Jack and my Juice

that sounds kind of wrong, but it's really just two completely unrelated topics.

Jack is the cutiest cute baby I have ever seen. He is loving, cuddly, sweet and quiet. (Quiet is a big issue in our house... I seem to have some noise sensitivities). I totally love that he knows when he is tired and ready for bed. He will be fine, just bouncing along with a smile, and then he squawks that he is ready for bed. I just hold him in his sleep time position (face in my armpit) and he is out! Done. I <3 him.

Okay, Juice. I like to start my day with some juicy juice. It is green juice, and super hydrating. Yum. Some people find the taste very vegetabley, but i guess it is a taste you work up to. I think it tastes fresh.

I have a fancy high powered juicer, and it wasn't cheap, but if you are going to juice veggies every day, the investment is worth it. I also have a centrifugal juicer, and it worked for a while. I still use it for fruits.

My fave juice recipe:
1 head of lettuce (never iceberg)
Handful of spinach
3 carrots
3 stalks celery
1 cucumber
1 apple (I like granny smith)
1 lemon, peel removed
handful of cilantro for zing

Really Real Raw

Anybody that knows me, knows that I am a vegetarian. Some people think I am lame and wonder why I just won't eat like everyone else, why I have to be so picky. Well, it's about to get worse, baby! Monday next marks the first day of whole family raw-ness. As a family we are moving to a vegetarian, 90%-95% raw diet.

So, common questions from the peanut gallery.

Yes, we will be getting enough nutrition. Yes, even the kids. To ensure optimum nutrition, we will be supplementing with vitamins D3, K2, B12, calcium, DHA, and soy lecithin. Also, the kids will probably have 1 or 2 eggs a week and we may all have some organic yogurt on occasion.

Yes, the kids will pack lunches, and we will bring food in to any event that SAD (standard American diet) will be served.

Yes, the kids are on board for the most part. We have talked about nutrition and and healthy bodies, immune systems and weight. My kids are used to a vegetarian life style already.

Yes, the kids will eat the food. As mentioned, they already eat a mostly vegetarian lifestyle. I won't be cooking anything. I will be un-cooking. Eat it or don't is my philosophy. Dig it.

No, we won't be dining on carrot sticks and sprouted sunflower seeds. It is a delicious and healthy way to prepare food. And we won't have to eat any mushy, overcooked broccoli.

Yes, it is going to be a hard transition for a while. I have a serious sugar addiction, and so do the kids. The first step is acknowledgment, right?


On to the recipe from yesterday!

Raw Cream of Tomato Soup

So this may sound kinda icky, but it really wasn't. It made a creamy frothy soup and the apples were a great sweet contrast to the tomato.

4-5 fresh fragrant tomatoes, quartered
1/4 c. cilantro
1 avocado, pitted and scooped out
1 packet stevia
1 t agave nectar
sea salt and fresh pepper to taste
1/2 c. chopped apple
1/2 c. corn, fresh off the cob

In the blender, blend all ingredients, except apples and corn, until creamy.
Divide apples and corn between two bowls.
Ladle soup over corn and apples.
Eat. Enjoy. Eat some more.

Farm Birthday featuring sock horses

In october we had an amazing birthday party for Lucy, who turned 7!  It is hard to believe my girly is 7 already!

My friend Beth made an awesome 3-D farmhouse cake. Recipe wasn't too hard and was found here: Family Fun Farm Cake. The cake was a big hit with all the kids and we had to ration the "farm animals".

At the party we made some cute hobby horses, roughly based on thesehobby horses. Of course, I forgot to take pictures of any of the finished horses, so use your imagination. If I can find anyone that did take a picture, I will post it. I got some string mops and crew socks from the dollar store. The dollar store mops were perfect because they were super short. Like mops for little people (it's not cool to say midget, is it?). We took a sock and stuffed it over the mop so that the strings filled the bottom of the sock forming the horses, um, snout? nose? muzzle?. I just left the socks loose and open around the handle of the mop. The strings did not try to jump out of the sock at all, and it worked very well. Next I cut some lengths of string and using a plastic canvas type of needle, i pulled the yarn through the sock and then back up very close to where i went down. Then I tied the two ends together. I did this all over the mane area. I cut 2 triangles from felt and hot glued them where ears should be. Finally we sewed buttons on for the eyes.

