Couponing

So, yesterday I decided to try my hand at some couponing.  I did not have a paper yet, so I used what I could find online.  It was very easy to figure out.  Yesterday I was able to score like 10 different items for $1.50.  First thing this morning, I decided to go buy a paper.  I do not subscribe to our paper because I do not read it, nor do I use the coupons out of it.  But today I did.

I used the different blogs that help find the coupons, went through and printed and cut what I needed, made a little note with each coupon, and went on my way.  I went to a few different stores, and in that time I was able to get a $2 shirt, free dog treats, free women's hygiene products, two packages of free pens, and a ton of other stuff that was UNDER $1.  I then went back later to my local Fry's for a small grocery trip.  I did not buy much, but save 65% on my bill.  I was thrilled!

I will continue to do it on weekends when my husband is home to tend to my kids.  Weekends only, because even though there are blogs that help you get organized, it is WAY too time consuming.  There are two major downfalls to couponing.  The first is the time consuming part.  I was just about going crazy at the small amount of time I had to spend searching for each match up!   I do not know how people sit behind a computer screen all day and do this.  And I only got ONE paper so I could do ONE haul.  There are people that will buy 6 different papers, spend hours behind a computer screen, and hoard and hoard and hoard.  I think this is really ridiculous if one has children.  It isn't fair to them at all.  I think your kids would rather have you tending to them than figuring out how to score 8 toothbrushes :-(  I just think that it isn't for people with a lot to do.  I think it is great for someone who has nothing to do all day, doesn't really like leaving the house, and needs a hobby!

The only other downfall is that you have to make sure you leave early enough, because the hoarders like to go out and scoop everything up with their millions of papers.  I have said for a long time now, the stores need to put a stop to it....ASAP.  There are people (such as myself and plenty of others) who would like to get good deals on things for their families without having to go to the store and see shelves cleared because of the hoarders who will go stuff all their merchandise in a closet somewhere.  It isn't right at all, and extremely ill-mannered.

That being said, I think it is great to do every once in a while (especially with groceries), and as long as you only get what you will use :-)

Chocolate & Caramel Covered Shortbread - Recipe and Review

When I first saw this recipe on Pinterest, I almost drooled.  I am not a sweets eater.  I don't like candy at all, I can't stand cake, can't stand milk chocolate, and only like a few certain desserts.  Three of them happened to be combined into this ONE recipe.  I couldn't believe my eyes.

When I was making this, I noticed that it called for orange zest.  I do not like citrus of any kind.  I understand that orange goes with dark chocolate a lot, but I do not like citrus at ALL.  I was telling my mom who is down visiting that I really would like to leave the zest out, as I am afraid it will ruin these.  I went ahead and used the zest since the original recipe called for it and it was my first time making these.  Next time? These could not have been more perfect.  They turned out looking AMAZING.  The caramel turned out more than perfect, even with me not having a candy thermometer!  Everything set perfectly and cut perfectly.  The downfall?  THE ZEST!  It had way too much of a powerful flavor for me.  If it weren't for the zest and me going against my better judgement to use it, this would have been a 5 star dessert.  Next time it will be for sure ;-)  If you love citrus flavor, you will not change a thing about these.  If you want these to taste exactly like the name of the recipe, ditch the orange zest!

Ingredients:

 For Shortbread:

10 tbsp. salted butter, melted

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

Zest of half an orange

1 egg yolk, whisked

1 2/3 cups All Purpose flour

For Caramel:

14 tablespoons butter

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup light corn syrup

2 tsp. sea salt

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/4 tsp vanilla bean paste

Sea salt flakes, to top

Directions:

1. Prepare an 8×8 inch pan with parchment paper with the edges of the parchment hanging over two of the sides.
2. Combine the melted butter, sugar, salt and zest with a fork in a large bowl. Add the yolk and again combine with the fork. Add the flour and stir with a heavy spoon or your hands and combine the dough until it is well combined. Place the dough in the prepared pan and press down evenly with your hands until the pan is covered. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to one hour. Remove and bake at 350 for 25-28 minutes, until very lightly browned. Allow to cool while you are preparing the caramel.
3. In a heavy bottomed pot, combine all caramel topping ingredients save for the extract and bean paste. Bring to a boil and stir until sugars are dissolved and the mixture is well combined. Using a candy thermometer, watch for the goal of about 230 degrees. Allow to boil at this temp for several minutes, until it begins to climb over 235. Stir continuously. Remove from heat and stir in the extract and paste. Allow to cool for a couple of minutes, then pour over the shortbread base. Once chilled, top with melted chocolate and sprinkle with sea salt.

