Just Broke My Hammer

Just thought I would share with you all some of my Purging Plan Progress. This isn't actually officially on this list, but it is helping me! The girls are off playing with their Nana today. That way I could get a good chunk of the basement done, mainly the toys! I am also having a little extra fun with some demolition and reorganization.

Can you see the progress?  No?  Haha...  Below is the shelf I moved from the storage room to the laundry room.  It's not like this now, but my sorting laundry baskets will line up in front of the bottom shelf.  Under that picture is where they used to be, now a empty white wall...Egress window spot??

The next two pictures are two sides of the former hidden toy closet, now where I'll put dress-up clothes, doll clothes, and Mega Bloks, this will be accessible to the girls once I clean up my mess.  Off to do some vacuuming!  Oh, can you spy the broken hammer.  I pulled off that board and all that is left is the support board across from the hammer head...I'll leave that for Kevin...my screw driver was bending!  Don't want to break that too.

Addendum:
According to Kevin this was a "piddly tack hammer" and you aren't supposed to pry boards off the wall with it.  He admits that possibly he would have tried it too, but just because he was being lazy (not his lack of education on the matter), and then he would think, "Oh, this is just for little nails."

Crockpot Chicken with Black Beans and Salsa

I found a similar recipe for baking in the oven.  It looked so easy, but then I decided to use the crockpot instead.  Just didn't want the oven going today.  Then, since it was so easy to mix up, I put together a second batch to have as a freezer meal.  

Crockpot Chicken with Black Beans and Salsa

2 chicken breasts

1 can black beans, drained

2 cups frozen corn

2 cups salsa

1 can chopped (mild) green chili peppers

2 tablespoons parsley

1 teaspoon coriander

shredded cheese (Mexican blend or cheddar)

Mix all ingredients, but the chicken.

 

 Cut up the chicken.  I did this for the freezer meal, but not for the batch I put in the crockpot.  I'll let you know if the one currently cooking works out alright.

Dump it all in a freezer bag...or...layer 1/2 bean mix, chicken, 1/2 bean mix in the crockpot and turn on for the afternoon.  Again, I will update when I know how my first batch turns out.

Kj asked for me to take a picture of this ring as well, and then proceeded to enter my photo above.  :)

To Nana:  Kj and I were talking of her upcoming overnight with you.  She asked if it would be 3 or 2 nights and I said 1 or 2 nights.  "Two then."  She also was asking if you were coming now, or when. 

Quesadillas with Cauliflower, Peas, and Spinach

Flatbreads stuffed with cauliflower, peas and spinach was the original recipe and I was going to make it gluten free, but I ran out of time.  Instead, I made the insides and used them inside tortillas with a little cheese to stick it all together, thus making them quesadillas.  The girls gobbled them up and Kevin asked for more. 

Insides:
1/2 head (3 cups) steamed cauliflower, mashed
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 teaspoon cumin * called for seeds
1 teaspoon ground coriander
* 1/2 teaspoon tumeric *...didn't have...next time
6 cups baby spinach, chopped
3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
salt * called for coarse

Heat oil in pan and add cumin.  Once the cumin is fragrant add coriander and tumeric.  Then stir in spinach until wilted.  Add peas, then cauliflower.  Salt to your liking. 

Get your griddle warmed up and make your quesadillas...  I put a little shredded cheese on bottom tortilla, added the veggie insides, then sprinkled a little more cheese on that and topped with a second tortilla.  We tried mozzarella and cheddar.  Then, we enjoyed it with salsa. 

Original recipe from:  Whole Living Magazine, number 68

Pictured:  multi-grain tortillas, but I enjoyed mine on corn tortillas

Roasted Sweet Potatoes (+Italian Seasoning)

Mmm...don't have a picture, but might make them again tomorrow, so we'll see...

1 sweet potato, cubed
2 tablespoons olive oil
about 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
garlic...as much as you desire

Mix last 3 ingredients, then drissle over and mix with sweet potatoes.  Place on foil or cookie sheet and bake in (toaster) oven at 450 degrees for 20 minutes. 


Italian Seasoning Recipe

2 tablespoons dried basil
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons dried rosemary
2 tablespoons dried marjoram
2 tablespoons dried cilantro
2 tablespoons dried thyme
2 tablespoons dried savory (thyme is a substitute)
2 tablespoons red pepper flakes

Making Gluten Free Affordable

Nope, I don't have all the answers on this one, but...  I have a few things to suggest...

1.  Look for sales on things that have no generic brand...and stock up.  Maybe you will have to go without that particular item for a bit.  (Thinking about snack crackers, pasta)

2.  You don't need to have the most expensive flour.  Yes, it may be nice at times to try something fancy, but...  This combination (Gluten Free Flour Mix) has worked for everything I've tried so far, along with Xantham Gum (initially expensive ~$10, but I've had mine for months because you use it a teaspoon at a time).

3.  Switch pasta-based meals to rice-based meals so you don't have to buy the special pasta.

4.  Corn tortillas are very inexpensive, and make excellent quesadillas.  Quesadillas are very good "vehicles" for veggies too.  My girls liked them with broccolli, peas, cauliflower, avocado...

5.  Tostadas are great for dipping in (traditional) salsa, and (nontraditional) peanut butter/nutella/agave nectar/sunflower seads (or any lesser combination...homemade jam works too).  The possibilities are endless...just think of what you would put on a bread sandwich and use your tostadas to have the same. 

...I will add more as I think of it...

