Healthy Breakfast, Warm Bellies, & Ditching the "White Stuff"

Ever in my quest for our family to eat healthier, (which goes completely against my spoiled Southern tastebuds which prefer everything deep fried and smothered with either cheese or chocolate), I have learned a thing or two in these last months.

First and foremost, I am only purchasing the freshest, "best" eggs I can find.  We've been on the "good eggs" for a year now. No cages, no hormones, no crazy stuff.  Eggs laid by happy chickens who get to run around and scratch and eat bugs and have a happy chicken life.  Yep.  Those are the eggs I want my kids to eat.  Same with the milk.  I want happy cows that get to romp around and play kiss and chase in the sunshine.... no hormones, no crazy stuff.  Just good fresh milk as God intended.  If I could find a farm nearby that sold milk and eggs, I'd be overjoyed. :)   But in the meantime, I am hitting the hippie stores.

Organic fruit.  Or at least fruit from the Clean 15 list if nothing else.  This week I bought bananas, pears and oranges.  I keep dried fruit such as cranberries, raisins, and prunes.  Sometimes I will splurge and get the dried cherries or blueberries.  I have my eye on our fig tree.  It is covered with little green figs and we are anxiously waiting for them to turn purple.  My daughters and I love eating them right off of the tree.

A big favorite around here is organic, steel cut oat groats.  We like it with fruit in it.  I am not above adding pecans, cinnamon, or anything else that sounds appealing at the moment.  I have heard some folks add a spoonful of peanut butter.  I LOVE peanut butter.  So I tried it.  YUCK.  No, I won't eat that again. ;)   Peanut butter is best on toast!  Yum, yum, yum, I love oat groats.  We eat them so often I am surprised we haven't began to whinny yet.  LOL   

Recently I bought Arrowhead Mills Organic Gluten free "Rice & Shine" brown rice cereal.  We tried it once.  Using only a bit of honey and some cinnamon.  Reminded me quite a lot of Cream of Wheat.  I was not impressed.  My stupid spoiled American taste buds cried for more flavor.  I have been doing some reading, and we will try it again with dried fruit and some agave nectar.  I am resisting the temptation to dump in good old brown sugar.  Which I know would be absolutely delicious.... but I am trying to get us away from eating so much of that stuff.

A big favorite for myself and the girls is granola or muesli with yogurt and fruit.  We like it so much we will gladly eat it for any meal.  Unfortunately though, we like the packaged, sweet yogurt that everyone eats.. not the 'real' yogurt.  I have tried the 'real' yogurt, and I found it to be thick and not sweet.  Fruit and honey help it a lot. 

I love tea.  English Breakfast tea.  Barry's Irish Tea.  PG Tips.  Typhoo.  Mmmmm!!  I only use American tea (Luzianne, Tetley, Lipton), bags for making iced tea.  When I have hot tea, I want the "good stuff".  :)  Europe makes not only better chocolate, but better tea too. I love how strong it is!  That being said, I unfortunately have English taste buds in that sense... milk and sugar please.  This is a difficult habit to break, and I am not sure I actually 'want' to break it!  I do buy herbal teas, and those are nice for my kids, and hot chocolate too.. especially on our few chilly days we have here.

 It's hard to break away from what we were raised on.  Pre-sweetened cereals, packaged pancake mixes with sugary fake syrup.  "Instant" oatmeal loaded with sugar.   Poptarts.   Everything so white.  So processed.  So full of sugar, fillers, preservatives, and garbage.  Fat, sugar, and salt.   For lunch we always had peanut butter and jelly, or bologna sandwiches, or a grilled cheese with canned tomato soup.  All washed down with Koolaid... full of red dye and sugar.   Our moms fed us what all the other moms fed their kids, and no one thought anything about it.  

