Whole Wheat Waffles & Summer Time Fun!

Good morning! 

Summer has been keeping me so busy, and it seems like I hardly have to post updates. I do post to the Facebook wall, though, and the plug-in on the side seems to be a little outdated. So, be sure to click on it anyways just to check.  

https://www.facebook.com/WaterLemonKale

I'm on here now, so let's get to it! 

We have been busy little bees lately! Here are some pics from a recent trip to the river. On this trip, the kids got to see crayfish (or craw dads) & a baby water snake. 

I had never been to this particular park before, so I was uncertain if there was a parking area down below by the river.  You see, we were WAY up top, and this river was WAY down low.  There was a sign, however, that said "Dead End 750 ft".  So, I parked up top.  Sure enough, there was a parking area down below...stupid sign.  This would also explain why the Parks & Rec guy looked at me like I was insane when I started walking my 4 children down that hill.  I would like to propose a signage change..."Parking Area in 750 ft" seems like a good option.

I would like share with you one of my family's favorite recipes...Whole Wheat Waffles.  These are quick and easy, and very versatile.  I use a Belgian waffle maker, one that flips to evenly distribute the batter.  I am in love with it...and the best part?  I got it for $10 on Black Friday, a few years ago!  Ten bucks!  

I do things just a bit differently for this recipe, though, than the original.  I'm sure you've noticed that I do that a lot.  Recipes, for me, often serve as inspiration, motivation, and guidelines.  I rarely follow it to the letter.  ;)  Well, in this one, I use about 3/4 cup plain organic yogurt in place of 3/4 c of the milk.  Why?  I think it makes my waffles crispier on the outside, but it has more to do with economic reasons.  See, I can get plain organic yogurt in my general area, but I can't get my milk without making at least a 40 minute drive.  I often use yogurt in the place of milk or buttermilk.  Here, the waffles are topped with butter, organic banana slices, and pure maple syrup...YUM!

Here is the recipe, from Lisa over at 100 Days of Real Food.

 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 large eggs
• 1 ¾ cups milk (I have used everything from skim milk to thick buttermilk…so whatever you have on hand should work)
• ¼ cup oil (I used coconut oil)
• 1 tablespoon honey
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 ½ cups whole-wheat flour (I used King Arthur’s organic white whole-wheat flour)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• Warmed 100% pure maple syrup for serving
• Fresh fruit for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat your waffle iron.
2. In a large mixing bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, oil, honey, cinnamon, and baking soda until well combined.
3. Add in the flour, baking powder, and salt and whisk together just until the large lumps disappear.
4. When the waffle iron is hot, dab it with a little butter and then ladle some batter onto the center of the iron. Follow the instructions that came with your waffle maker to know how long it should be cooked (mine takes about 3 – 4 minutes each).
5. Keep waffles warm until you finish cooking all of them. Top with pure maple syrup and fruit. Enjoy!

I really hope you enjoy these waffles...my kids ask for them all the time!  I have even made these banana waffles by mashing a couple of bananas into the batter.  When I do that, I leave out the honey.

I will leave you with this image, from a silly kid that I know!

Have a great day!

Strawberry Picking on the Farm

Good Morning!

The kids have only been out of school for 2 weeks, but it seems like summer is flying by.  I feel like I need to grab hold of every moment that I can, and with a rare rainless Saturday, we did just that! 

Strawberry picking on the farm...  :)

I had been waiting patiently (ok...not so much) for our local berries to ripen, and the PYO (pick your own) fields finally opened on Saturday morning.  Fields typically open early, and picking will go until a certain time, or picked out.  Picked out?  On the first day?  It's been known to happen!  So, you get up bright and early & make your family a hearty breakfast (so they don't eat more berries than they pick...we had organic eggs, fresh fruit, & homemade whole wheat waffles), find some clothes and shoes that you don't mind messing up (especially if it has rained recently), slap on some sunscreen and maybe a hat, and hit the road.  You may or may not want to bring your own buckets or baskets.  Some places require this, and others charge a nominal fee for containers.  

Rows and rows of strawberries!  

They should have weighed the baby!  In this one, he's covered in strawberry juice.  :)

Aren't our berries beautiful?

After picking, we spent a little time at the farm.  They always have a few animals around, as well as a small market.  I swear, every year we are tempted to buy a puppy. Not kidding. In fact, this year my oldest daughter swore to take better care of our dog and to prove to us how responsible she can be...in the hopes of getting a puppy.  My husband and I expect this to last no more than a couple of weeks.  ;)

There were adorable goats & an emu.  We just knew this emu looked like a questionable character!

