Menu Plan for (three days of) the Week
By · May 12, 2013 · CommentsMy family is spoiling me again this Mother’s Day. I just finished a delicious lunch (made by everyone but me), and now I am listening to Matt and the boys clean the kitchen. I think I may go take a nap.
No, the boys didn’t get up at the crack of dawn to bake fresh rolls.
I happened to have some in the freezer,
so all the boys had to do was get them out to thaw before church. :)
Here are the flowers I received at church today. Each boy (including Matt) got to pick one flower to give me. I am amazed that somehow they coordinated and all picked a different color to bring to me.
Our family has some exciting days ahead of us this week and next. We take off Wednesday for a week long trip. Therefore, the menu plan? There’s no need for one.
I will share with you what the first few days of our week look like before we leave, but I’ll warn you, it is not exciting in the least:
Sunday, May 12 – Happy Mother’s Day to me in which I am not allowed to cook all day!
Scrambled eggs, fruit
Grilled BBQ Chicken, cream cheese corn, tossed salad, butterhorns
Pizza
Monday and Tuesday
Leftovers, clean out the fridge, scramble more eggs, make some smoothies, finish cleaning out the fridge
Wednesday
Pack sandwiches for the road, plus lots of fruit and water bottles
If you want some real (and helpful) menu ideas, please check out this link which is always available to you: My menu plan archives.
I’ll share more about our upcoming trip on Gratituesday, because without a doubt, this trip is one that we have looked forward to for quite some time and we are so thankful it is finally here!!!
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Saving Money Online ~ Healthy Deals {With Some Great Free Downloads!}
By · May 10, 2013 · Comments~ Deb from Diva Entertains emailed to share this fun link with free canning jar labels. So many great choices! While I was over at the Diva Entertains site, I saw that they have some great, free last minute Mother’s Day printables listed. We love free, right!?
~ Speaking of free, did you know that we have a free eBook here on our site? Grab a copy of Healthy Marriage Tips from A to Z. And check out our Heavenly Homemakers Shop, where you’ll find two more free eBooks!
~ If you’re into coconut flour – I just found a great deal on a 25 found bag! (Share it with friends if you don’t think you’ll use this much.) Get a 25 pound bag of Nutiva Coconut Flour for just $55.77 with free shipping. That’s just $2.23 per pound! I’m not sure I’ve ever found coconut flour for that great of a price. See the teeny-tiny picture below? That’s the best I could find – but trust me. Twenty-five pounds of coconut flour will be bigger than that…in case you were wondering.
~ Hopefully you’ve found a source for local raw honey. If not, this YS Organic Honeybee Farms raw honey is a great option. Amazon has it for $15.66 per 32 ounce jar. Not bad for this quality of honey.
~
Food from Venezuela, Denmark, Belgium, and Djibouti (sort of)
By · May 09, 2013 · CommentsWe’ve done some international traveling this week. In the kitchen. And online. Ahhh the blessing of experiencing a taste of four different countries, right from the comfort of our own home.
Each of our boys chose a different country to study and write a report on last week. We’re wrapping up our official school year this week. This was kind of our final “big project.” Yay!
One of their assignments was to make a recipe from their selected country. I mentioned this to you on my menu plan post earlier in the week. When I suggested that you all send us your Djibouti recipes, I had no idea that so many of you actually would! Ask and you shall receive. You all are da’ best. :)
And now I have to sheepishly admit to you that between finding and making all these recipes, finishing all of our school assignments, and preparing to go on a big trip next week (can’t wait to tell you about it!) – we still haven’t tried any of the Djibouti recipes. We’re leaning toward this one though, because it sounds like our family will really like it! In the meantime, Elias (age 11) took the advice of several of you and made milkshakes, naming them “Shake Djibouti.” You’ve gotta love it.
Asa made Belgian Waffles. After looking at recipes online, knowing we would adapt it anyway to use healthier grains and oils – we pretty much just used our regular waffle recipe in a Belgian waffle iron. They were sooooo yummy! Especially topped with fresh strawberries and whipped cream.
Malachi made Danish Cinnamon Snails. We adapted the recipe (surprise, surprise) to use whole grains and sucanat and we loved how these turned out!
