 6 cups water +
1 Tablespoon salt to a boil. Add
noodles. Cook, stirring constantly for
13 minutes. Rinse immediately with cold
water for best texture.
Brown
ground beef; drain.
Spaghetti
Sauce: Heat cooking fat or oil over medium heat in a 6 quart saucepan. Cook onion, bell pepper, and garlic in oil 2
minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in
remainder of sauce ingredients, breaking up tomatoes with a fork. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 45 minutes.
RESERVE
½ OF THE SPAGHETTI SAUCE FOR PIZZA:
Combine HALF of cooked sauce with the noodles or squash and ground beef
for tonight’s meal. Divide remaining
sauce into 2 quart size bags for pizzas later this month.
Combine
cooked squash or noodles, ground beef, and spaghetti sauce.
We love this served with a side of green salad and organic baby peas.
Hawaiian Grilled Chicken
HAWAIIAN GRILLED CHICKEN
Jeff
Tibbitts
8-24 hours marinade/15 minutes prep/ 15 minutes to
cook
3 lb boneless,
skinless chicken thighs
2 c. soy sauce
2 c. water
1 ½ c. honey
1 bunch of green
onions, chopped (reserve some for garnish)
¼ c. white onion,
chopped
½ t. minced garlic
1 t. sesame oil
1 (13.5 oz) can
coconut milk
Mix the soy sauce, water, honey, onions, garlic, sesame oil, and coconut milk in a large bowl. Marinade chicken for at least 8 hours or overnight to make sure the flavors infuse.
Mix the soy sauce, water, honey, onions, garlic, sesame oil, and coconut milk in a large bowl. Marinade chicken for at least 8 hours or overnight to make sure the flavors infuse.
Grill chicken for
5-7 minutes per side, or until done, at a low heat so that the marinade doesn’t
burn.
We love this with a side of Garlic Butter Broccoli. YUM!
Southwest Burgers
SOUTHWEST BURGERS
1 lb. lean
ground beef
¾ cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
½ cup finely
chopped red onion
2 teaspoons
minced garlic
1 Tablespoon
chili powder
1 teaspoon
ground cumin
½ teaspoon
dried oregano
½ teaspoon ground pepper
¼ teaspoon
salt
1/3 cup
mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon
lime juice
1 Tablespoon
chopped chipotle chili in adobo
1 bell
pepper, thinly sliced
4 slices
tomato
4 thin slices
red onion
Place beef, ¼ cup cilantro, chopped red onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, pepper and salt in a large bowl. Gently combine, without over mixing, until
evenly incorporated. Form into 6 equal
patties, about ½ inch thick. Combine the remaining ½ cup cilantro,
mayonnaise, lime juice and chipotle in a small bowl.
Grill the burgers about 6 minutes per side. Assemble the burgers on a plate with the
chipotle mayonnaise, tomato and sliced red onion.
We like these served with green salad and potato salad or green salad and home made french fries.
Our Spring Dinner Menu
I intend to update this as I perfect our menu, but I'm posting what I have right now.
I found an inspiring blog on Seasonal Rotation Menu Planning, and decided to implement it, and it is working great! I have tried a 90 days rotating menu plan, and I never stuck to it because we were eating the same foods in the summer as we were in the winter and the summer foods didn't sound good in the winter (or ingredients weren't available), and vica versa. So this idea of having a four week seasonal rotating menu made sense to me.
I have these in a generic calendar of four weeks of meals that are in season (so I have a Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter menu and each menu is for only four weeks) and the idea is to apply it for 12 consecutive weeks. However, I found that at the end of the Winter menu rotation, there had been some changes to our schedules or meals planned lasted for two meals, and I had quite a bit left in my freezer. I cleaned out my freezer and had a no-buy menu planned that turned into almost four weeks, so we'll have this Spring menu in an eight week rotation. I'll plan on a no-buy menu to clean out the freezer and cupboards again before beginning the Summer menu.
Also, organic vegetables aren't always available when I want them, so I listed main dishes, but not side dishes. I buy what's available and then work it into the menu. Some organic vegetables I can buy frozen at Costco (broccoli, green beans, peas, and occasionally asparagus) or fresh (spinach, kale, lettuce), and those I plan into the menu prior to shopping, otherwise I plan them in when I get back. I make a notation on my shopping list of how many days I need vegetable sides for so I don't over buy or under buy when shopping. I have a separate posts for our favorite side dishes and vegetables.
