Pinterest Projects and Summer Kick-Off!

It’s hard to believe Summer is already here!  And I’m so glad that it is!  While we had a great school year, I was definitely wearing down those last few weeks.  It was hard for me to keep the princesses motivated when I myself wasn’t feeling 100% and motivated!  In any case, we did it and we celebrated with an end of the year trip to the San Diego Zoo to see some of the animals we learned about in science and then treated ourselves to lunch at Stacked.  While it would not be my first restaurant choice (although their sweet potato fries are pretty good), it’s what the princesses chose to kick off their Summer vacation. 

As for me, I got started on some Pinterest projects I’ve had my eye on for a while now.  I had just finished painting my little Cailyn’s room and was looking for some ideas to get some of her “stuff” off of the floor as her room is a bit on the small side.  For the stuffed animals she just couldn’t bring herself to part with, I found these yellow wire baskets at Home Goods.

Hung with “Command Strips”, these can be moved without damaging the walls.  The intention was to create a little reading/play nook and I think it serves it’s purpose!  We’ve recently added a bean bag, which she loves to sit and read in!

Dollar store frames, some leftover spray paint, scrapbook paper and a little computer work = super cute (and cheap) framed art!

Another dollar store frame with a little spray paint and corkboard from Wal-Mart.  I happened to have some flowers in our craft box that I hot glued on to up the “cute” factor just a bit! 

I’m getting ready to tackle my Makenna’s room next…we’re amping up the western theme for her!

And speaking of projects, I’m super excited that our “family” garden is now producing loads of beautiful squash, zucchini, green onions, green beans, and hopefully some tomatoes real soon!  Unfortunately I can’t take credit for this garden, but it has definitely become a family affair.  The garden is at my parents’ place, but we all had a small part in getting it started and thanks to my dad’s awesome “compost pile” it is flourishing! 

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So far we’ve had roasted and sauteed lots of squash and I even put some in the freezer for soups and muffins…yes, there is a lot!

In the mix…yellow squash, green beans, green onion, some fresh cracked pepper, smoked paprika and a little coconut oil.

Our first grilled dinner of the Summer…Grilled Chicken with a Cucumber-Lemon Salsa and Honey-Yogurt Sauce (dairy-free)

Cucumber-Lemon Salsa

Ingredients:

1 seedless cucumber, chopped

I large tomato, chopped

1/4 cup red onion, chopped

2 cloves fresh garlic, minced

Zest of 1 lemon

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a small bowl and carefully mix.  Can use immediately or place in the fridge for an hour before serving to allow the flavors to meld!

Honey-Yogurt Sauce

Ingredients:

1/3 cup plain coconut milk yogurt

2 Tbsp coconut milk

1 Tbsp raw honey

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.  Serve atop grilled meat or as a dip for fresh fruit.There’s something about farm fresh produce that gets me all giddy, which is why I so look forward to frequenting local farms and Farmer’s Markets during the Summer.  I’ve found a local “gem” just down the road from us which I find myself at more than once during the week!  Grebar Farms has had the best strawberries we’ve had, not to mention sweet blueberries, olallieberries (cross between a blackberry and raspberry), apriums (cross between an apricot and plum), and a load full of different greens (kale, collards, swiss chard, pea shoots and lots of fresh herbs)

Fresh Summer Strawberry and Arugula Salad with a drizzle of olive oil, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a sprinkle of pepper.  A perfect side dish to any Summer grilled meal!!

 Kale Chips…one of our favorite snacks!

 Swiss Chard, Chicken and Onion Tacos all tucked into a homemade Paleo Tortilla…

Paleo Tortillas (great for tacos and wraps!)

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup blanched almond flour

5 Tbsp psyllium husk powder

1 tsp sea salt

1 cup water

2 eggs

Coconut oil (for cooking)

Directions:

Combine dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.  Add eggs and mix well.  Add water and mix well.

Let dough sit for 2 minutes until it sets up a bit.