Notes:  I LOVE salted caramel.  The flavor is better than plain caramel alone.  However, I do not like crunching on sea salt and neither does my husband.  I went ahead and just used one tsp. regular salt and the flavor was dead-on.  Also, I did not have vanilla bean paste and the caramel still came out perfect.

Recipe adapted from food.com.

Chili's Cajun Chicken Pasta this recipe is to die for!

This is a copycat recipe from Chili's.  I modified it a bit, but the original recipe is Chili's Cajun Chicken Pasta.  The only thing I hate about copycat recipes, is people take them and claim that they came up with them on their own to their friends, when in fact they found them on the internet somewhere.  I do believe everyone should modify recipes to their liking or leave them the same if they prefer, but I do not believe people should take a copycat recipe and take credit for coming up with it on their own.  This is a no no in the food world friends.  Give credit where credit is due.

I found this recipe on the internet somewhere years ago.  I have made it dozens and dozens of times.  Why?  Because it is AMAZING, and I LOVE white sauce.  If you love Alfredo/white sauce, you will not make another sauce after trying this. 

Ingredients:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

4 tsp. Cajun seasonings

4 Tbs. Butter

3 C. Heavy Cream

1/2 tsp. Lemon Pepper seasoning (I omit this)

1 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Pepper

1/4 tsp Garlic Powder (I am generous with this!)

8 oz. Penne Pasta (I use Angel Hair as I like it way better)

2 Roma Tomatoes Diced (I omit these)

1 C. Parmesan Cheese (FRESH)

Directions:

1. Coat both sides of chicken generously in Cajun seasonings.

2. In large skillet, saute chicken in 2 tablespoons butter, over medium heat, turning whenever necessary.

3. When chicken is about half-way done, grab a second skillet and combine heavy cream, 2 tablespoons butter, and remainder of seasonings over medium heat, stirring occasionally.  Add cheese.

4. When chicken is cooked through, place on cutting board and slice into strips.

5.  Spoon pasta and sauce into bowls and top with chicken strips and fresh tomatoes.

 

Notes: I went ahead and gave you the exact copycat recipe, but what I do to make this 100 times easier is before placing the chicken in the pan, cut it into chunks first.  It will cook A LOT faster this way.  Then when the sauce is done, I add the chicken to the sauce.  When the pasta is done I mix it all together in one large pot. 



DELICIOUS Cheese Potato & Smoked Sausage casserole

Folks, if you are trying to watch your weight, bookmark this recipe and exit now :-)  As AMAZING as this is, it is not friendly on the tummy.  If you love scalloped potatoes, you will absolutely love this!  I was skeptical about making this when I found it because as good as it looked, I do NOT like using Velveeta blocked cheese due to how processed it is.  But I went ahead and used it because it always makes a good cream sauce base.

Ingredients:

3 C. Idaho potatoes, cut into cubes and boiled

4 Tbs. Butter

4 Tbs. Flour

2 C. Milk

1/2 tsp. Salt

1/4 tsp. Pepper

1/2 lb Velveeta cheese

1/2 C. Sharp Cheddar Cheese

1 lb smoked sausage (whatever brand you like)

1/8 tsp. Paprika

Directions:

1. Cut sausage in half, lengthwise, and then chop into 1/2 inch "half moon" cuts. Cook in a frying pan for about 15 minutes, turning frequently to slightly brown.

2. Meanwhile, put cooked & diced potatoes in 2 quart casserole. Add cooked meat and give it a gentle toss.

3. Mix all remaining ingredients (except for shredded cheddar cheese & the paprika) in a saucepan over medium heat until warm, melted and smooth.

4. Pour white/cheese sauce over potatoes and meat. Sprinkle shredded sharp cheddar cheese on top, and then sprinkle paprika evenly over the top.

5. Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 35-45 minutes (watch, until golden brown on top).