Week 1:
MON: GB (Ground Beef) Southwest Burgers
TUE: Hawaiian Grilled Chicken, Broccoli
WED: GB Spaghetti, Green Salad
THU: Seasoned Chicken
FRI: Supreme Pizza, Green Salad
SAT: SC (Slow Cook) Asian Glazed Chicken
SUN: Chef Salad
Week 2:
MON: Egg Salad Lettuce Wraps
TUE: Spring Rolls, Soy Sauce Green Beans
WED: GB Onion Mushroom Burgers
THU: Chicken Fajitas, Green Salad
FRI: GB Hawaiian Burgers
SAT: Grilled Citrus Chicken
SUN: Roasted Garlic Sausage, Potato Salad, Green Salad
Week 3:
MON: GB Tacos, Refried lentils, Green Salad, Peas
TUE: Buffalo Wings, Broccoli
WED: GB Burriot Bowl
THU: C. (Canned) Chicken Salad Wraps
FRI: Sausage Pizza, Green Salad
SAT: SC BBQ Chicken, Brown Rice
SUN: Fajita Grilled Steak, Green Salad
Week 4:
MON: GB Cajun Burgers
TUE: C. Chicken Tacos, Green Salad
WED: Chicken Glazed Stir-Fry, Brown Rice, Soy Sauce Green Beans
THU: Honey-Glazed Drumsticks
FRI: Balsamic Burgers
SAT: Zesty Roasted Red Pepper Chicken
SUN: SC Shredded Beef Tacos
I found an inspiring blog on Seasonal Rotation Menu Planning, and decided to implement it, and it is working great! I have tried a 90 days rotating menu plan, and I never stuck to it because we were eating the same foods in the summer as we were in the winter and the summer foods didn't sound good in the winter (or ingredients weren't available), and vica versa. So this idea of having a four week seasonal rotating menu made sense to me.
I have these in a generic calendar of four weeks of meals that are in season (so I have a Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter menu and each menu is for only four weeks) and the idea is to apply it for 12 consecutive weeks. However, I found that at the end of the Winter menu rotation, there had been some changes to our schedules or meals planned lasted for two meals, and I had quite a bit left in my freezer. I cleaned out my freezer and had a no-buy menu planned that turned into almost four weeks, so we'll have this Spring menu in an eight week rotation. I'll plan on a no-buy menu to clean out the freezer and cupboards again before beginning the Summer menu.
Also, organic vegetables aren't always available when I want them, so I listed main dishes, but not side dishes. I buy what's available and then work it into the menu. Some organic vegetables I can buy frozen at Costco (broccoli, green beans, peas, and occasionally asparagus) or fresh (spinach, kale, lettuce), and those I plan into the menu prior to shopping, otherwise I plan them in when I get back. I make a notation on my shopping list of how many days I need vegetable sides for so I don't over buy or under buy when shopping. I have a separate posts for our favorite side dishes and vegetables.
Week 1:
MON: GB (Ground Beef) Southwest Burgers
TUE: Hawaiian Grilled Chicken, Broccoli
WED: GB Spaghetti, Green Salad
THU: Seasoned Chicken
FRI: Supreme Pizza, Green Salad
SAT: SC (Slow Cook) Asian Glazed Chicken
SUN: Chef Salad
Week 2:
MON: Egg Salad Lettuce Wraps
TUE: Spring Rolls, Soy Sauce Green Beans
WED: GB Onion Mushroom Burgers
THU: Chicken Fajitas, Green Salad
FRI: GB Hawaiian Burgers
SAT: Grilled Citrus Chicken
SUN: Roasted Garlic Sausage, Potato Salad, Green Salad
Week 3:
MON: GB Tacos, Refried lentils, Green Salad, Peas
TUE: Buffalo Wings, Broccoli
WED: GB Burriot Bowl
THU: C. (Canned) Chicken Salad Wraps
FRI: Sausage Pizza, Green Salad
SAT: SC BBQ Chicken, Brown Rice
SUN: Fajita Grilled Steak, Green Salad
Week 4:
MON: GB Cajun Burgers
TUE: C. Chicken Tacos, Green Salad
WED: Chicken Glazed Stir-Fry, Brown Rice, Soy Sauce Green Beans
THU: Honey-Glazed Drumsticks
FRI: Balsamic Burgers
SAT: Zesty Roasted Red Pepper Chicken
SUN: SC Shredded Beef Tacos
Breakfast at Our House Now
I created a post not too long ago about what breakfast looks like at our house but since I've made some changes, I thought I would update what breakfast is looking like at our house. I'm sure there will be another update before long since I am going to be trying natural yeast in our diet to see if we can handle that. I'm thinking positive, and hoping for natural yeast pancakes and waffles, so stay tuned for new recipes to be posted.
