Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Big Breakfast Cookie--Individual Serving, Revised GF & CF Options!

This big breakfast cookie comes from Weight Watchers.  It's healthy and filling and who doesn't want cookies for breakfast!

I've edited this post to include gluten and dairy free options!





  • 1/3 cup oats, raw (1/3 cup gluten free oats, raw)
  • 1/4 cup powdered skim milk, not reconstituted (1/4 cup arrowroot starch)
  • 1/3 cup applesauce, unsweetened***
  • 1 Tbsp raisins
  • 2 pinches stevia powder
  • 1 Tbsp water (or enough to form a cookie dough that will spread out a bit when baking)
  • 1 Tbsp wheat flour (1 Tbsp gluten free flour mix)
  • 1 tsp-1 Tbsp of fat (I like nut butter or coconut oil)
  • 1 tsp baking powder (gluten free baking powder)




Preheat oven to 350.  Mix ingredients together and pour one big cookie (or a couple of smaller cookies) on to cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  Bake 12-15 minutes or until center is done.



***Variations: 
You can use any fruit or vegetable puree. 

Puree 2/3 cup strawberries or blueberries (warning blueberries will turn your cookie grayish-blue, but it taste good) or 1 small banana to make 1/3 cup of puree. 

Add 2 tsp of cocoa powder to make it chocolate.   Almond butter and banana puree is delicious for a chocolate cookie. 

Add 1 Tbsp chocolate chips (carob chips) or 1 Tbsp chopped nuts. 

Use 1/3 cup canned pumpkin in place of fruit puree + 1 tsp pumpkin spice.






aprilintheraw02




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Monday, March 28, 2011

Coconut Milk

Because of my son's food allergies, he can't have cow's milk and he can't have any sort of commercially produce non-dairy milk.  While I can give him other foods that are decent sources of calcium, it would be difficult to meet the daily requirement. 
I know of people who have opted for raw cow's milk.  From what I've read raw milk is often ok for those with dairy allergies.  Pasteurization kills off the probiotics and enzymes that help break down the proteins and make digestion easier.  The protein in dairy products is often the culprit that causes allergic reactions.
Raw milk is expensive and I feel a little funny about purchasing it knowing it is against the law.  You can skirt around the issue because of the "pet consumption only" label, but it still feels weird to me.  It's a personal choice.  I'm not judging anyone who does buy raw milk for their family, Scout's honor!




My solution came from Sally Fallon's Nourishing Traditions.  She has a recipe for Coconut Milk Tonic which is nutritious and meets the needs for good fat and calcium that come from dairy milk.

I make mine a little differently, but the principle and basic ingredients are the same.  If you decide that homemade coconut milk is a good choice for you, you might want to consider purchasing canned coconut milk by the case at Whole Foods.  I get 10% off this way and their 365 brand is already a great price at $1.49 per can.  The price per gallon works out to be a little more than $4.  Not bad considering organic cow's milk is over $5 per gallon.

3 cans full fat coconut milk
1/8 tsp of pure stevia powder
3 tsp Dolomite powder
1 Tbsp vanilla (optional)
water

Fill a gallon pitcher about 2/3 full with the hottest water your sink can provide (or heat it on the stove, but hot water from the tap is faster and uses less dishes).  Sprinkle Dolomite and stevia over water and stir until dissolved.  Add coconut milk and stir again.

That's it.  Not quite as simple as buying a carton at the store, but there's no extra ingredients either.

You might be wondering at this point what Dolomite is.  It's a powdered form of calcium that your body easily absorbs.  So now you are getting the calcium you need from your coconut milk too!  







aprilintheraw02

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Gluten Free Stuffed French Toast

photo credit

Disclaimer:  The yummy picture is not my french toast.  My camera is misbehaving but this is similar to how mine looked.

When I decided to make Strawberry Stuffed French Toast, I didn't really know how my family would react.  I know that they like french toast, but would they like it with a cream cheese type filling?  The answer is "yes!"  Everyone loved it and asked for seconds.

I made my stuffing with coconut kefir cheese because one of my children cannot have dairy.***   Cream cheese would work great too.

Gluten Free Stuffed French Toast

Ingredients
  • 8 pieces gluten free bread
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • pinch stevia powder
  • 3 oz cream cheese
  • maple syrup
Cooking Directions
  1. Whisk together eggs, milk, and stevia. In a separate bowl, blend cream cheese and strawberry puree. Spread 2 Tbsp of strawberry mixture on 4 slices of bread. Assemble sandwiches and dip in egg mixture. Brown each side on a griddle. Top with remaining strawberry mixture and drizzle with maple syrup.