Separate dough into 10 balls.  Place onto oiled parchment paper (I used coconut oil).  Top with another piece of oiled parchment paper.  Roll out dough into an even circle shape…about 1/4 inch thick.

Heat a large pan to medium-high heat with a bit of coconut oil.  Place unbaked tortilla into pan and cook until light brown.  Flip and cook through on opposite side.  Serve up with your favorite fixings!!

Topped with homemade salsa!

There’s many more fun Summer days ahead of us, which means more “good eats” and lots more projects to accomplish!  Now it’s time to go soak up some sun…it’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood!

Blessings,

J’lene

Pickles and Paleo Experiments…

Can you say “heat wave!”  My oh my has it been hot!  And I know you really wanted to see a picture of my sweaty back to prove it! 

 Last week I did some long runs and the hubs got a kick out of how “wet” I was when I returned home.  I typically don’t sweat much and am quite fond of the warm weather, but 104 degrees is a little over the top warm!  Glad to see a little cooling in the forecast this week.

With all this heat going on we’ve taken a little break from working on the yard, however we did purchase some mini palms to plant hopefully in the near future!  We’ve been told that these guys are slow growing and pretty hardy, which I’m praying to be true because neither the hubs or I have a green thumb.  I think God has blessed me richly with friends who have an abundance of produce growing in their gardens this summer because He knows I can’t grow a thing myself!  In fact, last week I was blessed with a load of fresh cucumbers, zucchini, yellow squash, a cantaloupe and watermelon!  I was so excited to have all this wonderful and fresh picked produce, but wasn’t quite sure how I was going to put all those cucumbers to use….salads, cucumber water, as a snack with hummus??  And then the light bulb came on….PICKLES!! 

It made for a fabulous swap…homegrown cucumbers for good old-fashioned dill pickles!

The brine for these cucumbers was spot on for flavor and I love the little punch of garlic.

I was honestly afraid that I would have a bunch of soggy pickles on my hand….have no fear my friends, these are crisp and crunchy and perfect on your favorite sandwich (or straight from the jar is fine by me!).  I think the only thing I would do differently next time is to maybe slice the cucumbers a bit thicker for that extra “crunch” factor!

Garlic Dill Pickles

(inspired by Tasty Yummies)

Yields 2 large Mason Jars

Ingredients:

2 pounds cucumbers

2 1/2 cups water
2 1/2 cups white distilled vinegar
3 tablespoons sea salt

3 Tbsp organic cane sugar
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons whole coriander seeds
4 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
a couple of sprigs of fresh dill (or a couple of teaspoons of dried dill)
Optional spicy add-ins: 1 or 2 spicy dried peppers, red pepper flakes or you can add some sliced jalapeños in with the cucumbers.

Directions:

Clean the cucumbers very well and slice them as thin as you would like them, I would say I cut mine to about 1/4″ thick rounds. You could also cut them into spears or leave them whole depending on their size. Place them in a large glass preserving jar or two smaller jars.

In a medium saucepan, bring the remaining ingredients to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for five minutes.

Remove from heat and pour the brine over the cucumbers. Place the lid on the jar and let cool. Once cool, refrigerate. You can start enjoying them the next day, but obviously they are better after a couple of days. They’ll keep for about 2 months in the fridge.

 So we’ve got yummy pickles coming out of our ears, which means we’ll be having sandwiches and wraps for lunch for the next month!  And unfortunately I can’t seem to think of many more ways to incorporated pickles…pickles in muffins or cookies just won’t cut it!  But zucchini, now that’s another story!  You won’t find anyone complaining over zucchini muffins, cookies or bread around here. 

This time around I thought it would be fun to experiment a little more with almond flour/meal.  I’ve used almond meal in my baking before and really love the texture and flavor that it offers to baked goods.  However, I have never used it solely on it’s own…until now!  I was beginning to fear the muffins may turn out to be too dense, but the combination of the almond meal and the blanched almond flour seemed to work just right.