I've maintained a rotating menu of breakfasts and shakes and I still have the menu and recipes inside the cabinet door where breakfast is prepared for fast and easy reference. However, the babies are now eating scrambled eggs with the rest of us and I've swapped out a couple of recipes.
UPDATED MENU (April 22, 2015):
Monday: 16 scrambled eggs, berry shakes
Tuesday: flax seed muffins, peanut butter shakes
Wednesday: pancakes, peanut butter & honey, chocolate shakes
Thursday: peanut butter muffins, berry shakes
Friday: waffles, berry syrup, peanut butter shakes
Saturday: crepes, applesauce, blueberries, berry shakes
Sunday: seed porridge or GAPS granola with almond milk or soaked oatmeal (oatmeal is only tolerated by Dad, Mom, and our oldest daughter, so the three younger usually get the seed porridge)
RECIPES
The shakes below each contain similar ingredients, and the similar ingredients all have nutritional benefits. The raw apple cider vinegar provides the stomach with acid for proper digestion. The flax seed and chia seeds create a psyllium husk that is fiberous and gel-like when ground and combined with fluid (water). It aids in the elimination of digestive waste (aka 'helps with constipation'). This part has been a great help for Parker and Gavin both. Organic carrots have naturally occurring digestive enzymes (as does celery, if you can handle the taste in your shake), and are sweeter than standard commercial grown carrots with pesticides. The banana is just for texture and sweetener. Organic beets are great for everything...gall bladder, blood issues, digestion, adrenal fatigue, etc. Spinach is loaded with vitamins and LIFE.
Since there are so many digestive aids in these shakes, you may want to go easy on them at first and slowly increase you intake or risk diarrhea. Also, these shakes can't be blended ahead more than 24 hours. They go rancid quickly and taste best with the most benefits when consumed within 30 minutes of blending. If you want to assemble the ingredients ahead of time, I would recommend putting the measured whole ingredients together in a bag, exluding the seeds (the seeds just stick to the bag and moisture from the vegetables make them 'gel').
Shakes are a great place to hide supplements for the littles, too. We take apart the enzyme capsules and probiotic capsules and put the powder with the fish oil in individual shakes (after the shakes are blended) in a smaller portion to make sure they get what they need. After the kids drink their entire portion with their supplements they can have more.
Berry Shakes
2 cups water
1 Tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar (I buy at the Honey Store)
2 Tablespoons flax seed (I buy at Winco or Costco)
1 Tablespoon chia seeds (I buy at Winco or Costco)
1 carrot (I buy organic at Costco)
1 cup berries (I buy organic at Costco)
1 Tablespoon honey (optional) (I buy raw local at the Honey Store)
1 very ripe banana, frozen and peeled
1 beet, cooked and cooled (I buy these organic and already cooked at Costco in the refrigerated vegetable section)
spinach (I buy fresh organic at Costco and often freeze it in the package it comes in without doing anything special to it...I add it just like I would if it were fresh)
Put all the ingredients except the spinach in a 4 or 5 cup blender. Fill the remaining head space in the blender with the spinach and blend until smooth.
Peanut Butter Shakes
2 cups water
1 Tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar (I buy at the Honey Store)
2 Tablespoons flax seed (I buy at Winco)
1 Tablespoon chia seeds (I buy at Winco)
1 carrot (I buy organic at Costco)
1 Tablespoon honey (optional) (I buy raw local at the Honey Store)
3 very ripe bananas, frozen and peeled or 1 banana, 1 cup berries for a PB & J flavor
1 beet, cooked and cooled (I buy these organic and already cooked at Costco in the refrigerated vegetable section)
1/4 cup peanut butter (I use Adams brand)(Camber said that nut oils help your stomach create bile necessary for digestion, so there's an added benefit to this shake)
spinach (I buy fresh organic at Costco)
Put all the ingredients except the spinach in a 4 or 5 cup blender. Fill the remaining head space in the blender with the spinach and blend until smooth.