***Some options would be to strain dairy free plain yogurt (Turtle Mtn makes a coconut yogurt that's dairy free) or make Cashew Cream Cheese.


Find recipes for fresh, "in season," ingredients at:





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Delectable Tuesday







Sunday, March 27, 2011

Menu Monday 3-28-11


I don't know if I have shared our news, but we are moving!  I am very excited to get into our new house and spread out!  We are going from a small ranch with 3 bedrooms to a two story 4 bedroom with a full basement!

As far as blogging goes, I might be in and out.  Packing boxes and moving will require lots of time and energy.   I need to get cracking on some serious bread baking for sandwiches.

Here's my menu for this week.  I hope everyone has a wonderful week!


Monday--
Breakfast:  Cinnamon Toast
Lunch:  Pb&j's, carrot sticks with Annie's Ranch Dressing (I got it on sale 1/2 price)
Dinner:  Dinner with my parents :)

Tuesday--
Breakfast:  Honey Muffins
Lunch:   Gluten Free Rice Pasta with "Cheese" Sauce (Edit:  This was a disaster.) , peas
Dinner:  Sesame Chicken Pot Stickers  (Edit:  Two disasters in one day.  Not a great day in the kitchen).

Wednesday--
Breakfast: Granola
Lunch:  Tuna melts, apple slices
Dinner:  Leftovers

Thursday--
Lunch:  Egg sandwiches, oranges
Dinner:  Ham & Cheese Wraps made with dosas from The Everything Beans Book


Friday--
Breakfast:  Cheese Toast
Lunch:  The little kids will be at my parents :)
Dinner:  Pizza

Saturday--
Breakfast:  Pancakes
Lunch:  Leftover Pizza, grapes
Dinner:  Sweet Potato Gnocchi, salad

Sunday--
Breakfast: Bacon & Eggs
Lunch:  Potato skins, carrot sticks
Dinner:  Leftovers



NOTE:  Those recipes in RED will hopefully be posted later.

If you haven't seen the before and after pics of my son's eczema, please see this post.  You won't believe how much it's improved.





aprilintheraw02

Lotion Bars: Incredible Before and After Pics

Before

After

I wanted to share with you my new etsy shop and a product that has been a life saver! 

After searching for almost a year for a product that actually works on one of my toddler's eczema, I have finally found the answer!  We went through lotion after lotion and cream after cream (some were even doctor recommended) and none of them did much good. 

Griffin had a scaly red, angry rash over most of his body and face, and I felt helpless.   I knew he was miserable and as a mom I felt it was my duty to keep trying even if I had little hope.  As a last ditch effort I tried this lotion bar.  I had no faith that it would work.  I was surprised and ecstatic when after one week of applying the lotion twice a day, Griffin's eczema improved by 90%.




He still has a couple of small, faded patches that are stubbornly hanging on, but the rest of his body and his face have completely cleared!  I can't say that this product will work for you or your loved one, but I can say that it worked for my son when nothing else did.

Nourished Skin Lotion Bars not only relieves the symptoms of eczema, but it also does wonders for dry skin in general.  Keep a bar by the kitchen sink to moisturize your hands after washing dishes or store one in the bathroom to use on your dry, cracked heels after a shower.  I tend to have dry skin everywhere so I use it all over.

When I started shopping for a bar, I noticed that they were a little on the pricey side.  I want my bars to be more affordable.  Get an oz more than most bars for less money. 

I have 2 styles to choose from, same great formula.  The square bars are just the bar and come wrapped in paper.  The round bars come in a cute little reusable tin.


Want to see for yourself?  Go to my etsy shop at NourishedSkin.etsy.com.






aprilintheraw02


 



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Friday, March 25, 2011

Lime Sorbet

Ok, ok, this is more of a summertime dessert, but here in Georgia we have had some warm days warranting a cool treat for sweaty, flush-faced kids (and moms too).  Although, I think a little frozen indulgence is enjoyable in the dead of winter.  :)




Lime Sorbet requires a little manual juicer unless you enjoy squeezing  limes by hand.  I don't have one of these nifty little gadgets so I worked on my grip strength and got juice all over my hands and the counter.  Originally I used 3/4 cups of lime juice.  I squeezed a whole bag of limes by the time I figured out how tart I wanted the sorbet.