D's Food Questions #1

Before I start, I was once told if an email is longer than a paragraph, you should blog it.  Well, some are too personal for that, and others maybe should be blogged, if others may benefit from that as well...right?!

I got a reference from a friend that I was good at finding food alternatives and figuring out food things...so, a friend emailed with her question:

Summary:  She is having difficulty with hard boiled eggs, oats, milk (allergy confirmed), some fresh fruits/veggies, peanut butter (migraines)...keeps cutting more things out of her diet, but needs to add to be able to continue breastfeeding

Some thoughts and questions:

Do you keep a food journal?  I was told to write down what I ate and also how I felt before, after, and in-between times.  This way when/if you do see an allergist or someone they can look at all that information too.  I read a book called the Body Ecology Diet and it shares a lot about how to combine foods to balance out your insides (pretty much).  It is very interesting and it is at the library.  Also, here is an article about beneficial bacteria.  It might have something to do with your stomach troubles.  You could try a probiotic, or kefir.

Eggs...is it all eggs, can you have them in things?  Have you tried other kinds/ways, such as yoke only, white only, scrambled, in baked goods, mayo...

Veggies...do cooked veggies give you troubles?  Can you eat salads?

Fruits...I have read that fruits are best eaten alone as they digest very quickly and can get blocked in your system by other foods causing discomfort, etc.  Meaning eat a snack of solely fruits...I sometimes do this...but not always...(from:  Body Ecology Diet book)...do they bother you in a smoothie?  A smoothie may be easier to digest as all the foods are pureed.

Milk...is it a milk allergy or lactose intolerance?  Have you tried Silk coconut milk (yum)?  It contains more calcium than 2% milk, less calories, but...  So, no butter then?

Nut Butter Alternatives...  Great Harvest Bread Store has various other nut butters and they will give you a sample if you would like.  The pepita seed nut butter is delicious.  You could ask for a sample and then head out for a bit to see if you have a reaction, if not, go and buy some!  :)  Also, hummus is good with crackers/bread/sandwiches.  Here are two recipes:  zippy/garlicy and sweet.  Homemade hummus is cheaper and you can even buy the dried beans, but... 

If you are wanting to add more protein, you can go to this previous post.

P.S.  Keep in mind:  I do not have any medical training in allergies/intolerances, I've just done a lot of reading.  If you think my information is incorrect, please comment on this post and I will make changes!

Hummus

The original recipe for this is from About.com (a middle east food).  All modified parts will be marked with an * (and on my recipe card, I didn't write down the original...).

1 - 16 oz can garbanzo beans * (drained, liquid saved)
2 tablespoons lemon juice *
1 1/2 tablespoons tahini
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
variation:  add a dash of cayenne pepper

Blend, adding reserved liquid as needed (about 2 tablespoons).

Lasts 3 days in the fridge, one month in the freezer (add olive oil if dry)

...my note: really good with Annie's whole wheat bunnies...if you aren't going gluten free that is.  :)

Yard Games with Swim Noodles

I found this idea in the Family Fun Magazine.  I need to purchase 2 large noodles to finish up this first project.  When I do this we can use it as a target, throwing balls through the hoops.

The two noodles below were purchased to finish the above project, not realizing that it required bigger noodles.  To make the ground hoops, you stick 2 small sticks or chopsticks in the ground and put the noodles over them.  The kids can then pass balls through them or crawl through them.  My girls got stuck trying to dig up the yard putting sticks in and pulling them out...  Hmm...  I had to tell them that job was for Mama. 

Sisters.  I'll end with this cute picture.  I was just realizing that their hair is the same length.  They were sitting together with a stick full of leaves, and pulling the leaves off of it.  I had already put the camera back in the house, and had to sneak back in to get it, just for this scene.

Remade Tank Top

Made from 2 previously used t-shirts...unfortunately I forgot to take a picture of the originals...

I was going to make a ruffle shirt like yesterday (only vertical).  I started by taking the sleeves off both shirts, then the finished neckline of the grey.  Thought about just using the grey shirt that way, but then got on a sewing roll, and found the too small blue shirt.  It was hard for me to decide to cut up the pretty print on it so cut up the side seams and then cut the sleeves off.  It lay nicely over the grey and just started tucking and sewing. 

Left a ring round the back to keep the neckline in tack.  Then made a little flower to add to the shirt, but wasn't sure it was my type of thing, so I stitched it onto a barrette, and tried it on L.  Kj also wanted me to take a picture of her basket, it happened to also be a good one of the flower barrette, so, here it is:

Reviews:
"Nice d'ess."  "Bib."  Comments from L (age 2).

Ruffle Shirt

I wasn't feeling the best this morning so spent it in bed, thankfully it was a holiday for Kevin!  Then in the afternoon, I stayed in my room and did a little sewing.  I found this idea on Pinterest from the Tea Rose Home, she has some very nice sewing tutorials.  I took two matching shirts (Kevin's and mine) and cut his up, don't worry he didn't mind, he hadn't been wearing the shirt for a while. 

I didn't take into account that the logo on the shirt was more than 7 inches wide.  Below I layed out the pieces.  Hmm...  Well, fortunately Kevin's shirt still had some spare material, and I made a couple longer ruffles.  

Here is the nearly finished product.  I had it on and Kevin looked at it and the tutorial picture, "She has ruffles all the way down.  Well, I hadn't added the last row, thinking it was fine as is.  I added another row and might even add a couple more tomorrow...We'll see.  L had an accident on the top half of Kevin's shirt, the part that wasn't cut up, so that will have to be washed before I do more cutting!