Chocolate Shakes
2 cups water
1 Tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar (I buy at the Honey Store)
2 Tablespoons flax seed (I buy at Winco)
1 Tablespoon chia seeds (I buy at Winco)
1 carrot (I buy organic at Costco)
2 Tablespoons honey (not optional in this recipe) (I buy raw local at the Honey Store)
2 Tablespoons unsweetened baking cocoa
3 very ripe bananas, frozen and peeled
1 beet, cooked and cooled (I buy these organic and already cooked at Costco in the refrigerated vegetable section)
spinach (I buy fresh organic at Costco)
Put all the ingredients except the spinach in a 4 or 5 cup blender. Fill the remaining head space in the blender with the spinach and blend until smooth.
Flax Breakfast Muffins
In the blender combine:
1 c. ground flaxseed (I buy organic at Costco)
2 t. non-aluminum baking powder
1/2 c. honey (I know it's a lot but every bit is needed)
4 eggs
1/4 t. nutmeg
1 1/2 t. cinnamon
Blend on "Batter" setting or blend until very smooth.
Add 1/2 cup of raisins and stir.
Pour into greased muffin cups and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. They should be light and spongy and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
Variation: Omit raisins, pour batter into greased muffin cups, press in blueberries into the batter in each muffin cup (approximately 1/2 c.).
Pancakes (we now double this recipe)
8 eggs
1/2 c. coconut flour (I used to buy this at Costco, but it's no longer available, so I purchase Nutiva brand from Azure Standard)
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of cinnamon
2 T. honey
1/2 c. applesauce (organic homemade or organic purchased from Costco)
Serve with peanut butter and honey
Heat griddle. Mix ingredients. Set batter for 5 minutes (allows the coconut flour to absorb the liquid and makes the cakes fluffier). Pour 1/4 c. batter per pancake. Sspread thin. Cook until golden before flipping, approximately 3 minutes each side. We like to heat the honey to make it more syrup-like.
Peanut Butter Muffins (we now double this recipe)
1 c. Adams peanut butter
2 bananas* or 2/3 c. applesauce *
2 large eggs
1 t. vanilla (optional)
2 T. honey
1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. apple cider vinegar
1/2 c. raisins or 1/2 c. blueberries**
*Preheat oven to 400 degrees if using bananas, 375 degrees if using applesauce. Mix all ingredients in a bowl (except blueberries...if using blueberries, fold into batter after batter is poured into greased muffin cups to avoid grey looking muffins). Pour batter into greased muffin cups and add blueberries if desired. Bake 15 - 25 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly pressed.
Peanut Butter Muffin Variations:
Banana Nut: Use 2 bananas, omit applesauce, add 1/4 c. chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans are our favorites), pinch nutmeg, pinch allspice, 1/4 t. cinnamon.
Orange Spice: Omit bananas, use 2/3 c. applesauce, pinch ginger, pinch nutmeg, pinch allspice, 1/4 t. cinnamon, 1/2-1 t. zested orange peel, 1-5 drops essential oil Wild Orange, substitute 1/2 c. dried cranberries for raisins (optional...the raisins are also delicious in this variation).
Waffles
Syrup:
1/4 c. water
2 c. berries
2 T. honey
pinch cinnamon
1 t. vanilla (optional)
Heat all ingredients in a small saucepan on medium-low heat.
Waffles: (we now double this recipe)
1/2 c. softened coconut oil
1/2 c. coconut flour
12 eggs
1/4 c. honey
1/2 t. salt
Preheat waffle iron greased generously with coconut oil or butter. Mix all ingredients. Allow to rest 5 minutes. Evenly distribute batter over iron and cook 3-4 minutes or until golden. These are VERY tough if over cooked.
Crepes(we now double this recipe and we're still lucky if Mom and Dad get any)
3 c. applesauce
1 c. blueberries
12 eggs
1/4 c. coconut flour
1/8 t. salt
2 T. coconut oil
coconut oil or butter for greasing cooking pan
Warm applesauce in saucepan. Set blueberries out to thaw in a bowl if frozen.
Blend remaining ingredients in the blender until well incorporated. Let sit 5 minutes.