Last but not least, Justus and I made Venezuelan Tequenos. Sort of. I mean, I really don’t know how to convert kg and ml to cups and tablespoons. Not even a little bit. And searching online didn’t help. So, we just guessed at it and made a dough of sorts, wrapped it around some cheese, and fried it. They turned out tasty…but ugly. It’s okay. They got eaten in about five minutes.
It is now obvious to me that after eating all of these rich foods this week, it is time to Shake Djibouti.
I’m talking about exercising. Not eating ice cream. Just to be clear.
Wai Lana Healthy Snacks Review and Giveaway
By · May 09, 2013 · CommentsDisclosure: Wai Lana is a paid advertiser this month, plus I received some of their products for free to sample so that I could write this post. My kids love it when we get boxes like this – especially when the snacks taste as good as these do. Read my full disclosure policy here.
Are you interested in a snack that you can take on the go that is also: gluten free, dairy free, contains no hydrogenated oils, no soy, no artificial additives, no GMOs, and no added sugar?
Wai Lana is providing just that! But hold on. Are you wondering if these snacks actually taste good? I mean, with all of that “stuff” taken out, what is left in these to give them flavor? Are these one of those “health food” snacks that taste like cardboard?
I’m happy to share that our family had fun sampling a whole box full of their goodies, from Lime Chili Cassava Chips to Barbecue Cassava Chips. Plus, we got to try their fruit and nut bars – yum! These snacks are packed with flavor, and have that great crunch that we all like in snack foods. I love that I can give these snacks to my family without being concerned that I’m compromising.
Where can you find Wai Lana products? Well, you can get them online – which is always a favorite option of mine since I live in a small town without many shopping choices. But you can also find them at Whole Foods, Target, Safeway, and TJ Maxx. How awesome and convenient is that?!
I love making homemade healthy snacks for my family. But for traveling and heading out to soccer games, I have really come to appreciate healthy options like these Wai Lana foods. These are perfect to take on the go, and as a busy mom running my (hungry) kids to games - I am so thankful these are available to help me out!
Interested in winning a great package of Wai Lana snacks to try out? Today, they are giving one winner the following box of goodies:
Cassava Chips (2 bags of Herb & Garlic; 2 bags of BBQ; 2 bags of Sea Salt & Vinegar; 2 bags of Thai Curry Lime; 2 bags of Lime Chili)
Wai Lana Bars ( 3 each of Apricot Cashew, Tropical Macadamia, Autumn Apple, and Cherry Pomegranate)
This package is worth $65.78! For a chance to win, leave a comment on this post. I’ll draw one random winner on Wednesday, May 15. Be watching for a post stating the winner as you will be responsible for contacting me if your name is chosen!
Peanut Butter Chocolate Granola
By · May 08, 2013 · Comments
I’m guessing that many of the greatest recipe ”inventions” have happened by accident. Asa (our 15 year old) really didn’t mean to create this wonderful Peanut Butter Chocolate Granola. His real intent was to make No-Bake Cookies for a mission trip fund-raising meal last Sunday. But somehow the liquid ingredients got slightly overcooked, the oats made the mixture way too dry, and no way no how was a cookie going to be formed once it was all said and done. I told him to press his mixture into a 9×13 inch pan and that we’d try cutting them into bars later. While that was a brilliant idea, it didn’t work any better than forming the mixture into cookies. We ended up with peanut butter chocolate oat crumbles instead. Peanut butter chocolate oat crumbles that tasted really, really good. :)
And so – we all just grabbed a bowl and a spoon and had at it. (While planning a different dessert to take to the fund-raising meal.)
I’m calling this “granola” because that’s what it looks and feels like. But I do have a hard time calling this a healthy breakfast or snack. While it is made with real food ingredients, it is still more dessert-like, for sure. In an effort to make this a little less sugary, and a bit more diverse for “stir-in” options, I’ve tweaked the ingredients from the original cookie recipe Asa used. I’m pretty sure it will still taste awesome with less sugar than originally called for in the cookie recipe!
