A Chance to bake!

We have been just so busy, with soccer, yoga, gardening, and household duties there just isn't enough time to get to baking. Our days have been so filled with the enjoying the outside! But today has been a bit of a quiet day around here and we needed some cookies for the week so instead of making my usual chocolate chip recipe I decided to try and make one of my old favorites Gluten Free instead! This recipe comes from one of my favorite food blogs 101 Cookbooks by Heidi Swanson she has some really fabulous recipes! This one we had made last year before I became ill and we loved it but haven't made it again since. A week or two ago I decided I was going to try and make it Gluten Free but needed to put some thought into the flour blend I wanted to use. Today however I decided to keep it simple and see how it turned, Yummy is the word used to describe these cookies by my Son. The recipe is called Animal Cracker Cookie and they are just so cute and fun. I found my little cookie cutters at bulk barn they have quite a selection of them. I also found some at a local kitchen store called Peppers. You can go to the above link to see the original recipe and below I will post my Gluten Free version of Animal Cracker Cookie.

Animal Cracker Cookie

Ingredients
1/2 C Brown Rice Flour
1/2 C Sweet White Sorghum Flour
1/2 tsp Xantham Gum
1/4 C Almond Meal
1/2 C Unsweetened Finely Shredded Coconut, very finely minced
1/4 C Extra-Virgin Coconut Oil, softened
1/3 C Fine Grain Natural Cane Sugar
1/4 tsp Sea Salt
1 Lrg Brown Egg, lightly beaten
3 Tbsp Organic Unsweetened Apple Sauce
A few Tbsp Organic Demerara Sugar

1. Whisk together your flours, almond meal, xantham gum, and coconut in separate bowl and set aside.
2. Combine your coconut oil, sugar and salt into your mixing bowl and mix until forms a brown sugar frosting consistancy then add in your egg and beat until uniform.
3. Add your flour mixture and stir until just incorporated and add your apple sauce one Tbsp at a time until the dough sticks together in a ball.
4. Split into 2 balls and place a parchment paper and flatten each one.
5. Place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
6. Roll out dough on your parchment paper until it is about 1/4" to 1/8" thick depending on how you like them. Cut out your shapes laying them on a parchment lined cookie tray about an inch apart.
7. Sprinkle with your demerara sugar and bake for 7-9 mins just until the edges turn brown.

I'm back with much to share!

So sorry for being away so long I have been working hard on my health and family this last while but I am back. I have also been working on many recipes to share with you all! So today's recipe to share is what we think is the best Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe! With out further delay here it is!

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies by Amanda

3/4 c Gluten Free Oats
1/2 c White Rice Flour
1/2 c Sweet White Sorghum Flour
1 tsp Xantham Gum
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Sea Salt
1 Large Brown Egg
1/3 c Agave Nectar
1/3 c Organic Cane Sugar
1/4 c Coconut Oil
1/4 c Butter
1 tsp Vanilla
3/4 c Organic Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
Directions;

1. Preheat oven to 350 F and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. Grind oats in a food processor till they are just a little chunky. Transfer to a bowl and add the other dry ingredients and mix with a whisk, set aside.
3. Put in your stand mixers bowl your egg, agave, and sugar cream together. Then add your coconut oil and butter then vanilla. Mix till well blended.
4. Add your dry ingredients and chocolate chips and blend again just until they are combined well.
   