With it's beady red eyes...

and long neck...I would have gotten you a better close-up, but I was using my iPhone.  In other words...I wasn't getting that close for long.  This emu actually stuck it's head out and grabbed my daughter's jacket, trying to pull her over to the enclosure.  She screamed, and we all laughed.  Don't worry, she doesn't need therapy.  :)

The kids loved the goats, and I'm pretty sure the goats loved the kids!

What sweet faces!

"Come back!  We're vegetarians!"  Yes, I could be heard shouting that.  :)

To find a local PYO farm near you, check out this site!  

Happy Picking!  

:)

Everything That I Buy, Broken Down Into List Form...Just For You!

Good morning!

Today I'm going to let you in on my grocery shopping practices...how I shop, where I shop, the brands I buy, and why.  

We're just an average family. There are 6 of us (2 adults, and 4 children, ages 13, 7, 6, & nearly 2), and we live on nearly one income.  I say nearly, because I work one day a week for 8 hours, making $10/hr, while my husband works a full time job for a good wage...good, not great.  We own 2 vehicles (one is nicer than the other, but both need repairs).  That was just to give you an idea that we are not wealthy, not by any means.  In fact, there are times where we are barely scraping by. 

That said, this is my shopping list, broken down into categories.  These are not the occasional items that I buy, but the items that I always keep in the house.  If I'm out, I buy more the next time I'm at the store.  I do light shopping on Wednesdays, with the bulk of my shopping being on Saturdays.  I shop around, mainly at Heinen's, the farmer's market, Trader Joe's, & Whole Foods.  I know where to find the best prices.  So, without further ado...

(I apologize for the formatting...it's driving me crazy!)

Buying in bulk allows me to purchase better quality items in only the quantity that I need.  It also allows me to eliminate waste from the packaging.  I save every glass jar that I get, & reuse small brown bags, plastic containers, & honey bears from previous bulk purchases.  Keeping my bulk items in glass jars keeps them fresher, longer.  I take the jars to the store with me and fill them there.  It allows me to put them right on the shelf when I get home.  Stop by customer service for the tare weight of your containers & jars.  They will mark the tare on top so that the cashier knows. :)  Easy peasy! 

I purchase these items at the farmer's market, because I know I can get the best deals on these items from the vendors there.  Selection varies, but these are the items that I can get nearly every week.  If there are other goodies at great prices, then I'll grab those, too!  (Examples...6 lbs organic apples $3, organic cucumbers 4/$2, 8 lbs organic strawberries $7, potatoes 10 lbs $2, organic lemons 3 (large)/$2, organic avocados 4/$1. organic pears $1.99/lb.)

These are the items that I usually buy at the store.  Perhaps the quality at the store is better, or sometimes it isn't available at the market.  Sometimes the price is the same, so I choose to buy them in the store.  

I've not found a local source for eggs that are cage free & fed an organic diet.  I buy cheese that is locally made (about 35 miles from my house).  The cheese is made by the Amish, from milk from a co-op of Amish dairy farmers.  The cows are grass-fed, & antibiotic and hormone free.  We use very little butter, so I've not made the switch to organic or Hartzler's brand butter, yet.  The milk I buy is also local, grass-fed, and antibiotic & hormone free, but produced a couple of hours away.  It is in glass bottles, which I return for a deposit.  

I purchase ground beef from a local winery, that also raises their own cattle.  It is also about 35 miles from home.

I realize now that I forgot to include organic/nonGMO tortilla chips on this list of items.  I buy them every week, without fail.  :) 

There are other items that I will purchase occasionally for treats.  Right now, for example, I have all natural Whole Foods brand marshmallows & Mi-Del Graham crackers to make s'mores with. I made these the other night for the kids, in the oven.  Each graham square had 1/2 a marshmallow and a small piece of organic dark chocolate, topped with another graham square.  They got 1 each, 2 days ago, and haven't asked for them since.  :)

You may be thinking that there are a lot of things missing...there aren't.  The items above allow me to make a variety of meals for my family, and the items that I choose to make, rather than buy.  I'm able to make whole wheat tortillas and corn tortillas.  I'm able to make flatbreads and falafel patties.  It's everything that I need to make berry sauce, hummus, and my homemade dressing.  And on and on...

What do we snack on?  Kale chips, organic popcorn, nonGMO tortilla chips, fresh fruits and veggies, dates, & yogurt.  I will occasionally buy veggie chips or organic corn chips from Trader Joe's.

What do we have for dessert, or that little something sweet?  Dates are great, and we make sorbet or ice cream out of our frozen fruit.  The frozen fruit on its own is also a sweet treat!  I will occasionally make a treat, like the Apple Tart that I posted just last week.  

What do we drink?  Filtered water, organic tea, and green drink (there's a whole post on this!).

Condiments?  Not really.  We sometimes have organic ketchup, but use my homemade dressing and homemade organic hummus on sandwiches.