Notes*

I have never been a huge fan of sausage chunks, nor have I liked putting a whole pound in a 2 qt. casserole dish.  So, next time I will be substituting bacon for the sausage.  I will cook the bacon strips first and use them exactly like I did the sausage.  This will make it taste even MORE like a loaded baked potato :-)

Recipe adapted from http://www.food.com/

 

How to make delicious, refreshing Strawberry Sorbet without an ice cream maker!

Since it has gotten warmer, I have seen recipes for ice cream and sorbet EVERYWHERE.  Sorbet is one of my favorite desserts, but I do not have an ice cream maker to make any!  Yesterday as I was making something else, I stumbled upon an easy way to get the sorbet you want WITHOUT an ice cream maker!  I couldn't believe it when it happened, I no longer have to go without sorbet :-)  It is SO yummy for a refreshing treat on a hot summer's day.  And the kids love it!

What you do is:

Take about 10 fresh but frozen strawberries.  Place them in  a food processor for about 45 minutes (depending on how hot it is where you are).  What you want is for the strawberries not to be frozen solid (you do not want them to break your processor), but NOT to be thawed.

When they get a bit softer than frozen, place 2 Tbs. of strawberry jam on top of them. Process until frothy, about 60 seconds.  Your sorbet should be frothy but still ice cold/frozen. 

Notes:  If you prefer seedless strawberry jam, that will work too.  I make my own and it is not seedless, however, it still turned out yummy!!  Using the strawberry jam means not only do you not have to add sugar, but it gives it an even stronger strawberry flavor!  I can't wait to try other flavors, especially raspberry, my fave :-)



Turning plain yogurt into something tasy, healthy, and amazing!

Yogurt is such a popular food item.  It always has been, but now with the hundreds of flavors and styles they have, it is even more so.  I have never been a yogurt fan, but I feed it to my young children and they love it. Unfortunately, yogurt, like most things has it's pros and cons.  The pros are that it is a quick, easy snack, there are lots of different flavors, you can cook with it, kids LOVE it, and it "can" be very healthy.  I didn't know much about yogurt years ago.  I used to think that (before Greek yogurt) brands like Yoplait were the BEST because they were brand-name.  I started learning alot more about yogurt over the past few years, and being that I have two very young boys, I am glad I did!

There are certain brands of yogurt that contain the dreaded ingredient HFCS.  Yoplait is one of these.  Most store brands do as well.  Not only do these brands contain HFCS, but they contain a massive amount of refined sugar!  Am I against sugar?  ABSOLUTELY not.  But we do not need refined sugar in everything we eat, because the food we eat already contains natural sugar.  If you look at the backof the yogurt container, you will see in the ingredients "high fructose corn syrup" and "sugar".  That "sugar" is added sugar, not natural sugar.  Also, a lot of the yogurts contain artificial flavors and coloring.  We want to be eating healthy snacks, don't we?  I do not purchase flavored yogurt, even Greek, because of all of the added sugar.  Greek yogurt is the best because it does not contain HFCS and has fewer calories.  The thing is, the flavored Greek yogurts still contain a ton of added sugar.  So even if you ditched the yogurts that contain HFCS, you are still getting a container loaded with sugar.  Here are some ideas to still get any flavor you want, but without the added sugar!

I never fed my children the "kiddie" yogurts.  If you are food educated, you know that yogurts like "Danimals" are terrible for your child.  What, with all of the artificial flavor, coloring, and added sugar.  The added sugar in foods is not good for children and has been said to compromise their immune systems, leading to them being sick all of the time when they shouldn't be.  We do, however buy the Greek yogurt.  When I found out how much sugar was in the honey flavor, I decided to start buying plain only and add my own honey.  The kids loved it.  I realized that they would also love other flavors, and since they don't really enjoy fresh fruit cut up and put on top, I decided to blend any flavor I wanted to make!  I started blending yogurt with strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, ground flax, chia and anything else I could think of.  I used honey as the sweetener, and the texture comes out perfect.  If you have really picky eaters, you can just place the yogurt back in it's original container, and they will never even know you messed with it ;-)

Sounds like alot of work right?  It's really not!  If you make flavored yogurt in big batches, you don't have to do it again for along time.  Your child won't be getting the extra refined sugar, and will also be getting servings of fruit!  You can still make different flavors for your child to choose from.  Your child will still get a choice because they have the ability to pick the flavor, but "you" have the ability to make sure your child eats right and is getting the best nutrition possible.