5. Bake your cookies for 12-14 mins and then allow to cool for 5 mins before enjoying!
   

Crafty Tuesday - Birthday Follow Up

Well Saturday was our much anticipated 5th Birthday Party and it was a huge success! Everyone had a great time and all the activities were so much fun for all of us! As a last minute addition/swap I switched the create a robot paper craft for Rice Crispy Cake Robots instead and that was a big hit! All we did was mix up a box of Christmas Rice Crispy we had on hand and made shapes with it circles, squares, and rectangles then we had mini colored marshmallows and gummi bears plus some leftover icing in a can. We made them a demo one and them let them create their own and it was so much fun! Upon waking in the morning my Son let me know he wanted some birthday cupcakes and they should be chocolate with blue icing well off I went to find recipes for such a thing I found an amazing Devils Food Cake recipe and used it to make chocolate cupcakes and then a fabulous vanilla butter cream frosting recipe and viola wonderful birthday cupcakes! I wanted to also post a picture of some of my finished projects the birthday crown and fairy play set both of which my Son is very happy with! I also wanted to show you some of the beautiful handmade gifts my Son received one of his little friends made him this amazing painting and on canvas no less I can't wait to hang it up in his room! Also my good friend made him a Thomas the Train Tie and gave him a playdough dentist (her husband is in dentistry college and she originally bought the gift for him and well the kids loved it too!)














Well after all of that birthday fun I also have a little recipe for you all to enjoy, it's called Rock'n Banana Bread and was so yummy! A good friend gave me this amazing recipe she makes for her family and we had the opportunity to enjoy the last time we visited with them. Anyways of course hers is a non-gluten free recipe so I had to change it but I really wanted to keep the graininess of hers so I had to get really creative with the flour blend but I completely rocked it! Sorry no pictures I thought I had photographed it but can not find the pics?

Rock'n Gluten Free Banana Bread

1 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup white sorghum flour
1/4 cup quinoa flour
1/4 cup ground flax seed
1 tsp xantham gum
4 tsp gluten free baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped with the food processor
1 cup bananas, mashed
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup apple sauce
1/2 cup raisins ( recipe called for dates soaked for 5mins and then chopped but I didn't have any on hand)
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions;

1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease a loaf pan.
   
2. Combine all your flours and whisk then add the xantham gum, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg.
3. Put your raisins and walnuts in your food processor and chop til fine.
4. Combine your mashed banana, maple syrup, apple sauce, coconut oil and vanilla together until well mixed.
   
5. Then add to your dry mixture and combine till mixed and add your walnut and raisin mixture.
6. Mix all ingredients together until well blended.
7. Pour mixture into prepared loaf pan and bake for 60 mins or until a tooth pick comes out clean.

Meatless Wednesday - Good Old Fashioned Vegetable Soup

I have doing battle with my stomach the last couple of weeks so I really wasn't sure that I would have a post today as most of my best meatless ideas contain things that aren't always the best for my troubled stomach. Then inspiration hit how about a nice big bowl of good old fashioned vegetable soup that sounded perfectly what the Doctor ordered!

So let's start with our stock first, I used the stock recipe I previously posted except this time I added one parsnip to change it up a bit. Drain your stock and reserve the liquid into a large pot.

Good Old Fashioned Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

Previously made vegetable stock
2 cups of water
1 Tbs Epicure Pot Herbs (Again feel free to enter my consultant Deanna Osterbeck when ordering)
2 carrots, chopped
2 parsnips, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1/2 a small onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup organic frozen green beans
1/2 cup organic frozen sweet corn
1/2 cup organic frozen peas
1 cup Tinkyada Pasta Joy Little Dreams rice pasta shapes

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients together including reserved stock and bring to a boil.
2. Turn down to a medium heat and a low simmer for 20 -30 mins or until vegetables are tender.
3. Serve with your favorite crackers or other yummy dipping treat.

Meatless Wednesday - Tuscan Vegetable Baked Ziti

So yesterday several people broke the news to me that we will not see spring like weather here until the end of May or so they are predicting. Well I am going to do everything I can to make sure they are wrong not that I can do a lot but I am sure going to pray for warmer weather, winter needs to be done!

So on tonight's menu we have Tuscan Vegetable Baked Ziti and a surprise bonus recipe too!

Tuscan Vegetable Baked Ziti
1 1/2 cups shredded medium cheddar cheese
3 cups rice noodle penne, cooked and drained
1 large red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 large yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips
2 zucchini, halved and thinly sliced
1/2lb fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 of a small onion, thinly slice
2 cloves of garlic, pressed
2/3 of a jar of organic tomato basil pasta sauce
1 tsp freezed dried oregano leaves

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375F
2. Combine all vegetable ingredients, add the spices and mix together. Then put in the bottom of a 11x13 oven safe pan.
3. In a medium bowl mix penne and the sauce, then pour on top of vegetable mixture.
4. Top with shredded cheese and bake for 20mins, then set to broil for 5 more mins.