2-1/2 cups water
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup lime juice
4 pinches of pure stevia powder
1 cup fresh spinach leaves (optional)

Dissolve honey in water in a medium size bowl.  Stir in lime juice and stevia.  If using spinach, pour mixture into food processor, add spinach, and process until smooth.  I like the addition of spinach because it adds a little nutrients and also makes the sorbet a nice green color.  You can't taste the spinach at all so it doesn't interfere with the flavor.

Pour into ice cube trays and freeze.  Once it is frozen, place back in food processor and process until smooth.





aprilintheraw02



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Thursday, March 24, 2011

Honey Muffins



I don't have a picture of the honey muffins I made this week. Why? Because my kids hoovered them like a vacuum.  As soon as they came out of the oven and cooled enough not to burn their mouths, they were gone. My kids were either extremely hungry or they really liked these muffins. I'm going to go with the latter.

This recipe is not my own, but Bruce Fife's from Cooking with Coconut Flour. Coconut flour baked goods can often be a little dry.  These muffins are soft and super moist and even rose nicely.

3 eggs
2 Tbsp butter, melted (I used coconut oil to make it dairy free)
2 Tbsp whole milk or coconut milk
3 Tbsp honey
1/4 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup of coconut flour, sifted
1/4 tsp of baking powder (to make this grain free use this grain free baking powder recipe)

Preheat oven to 400.  Mix well all the ingredients except coconut flour and baking powder.  Stir in coconut flour and baking powder.  You don't want any lumps.  Pour into well greased muffin tins and bake for 15 minutes for standard muffins and 10 for minis.  It makes about 6 regular muffins or 18 mini muffins.

I made mini muffins because my children tend to prefer them over the bigger size.


Wednesday, March 23, 2011

April In The Raw!



Brittany at Real Sustenance has put together a great event for April.  All month long, every day, a different blogger will share an original raw inspired recipe. ......AND Brittany is hosting a linky that will run through the month of April.  You are officially invited to join in at any time to share your great raw recipes!

Here is the schedule, so you can easily follow along.

I am diligently working on my new raw creation.  It's been fun to learn about the health benefits of raw foods and I've found some really creative recipes along the way!  I can't wait to see what the other participating bloggers and YOU come up with!  I know all the entries will be fabulous!

If you'd like to learn more about Raw Foods, Raw Food Life is a great resource.

Is a completely raw food diet for me and my family?  Ah, no, but from what I've learned from this experience so far,  I think my kids will be seeing more raw foods on the table.

Please join us in April all month long for April In The Raw!







Cinnamon Roll Muffins

A BIG EDIT:  My kids loved the gluten free cinnamon roll muffin flops I made (not Elana's Pantry's, but the ones I thought were not so great).  ?????  They ate them up and asked for more.  ?????  I'm shaking my head and shrugging my shoulders.  So, I thought I'd share an update. 

Please see the bits written in red, if you'd like to make my apparent fiasco/success.

Original Post 3/6/11:

Ugh.  I am in a big slump.  My recipes have bombed one after the other recently.  I really wanted to make these Cinnamon Roll Muffins work.  I adapted it (or tried to) from this super cute cupcake recipe.  Gluten free and dairy free, they were going to be adorable and healthy.

I have been on a quest for many months to find a gluten free cinnamon roll recipe that is similar to a regular wheat flour cinnamon roll.  Going through many gluten free blogs, I have discovered that there aren't any cinnamon rolls.  Looking back, I realize this should have been a clue that what I was trying to accomplish was no easy feat!




That said, my first attempt was not entirely my fault.  I found a recipe for a gluten free cinnamon roll on a forum.  Great!  Finally, I can make my cinnamon roll muffins!  They are basically cinnamon rolls that have been unrolled and re-rolled into muffin tins, so this should be a snap, right?

My first crack at the recipe stunk.  It was too mushy to roll out and roll back up.  It stuck to the floured mat I was working on.  I had to scrape it all up, and to save what was left, I put the dough in tins and baked them like muffins.  They came out really weird, like a strange pop-over, maybe?  Anyway, they were terrible.  To the garbage they went!

My next attempt I used the original recipe for Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes, but changed the bread flour to 4-1/2 of Amy's Flour Blend and I then added 1/2 cup tapioca starch to that.  I also used coconut oil in place of butter and subbed coconut milk for cow's milk.  Instead of white, granulated sugar, I used sucanat.