Heat oil in pan (a 10" skillet works best). Pour 1/4 c. batter into pan on HOT oil. Tilt the pan to thinly spread batter. Cook until lightly brown and removes easily from skillet. flip gently and cook other side until golden. These should be flexible and easily rolled when finished cooking. If they are crispy they are spread too thin or cooked too long. Spread warmed applesauce and blueberries down the center of the finished crepe, roll and enjoy!
Seed Porridge
Warning: this is NOT very tasty but is a good GAPS option. We make it for Parker and the twins. No one else likes it.
2 c. water or coconut milk (more may need to be added to blend or for desired texture)
1/2 c. pumpkin seeds (these are the raw green meat in the center of the seed, not the toasted kind)
1/2 c. sunflower seeds (same here...these are the raw gray meat in the center of the seed, not the toasted kind)
1/4 c. flax seeds
1 t. cinnamon
pinch nutmeg
1/2 t. vanilla
1 T. honey
2 T. peanut butter or butter or ghee
raisins to taste
Blend all ingredients except raisins until a thick porridge-like texture and no chunks of seeds are visible. Warm with raisins at a very low temperature until temperature desired is achieved. This mixture scalds fairly easily.
The porridge is also a great place to hide supplements.
GAPS Granola
Internal Bliss official GAPS cookbook
Make this the night before.
1 c. pumpkin seeds (again, the green meat)
1 c. sunflower seeds (inner meat)
1 c. unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 c. honey, warmed
pinch of salt
2 t. cinnamon
1/2 T. vanilla extract
1 c. dried fruit, any variety (cut up if large)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a large jellyroll pan. Mix all ingredients, excluding dried fruit. Toss well. Spread on the greased jellyroll pan. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Remove from oven and stir in dried fruit. Continue to stir every few minutes during the cooling process (if you don't it sticks like none other, speaking from experience). For granola seed BALLS, pack tightly together in balls during cooling stage. After it has cooled my kids prefer it after it has been dry pulsed in the blender for a finer texture and served with almond milk. For storage, keep in an airtight container at room temperature.
Hope these help!
I've maintained a rotating menu of breakfasts and shakes and I still have the menu and recipes inside the cabinet door where breakfast is prepared for fast and easy reference. However, the babies are now eating scrambled eggs with the rest of us and I've swapped out a couple of recipes.
UPDATED MENU (April 22, 2015):
Monday: 16 scrambled eggs, berry shakes
Tuesday: flax seed muffins, peanut butter shakes
Wednesday: pancakes, peanut butter & honey, chocolate shakes
Thursday: peanut butter muffins, berry shakes
Friday: waffles, berry syrup, peanut butter shakes
Saturday: crepes, applesauce, blueberries, berry shakes
Sunday: seed porridge or GAPS granola with almond milk or soaked oatmeal (oatmeal is only tolerated by Dad, Mom, and our oldest daughter, so the three younger usually get the seed porridge)
RECIPES
The shakes below each contain similar ingredients, and the similar ingredients all have nutritional benefits. The raw apple cider vinegar provides the stomach with acid for proper digestion. The flax seed and chia seeds create a psyllium husk that is fiberous and gel-like when ground and combined with fluid (water). It aids in the elimination of digestive waste (aka 'helps with constipation'). This part has been a great help for Parker and Gavin both. Organic carrots have naturally occurring digestive enzymes (as does celery, if you can handle the taste in your shake), and are sweeter than standard commercial grown carrots with pesticides. The banana is just for texture and sweetener. Organic beets are great for everything...gall bladder, blood issues, digestion, adrenal fatigue, etc. Spinach is loaded with vitamins and LIFE.
Since there are so many digestive aids in these shakes, you may want to go easy on them at first and slowly increase you intake or risk diarrhea. Also, these shakes can't be blended ahead more than 24 hours. They go rancid quickly and taste best with the most benefits when consumed within 30 minutes of blending. If you want to assemble the ingredients ahead of time, I would recommend putting the measured whole ingredients together in a bag, exluding the seeds (the seeds just stick to the bag and moisture from the vegetables make them 'gel').
Shakes are a great place to hide supplements for the littles, too. We take apart the enzyme capsules and probiotic capsules and put the powder with the fish oil in individual shakes (after the shakes are blended) in a smaller portion to make sure they get what they need. After the kids drink their entire portion with their supplements they can have more.