    If you have any other questions, feel free to ask! 

:)

Have a great day!

  

Baked Apple Fritters, in honor of National Donut Day

Good Morning!

The weather has been gloomy the last couple of days, and the kids are happily playing (or out at camp), so you get extra blog updates...YIPPEE!  

So, I posted today on Facebook that it's National Donut Day. If you read my post, then you'll know that I'm not such a great donut maker. Ok, so I only tried that one time, & it was before our lifestyle change, but once may have been enough for me. Being National Donut Day (How about National Whole Food Day? Huh? Do we have a day? Get back to me if it turns out that we do!), I thought it would be nice to try to, well, celebrate. Alright, you got me. I'm very low on granola & milk. The kids had organic eggs for dinner last night, & they had organic steel cut oats for breakfast yesterday. I needed something else to make them for breakfast, and this seemed like a great reason. Excuse? Inspiration? Yeah...let's go with inspiration. 

So, I did a search for a healthier apple fritter recipe. They keep those in the donut cases, so I figured it was close enough! I came up with one for Baked Apple Fritters at Food For the Soul. Being on my phone, I'm unable to link to it. I changed it up, of course. Here is the recipe for my tweaked version of Baked Apple Fritters:

Makes about 24

Preheat oven to 350

1 1/3 c whole wheat flour

2/3 c unbleached white flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 scant tsp sea salt

1/4 to 1/2 tsp cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice

4 tsp nonGMO canola oil

2 medium apples, diced

3/4 c unsweetened applesauce

1/2 c plain yogurt

1/4 c whole milk

1/2 c raw honey

Cane sugar

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl (both flours, baking powder, cinnamon, & salt). Add apples. 

In another bowl, blend wet ingredients (yogurt, milk, & honey).

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and add the yogurt blend. Mix gently. 

On a lightly greased baking sheet, drop about 1/4 cup batter in mounds. 

Sprinkle tops with cane sugar, & bake for 12-14 minutes.  Enjoy! 

Going To Summer Camp Food Compromise

Sorry for the odd formatting, I am on my phone again. 

My oldest daughter leaves tonight to volunteer at camp for a couple of days. These types of happenings present unique challenges, because let's be honest...it's not exactly Whole Food Camp.  She looks forward to this time every year, and this year is no exception, but she did have concerns about the food. She wanted a compromise, food like we eat at home & food at the camp. Food at the camp, she reasoned, because not being able to use a stove top limits her to mainly breakfast and lunch, since we don't like to use microwaves very often (though she does have access to one). So, her compromise is breakfast, lunch, snacks, & drinks sent from home, & dinner made by the camp staff. She does have access to a fridge, so that makes things easier. 

These are my preparations, and my ever present list. I love lists. 

These are her snacks. I know she craves both sweet & savory, and I'm trying to provide her with snacks that can satisfy those cravings while providing her with alternatives to what the other staff/campers may have. So, she has organic lollipops, a Two Brothers Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel bar, organic garlic herb crackers, & 2 Lara Bars. The organic oatmeal packet is in case she's feeling a bit hungry, instead of just snacky.  She has also thrown in 2 organic green tea bags, and I am making her organic apple chips.

These are her drinks. I chose Sweet Leaf organics because the sugar content was less than Honest Tea, at least for the peach. She also has a can of coconut water & a bottle of spring water. I'm not a fan of anything in plastic containers, but I already felt like I was pushing my luck by sending the iced tea in glass bottles. 

For her lunches she is taking Great Harvest Honey Whole Wheat bread, and baggies of organic peanut butter & organic jelly. She's simple like that! I offered sliced veggies & hummus, but she chose this. 

She is also bringing 2 organic pears, & organic bean soup (in glass jars...I never get rid of a glass jar!). She will microwave the soup right in the jar. As I said earlier, I don't like to use the microwave, but isn't because of radiation poisoning (or whatever that is!), but because I feel that very few nutrients are left intact after a few zaps in the micro.  We never  microwave plastics. We also never put anything hot in plastics (other than the kid's Thermoses, and I'll be replacing those this summer.).  I knew she would have to microwave the soups, and that's why I used the glass jars. 

Breakfast...such a simple meal, but the bulk of this post! Have you seen those pins (on Pinterest) for refrigerator oats? I came across them a couple of years ago, but we weren't leading a whole food lifestyle. I guess what I really mean is that there wasn't exactly an overabundance of fruit in the house. These appealed to me, big time, but I just never got around to it...until yesterday. I had decided on the instant organic oatmeal packets, but then Food Babe posted a recipe on her Facebook wall for breakfast parfaits (or something like that). I peeked at it, and got busy. Like most other recipes that I use, this one was more for inspiration & adaptation, than precision. 