To make these 'cause my kids liked them:
Use the original cinnamon roll cupcake recipe, which is not gluten free, substituting 4-1/2 cups of gluten free baking mix plus 1/2 cup tapioca starch for the bread flour.  I used Amy's Basic Flour Blend.  To make it dairy free, use coconut oil in place of butter, and dairy free milk.





It was a half success.  The dough was not as mushy as #1, but it was still hard to roll up and stuck to the mat a good bit.  I did manage to get it back together, cut them, and put them in muffin tins, but I could not unroll them to make the cute spirals.  The muffins came out a little dry so I added icing.  It took care of the dryness, but just plain, they were so-so.

Don't roll them out on a mat.  Flour a piece of parchment paper and roll it up.  I think it still might be a bit of a challenge to roll up, but my kids think it's worth the trouble.

The third was the charm and sadly it was because I gave up and made Elana Pantry's Cinnamon Bun Muffins.  They are moist and delicious and I am a little miffed.




I'm not saying I'm giving up on creating a gluten free cinnamon roll that is soft and doughy like a "real" cinnamon roll, I'm just saying I'm frustrated and it's going on the back burner.

Meanwhile, check out my Gluten Free/Dairy Free Cinnamon Rolls.  They are more similar to those pecan rolls you get in the bread aisle of the grocery store, but they are still pretty good.

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Tuesday, March 22, 2011

And The Winners Are.......


......Amber D & 1955nurse!!!!  Yeah!  I will be contacting you soon to get your names and addresses so we can get your prizes to you!  Thanks to everyone who participated!


The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle is one of my favorite picture books.  When I was completing my practicum for my degree in Art Education, I did a unit on this book.  The Very Hungry Caterpillar captivated my kindergartners.  They loved making egg crate caterpillars and tissue paper collages to go along with the story.

Now that I have my own children, I get to revisit this fun book and share it with them.  Snuggled up together on the couch, we read the story and we talk about all the good food and not so great food, the caterpillar eats.

Alliance for a Healthier Generation and the American Academy of Pediatrics have teamed up with We Give Books to educate families about nutrition using The Very Hungry Caterpillar.  Combating childhood obesity is an important part of the Alliance's Eating Healthy, Growing Strong campaign.

Through this program over 17, 500 pediatrician offices in the United States will be given free copies of specially created The Very Hungry Caterpillar books.  Along with the books, they will also receive growth charts and handouts that encourage parents to talk with their pediatricians about healthy eating habits.  To learn more about the initiative and download your very own growth chart go to the websites of Healthy Children and Alliance for a Healthier Generation.


The Very Hungry Caterpillar website offers free downloads including The Very Hungry Caterpillar wallpaper and a screen saver for your computer.  You'll also find activity sheets for your child and a schedule of  The Very Hungry Caterpillar Costume Tour.


Learn about The Very Hungry Caterpillar and the creator, Eric Carle, in the artist's very own words.







Grab this cute little guy by copying and pasting the HTML code below:


<img style="visibility:hidden;width:0px;height:0px;" border=0 width=0 height=0 src="http://c.gigcount.com/wildfire/IMP/CXNID=2000002.0NXC/bT*xJmx*PTEyOTkxOTAwMzYyMDMmcHQ9MTI5OTE5MDA*MDU*NiZwPTExNTc5MDEmZD*mZz*yJm89OTJlY2UxYmU5MGI4NGQyNmFj/NTZjZWRiYjgxZmVmOWEmb2Y9MA==.gif" /><embed src='http://us.penguingroup.com/static/pages/features/hungrycaterpillar/downloads/VHC_2011_6.swf' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' flashvars='foo=bar' width='300' height='250' scale='showall' expanded_width='300' expanded_height'250'>




I am excited to host a giveaway for 2 The Very Hungry Caterpillar books!  2 winners means you have double the chances to win!

To enter please leave a separate comment for each.  I must have a way to get in contact with the winner.  If your email information is not on your profile or your website, please leave it on your comment.  If I can't get in touch with a winner within 3 days of the end of the giveaway, I will have to select another entry.


1-Follow me on GFC.
2-Follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway.
3-Visit Alliance For A Healthier Generation and leave a comment about something you learned.
4-Subscribe to The Nourishing Homemaker through email or reader.