Berry Shakes
2 cups water
1 Tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar (I buy at the Honey Store)
2 Tablespoons flax seed (I buy at Winco or Costco)
1 Tablespoon chia seeds (I buy at Winco or Costco)
1 carrot (I buy organic at Costco)
1 cup berries (I buy organic at Costco)
1 Tablespoon honey (optional) (I buy raw local at the Honey Store)
1 very ripe banana, frozen and peeled
1 beet, cooked and cooled (I buy these organic and already cooked at Costco in the refrigerated vegetable section)
spinach (I buy fresh organic at Costco and often freeze it in the package it comes in without doing anything special to it...I add it just like I would if it were fresh)
Put all the ingredients except the spinach in a 4 or 5 cup blender. Fill the remaining head space in the blender with the spinach and blend until smooth.
Peanut Butter Shakes
2 cups water
1 Tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar (I buy at the Honey Store)
2 Tablespoons flax seed (I buy at Winco)
1 Tablespoon chia seeds (I buy at Winco)
1 carrot (I buy organic at Costco)
1 Tablespoon honey (optional) (I buy raw local at the Honey Store)
3 very ripe bananas, frozen and peeled or 1 banana, 1 cup berries for a PB & J flavor
1 beet, cooked and cooled (I buy these organic and already cooked at Costco in the refrigerated vegetable section)
1/4 cup peanut butter (I use Adams brand)(Camber said that nut oils help your stomach create bile necessary for digestion, so there's an added benefit to this shake)
spinach (I buy fresh organic at Costco)
Put all the ingredients except the spinach in a 4 or 5 cup blender. Fill the remaining head space in the blender with the spinach and blend until smooth.
Chocolate Shakes
2 cups water
1 Tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar (I buy at the Honey Store)
2 Tablespoons flax seed (I buy at Winco)
1 Tablespoon chia seeds (I buy at Winco)
1 carrot (I buy organic at Costco)
2 Tablespoons honey (not optional in this recipe) (I buy raw local at the Honey Store)
2 Tablespoons unsweetened baking cocoa
3 very ripe bananas, frozen and peeled
1 beet, cooked and cooled (I buy these organic and already cooked at Costco in the refrigerated vegetable section)
spinach (I buy fresh organic at Costco)
Put all the ingredients except the spinach in a 4 or 5 cup blender. Fill the remaining head space in the blender with the spinach and blend until smooth.
Flax Breakfast Muffins
In the blender combine:
1 c. ground flaxseed (I buy organic at Costco)
2 t. non-aluminum baking powder
1/2 c. honey (I know it's a lot but every bit is needed)
4 eggs
1/4 t. nutmeg
1 1/2 t. cinnamon
Blend on "Batter" setting or blend until very smooth.
Add 1/2 cup of raisins and stir.
Pour into greased muffin cups and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. They should be light and spongy and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
Variation: Omit raisins, pour batter into greased muffin cups, press in blueberries into the batter in each muffin cup (approximately 1/2 c.).
Pancakes (we now double this recipe)
8 eggs
1/2 c. coconut flour (I used to buy this at Costco, but it's no longer available, so I purchase Nutiva brand from Azure Standard)
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of cinnamon
2 T. honey
1/2 c. applesauce (organic homemade or organic purchased from Costco)
Serve with peanut butter and honey
Heat griddle. Mix ingredients. Set batter for 5 minutes (allows the coconut flour to absorb the liquid and makes the cakes fluffier). Pour 1/4 c. batter per pancake. Sspread thin. Cook until golden before flipping, approximately 3 minutes each side. We like to heat the honey to make it more syrup-like.
Peanut Butter Muffins (we now double this recipe)
1 c. Adams peanut butter
2 bananas* or 2/3 c. applesauce *
2 large eggs
1 t. vanilla (optional)
2 T. honey
1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. apple cider vinegar
1/2 c. raisins or 1/2 c. blueberries**
*Preheat oven to 400 degrees if using bananas, 375 degrees if using applesauce. Mix all ingredients in a bowl (except blueberries...if using blueberries, fold into batter after batter is poured into greased muffin cups to avoid grey looking muffins). Pour batter into greased muffin cups and add blueberries if desired. Bake 15 - 25 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly pressed.
Peanut Butter Muffin Variations:
Banana Nut: Use 2 bananas, omit applesauce, add 1/4 c. chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans are our favorites), pinch nutmeg, pinch allspice, 1/4 t. cinnamon.