50 Shades of Grey - Book Review

I understand that I made this blog for strictly food, but I have to switch it up for one post, because if I do not write about "50 Shades of Grey", I am going to burst.

Now, when I first heard about this book, I decided to go look at the reviews on Amazon.  I am NOT one to jump on the book bandwagons.  I can't stand "Twilight", and didn't even attempt to read the other one everyone is so giddy about....what's it called again?  Something about zombies I think?  I forget at the moment.  But they are not my type.  I stick to my virgin novels :-)  I was in shock when I saw all of the bad reviews for 50 Shades.  I thought, "This has got to be the worst book on the planet given these reviews, holy crap!".  I decided no way was I spending money on it.  They say the writing was the worst they had ever seen, which is a HUGE turn off.

A few weeks pass.  I hear more and more about it, quite a few of my friends have read it.  I finally decided I would get the book.  50 Shades of Grey is an "erotic romance", not at all my thing.  I decided to give it a go anyways.  I am a few chapters in the the book when I am shocked at what all of the bad reviews were about, thus far, I was loving it.  I am telling you folks, I was so captivated by this book, I couldn't put the darn thing down for 5 minutes.  I read it in between everything I had to do!  I was in total shock, again, given the TERRIBLE reviews.  I finished the book today, and couldn't leave the house fast enough to get the second book in the series, "50 Shades Darker".  Here is what I have come up with:

As everyone knows (and I am going to be quite frank, so don't be shy here), this is an EROTIC novel.  I am sure everyone who knows about it, it has been referred to as "mom porn" ha.  As much as I am loving this series, I will tell you that I understand the negative reviews.  The writing is not the best.  They repeat the same things constantly in the story, it gets very old.  Everyone knows that a sex scene in a book is going to make it "interesting"....not when it is on almost every other page.  I agree with the reviews when they say it is "not erotic" at all.  The author uses the same phrases on almost every page.  She also uses the "erotic" fiction WAY too much.  Anyone who plans to buy this book for that, don't, because it may disappoint.  I would prefer a lot less of it, and quite frankly, I would have to wonder about you if you said you don't think "that" part of this book is any big deal at all (maybe better not to tell us....).  It is very intense, basically based off BDSM, not something I find appealing at ALL, so naturally it is not something I would want to read about.  Somehow though it goes perfectly with the story, just way, WAY too much repeating of it.  Also, I am not fond of the constant foul language.  This book would have been much more appealing without it all.

What makes me love this book.  Nobody said there was a "love" story to this...there IS!  This book, minus the annoying repetitive sex scenes, has a full blown love story to it.  It is one of those books where you can't get to the next page fast enough.  It will captivate you, make you feel like the characters are real, and make you long to have it go a certain way.  As I sit and type this, I am still so confused on the 1 star reviews this book got (and hundreds of them!).  I am not one for bad books and movies.  If it is bad writing, I can tell.  Yes, this has bad writing, but not NEARLY as bad as everyone makes it out to be.  In fact, I would not even bother writing this if I didn't love the book so much.  Despite all of those cons, the story that this series carries is definitely worth the read.  I would give this book a 4 star.  This is not based on how good or bad the writing is, but based on a captivating story.  Basically, I wanted to write this because I am sure there are so many out there just like me who read reviews and said there is no way they'd want to read this.  Maybe give it a try.  You might be as surprised as I was.  I hope so.

Here is an excerpt since I did not go in to details about what the book is about, characters, etc. 

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/47062319/ns/today-books/t/fifty-shades-grey-peek-inside-steamy-novel/

Garlic Butter Cheddar Chicken - The best chicken you will ever eat!

Sure, it is called Garlic Butter Cheddar Chicken because that's what it is!  But I prefer to call this Lick-the-Pan Chicken or, 5-Nights-a-Week chicken, because THAT'S how good it is.  I have had this recipe for years and years, and it is not only my favorite chicken recipe (since chicken can be kind of boring), but my favorite dinner recipe PERIOD!  You will finish dinner and go over to get the remains out of the pan......TRUST ME!