I want to do things different.  Eating canned veggies... I want that to be "occasionally" and not "usually".  My kids love tabbouleh.  Hummus.  Bulgar.  Couscous.  Kale.  Seaweed.  Tofu.  Things that, when I was a kid.. I had no idea what those even were!  And neither did my parents.  But I read, read, ask, and read some more.  I worry about what they're eating, or not eating.  When they get colds, I ditch the cow milk and go with soymilk and up their raw unfiltered honey intake.  I know some people think I'm a wacko.  I don't care.  I want for us.. our family.. in all areas... just to de-sludge our bodies and minds.  To be as healthy (and happy) as possible as we grow in our faith.  You've heard that saying, "Garbage in, garbage out"?  And "You are what you eat."?   It absolutely does matter what we fill our hearts and minds and bodies with. :) 

Anyhoodles... Next on my list to weed out is "drum roll please" is the "white stuff".  Actually I am pretty sure I've said this before.. and probably more than once.  LOL  I have GOT to stop buying white flour, white sugar, white bread, white rice, white pasta, and white anything.  This garbage is KILLING us and I know it.  I do hereby publicly declare..(again).. I "ain't buyin'" no more "white stuff".  God give me strength to resist the temptation!

Lord, please be my guide in all things...

My Own Crockpot Recipes

These are all "tried and true" recipes that I make.  I will add more as I have time. :)

Crockpot Easy Beef Stroganoff  (crockpot)

2 lb. stew meat or round steak

2 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese

2 cans condensed cream of mushroom soup

Pepper

Noodles

Put stew meat in crock pot, coat with lots of black pepper. Cook for 2 hours on high, stirring occasionally. Add cream cheese and cream of mushroom soup. Reduce heat to low and cook for 4 hours or 2 hours on high. Add milk to reach proper consistency. Serve over cooked noodles or rice.

**************************************************

Chicken Chili  (crockpot)

Inspired by my sweet friend Angela!  She came to visit, and she likes chili, but not a beef eater.  So I made Chicken Chili. We were so surprised how good it was.  I hope you will enjoy it too.  Mmm we have added this to our list of favorites!

In the crockpot, add in two 28 oz cans of crushed tomatoes.

In a food grinder, grind up about 2 lbs of chicken meat.  We used half chicken breasts and half thighs.  All boneless and skinless.  Brown the chicken meat in a large frying pan (I used my cast iron) in a little oil until fully cooked.  Add it to the crock pot, along with a chopped onion, minced garlic, two cans of dark red kidney beans, one can of whole kernal corn; drained, and a 14 oz can of diced tomatoes.  Add chili seasoning to taste, and corn masa (that you make homemade tortillas with) to thicken.  Sorry I don't know the measurements of either... I just put in what looks right.  It's easy to add a little more and adjust it later.  I shake in a little blessed salt and stir it all up.  Put on HIGH, and go to church. :)    

When you come in from mass, your chili is hot and bubbling and waiting on you.  Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.  Yummy topped with grated cheddar cheese, or crackers, or corn bread.  :)

*****************************************************

Italian Beef  (crockpot)

This recipe was given to me by my friend Amber. (Thanks Amber!) This is so easy!  

Just buy a cheap pot roast, Throw it in the crock with 2 bullion cubes (I used the beef granules) and several pepperocini peppers (I use about 7) and about 1/3 cup of the pepper juice and one cup of water (this is NOT HOT OR SPICY). I also chopped up an onion and added some minced garlic. Cook on LOW for at LEAST 8 hours (I cooked it 11 hours because I went out, but it was just fine)  until it shreds into strings easily.  Taste it, and you can always add a little more of the peppers if you want, or, like me, I added a little more of the beef granules.  My friend says you can add anything to this. Maybe some au jus. Also good on mashed potatoes, noodles, rice.   It's one of those recipes you can add anything to - mushrooms, tomatoes, green veggies. Leftovers make great beef soup. I boiled some red potatoes "whole" and we're going to eat some of the beef over potatoes for dinner.  We were starving when we came in from church, and we spooned some into a hamburger buns and had it for lunch.  Made the bun mushy, but it sure tasted good. :)  I'm sure hard rolls or crusty bread of some sort would have been better.  Don't be turned off by the peppers.  I am a coward with spicy stuff and I love it.  :)  My friend's little granddaughter loves it, and so do my kids! :) Enjoy!!

*************************

Spaghetti Sauce (crockpot)

Talk about the height of laziness.. LOL Now y'all can see how bad I really am! :)  You can make this and serve over pasta, or, if you're watching your carbs, spoon it over cooked spaghetti squash.  It's absolutely dellish!!