So, here's what's in the jar...

1/2 c organic steel cut oats

1 packet organic maple & brown sugar instant oats

1 1/2 tsp chia seeds

1 Tbsp raw honey

Put the lid on and shake it all up, or stir so the honey doesn't clump, then keep the layers coming!

1 Tbsp organic raw almond slivers

2 Tbsp fresh coconut shavings (not dried)

Hartzler's whole milk (just enough to cover the oats)

Frozen organic strawberries (fresh is good, too!)

I told her it would taste like strawberries & cream, because of the Hartzler's. :)

And here it is after a night in the fridge...

Oh my! This was so yummy! It tasted just like strawberries and cream, & the oats had a great chewy texture! This will definitely be a regular around our house. :) It was very filling. It can be kept in the fridge for a few days, & you can change it up however you like. It's perfect for her to take out to camp, because it is delicious cold, but it could also be heated up. 

Enjoy! 

Some of these choices are not ideal, but are better than the alternative. I was also limited by my proximity to a healthy supermarket (I'm 45 minutes away), and I forgot to shop for this when we did our Saturday shopping. So, I did the best that I could, with what I had. I'm cool with that. ;)

Oven Dried Apple Rings, Chips, Rings...Whatever!

Good evening!

So, the other night I mentioned trying my hand at making dried apple rings in my oven. Well, it was already 10:00 at night, and the instructions said to turn the oven to 150 (or the lowest setting) and bake for 10-12 hours. Needless to say, I wasn't staying up all night. No way. I did have to get up at 6 am for Field Day, though, so I figured that would be fine. I mean, the worst that could happen was that I'd have crunchy chips, instead of chewy rings, right? Well, here they are...

...my crunchy chips. Yep, crunchy. Yes, the ones on the bottom rack burned. Overall, though, they were pretty tasty! So, I'm going to try this again...during daytime hours. ;) 

Here is how I did it...

I washed and cored a couple of organic gala apples. I used a mandolin to evenly slice them. (Mine were pretty thin...no wonder they turned into chips!) I sprinkled them with pumpkin pie seasoning, and placed them on cooking racks in a single layer. I them put them in the oven on the lowest temperature. 

Here is what I've learned...

If I'm trying to make chips, then thin is great, but for rings I need to make them thicker.

Shorter cooking time for thinner chips, longer for thicker rings. 

Rotate the racks, top to bottom and front to back.

Be awake to keep an eye on them!  

          I'll let you know how it goes!

                  Have a great day!  

                               :)

 

Whole Wheat Apple Tart

Good morning!

Last night on our Facebook page I shared a photo of an apple tart, and I promised you the recipe...

Well, here it is!

Whole Wheat Apple Tart

What is great about this recipe is that it takes very few ingredients, the ingredients can easily be substituted, all are whole foods, the filling has very little sugar, and no refined sugars.  

Nearly all of my ingredients are organic, including the apples, but conventional ingredients will work just as well.

Crust (Adapted from Whole Foods)

3/4 c whole wheat flour

1/2 c unbleached white flour

7 Tbsp cold unsalted butter

1/8 tsp sea salt

2 or 3 Tbsp of ice water

I don't know about you, but I love using my food processor for making pie crusts!  No cutting in butter. No pastry blender.  It does all of the work for me, even forming the dough into a lovely ball!

Blend the 2 flours, add the salt (give the processor a whir if using one), add the cubed butter, and blend until crumbly.  Add 2 or 3 Tbsp of ice water (depending on your needs).  Pulse until a ball forms (if not using a processor, form into a ball yourself).  Wrap and refrigerate until needed (at least 30 min).

Roll out, and press into a tart pan.

Preheat oven to 325.

Filling

5 or 6 apples washed, cored, and sliced

1/4 c Turbinado sugar (pure cane)

3 Tbsp raw honey

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 Tbsp unbleached white flour or whole wheat

3 Tbsp raw almond slivers

1 Tbsp black chia seeds

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.  

I know what you're thinking.  My goodness, that seems like anwful lot of cinnamon!  Surely it must be more than 1 1/2 tsp?  Well, it just so happens that it is.  1 1/2 Tbsp, to be exact.  Yes, I read the measure wrong.  Yes, I thought it seemed like too much, as well.  In the interest of full disclosure, I am one of those people that, whilst driving, will say, "Do you hear that sound?  It sounds like there is something under the car."  I keep driving though, mind you.  It was only my trash can, after all.  

Arrange the apples slices neatly, or not.  It's up to you, really.  As you can see, I did a bit of both.  :)  Neat around the outside (2 layers), but just sort of dumped in the middle.  

Bake for 45 minutes.  Letting it cool before serving will make it easier to slice. 

Enjoy!

:)