Orange Spice: Omit bananas, use 2/3 c. applesauce, pinch ginger, pinch nutmeg, pinch allspice, 1/4 t. cinnamon, 1/2-1 t. zested orange peel, 1-5 drops essential oil Wild Orange, substitute 1/2 c. dried cranberries for raisins (optional...the raisins are also delicious in this variation).
Waffles
Syrup:
1/4 c. water
2 c. berries
2 T. honey
pinch cinnamon
1 t. vanilla (optional)
Heat all ingredients in a small saucepan on medium-low heat.
Waffles: (we now double this recipe)
1/2 c. softened coconut oil
1/2 c. coconut flour
12 eggs
1/4 c. honey
1/2 t. salt
Preheat waffle iron greased generously with coconut oil or butter. Mix all ingredients. Allow to rest 5 minutes. Evenly distribute batter over iron and cook 3-4 minutes or until golden. These are VERY tough if over cooked.
Crepes(we now double this recipe and we're still lucky if Mom and Dad get any)
3 c. applesauce
1 c. blueberries
12 eggs
1/4 c. coconut flour
1/8 t. salt
2 T. coconut oil
coconut oil or butter for greasing cooking pan
Warm applesauce in saucepan. Set blueberries out to thaw in a bowl if frozen.
Blend remaining ingredients in the blender until well incorporated. Let sit 5 minutes.
Heat oil in pan (a 10" skillet works best). Pour 1/4 c. batter into pan on HOT oil. Tilt the pan to thinly spread batter. Cook until lightly brown and removes easily from skillet. flip gently and cook other side until golden. These should be flexible and easily rolled when finished cooking. If they are crispy they are spread too thin or cooked too long. Spread warmed applesauce and blueberries down the center of the finished crepe, roll and enjoy!
Seed Porridge
Warning: this is NOT very tasty but is a good GAPS option. We make it for Parker and the twins. No one else likes it.
2 c. water or coconut milk (more may need to be added to blend or for desired texture)
1/2 c. pumpkin seeds (these are the raw green meat in the center of the seed, not the toasted kind)
1/2 c. sunflower seeds (same here...these are the raw gray meat in the center of the seed, not the toasted kind)
1/4 c. flax seeds
1 t. cinnamon
pinch nutmeg
1/2 t. vanilla
1 T. honey
2 T. peanut butter or butter or ghee
raisins to taste
Blend all ingredients except raisins until a thick porridge-like texture and no chunks of seeds are visible. Warm with raisins at a very low temperature until temperature desired is achieved. This mixture scalds fairly easily.
The porridge is also a great place to hide supplements.
GAPS Granola
Internal Bliss official GAPS cookbook
Make this the night before.
1 c. pumpkin seeds (again, the green meat)
1 c. sunflower seeds (inner meat)
1 c. unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 c. honey, warmed
pinch of salt
2 t. cinnamon
1/2 T. vanilla extract
1 c. dried fruit, any variety (cut up if large)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a large jellyroll pan. Mix all ingredients, excluding dried fruit. Toss well. Spread on the greased jellyroll pan. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Remove from oven and stir in dried fruit. Continue to stir every few minutes during the cooling process (if you don't it sticks like none other, speaking from experience). For granola seed BALLS, pack tightly together in balls during cooling stage. After it has cooled my kids prefer it after it has been dry pulsed in the blender for a finer texture and served with almond milk. For storage, keep in an airtight container at room temperature.
Hope these help!
Monday, April 6, 2015
Home Health Remedies that work for us
Pink Eye- 1:1 ratio of homogenized milk and honey. Warm 1/2 teaspoon honey in a glass bowl until warm and a thin liquid consistency. Add milk and stir until thoroughly blended. If the milk curdles and can't be thoroughly blended, throw it out and try again. Once a good thorough blend is achieved, use a sterile spoon (fresh from the dishwasher or boiled) and drip some of the mixture on the inside of the wrist for a temperature test. It should feel neither warm, nor cold. If it is too warm but the milk hasn't curdled, re-test in one minute intervals until the desired temperature is reached. If the mixture is too cold, return it to the oven in the glass bowl in one minute increments and re-test at each interval until the desired temperature is reached. Drip mixture into each eye, one drop at a time. Massage the closed eye gently after each drop until the sting is gone. Repeat two more times for a total of three drops in each eye, three times daily. Check progress by pulling down the lower eyelid to gauge the inflammation of the tissue. Continue treatment one full day after inflammation appears to be completely gone. Check progress before treatment because the treatment causes brief irritation of the eye that can appear to be inflammation. Treatment is generally 3 days, but can be longer if the condition of the eye is really bad. "Eye boogers" or "gunk" bubbling up during or after treatment is normal and a good sign that the treatment is working and ridding the eye of infection.