Bonus recipe! Pineapple, Banana, Coconut Gluten Free Muffins
1 Cup white rice flour
3/4 cup tapioca starch
1/3 cup agave nectar
1 tbs baking powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 egg
3/4 cup mashed bananas (about 2 medium bananas)
1/3 cup crushed pineapple without the juice
*(May need to add 1/8 cup rice milk depending on how wet your mixture looks)
Preheat oven to 400F

Directions:

1. Combine wet ingredients in a large bowl until well blended.
2. Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl until well mixed.
3. Slowly combine dry ingredients with wet ingredients and blend until thoroughly mixed together.
4. Grease your muffin pan and fill each cup 2/3 full.
5. Bake muffins for 25-30 mins or until a toothpick comes out clean and the top springs back when touched.

Makes about 12 muffins.

I hope you enjoy both of these recipes and please let me know!

Meatless Wednesday - Quinoa Primavera

This dish I have been kind of looking forward to making I am really enjoying cooking Quinoa and it is very nutritious for you! I also find that my Son really enjoys eating it which is surprising because he is not usually so good with new foods right away but with this he is and asks me to make the soup with it in there now on request.

Nutritional value ( as posted by Wikipedia)

Quinoa was of great nutritional importance in pre-Columbian Andean civilizations, being secondary only to the potato, and was followed in importance by maize. In contemporary times, this crop has become highly appreciated for its nutritional value, as its protein content is very high (12%–18%). Unlike wheat or rice (which are low in lysine), and like oats, quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it an unusually complete protein source among plant foods.^[10] It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is gluten-free and considered easy to digest. Because of all these characteristics, quinoa is being considered a possible crop in NASA's Controlled Ecological Life Support System for long-duration manned spaceflights.

Quinoa Primavera

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbs EVO
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 parsnip, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 celery sticks, chopped
3/4 red bell pepper, diced
3/4 orange bell pepper, diced
3/4 cup peas
1/3 head of cauliflower, finely diced
2 scallions white part only, thinly sliced
1 tbs oregano
1 tbs low sodium soy sauce

1. Heat a small sauce pan over medium low heat. Add quinoa and cook stirring for about 5 mins (grains should be dry and fragrant). The add the water and 1/2 tsp salt, cover, simmer and let cook for about 10-15 mins or until the quinoa is tender. Do not stir while simmering. Set aside.
2. Combine EVO and garlic in a large skillet and place over medium heat. When oil is hot and garlic aromatic add your vegetables and saute until peppers are tender. Stir in quinoa, oregano, and soy sauce stir till everything is well coated and simmer for 1-2 mins. Add Salt and Pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Wanted to let you all know that I will be doing a Namaste Foods review and give away in the near future be sure to visit their site and take a look at all the wonderful products!

Busy Weekend

I just looked back at last weeks post and I was busy with company and this week it is the Train Show and setting up my daycare to convert to Montessori learning starting Monday! It really never does end does it? Anyways I managed to sneak in a new recipe for you all to try. It's a variation on a breakfast that my good friend Camilla cooked up for us last year in May. We were meant to have it for breakfast today but we slept in and had to hurry out the door to the Train Show this morning. I can't wait to have the leftovers for breakfast tomorrow morning hopefully it will give my husband some extra confidence as he gives the opening prayer at Stake Conference tomorrow in front of roughly 500 people! I am attaching a post supper picture as I forgot to take one while I am also simultaneously making mini banana loaves for next week! Happy Weekend all!

