Lately Tonchi has been wanting to earn his own money so that he can buy some gum! Brian and I chew gum occasionally and sometimes will let Tonchi have a piece. However, if we don’t let him have some, he often gets very upset about it. We have explained that we are sharing OUR gum with him. It is not his to demand nor is he entitled to a piece just because Brian and I are having some. Continue reading “Chore Chart”
I LOVE quiche! So light, and yummy! I remember my Mom serving it with a bowl of warm soup on a cold day! It’s been a bit chilly here in northern Virginia for springtime! So this was just the thing. We’ve had the heat turned off since it warms up in the afternoons…usually! But last night it was in the 30s! So the house wasn’t quite so warm this morning! Even by this afternoon I needed something to help heat things up! I tried drinking a cup of warm tea, but it wasn’t enough to warm me up! Continue reading “Sausage Spinach Quiche”
This was a fun documentary to watch. As I stated in my post on the book review of Redeeming Childbirth, I haven’t taken the time to do the prep that I should in this pregnancy. The fourth time around I’m busier and each change isn’t as much of a novelty as it was the last time. Continue reading “Pregnant in America – A Nation’s Miscarriage”
We don’t eat too much salad around here, but I’m trying hard to get an increase in consumption in that area! Part of the problem is that Brian really doesn’t like salad and won’t eat it unless he plate is served with the salad already on it! He will eat it then, but the whole time make comments about how he wouldn’t have served himself that much, he doesn’t really like salad, it doesn’t have much flavor, etc, etc. Continue reading “Asian Almond Salad Dressing”
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The Returning
Ann Tatlock
This book was an ok read in my opinion. The story wasn’t very complex, it was a super easy read, and it really didn’t do much to change me, make be a better person or encourage me to try new things. It was enjoyable, but there are so many good things out there to read and I don’t want to waste my time. Continue reading “The Returning”
This is a true staple around here! It’s simple, quick and usually something I have on hand! I usually buy fresh salmon in bulk and freeze in family size portions or I purchase the frozen wild salmon already packaged at Costco. Continue reading “Paleo Salmon Burgers with Dill Tartar Sauce”
I’m so excited this year! We are still in our little town house with a postage stamp yard (not excited about that… but it’s ok!) and a friend of mine has opened up her yard to use as a garden! 😉 Thankfully she is only about a 10 minute drive and has kids my kids age. She hasn’t really gardened and wants to learn and has the space. I want to do it, but don’t have the space! What a match made in heaven! Continue reading “Gardening”
An Update:
Just wanted to give an update on the guest post that I had last week. Our friends raised a grand total of $2,233 for their upcoming adoption! Thank you so much for taking the time to check out the video and hopefully contribute to this awesome family!
If you didn’t get a chance to view the video, I’ve re-posted it below so that you can check it out! It’s definitely worth the 2.42 minutes it takes! And it isn’t too late to donate if you would still like to! You can go to Alyssa’s blog and donate there.
A Video:
This video isn’t as important as the previous, in my mind, but it is still important non-the-less. As women we often look at ourselves with a very critical eye and we don’t see the beauty that others see in us. This video was shared with me from one of the moms in the Holistic Mom’s Group. It is definitely an advertisement for Dove, but the message is fantastic.
Take a look and see what you think!
Kale has never been one of my favorite food, especially as the primary ingredient whether cooked or raw. I’ve had it in soups which is ok and it’s really good in green smoothies, but it only flavors these dishes. I’ve tried sauteing it and also making kale chips and no one in the family has been fanatical about either.
This recently changed! We had friends over for dinner a few weeks back and she offered to bring a salad and dessert and I served my Sweet and Spicey Asian Pork with bok choy. As luck would have it, she brought a kale salad! I was a bit worried at first and only took a small serving, but soon had seconds and thirds. The flavors mixed so well with some sweetness from the oranges, a little bite from the ginger and garlic and some spice! Truly fantastic.
My friend was gracious enough to share the recipe with me and we had it again last week. The kids each asked for seconds and I think hubby had at least three if not four servings. Which if you’ve read some of my past posts… is amazing! He is NOT a salad eater and really will only eat it if I ask him if he has had any yet or if I serve dinner with salads already dished up!