This chicken recipe is not only amazing, but easy as can be!  Everyone in my family that I have shared this with has LOVED it and passed it along, and I hope you will too!  I can't believe it has taken me this long to share it.  Enjoy, and have fun fighting for the leftovers!

Ingredients:

5-6 boneless/skinless chicken breasts

1/2 C. butter

4 garlic cloves, minced

3/4 C. dry bread crumbs

1/2 C. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 1/2 C. freshly shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 tsp. dried parsley

1/4 tsp. dried oregano

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/8 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat and add garlic until tender, about 5 minutes.

3. In a shallow bowl, mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, cheddar cheese, and the 4 seasonings.

4. Dip each chicken into the garlic butter and turn to coat, then press into the bread crumb mixture, coating well.

5. Arrange the coated chicken breasts in a 9 by 13 baking dish

6. Drizzle with any remaining butter and any remaining bread crumb mix.

7. Bake 30 minutes in preheated oven, or until inside of chicken is no longer pink.

Serve with vegetable of your choice and potatoes.

(The picture doesn't do this baby justice)

Notes:

I can't tell you enough how the FRESHLY grated cheeses make all the difference.  I have used bagged cheddar, and even resorted to using the dry Parmesan in the plastic container.  I thought it was good then, but NOTHING like using the read deal.  If you are going to bother making this, use the real stuff.

Also, the baking dish does not need to be sprayed, but I like to coat it with butter in case the cheesy goodness sticks.  The butter makes it all that much better, trust me folks!

Marsala Pork Chops. The best pork chops you'll ever eat!

I made these Marsala Pork Chops about two years ago, and they were so good I wanted to make them again in the same week.  I remember when I first moved away from home, I was hooked on my Foreman grill.  I used it to cook any kind of meat I bought because it was easy and convenient, and my husband loved it.  Unfortunately, it dries the meat out like no other.  It did the same to pork chops.  I started looking in to new ways to make pork chops, and found a bunch of different ways that were 100% better than the Foreman grill.  This was/is by far my VERY favorite *drool*.

Marsala Pork Chops

1/2 C. Seasoned bread crumbs

4 boneless center-cut pork chops

3 Tbs. Olive Oil divided

2 medium onions thinly sliced

6 garlic cloves minced

1/2 C. white wine or chicken broth

1 Tbs. Marsala wine or chicken broth

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/8 tsp. salt

1/4 C. cold butter, cubed

Place bread crumbs in a large resealable plastic bag. Add pork chops, one at a time, and shake to coat. In a large skillet, cook chops in 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat for 4-6 minutes on each side. Remove and keep warm.

In the same skillet, saute onions in remaining oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 2 minutes longer. Add the white wine, Marsala, pepper and salt, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is nearly evaporated. Stir in butter until melted. Serve with pork chops and noodles

Nutrition Facts:

1 pork chop with 1/4 cup onions equals 526 calories, 36 g fat (14 g saturated fat), 113 mg cholesterol, 351 mg sodium, 19 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 30 g protein.

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home

To Die For Baked Basil Fries (Nutrition facts included)

I can barely contain myself long enough to post these on this blog.  But I guess I will have to since we just finished off the entire pan within 5 minutes.  I am very guilty of frying up a big batch of french fries, sometimes even melting cheese on them, and eating them for lunch (bad, I know).

I found this recipe in a book I have, and have made them twice since yesterday.  They are low fat and low salt.  I will admit, I added extra salt because they did not have enough, and I would do it again.  This yields 4 servings, I suggest you make extra ;-)

Baked Basil Fries:

1/4 C. Grated Parmesan Cheese

1 Tbs. Olive Oil (I use Filippo Berio)

1 Tbs. Dried Basil

1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder

4 medium red potatoes (I use more to make more)

Directions:

In a bowl, combine Parmesan cheese, oil, Basil, and Garlic Powder.  Cut potatoes into 1/4-in. sticks.  Add to cheese mixture, toss to coat.

Place in a 15-in. by 1-in. baking pan coated with cooking spray.  Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes; turn potatoes.  Bake 15-20 minutes longer or until crisp and tender.