By the way – depending on how you make this, it can be completely dairy free if you wish. :)
Peanut Butter Chocolate Granola
1/2 cup butter or coconut oil
1/2 cup milk or coconut milk
1/2 cup natural peanut butter (we use homemade peanut butter)
1 cup sucanat or 1/2 cup honey
4 Tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup coconut flakes (optional)
Put butter, milk, peanut butter, sucanat, and cocoa into a medium sized saucepan. Cook over medium heat until butter is melted and mixture is smooth. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Allow the mixture to boil for one minute. Remove from heat. Add vanila, oats, and coconut flakes. If the mixture is too liquidy add a few more oats or coconut flakes until you reach desired consistency.
Or shucks. If you “mess up” this recipe and the mixture turns out to be nice and smooth instead of crumbly – go ahead and spoon it onto wax paper and make No-Bake Cookies. ;)
Easy Cream Cheese Fruit Dip
By · May 07, 2013 · Comments
I’ve probably already written this sentence a time or three, but here it is again: Cream cheese makes everything better!
Or was I talking about butter when I said that? Actually, maybe it was cream? Well, the same is true for cream cheese, butter, and cream. (Although I will draw the line at adding any of the above to my lettuce salad.)
This recipe includes both cream and cream cheese. And homemade vanilla. (Or store bought vanilla, but homemade is so YUM.) And then there is just a bit of maple syrup to make it sweet. Last but not least – you’ll add a shot of lemon or lime juice. Here are the specifics:
Easy Fruit Dip
1/2 cup cream (heavy whipping cream)
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 Tablespoons real maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons lemon or lime juice (fresh or bottled)
Whip the cream until it forms stiff peaks. In a separate bowl, cream together the cream cheese, maple syrup, vanilla, and lemon or lime juice. Fold cream cheese mixture into the whipped cream. Chill until ready to serve, or serve right away.
Tastes great with strawberries, grapes, and apples. Makes about two cups of dip.
Have to eat dairy free? This wasn’t a winner of a post for you then, was it?! I’ll try to make it up to you next time. :) Everyone else – multiple choice question:
Everything is better with:
a) butter
b) cream cheese
c) cream
d) all of the above
I’d love to hear your opinion on this one!
Gratituesday: An Upcoming Date and an Unexpected Gift
By · May 06, 2013 · Comments
Last week, my husband asked me out. I said yes. :)
Many recommend that you date your spouse once a week, or at the very least, once a month. Matt and I have never felt that we needed to make “going out” on dates a high priority. However, what we have made a priority is spending time together often and making plenty of time for meaningful conversation. We’ve never felt that we needed to spend money on restaurants, movies, and babysitters to keep our marriage healthy. But really…the occasional date that involves going out and spending a little money? Well, that’s pretty fun every once in a while. :)
Our kids are old enough to stay on their own and fix their own meal, so Matt and I decided that the two of us would go out for lunch this week at one of our favorite local restaurants, Chances R.
I’ve been excited since making these plans, and we looked at the schedule to pick a day this week to make it happen. That alone was going to be my Gratituesday post, but guess what else??!!
Sunday at church, we were handed a “thank you” card for a ministry we’ve served in for the past two years. On the way home, I opened the card and told Matt, “Ha! Look what we just got?”
Inside the envelope was a gift certificate to Chances R. How about that? I believe I can now splurge by getting a dessert with my meal. What do you think?
Isn’t it neat the fun ways God gives gifts and bonuses to His children?!
Share how God is working in your life on your blog, then come link up with us here. If you don’t have a blog, be sure to leave a comment letting us know what you’re grateful for! Please read through the Gratituesday Guidelines so that you understand what kinds of posts you can link up to share here. Posts that are linked but do not fit our Gratituesday theme will be deleted.
If you are linking up a blog post for Gratituesday, please copy and paste the following sentence into your post! Thanks!
Join us for Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers!
What You Want for Mother’s Day
By · May 06, 2013 · CommentsActually, I don’t really know exactly what you want for Mother’s Day. Likely, we all just want to be treated with love, take some time for a little relaxation, and be able to spend time with our families.
I’m just going to make some gift suggestions based off of what I like, what we often talk about here on my blog, and what I’ve found for a good price recently. Feel free to email this post to anyone who might need a few helpful hints this week. :)
~ Get this awesome 14-piece Pyrex set for just $18.00 with free shipping at Amazon. This set is awesome for storing leftovers, or serving dips and fruit salads. All the different sizes give you many options, and the lids make using these dishes so easy. Love this set!