Viral Sicknesses (Flu, colds, etc.): FLU BOMB- 4 drops lemon Do-Terra essential oil, 2 drops oregano Do-Terra essential oil, 2 drops on-guard Do-Terra essential oil, 2 drops melelueca Do-Terra essential oil. Mix in a roller-ball dispenser and apply sparingly to bottoms of feet and behind ears. Irritation may occur if used too frequently for a long period of time. Can be diluted by rubbing olive oil or coconut oil on the bottoms of the feet and behind the ear before application of the essential oil mixture. Check warning labels for each essential oil before using on young children, infants, and the elderly.
Persistent coughs/ runny noses- Runny noses can be caused by dry nasal passages caused by weather or wood burning stoves or allergies. The body creates undesirable fluid to moisten the nose resulting in a runny nose. Persistent coughs are often caused by the undesirable fluid traveling down the back of the throat resulting in the desire to cough. If not cared for the undesirable fluid can progress to nasal infections and even pneumonia or bronchitis as it can become a breeding ground for bad bacteria. Simply wiping the inside of the nostril with extra virgin olive oil on a well-saturated cotton swab is an easy and inexpensive remedy. It can be repeated as often as necessary without any negative side effects and is perfectly safe for infants. Make sure to swab only immediately inside the nostril and not into the nasal cavity. Make sure the oil is only making contact with the skin inside the nostril and not dripping into the nasal cavity. If nasal or cough discharge is yellow or greenish in color, infection has begun to settle in and is too far advanced for this to remedy the cough or runny nose by itself.
Chest coughs- Mullein tea. Crush the leaves of dried mullein (found at the nearest health food store if not found in your backyard...it's more common than you think). Boil 8 oz. water. Remove from heat. Add 1-2 Tablespoons crushed, dried mullein leaves. Allow to steep for 5-10 minutes. Add lemon (detoxifying and tasty), raw honey (soothing, tasty, anti-bacterial), ginger, cinnamon to taste. If you don't have any of the extras the mullein is still effective on its own.
Viral Sicknesses (Flu, colds, etc.): FLU BOMB- 4 drops lemon Do-Terra essential oil, 2 drops oregano Do-Terra essential oil, 2 drops on-guard Do-Terra essential oil, 2 drops melelueca Do-Terra essential oil. Mix in a roller-ball dispenser and apply sparingly to bottoms of feet and behind ears. Irritation may occur if used too frequently for a long period of time. Can be diluted by rubbing olive oil or coconut oil on the bottoms of the feet and behind the ear before application of the essential oil mixture. Check warning labels for each essential oil before using on young children, infants, and the elderly.
Persistent coughs/ runny noses- Runny noses can be caused by dry nasal passages caused by weather or wood burning stoves or allergies. The body creates undesirable fluid to moisten the nose resulting in a runny nose. Persistent coughs are often caused by the undesirable fluid traveling down the back of the throat resulting in the desire to cough. If not cared for the undesirable fluid can progress to nasal infections and even pneumonia or bronchitis as it can become a breeding ground for bad bacteria. Simply wiping the inside of the nostril with extra virgin olive oil on a well-saturated cotton swab is an easy and inexpensive remedy. It can be repeated as often as necessary without any negative side effects and is perfectly safe for infants. Make sure to swab only immediately inside the nostril and not into the nasal cavity. Make sure the oil is only making contact with the skin inside the nostril and not dripping into the nasal cavity. If nasal or cough discharge is yellow or greenish in color, infection has begun to settle in and is too far advanced for this to remedy the cough or runny nose by itself.
Chest coughs- Mullein tea. Crush the leaves of dried mullein (found at the nearest health food store if not found in your backyard...it's more common than you think). Boil 8 oz. water. Remove from heat. Add 1-2 Tablespoons crushed, dried mullein leaves. Allow to steep for 5-10 minutes. Add lemon (detoxifying and tasty), raw honey (soothing, tasty, anti-bacterial), ginger, cinnamon to taste. If you don't have any of the extras the mullein is still effective on its own.
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