NUTRITION FACTS per-serving

162 calories

5 g fat

0 g saturated fat

5 mg cholesterol

117 mg sodium

27 g carbohydrate

3 g fiber

7 g protein

DIY Chemical-Free Plant/Flower Pesticide (Budget-Friendly)

I planted annuals earlier this year and have been happy at the fact that they have been growing and thriving.  However, I often have to pick off the dead parts so that fresh can grow.  When I was trimming the dead parts off, I noticed that there were holes where little buggies have been.  I decided that my annuals probably wouldn't have so many brown spots if the bugs weren't on there.  Despite our triple-digit weather here in AZ, they have been growing beautifully!  I am also growing some herbs and would like them to stay off of there, but do not want to use chemical-based spray on the herbs.

Here is a very strong, homemade solution to the bug problem, without spraying chemicals all over the place.  It takes some time to set, but is well worth it in the end, and budget-friendly!  A lot of people use this as a mosquito repellent on their skin as well.

DIY Bug Repellent Recipe:

1 32 oz. Bottle Apple Cider Vinegar

2 TBS. each of dried dried Sage, Rosemary, Lavender, Thyme and Mint

Quart-sized glass jar with airtight lid

Put the vinegar and dried herbs into large glass jar.

Seal tightly and store on counter or place you will see it daily.

Shake well each day for 2-3 weeks.

After 2-3 weeks, strain the herbs out and store in spray bottles or tincture bottles, preferably in fridge.

To use on skin, dilute to half with water in a spray bottle and use as needed.

Use whenever you need serious bug control! [Note: This mixture is very strong and has antiviral and antibacterial properties.]

Waffles and Pancakes

Sometimes when you are in a rush, you are unable to make a big batch of pancakes or waffles, whether you are making them from a box or from scratch.  One of my favorite things to do to save time in the coming days, is to pre-make the waffles and pancakes, then freeze them in a large freezer bag.  All it takes is a few minutes in the toaster oven, and Viola!

I don't use mixes from the box, because it is very simple to make your own from scratch, and if you are going to take the time to make and freeze a big batch, obviously you want to make them healthy and fresh.  The great thing about making your own waffles and pancakes from scratch, is that they are one of those foods that you can add many variations to!  Fresh fruit, cinnamon, honey, etc.  They don't contain all the chemicals, dyes, and sugar, so you'll feel better feeding them to your kids (since the frozen convenient ones contain ZERO nutritional value).

Here are a couple of recipes I like to use when making a batch.  They are not only healthy, but REALLY tasty:

                                                Homemade Whole Grain Waffles

Ingredients

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 3/4 cups skim milk
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 cup flax seed meal
• 1/4 cup wheat germ
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, oil, applesauce, and vanilla. Beat in whole wheat pastry flour, flax seed meal, wheat germ, all-purpose flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt until batter is smooth.
1. Preheat a waffle iron, and coat with cooking spray. Pour batter into waffle iron in batches, and cook until crisp and golden brown.

*Note: I never have pastry flour, so I just use regular whole wheat.  The reason they tell you to use pastry flour is because it makes the breading less "dense".  They turn out just fine with regular whole wheat flour.  If you can't use regular milk, use soy or Almond milk, they work fine too.

                                                       Whole Wheat Banana Pancakes

1/2 c. flour (all-purpose)
1/2 c. whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
2/3 c. skim milk
1/2 c. mashed, ripe banana
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 egg, lightly beaten

Combine first 5 ingredients. Stir well. Combine milk and next 3 ingredients. Add to dry ingredients, stirring until smooth.

*Note:  I suggest that if you have whole wheat pastry flour, you use it in the pancakes, as it will help make them less dense.

Diets....from a box?



One thing that has always driven me crazy ever since I can remember, is boxed diets.  Diets that you see on infomercials.  Diets that show women with hard bodies, and men that look like Hercules.  Diets that want to sell for $150 a pop.  The reason they bother me is because they are NOT healthy, and they are a waste of money. 

I always complain about how people are naive and fall for these crash diets (I guess now they call some "cleanses"), then end up gaining the weight back, or go back to eating badly.  Was it really worth the $150 you just tossed?  I was watching TMZ last night, and my suspicions were confirmed by none other than the famous Jillian Michaels!  I felt better knowing that SHE felt the exact same way, considering she is a very famous personal trainer!  She was talking about a 10 day diet (or "cleanse"), and her exact words were, "Do not do it".  She said the EXACT same thing I have been saying for the longest time: "CLEAN eating, and HEALTHY eating". 