Cammy's Farmer's Market Skillet

4 eggs, whipped
1/2 aged white cheddar
1/3 red bell pepper, diced
1/3 green bell pepper, diced
1/4 red onion, diced
2-4 red potatoes (depending on much you like) diced
1 tomato, diced
4 links Gluten Free Splolumbo's maple breakfast sausage

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Fill the bottom of a medium sized frying pan with about 1/4 inch of water add your sausage links and cook till water disappears, then chop you sausage into bite size pieces and set aside.
3. Add your potatoes to the bottom of your skillet or pan.
4. Then layer your peppers and onions evenly over top.
5. Add your tomatoes and cooked sausage.
6. Add your cheese to your whipped eggs, stir until combined you can add maybe a 1/4 cup of rice milk you would like your egg mix to be a little more creamy.
7. Pour egg and cheese mixture on top.
   
8. Bake in oven for 40-50 mins depending on the size of your potatoes, poke one with a fork to check and see if it is cooked.

ALSO NEED TO MENTION THE WINNER OF LEMON DROPS SHOP CRAYONS IS TWIN MAMMA, THANKS TO ALL WHO PARTICIPATED!

Meatless Wednesday Gluten Free Sloppy Joes

I have to say with this recipe I was entirely not sure it was going to work and was fully prepared to be ordering a pizza instead. Much to my surprise it was really really good even my non-tofu eating husband thought it was amazing!

Gluten Free Meatless Sloppy Joes

1 pkg extra firm tofu (I used sunrise 350g pkg), crumbled
1/2 a large onion, finely chopped
1 whole bell pepper, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 can aylmer chili accents diced tomatoes (if not available use 1 54oml can diced tomatoes and add 1/2 teaspoon chili powder)
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 4 ounce can tomato paste
1 tbs vinegar
1 tbs cane sugar
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp xantham gum
6 Gluten free hamburger buns

Directions

1. In a large skillet, saute pepper, onions, celery, and garlic until the onions are translucent.
2. Then add your tofu crumble and tomato paste, vinegar, sugar, salt, cumin, oregano, coriander, and xantham gum. Heat to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 10mins.
3. Meanwhile toast hamburger buns, if desired.
4. Spoon mixture onto the bottom halves of the buns add the tops and Enjoy!

A yummy family meal that is quick and easy!
Sloppy Joes

Sunday Afternoon Gluten Free Mini Banana Loaves

Today was a busy day I had to take my Aunt to the bus this morning as she is off to see my Mom and then we had church at which my Husband was asked to say the opening prayer next week at Stake Conference, today he was also asked to pass the sacrament and also to administer home sacrament this afternoon then to finish off supper with our favorite missionaries. I did manage to find some time this afternoon to whip up a quick creation and I am posting it for all of you to try, please if you do try it leave me a comment to let me know how you liked.

Sunday Afternoon Gluten Free Mini Banana Loaves

2 eggs
1/2 cup organic apple sauce
1/4 agave nectar
3 ripe bananas

2 cups my flour blend

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1. Preheat oven to 350F, grease your mini loaf pan
2. Combine wet ingredients until well mixed.
3. Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl until blended and then add to wet ingredients until well blended.
4. Add your chocolate chips, fruit and nuts as desired or you can leave out completely.
5. Bake in your prepared mini loaf pan for 25-30mins until a tooth pick comes out clean.

* This recipe can be made as one loaf bake for 55-60mins or until a tooth pick comes out clean or also as muffins bake for 20-25 mins and also check with tooth pick*

Again you will see my much loved Cuisinart Stand Mixer, it really does save me time and makes creating so much easier! I highly recommend it and I have used the Kitchen Aid one in the past and this one is definitely equal to or better.

Meatless Wednesday

So sorry for the delay in posting, it's been one of those days blizzard, kids not napping and well complete chaos! Anyways without further delay here is today's recipe is a variation on my famous vegetarian lasagna I had to change things because my old recipe had veggie ground round in which unfortunately contains gluten!