Night before: Dump 1 lb (or more) of ground chuck, 1 whole chopped uponion, & a teaspoon or so of garlic, & put into a huge microwave-safe bowl, & nuke it in the microwave for about 5 minutes or so. Take out, chop it up, stir, see if it needs to cook anymore. If its still pink, pop in for a few minutes. Once it's all done, drain off all the grease.  (I have been known to put mine in the colander and RINSE it to get all the grease out.)  Set the bowl of cooked meat in the fridge, & go to bed.  If you want it meatless, skip that step.  You can use vegetarian meatballs or TVP instead. :)  Or.. just go with the sauce itself and add more veggies.  

Next morning, whip out your handy dandy crockpot. (our secret weapon!) Dump in the bowl of meat & onion. Add TWO, 28-oz cans of crushed tomatoes (I use organic only) & a good shake of Italian seasoning. Add mushrooms (the darker, the better),or black olives or even broccoli or zucchini if you feel froggy. Put on the lid, & go your merry way.  Cook on low for at least 8 hours.  

That evening, cook your spaghetti noodles & ladle on the sauce. Nummy.

Now then... WHY I used crushed tomatoes instead of prepared spaghetti sauce? Easy. Prepared spaghetti sauce is full of sugar & filler, and Heaven only knows what else. This is healthier & Tastier. :)  I call this my "Earth Mother" spaghetti sauce. 

Bon appetit!

**********************************

Crockpot Lentil Soup (Vegetarian)

1  1 lb sack of lentils, washed and drained and carefully picked over

1 large onion, minced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 vegetarian bouillon cube

2 or 3 carrots, scraped and sliced

2 stalks of celery thinly sliced (optional)

1 can of diced OR stewed tomatoes

1 tsp of basil

1 bay leaf

4 cups of water

salt and pepper to taste

Put everything in your crock pot and cook on high for about 6 hours.  Taste it, and adjust seasoning. :)  After it's cooked, make sure you pick out the bay leaf! :)

************************

 Crockpot Baked Potatoes:

I got this from my friend Karen's list.  Thank you Karen!  

"Here's an "easy" way to make baked potatoes without using the oven.  Put 1/4 cup of water in a crockpot and put in as many potatoes as you like (scrubbed of course)...no poking necessary btw.  Put it on low and let it cook all day, and at dinner time you have a crock full of the lovely goodies!"

**********************************************

White Bean Soup (meatless)

1 sack (16 oz) of White Northern Beans (you can use any bean I guess, this is just our favorite)

Soak overnight and pick over. Rinse and dump into your crockpot the next morning.  Cover with water... about 2 inches over the beans.   Add 2 bay leaves, 2 bouillon packets of your choice, a large chopped onion, minced garlic to taste, and about 2 or 3 carrots scraped and sliced, (I use about 15 baby carrots cut into thirds)   You can probably cook on low for 8 hours, but I've never tried that.  I cook mine on high, and if I turn it on first thing in the morning, it's done by lunchtime.   For the bouillon, I've used veggie bouillon put out by Knorr, but our favorite is to use 2 of the small packets of Goya Ham Seasoning.  You can get a small box of it at Food Lion, and it has (I think) 6 packets in the little box.   It adds a nice ham taste but is still within Church definition of "meatless".  :)   If you make a double batch, you can have it again the next day with diced smoked ham or cooked sliced sausage added. :)    Added note:  Some folks add a can of diced tomatoes to their soup.  I never have.  

Enjoy!

***********************************************

+JMJ+

Susan

Mothers Day & Musings....

Mothers Day was quiet this year... just me, hubby, and my girls.  I talked to my mom for a long time on the phone, and I pretty well just spent the day enjoying my family.

Last week was interesting.  On Saturday my younger daughter, Robyn, passed her first karate test, and earned her yellow stripe.   Yellow belt will come next.   We are proud of her.  Not bad for a child who wasn't supposed to be able to "do" things that a "normal" kid can do. :)   Haha... my Robyn fooled them all.  She is the best example I know of, that doctors don't know everything!