The cleanse that you just paid $150 for, can be done for under $2 per-day with raw, whole foods.  You know what is going in to your body.  It is proven that dark leafy greens and certain fruits will detox your liver/kidneys, help you lose weight (if that's your goal), and not only those two main things, but will include a TON of other health benefits and is cheaper!  Jillian Michaels says that diets such as the "Master Cleanse" are terrible for you, and the biggest crash diet there is. 

The other dangerous part about these types of diets is that they do not include enough protein.  There are such diets like the grapefruit diet that really work, but personally I do not recommend them unless you are eating lean proteins with them (beans, chicken, etc.).  You can not drink liquids for 10 days and lose weight in a healthy manner, you just can't.  You may lose weight, but your body is lacking tons of other nutrients.

Clean eating has nothing but amazing benefits.  I think people think that if they use these crash diets, they will lose weight, gain muscle, and be loaded with energy.  Not the case.  The people who do things like protein diets, are also working their butts off to lose the weight.  If you practice clean eating, plus workout, your results are going to be alot better and last alot longer than using a commercial-based diet plan and sitting around watching the clock for results. 

I have followed Kimberly Snyder's blog for a while now.  She is a famous nutritionist for Hollywood.  She does try to sell some things, but she also has a smoothie called "Glowing Green Smoothie".  She explains that the ingredients that are in it will remove toxins from your body, while keeping your skin clear, etc.  Not something you are going to get from a crash diet.  Here is her recipe below:

1 ½- 2 cups very cold, filtered water

6 cups spinach, chopped

5 cups organic romaine lettuce, chopped

2 stalks of organic celery

1 organic apple, cored and chopped

1 organic pear, cored and chopped

1 organic banana

1–2 Tbs. fresh organic lemon juice

I am no nutritionist, and I am not the most healthy person on the planet, and it is all based off my person opinion, experience, and research, but I personally recommend that if you want to lose weight, gain energy, gain muscle mass, not waste money and detoxify your body, you do it with two simple words: "CLEAN-EATING" (and exercise)!  Clean eating is not only benefiting you, but also your children since they aren't included in commercial diets.  You set a good example for them, and you eat/cook meals as a family, instead of just focusing on how you as the adult is eating. 

Hide & Go Seek (with sugar)

Sugar is a sneaky sneaky ingredient.  It is ASTONISHING what you can learn about the amount of sugar in certain foods.  Things that are supposed to be healthy can contain LOADS of sugar, more so than things that are even considered not so healthy, such as but not limited to: Yogurt, Peanut Butter, Applesauce, jams, etc.

Yesterday when I was shopping, I picked up the little containers of applesauce for my kids.  I was going to get the organic package, as I have switched alot of our food to organic (a whole nother post).  The organic applesauce was not unsweetened, but the store brand was all natural unsweetened.  Kids do not need added sugar in applesauce at all.  I looked at the amount of sugar on the back and was in SHOCK!!  The store brand "All natural unsweetened" applesauce contained 8 grams per-serving.  The "organic" applesauce contained...are you ready?  28 grams of sugar per-serving!  I couldn't believe my eyes.  This means: The unsweetened applesauce contained 8 grams of "natural" sugar per-serving, while the organic applesauce contained 8 grams PLUS another 20 grams that are NOT natural.  The added 20 grams of sugar is chemically processed, added sugar even though the applesauce containers were the same serving size.  So, though I am a huge supporter of organic foods, you need to make sure to read the back if you do not want your child loaded with sugar when eating their "healthy" snack.  Fruit already contains natural sugars, so unless you're feeding your child dessert, the extra sugar is not needed and not healthy.

Next: Peanut butter.  Peanut butter can be a great source of protein, but you have to make sure and find the peanut butter without added hydrogenated oils (that aren't needed), and extra sugar (that isn't needed).  Here is an example: An all natural brand of peanut butter, such as Laura Scudder's, contains the following ingredients: Peanuts and less than 1% of salt.  The only oil it contains is natural oil, which is why it all settles at the top (and is a pain to stir sometimes).  This peanut butter contains 1 gram of natural sugar.  A more popular peanut butter brand contains the following in the ingredients: Sugar (added), molasses (more added sugar), and 3 hydrogenated oils that aren't good for you and aren't needed.  The more popular brand also contains 3 grams of sugar due to the "added" sugars and 150 mg of salt instead of 104 mg of salt.