~ Have you been wanting to make Homemade Vanilla Extract? Olive Nation has their Vanilla Beans on sale 15% off this week! Use the code VAN15 at checkout for the discount. Best smelling Mother’s Day gift ever!
~ Love this pretty one-gallon jar! It’s just $12.99 with free shipping at Amazon. Wouldn’t your homemade baked goods look nice displayed in this? Of course, it would then soon be empty again…
Breakfast Pizza {Real Food Dollar Menu}
By · May 05, 2013 · Comments
Our boys discovered that you can use my Whole Wheat Pizza Crust to make an awesome Breakfast Pizza. They also discovered that if you work ahead in your math book, you will finish ahead of schedule. On the contrary, if you avoid doing math some days, you will have to do double the lessons on the days you’d really rather go outside and play with your brothers on the trampoline.
But back to the pizza.
Make it just like you would a regular homemade pizza, using this crust recipe. Top it with salsa, scrambled eggs, cheese, and any other toppings of choice - like veggies and meat. Homemade Turkey Sausage is great on this pizza!
Bake it as directed. Serve with fruit.
Without adding meat, I found that it cost about $4.52 to make this meal, which filled my family of six. That’s about 75¢ per person, for a meal that actually sticks with them for several hours!
Easy, delicious, filling, versatile, inexpensive, and healthy. What more could you want? (Except maybe to be finished with math lessons for the year.)
*I calculated my cost based on the food sources and prices I have available to me. Most of the ingredients I use are organic. Your cost may be slightly more or less depending on where you find your ingredients.
Looking for more meals on our Real Food Dollar Menu? Here are the recipes I’ve shared so far:
- Hearty Chili
- Spanish Rice
- Pasta Alfredo
- Crock Pot Barbecue Chicken
- Crock Pot Beef Stew
- Easy Chicken Pot Pie
- Chili Mac
Stay tuned for many more recipes and ideas for our Real Food Dollar Menu!
Menu Plan for the Week {Which Includes Some Foreign Foods}
By · May 05, 2013 · Comments
We have a few strawberries left from my shopping trip last week, so I think I need to make some Strawberry Shortcake. What do you think?! :)
A couple of weeks ago, we were blessed to go to a Geography Fair on our local Christian college campus. There, our boys got to “experience” and learn about many other countries in the world. It was a lot of fun, and inspired me to have our boys create a little geography fair of our own. :)
They were each in charge of choosing and researching any country in the world last week. They wrote information about it, created a flag of their country, and looked at the foods found in those countries. This week, they are each making one dish that represents their country. We’ve worked them into our menu plan this week!
Sunday, May 5
Baked oatmeal cups, kiwi
Nacho bar fundraiser for mission trip kids at church
Huddle at our friends’ house
Monday, May 6
Belgian Waffles (made by Asa, who studied Belgium last week)
Chicken patty sandwiches, fruit salad
Alfredo sauce with pasta, steamed broccoli and carrots, tossed salad
Tuesday, May 7
Homemade poptarts, oranges
Tacos
Something Venezuelan – made by Justus (update to come)
Wednesday, May 8
Danish cinnamon snails (made by Malachi, who is studying Denmark)
Chicken burritos, sweet peppers, pears
Lasagna casserole, fried zucchini, tossed salad
Thursday, May 9
Honey cinnamon muffins, strawberries and cream
Recipe from Djibouti – if in fact Elias and I can find one that will work!
Black bean salsa, organic chips, fresh pineapple, orange slices
Friday, May 10
Fried eggs, hashbrowns, turkey sausage, clementines
Cheesy beef and rice, green beans, sweet peppers
Homemade pizza, baby carrots, apple slices
Saturday, May 11
Scrambled egg sandwiches, fruit
Leftovers
Teriyaki chicken and veggies (broccoli, carrots, zucchini, peppers)
If you happen to have any wonderful Djibouti recipes hanging out in your kitchen – please share!! Elias wasn’t kidding when he said they were hard to find. :)