I know it was because of the Asian flare that he not only ate it, but also really enjoyed it. At the end of dinner the boys asked when we could have it again. I said I wasn’t sure and Tonchi said he would help me make it again for dinner the next night!
My dear friend Alexa created this recipe and was willing to let me share it with you! She used a couple of sites for inspiration and then went for it! She really does a great job adding a little of this and a little of that together to make fantastic dishes. In fact, when she has made something that I’d like to try and duplicate, it’s often hard to get a recipe out of her! She doesn’t use them and doesn’t record (usually) what she adds. This time, she had a feeling I would ask and she wrote it down for me! 😉
So… here it is! Try and enjoy!
Asian Kale Salad
Dressing:
¼ c olive oil
1 T honey
1 t minced ginger
¼ c rice vinegar
4 cloves garlic
2 T GF tamari
1 T toasted sesame oil
½ t hot chili sesame oilBlend in Vitamix.
Salad:
1 head organic kale (I used dino/lacinto), ribbed and cut/torn into bite sized pieces
1 tsp salt
2 carrots, grated
½ small head red cabbage, thinly sliced
⅓ small red onion, thinly sliced
1 c fresh snow peas, julienned
2 small oranges, peeled and diced
sesame seedsToss kale with salt and massage. Add all other ingredients and toss. Add dressing and toss again. Let sit at least 1 hr before serving. Drizzle with sesame oil and honey and sprinkle with sesame seeds when serving.
The only thing I did differently, is that I didn’t have any spicy sesame sauce so I just added about 1/2 tsp of red curry paste and it was definitely not the same, but still super good!
If you give it a try, I’d love to know what you think and if you’ll make it again! This is kid approved in our home, I hope it is in yours as well!
I had a post awhile ago for Cream of Mushroom Soup from Lindsay at Passionate Homemaking, which turned out great and was so tasty… however… it has flour, milk and butter which are off limits around here… So I played around with it and came up with a new version which is super tasty. Still it’s based of her recipe, just altered to fit our diets.
Along with her post for the mushroom soup, she also has a recipe for a great freezer meal of Chicken Divan. I remember growing up eating this and it’s such a great way to have a 1 dish meal, help the kids eat their veggies (although ALL of my kids LOVE broccoli), be able to prep it ahead of time and a good way to use up leftover chicken! Is that enough reasons for you???
The following recipe is also from Lindsay, but again, altered to fit our diets. I did use quinoa, which I know isn’t quite paleo approved, but we do eat it every now and then. Another option that I haven’t tried, but that I would like to, would be to sub it out for spaghetti squash or julienned zucchini. I think either would work well I just haven’t given it a try yet.
Chicken Divan
Ingredients:
2 or more cups cooked quinoa
2 bunches fresh broccoli, chopped
2-3 cups cooked chicken, cubed
2 cans cream of mushroom soup (see recipe below)
½ cup mayonnaise
1-2 tsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp curryInstructions:
Combine soup (whether canned or homemade) with mayo, lemon and curry. Keep the mixture relatively thin by adding further coconut milk or water.
Gently steam broccoli until tender.
Layer quinoa, followed by broccoli and then the chicken in 13×9 dish.
Pour creamed soup mixture over the broccoli.
Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.
For freezer cooking, leave unbaked and cover to freeze.
Condensed Creamed Soup Substitute
Ingredients:
3 Tbsp. coconut oil
1/4 c coconut flour
1 tsp. Celtic sea salt
2 large portabella mushroom tops
1 can full fat coconut milkInstructions:
Heat oil then add flour and salt, stirring to make a roux (not a true roux, because it doesn’t thicken much, but it still works).
Add mushrooms and cook about a minute, just to soften.
Add coconut milk and stir until thickened.
This is a substitute for two 10 oz. cans cream of mushroom soup.
This is a huge hit around this home! Give it a try and let me know what you think!
Home of the Hymn of the Month Community
Striving to preserve what we have graciously been given.
Striving to preserve what we have graciously been given.
Green & Grateful 