Giveaway ends March 21, 2011.


Don't forget to visit my store for all your healthy cooking and baking needs!



Monday, March 21, 2011

Jelly Finger Snacks Without Artificial Ingredients

Strawberries are in season in Georgia and they are so flavorful and sweet (and cheap)!  I thought it would be fun to make jelly finger snacks for the kids.  Jello is the easiest way to make these, but they aren't very healthy.  They include artificial food coloring, sugar or artificial sweeteners, artificial flavors......  Are you seeing a trend?  Not exactly what I want going into my kids' little bodies.




Making jelly squares (jigglers) from plain gelatin is not much more involved than the boxed version.  It requires a couple more ingredients and that's it.  No artificial junk, just lots of fun!


2 Tbsps unflavored gelatin***
1-1/2 cups water
1/4 cup of honey
1/2 cup of strawberry puree
pinch of pure stevia powder

Bring water to a boil.  While your water is heating up puree your strawberries.  I used a hand blender.  Once water is boiling add gelatin and stir until completely dissolved.  Add the rest of the ingredients and pour into an 8X8 pan.  Refrigerate until firm.

I tried a couple of different shapes.  First I cut a few squares and then I got out my animal cookie cutters and made a few animals.

My toddlers could not get enough of them.  They kept coming back with empty bowls saying "More!  More!"  We are working on those "Please" and "Thank you's."  They haven't quite mastered the concept or at least they aren't really consistent about it.

And if you'd like a little more grown up version.  Try layering real whipped cream or dairy free Whipped Coconut Cream with jelly squares for a Jelly Sundae!




I have to say this recipe tastes much better than Jello.  Using fresh fruit instead of artificial flavors really makes a difference!

*** Gelatin Powder at iHerb.com.  Enter FAN770 in the coupon code when you checkout for $5 off your first order!



Please visit my STORE for all your health food grocery needs!What's Cooking Wednesday

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Delectable Tuesday                                                            Real Food Wednesday

Menu Monday 3-21-11

















Before I get into my menu for this week, I wanted to share with you my new etsy shop and a product that has been a life saver! 

After searching for almost a year for a product that actually works on one of my toddler's eczema, I have finally found the answer!  We went through lotion after lotion and cream after cream (some were even doctor recommended) and none of them did much good. 

Griffin had a scaly red, angry rash over most of his body and face, and I felt helpless.   As a last ditch effort I tried this lotion bar with the attitude that even though I thought it wouldn't work, I had to keep trying.  Within the first week of applying the lotion twice a day, Griffin's eczema had improved by 90%.

He still has a couple of small, faded patches that are stubbornly hanging on, but the rest of his body and his face have completely cleared!  I can't say that this product will work for you or your loved one, but I can say that it worked for my son when nothing else did.

Nourished Skin Lotion Bar not only relieves the symptoms of eczema, but it also does wonders for dry skin in general.  Keep a bar by the kitchen sink to moisturize your hands after washing dishes or store one in the bathroom to use on your dry, cracked heels after a shower.

If you'd like to try my lotion bar, please go to my etsy shop at NourishedSkin.etsy.com.

Monday--
Breakfast:  Coconut Waffles
Lunch:  Hot Dogs and Strawberries
Dinner: Gluten Free Irish Soda Bread With Bacon
Tuesday--
Breakfast:  Cinnamon Toast
Lunch:   Superman Bananas, apple slices
Dinner:  Gluten Free Southwest Rollups (OAMC), Salad


Wednesday--
Breakfast: Mini Coconut Muffins 
Lunch:  Crunchy Apples, carrot and celery sticks
Dinner:  Leftovers

Thursday--
Breakfast:  Coconut Cookies
Lunch:  Green Smoothies & boiled eggs
Dinner:  Chicken Rice-a-roni Substitute from The Everything Beans Book
Friday--
Breakfast:  Peanut Butter & Honey Toast
Lunch:  The little kids will be at my parents :)
Dinner:  Pizza

Saturday--
Breakfast:  Homemade Oatmeal Packets
Lunch:  Leftover Pizza, grapes
Dinner:  Leftovers

Sunday--
Breakfast: Bacon & Eggs
Lunch:  Pb&j's, oranges
Dinner:  Omelette in a Jar



NOTE:  Those recipes in RED will hopefully be posted later.






Don't forget to visit my store for all your healthy cooking and baking needs!