Yogurt.  People think yogurt is good for them....some can be.  Yogurt (popular brands such as Yoplait) are LOADED with sugar.  Most of them contain HFCS, but even the ones that don't are loaded with extra sugar.  Buying yogurt with fruit one the bottom is not doing you any good.  That "fruit" is mixed with high sugar syrups so that it tastes better.  You're better off getting plain yogurt and adding fresh fruit or honey.

I am in no way against sugar.  My kids get desserts, sucker sometimes, ice cream, etc.  I don't think kids should be deprived of any of this in any way.  But alot of parents aren't aware that when they packed their child's school lunch with peanut butter and jelly, a yogurt (such as those kid portable kinds), a container of peaches in syrup, and a few cookies as the "treat", those cookies were not the only extra sugar they got.  The child just got a school lunch packed with extra sugar which will make them sluggish, hyper, and likely less able to concentrate the rest of the school day.  Oh and don't forget the Capri Sun and Sunny D which is loaded with sugar.  Sugar is a necessary part of our diets, but it is better when it is the natural sugars vs. the chemically processed sugars that have no health benefits, weaken the child's immune system, and do a ton of other damage.

To avoid these things, you can make healthy desserts, snacks, and treats homemade, that way you know how much sugar is going into it.  I could name hundreds of other foods that we run in to the same problem with, but I would be here all day.  My point is,  if you tell your child "You just had a cupcake, you can have a yogurt cup instead", that yogurt may contain just as much sugar as the serving of one cupcake.  Therefore, you might as well have given them another cupcake.

I didn't mention soda since that's a given.  Diet is just as if not WORSE for you than regular.

Food Diary

The reason I created this blog is because if I am not cooking, I am thinking about it.  I will often find recipes to share, or new things to tell people.  I find that I think about it all day long, and I figured this could be the best way to get those thoughts out!  This blog will mainly consist of recipes, reviews, or just things I have learned or thought about.

When I had my old blog, all I ever wanted to do was write about food anyways, so here it is!  I can't design anything to save my life.  I have zero artistic skills, zero photography skills, so excuse me if this isn't a beautiful blog, but the two things I CAN do are cook and write. In fact, as I sit here typing this I am thinking of how badly I want to make an original apple pie.  If I was making that apple pie, I would be thinking about how I want to write about it.  This isn't a "real" food blog, it is just my personal blog where I will be writing about food. 

The funny thing about my love for food and cooking, is that before I had kids I ate things such as chicken nuggets heated up in the oven, or a big bowl of boxed mac & cheese with cut up hot dogs in it.  As I think of those things now, it turns my stomach upside down (no joke).  Also, I was always such a picky eater.  It was always a battle with my family trying to get me to eat meals.  My Grandma cooked nice meals such as pot roast, vegetables, healthy casseroles, etc.  I never wanted to eat any of it.  Now as an adult and a lover of cooking, I appreciate it more than anything, and wish I would have back then.  When I had kids my love for cooking came full force.  I feel it is so important to put good, healthy meals in front of your child at a young age, so that when they are older they are open-minded to trying a variety of things.

When Joe has off and we are trying to think of what we can do for the day, I tell him I want to go to Trader Joe's and Sprouts.  He looks at me funny every time and says, "So you want to go to two grocery stores for fun?"  Yep, that is my idea of fun!  And kitchen stores like Crate & Barrel?!  Ahh!  These things are like toy stores for me!!

I find cooking and baking to be extremely relaxing.  When I am doing it, my mind is focused completely on whatever I am creating at the time.  I find that when I get a bit of down time, instead of sitting down, I find my way to the kitchen to find something to make.  I often find that even when people come over, I am usually making something.  Even if I have to stop a million times in between, I still manage to concoct SOMETHING in the midst of it all.

So, I hope you enjoy it and can use some of the recipes or ideas I share with you, or even learn something new along the way!