Amanda's Amazing Gluten Free Lasagna

Ingredients

First layer
1/2 block extra firm tofu, chopped and then crumbled to resemble veggie ground
1/2 large onion, finely chopped (which I forgot tonight and it was wonderful without)
3 celery sticks, chopped
2 parsnips, peeled and chopped ( if you kids don't like them just chop them smaller)
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 28oz can of diced no added salt tomatoes
2 1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 tbs Epicure Minced Garlic
1 pkg Rice lasagna noodles, cooked for 15-17 at a low boil then rinse under cold water and set
aside
Second layer
1 750g container of 2% cottage cheese
1 bag of baby spinach
Third and final layer
1 bag of Italian cheese blend, shredded

Directions

1. Layer the bottom of your pan 9 x 13 lasagna pan with your first layer of noodles
2. After chopping all your other ingredients for the first layer combine together in a large bowl and mix, then layer over first layer of noodles.
   
3. Then cover with another layer of noodles.
4. Next add the cottage cheese and spread evenly over the noodles and layer over top as much spinach as desired, I usually cover all the cottage cheese.
5. Add another layer of noodles, which will be your last layer of noodles.
6. Cover noodle layer with Italian cheese blend, put pan on a cookie sheet and bake in oven for 50-60 mins. When the cheese is golden brown remove from the oven and enjoy!

My husband and Son will eat this with garlic bread but I do not obviously but maybe some day I will venture into the realm of making my own bread.

Mmm...Donut love!

Well I have been away battling a nasty cold since Friday but today I am feeling slightly on the mend. Over the weekend we worked on a new activity for the daycare, we created a rice box an indoor sand box of sorts. I purchased a 38L rectangular rubber maid tote, an 8kg bag of white rice, 4 bags of pinto beans, a bag of smooth rocks, and two bags of plastic animals put it all together in the box and presto indoor sand box! My Son loves it he added some of his cars to it and has been playing with it all weekend, all and all I spent was about $30 so I would say it was money well spent.

Today I am working on finishing my Valentine for my Son which I should have done this weekend but wasn't feeling well so now he is watching a movie and I am painting away. As a surprise for him I am baking some mini donuts which I have glazed with pink glaze they are Sugar Free well except the glaze and Gluten Free of course! Also for supper I am making Organic Gluten Free Chicken Quinoa Soup to help us battle this cold, I roasted an Organic Chicken last night and saved the juice from the roasting pan as well as some of the meat to make soup today. I didn't put any spices in the soup other than salt and pepper as I put Epicure Turkey Rub on the Chicken last night so the juice will carry that flavor.

Organic Gluten Free Chicken Quinoa Soup

All left over roast chicken juice
1 cup chicken meat, chopped
6 cups water
3/4 cup organic Quinoa
3 carrots, chopped
2 celery sticks including leaves, chopped
2 parsnips, chopped (dice them if your kids don't like eating them)
1/2 cup frozen organic peas
1/2 cup frozen organic green beans
salt and pepper to taste

Put all ingredients in the pot and bring to a boil then simmer for one hour or until quinoa and veggies are tender.

Mini Cake Donuts

2 cups Gluten Free Flour Mix see previous post
1/4 cup agave nectar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup organic unsweetened apple sauce
tbsp butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 rice milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp organic nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325F
2. lightly spray Donut Pan with cooking oil.
3. In a medium sized bowl mix together flour, baking powder and salt.
4. In a separate bowl mix together the butter, milk, eggs, vanilla, apple sauce, agave nectar, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
5. Beat until well blended.
6. Fill each donut hole 2/3 full.
7. Bake 8 mins or until the top springs back when lightly touched.

Cool and remove from pan and dip into glaze. Decorate with sprinkles, nuts, shaved chocolate or coconut.


Glaze
1 cup confectioner's sugar
2 tbsp hot water
2 drops Wiltons pink icing dye ( if coloring)

Dough and Ratatouille

Well I tried working on the play dough yesterday but with no success I just made slim so I went searching for another recipe to try and found one at this Site but still had to modify it. I liked that this one you didn't have to use the stove but it took some work to mix it up! Unfortunately it still came pretty sticky but the kids are having a blast playing with and called it "Gooey Mud".