Uncle Lonnie died this past week.  He died Monday, and the viewing was Wednesday and the funeral was Thursday.  He lived to be 87.   It was great to see my cousins, but wish it had been under better circumstances.  Of course, we all wept... Uncle Lonnie was a sweetheart and we all loved him.  As I told my cousins... I'm not sad for Uncle Lonnie.. I'm sad for all of us!  He went HOME!!  And what a homecoming!!   Waiting for him was the love of his live, Aunt Val who passed away five years ago, and their little baby boy Randy they lost years ago as a newborn.  And my wonderful Grandpop, who was his brother in law, but more like a BROTHER.  Uncle Lonnie had missed my Grandpop and his Valerie for so long..  and of course it goes without saying, he got to be home in Heaven.  Uncle Lonnie loved Jesus.  :)  It makes me smile to think of how happy he was to come home to Jesus and his family he'd been missing, and now they're reunited and happy together in Heaven!  God is Merciful!  It's good to know we'll see him again one day. :)

Also, this past week, on our dietary changes.. we discovered a new kind of evil.  Castoreum .  The FDA approved this disgusting stuff as a food additive, and is usually  referenced simply as a "natural flavoring" in the product's list of ingredients. It is commonly used in both food and beverages, especially as vanilla and raspberry flavoring.   So what's so bad about castoreum?   It's Beaver Anal Gland.  No, I'm not kidding.  How DISGUSTING is THAT?!?!?   Yesterday, for Mothers Day, Mark went to Publix to get us something special for dessert.  We all love ice cream.  He looked over at Blue Bunny, which we've eaten for years.  He looked at the ingredients, and Jesus help us, it said "castoreum" listed as an ingredient.   He could not throw that back into the freezer fast enough.   He ended up getting us Gelato.  Which, I may say, was absolutely divine!! :)   He didn't get organic, but at least there was no beaver anal gland in it!  YUCK!!  The gelato had exactly five ingredients.. and I felt a lot better knowing we were having a dessert that was anal free.  LOL

So now, it's Monday.  Getting back on track.  Time to get out the Math-U-See and the Seton workbooks and get Robyn back on her lessons.  She is reading a lot, and we've been hitting the library weekly.  She is currently reading anything by Ben Baglio that she can get her hands on.  With titles such as "Colt in a Cave" and "Mustang in the Mist", and "Pony in a Package", it's a little girl with a horse-loving heart's dream come true.  LOL     She's reading.  So I'm happy. :)

Saturday, (while Robyn was at karate, testing), Amy, (who is a black belt and is usually at the karate school way more than Robyn is), was at an anime "con".  It was at the Embassy Suites, and apparently about 200 anime fans attended.  Not bad for a "small" "con".  :)   She went with five other teens from the anime club she is in, and the kids all had a really good time.  For the most part it was clean fun, and Amy and her friends stayed away from the "raunchy" folks.  As Amy told me, "we have better sense than that!"  :)    I have to say that though I don't "get" anime, I do "get" getting "into" things, and since she avoids the raunchy anime and mostly it's parents and kids together, I can surely think of worse things for her to get into.  

I remember a while back, someone was giving me a little grief about her being "into" anime.  Said it was "bad".   But "Twilight" is "okay".  Oh What.Ev.Er!!  What the Sam Hill is the difference?  None!  Amy, (and I too), think that the Twilight movies are reeeeeaally stupid.  I admit I LOVED the books, but the first two movies I saw were ultra-cheesy.  Though, admittedly I looove Jasper's hair.  Lovely.  :)  Plus, it was worth the $8.50 to watch Jacob run around shirtless.  Hoo-boy!  LOL   Later, I found out the actor who plays Jacob was only 17.  What the heck?!   I can assure you, that boys did NOT look like that when I was in high school (in the late 14th century).    At any rate.. I digress...  I fail to see why teen aged vampires are somehow less "weird" than some cartoons.  Silliness.   To each their own I guess.  We don't "do" Harry Potter, and I know some very devout Catholic families who "do".  I guess that's why we're all different.  :)   The world would be pretty darn boring if we were all the same. :)