Then we raced horses. Fun.

Lucy's favorite part: Beiber posters for her room.

Foodalicious Friday

Updated with recipes on 8/5/10

We have made a pact to not eat out for 90 days.  90.  So, I want to get back to posting my meal plans.. if you want any recipes, let me know!

Today was BBQ ribs, rolls and cauliflower but that ended up being hot dogs and tortilla chips.   Why, you ask?  Oh, it's because Adan charred the skids out of the ribs.  Lucy had come by and said. "Dad, the BBQ is steaming." He said something along the lines of, "yeah, yeah."  About 10 minutes later he goes out to the 'que and starts cursing.  Yup.. i don't think even the dog would eat that charcoal.

So, next week:

Saturday: Greek Chicken and Veggies
Greek Chicken and Vegetables

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 2 cups fresh or frozen cut green beans or 1 can of cut green beans, drained
• 1 can diced tomatoes with garlic and onion
• 2 t. dried oregano leaves
• 1 t. salt
• 1/4 t. pepper
• 4 sheets of aluminum foil approx 12x18"
• 1 pkg crumbled feta cheese

1. Cut chicken in stripes. Toss with beans, tomatoes, oregano, salt and pepper.
2. Center 1/4 of mixture on each sheet of foil.
3. Bring up sides of foil to make packets; leave space for heat circulation.
4. Place packets on grill over medium hot heat. Grill 10-14 minutes or until chicken is cooked and vegetables are tender crisp. Open foil packets; and sprinkle with cheese.

 

Sunday: Spinach Salad and rolls

Monday: Grilled chicken and mango salad

Tuesday: Fajitas, rice and beans

Wednesday: BBQ chicken packets and baked potatoes
BBQ Chicken Packets

• 4 chicken breasts
• 4 sheets of foil - 12x18"
• 1 c. BBQ sauce
• 1 can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1/2 c. chopped green pepper

1. Center 1 chicken breast on each sheet of foil. Spoon BBQ sauce over chicken. Top with vegetables.
2. Bring up foil sides to make a packet; leave room for heat circulation.
3. Place packets on grill of medium hot heat.  Grill for 12-15 minutes or until chicken is cooked and vegetables are tender.

Thursday: Cajun Sausage and beans
Cajun Sausage and Beans

• 1 lb turkey sausage, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
• 2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can diced tomatoes with garlic and onions
• 1 medium green pepper, chopped
• 2 t. cajun seasoning
• 4 sheets of aluminum foil, 12x18"

1. Mix sausage, beans, tomatoes, green pepper and seasonings
2. Center 1/4 of the bean mixture on each sheet of foil
3. Bring up foil sides to make packets; leave room for heat circulation.
4. Grill packets over medium hot coals or until thoroughly heated.

Friday: Basil Chicken Packets and rolls
Basil Chicken Packets

• 4 chicken breasts - I use boneless skinless
• Heavy duty aluminum foil - 4 sheets approx. 12x18"
  
• 2 T. chopped parsley
• 2 t. grated lemon peel - I use fresh lemon zest
• 2 t. dry basil leaves - I use fresh chopped basil
• 1/2 t. each salt and pepper
• 2 medium yellow squash, sliced
• 1 medium red pepper, cut in rings

Center 1 chicken breast on each foil sheet. Mix parsley, lemon peel, basil, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle over chicken. Top with squash and red peppers.
Bring up sides of foil to make a packet.  Leave room for heat to circulate inside.
Place packets on grill over medium hot coals. Grill for 11-13 minutes or until chicken is cooked and vegetables are tender.