GLUTEN FREE CINNAMON SCENTED NATURAL COLORED PLAY DOUGH

Ingredients

1 cup of almond flour or rice flour

1- 2 cups of corn flour/corn starch (it adds the stickiness) keep adding while stirring till you get the right consistency.

4 tablespoons of ‘cream of tartar’

2 tablespoons of cooking oil

1 cup of salt

2 cups of boiling water

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Food coloring - I used beet dye for this and I put 2 Tbs which made it light pinkish.

Glitter, colored sand, or other bits and pieces to make the dough more fun! I used red glitter to make it fun for our Gratitude Day celebration!

Please remember that you can substitute regular flours for the equal amounts of Gluten Free.

Method

Mix all the ingredients in, then add the boiling water. Keep stirring until it form the right consistency.

Last night I made Ratatouille using a Rachael Ray recipe with some changes to make it Gluten Free. One thing we like to do in our house when having Ratatouille is to watch the Disney Ratatouille movie at the same time makes it fun for our Son!

Ratatouille with Quinoa

Start with the Vegetable Stock;

1 medium onion

3 stalks of celery, chopped

3-4 carrots, chopped

1/2 a bell pepper

2 Tbs basil

1 Tbs parsley

8-10 cups of water

Combine all ingredients together in a large pot, bring it to a boil and then let simmer for about an hour, strain the vegetables out and set the broth aside.

Ratatouille Ingredients

3 Tbs extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 tbs Epicure Minced Garlic (Again you can use my consultant Deanna Osterbeck)

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 medium eggplant, peeled and chopped

1 medium zucchini, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

1 Tbs freeze dried thyme

1 can 28oz diced no salt tomatoes

6 cups of the vegetable stock from above

3/4 cup Quinoa

A handful of freeze dried parsley leaves

A pinch of freeze dried basil leaves

Heat the Olive Oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, bell peppers, egg plant, and zucchini. Season the vegetables with salt, pepper, and thyme and cook until softened, about 7-8 mins, stirring occasionally. Add the tomatoes and the vegetable stock and bring the soup to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer. Stir in the quinoa and cook till vegetables and quinoa are tender. Stir in the parsley and basil, and serve.

The boys eat theirs with french bread and we do like to add some Parmesan cheese on top as well.

Gluten Free Chocolate Play Dough

So yesterday I received a link for a Valentines day idea instead of celebrating Valentines Day will be celebrating Gratitude. The kids will be making Gratitude cards for their parents and I have a little bag of treats that I will be sending home with them in gratitude of them being such great kids at my house! We are very excited and so to kick it off today I made Gluten Free Chocolate Play Dough for them to play with, it is just resting on the counter but is smelling really good! So if you have a large group you may want to double the recipe and if you want to make it non-Gluten Free just change the two flours for the same amount of regular flour. So without further delay here it is!

Homemade Gluten-Free Chocolate Play Dough

1 cup brown rice flour

1/2 cup tapioca flour

1/2 cup salt
1/4 cup cocoa

2 tablespoons cream of tartar

1 cup water

1 tablespoon palm shortening

1. Mix together dry ingredients in medium saucepan, add water and palm shortening.

2. Stir over medium-low heat for about 5-7 minutes, until playdough forms a ball.

3. Let cool and have fun! It usually does it good to sit for an hour or two before they play with it and store put it in a container with a lid.

Left Overs and Yah for Girl Power

Well after yesterdays crazy day things have settled down today and our new family member has surely settled in as he has now chewed two of the daycare toys one had to disposed of to the landfill as my Son would tell you. The meatballs last night weren't perfect but once I have perfected them I will post the recipe for you. I did however take some of the leftovers and made up a meatball soup to for lunch today which is smelling oh so good on the stove.