Yes, the majority of these meals are grilled.  It's too hot for the oven and the stove.

Juice Feasting

I love raw food.  I got away from it this winter and am ready to renew my commitments!  So, I started a juice feast.  4-5 quarts of yummy healthy juice every day for 90 days.  Yes, 90.

So yesterday I started with 2 quarts.  I had lettuce, spinach, carrots, celery, cilantro, lemon, apple and beet juice.  I drank that in the AM and had a regular dinner.

Today I wanted to do my whole day juicy, but, alas, I watched my extra kiddos today.  I was slightly stressed about having 6 kids inside on a rainy icky day, and a puppy that doesn't understand not to jump and chew and pee on the floor.  Then it took like 2 hours to juice all my stuff for the day. Fast forward to lunch time and I was all tense with a facial tic.

My juice today: 48 ounces of orange, pineapple, strawberry juice.  Berry berry good.
96 ounces of romaine, spinach, carrots, cucumber, cilantro, celery, apple, lemon.

I drank all the fruit juice first, and was full FOREVER, so I did not have any more until about 5.  I drank the remaining quart from yesterday and another quart from today, so total intake was 102 ounces of juice. Then I was craving french fries, pasta, anything!  I know it has to do with an addiction to crappy food so I tried to resist but I lost.  I had a bowl of pasta salad we made for dinner.  It was a fairly healthy meal though.  rotini noodles, broccoli, carrots, celery, peppers, tomatoes, whole olives, cheddar cheese chunks in a zesty italian dressing. Yum! I only had a small bowl and now I feel super full.

I can tell I am detoxing right now.. should be a scary week or so.  I have had no soda in over 24 hours.. this is a big accomplishment for me!  I feel light headed and fuzzy and TIRED.  I know that in a couple days I will feel better, but it's a bitch in the meantime. Before anyone freaks out, I had the same symptoms when i moved to raw food from standard american diet last time.  Only this time I am not chewing. :)

I need to get some cute straws.  Maybe glass ones. I have been eyeballing them.I think maybe I should vlog these things.  Maybe.

baking - PB&J muffins

I was super busy today. I made 2 batches of PB&J muffins, and a batch of poppy seed bagels. Tomorrow I am going to make dinner rolls, Italian cheesey bagels and maybe some cranberry bagels.

Recipe:

PB&J muffins
I found this recipes on a blog somewhere, sometime. I made a few tweaks and now I am sharing with you! Completely yummalicious. As anyone who knows me knows, before 9 AM is still the night before. Morning is not offically here until 9:01 AM. And I like to sleep in. Sooooo...I made a batch this afternoon for breakfast tomorrow morning. The muffins did not survive the hour.. I had to make more tonight after everyone went to bed!

• 1 1/3 c. flour
• 1 c. oats
• 1 t. baking powder
• 1/2 t. baking soda
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/4 c. brown sugar
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 c. applesauce
• 1/3 c. peanut butter
• 1 1/4 c. buttermilk
• 1 t. vanilla extract
• jelly or jam

In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, brown sugar and sugar. In a medium bowl, combing egg, applesauce, peanut butter, buttermilk and vanilla. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Fill greased muffin cups half full. I use a larger silverware spoon and pour a heaping spoonful into the muffin cup. This is usually about half of the muffin cup. Put 1 teaspoon of jam or jelly in the middle of the muffin batter. Spoon more batter over the jelly. Make sure the jelly if completely covered. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 18-20 minutes.

Tips:

• To make buttermilk, add 1 T. of vinegar to a measuring cup and then fill the milk to the desired amount.
  
• Make sure that the jelly is in the middle of the batter and does not reach the edges of the muffin.
  
• Make sure the jelly is completely covered with the remaining batter.
  Do not use more than 1 t. of jelly. The muffin will not be structurally sound, and will collapse.