Left Over Meatball Soup

Several left over meatballs about 3-5 depending on the size (mine were massive), cut up into bite size pieces
2-3 carrots, chopped
2 sticks celery, chopped
6-8 petite potatoes red, chopped
1/2 a large onion, chipped finely
3/4 cup of frozen green beans the cut up ones
2 cups of Organic Gluten Free Chicken broth
4 Cups of Water
1 Tbs Epicure Pot Herbs (My Consultant if you want to use for purchasing is Deanna Osterbeck)

Combine all ingredients in a large pot on the stove left simmer over medium heat for an hour and turn down to low and cook till veggies are tender.

So last night disaster struck our house the dishwasher broke now I do at least two full dishwasher loads a day plus some hand washing between the daycare and our family so it is a big deal to not have it! Thankfully the missionaries were over for supper and they pitched in to help get all the dishes cleaned and put away. This morning I called my Mom to complain about our dishwasher being broken and her boyfriend was there and he asked me to check the valve under the sink which I did and wiggle it a little but no luck, then he suggested to change it's position again no luck. After that I put it back in the original position and it worked! I am so excited to say that I fixed our dishwasher with a little help, Yah for Girl Power! Also last night two of our new friends from church brought over the most wonderful baptism gift for us a bible not just one but there is a second one on route to us, how lovely and thoughtful. They truly are very wonderful people, I am so excited for our families to get to know each other better and to get to know other families in our church as well! So my next baking experiment in the works is mini pumpkin chocolate chip muffins I found some in the freezer this morning that are not Gluten free from before I was sick so now I am going to recreate them but Gluten free the kids really do love them and they are so good for them!

Other than that today we are going to be celebrating Ground Hog day this afternoon in the daycare I came across this craft on Facebook this morning and we will be doing it this afternoon so on that note Happy Ground Hog Day everyone! Also you print off a super cute ground hog picture to color here.

Oh and I also managed to get some items listed on ebay today view them here. I will adding more items too as time allows.

The Beginning

My awakening started when our Son was about 1, the whole BPA scare happened and then the lead paint closely followed as did our decision to try and have another baby. We required fertility treatments due to my husbands Bone disease and my Polycystic ovaries after a few cycles and no success I began to wonder if maybe the things that I was afraid of affecting my Son were also affecting me too. This is where the change all started and now with my most recent health troubles and being forced to go Gluten Free the change has gotten bigger. During this time we have also been reintroduced to the LDS church and have made the decision to become members and be baptized on January 29th.

So now we are moving towards living a Natural Lifestyle and trying to change things such as our eating habits, family life, spending and the way we earn our money. I made the decision in June of this year to leave both my jobs in the Health Region and move home to work opening a small Day Home. Looking back I am so glad we made that choice and even though it has been hard I look at our Son and it is all worth it. My husband also recently decided to start walking to and from work for exercise and reduce our use of our vehicle thus reducing our fuel bill and our carbon footprint too. One of our goals this year is to try and live within our community and limit our amount of driving to places for shopping or entertainment. Throughout all of our trials in this past year we have incurred a large debt and need to work towards paying that back by reducing our spending and increasing our self earned income. I am looking at doing some handmade projects and selling on Etsy as well as possibly the Farmer's Market too. We are also considering what to do as a family to earn a living so that my husband isn't pushing his body so hard anymore and can improve his health. There are a few ideas on the table one of which is my becoming a Yoga Instructor especially for children, there is one course I am very interested in taking but it is a bit on the pricey end for us but would be an amazing opportunity for our whole family!

One of the other commitments I have made this year is to support handmade and if I can't make it myself to purchase it from someone who did make it and is using that income to support their family. I am having fun with this option and again looking to Etsy for purchasing items I cannot make. I am really enjoying this commitment as I love spending time creating things and it is such an outlet of stress relief for me. My Son on the other hand is not as happy with this idea as he really loves Thomas the Train and especially the Track Master ones at the moment so when I informed him that he wasn't getting any presents from his friends this year at his upcoming birthday party well he was less than impressed. We are going to be doing a book exchange party so each child will bring a book from home wrapped up and get to trade it for another book so everyone gets something new to read.

Those are just a few of things we are working on and as I discover new ideas, items or recipes I will share them on here in hopes of helping another family making some great changes too!