Zucchini Almond Mini Muffins (Paleo style)

Yields 24 mini muffins

Ingredients:

1/2 cup almond meal

1/2 cup blanched almond flour

1/2 cup almond butter

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

1 cup grated zucchini (squeeze out extra liquid)

2 organic eggs

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 Tbsp raw honey

1 ripe banana, mashed

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a mini muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix well.

Divide the batter among the cups, filling almost to the top.

Bake 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Remove from tin and cool on a wire rack.

**These muffins freeze well and make for a great snack for the kiddos!

The added banana provides a hint of sweetness making these little muffins perfect for any time of the day!  In fact, these were our go to snack for the first day of school today.

 We made it through the day with only a few tears from my princess Cailyn (it’s going to be a challenge getting her into the routine of things, but we’ll get there!).  We all enjoyed working in our new classroom space, complete with an “interactive” calendar (because mom finally got her act together and got it done!) for both of the princesses to work together.

Most days I can equate homeschooling with the idea of embarking on an adventure and I need to be well equipped!  The only way I feel “equipped” for this journey is if I’m walking in step with the Lord, so my day begins with Him.  I couldn’t be more thankful to the Lord for giving me the opportunity and blessing to be at home with our princesses.  More so, I am forever grateful that I can turn to the Lord for help and guidance moment by moment, step by step, throughout my day.  It is this that helps me to see victories in the little things, have joy as well as the peace and comfort I need during the days that are trying.  Homeschooling is a journey and sometimes a dangerous adventure, but I know the Lord is there to lend a hand when I fall and get me back on my feet to press on.  

Blessings,

J’lene

Summer Sweet Potato Salad

It’s crazy that I find myself actually saying this, but “I really enjoy running!”  And I enjoy eating the foods that will fuel my body for a good run.  The hubs and I are getting ready to run our second 5K next month in Coronado!!!

 

(source)

I found these little tidbits of advise to be very helpful, minus the meat and coffee for me! The hubs is no fan of fish (or anything that comes from the sea!), but I’m excited I get to make fish tacos this week!  It’s the only way he’ll eat it….plus lathered in my homemade guacamole and salsa to drown out the “fish” taste!

Seeing sweet potatoes at the top of the list, I can honestly say they have never been at the top of my list of foods that I like.  When I think of sweet potatoes, I think of the dish so many people crave at Thanksgiving…you know, sweet potatoes drowned in butter, brown sugar and topped with gooey marshmallows!  I’ve never actually tried the dish, but it makes my stomach turn just thinking of it.  I have found that these little taters pack a punch in the nutrient department, so I’ve been busy making sweet potato fries…I call them chips because I like slicing them thin crosswise and baking them in the oven with a drizzle of olive oil, pepper and garlic.  They have the taste of a “fry” but the look of a “chip!”  Today I boiled up a few to try in a new salad and saved the leftovers to puree for some muffins later this week. 

Sweet Potato Salad

Ingredients:

4 quarts water

2 large sweet potatoes, scrubbed clean and peeled

1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (1/2 a lemon)

1/4 tsp Braggs liquid amino acids

1/2 red onion, chopped fine

3 stalks celery, trimmed and chopped

1/2 cucumber, chopped

1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt

Rind of one fresh lemon, grated

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper

1/4 cup toasted unsalted sunflower seeds or sliced almonds

Directions:

Peel and cut sweet potatoes into half-inch cubes.  In a medium saucepan place 4 quarts water and chopped sweet potatoes.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat.  Cook potatoes over low heat until they are tender – about 20-30 minutes.  Do not let the potatoes get too soft or mushy.  Remove from heat and drain.  Transfer to a medium bowl.  Set aside and let cool.

Place vinegar, amino acids and lemon juice into a large serving bowl.  Mix and add all chopped vegetables – onion, celery and cucumber.  Toss to coat veggies with lemon and vinegar.  Now add cooled sweet potatoes and yogurt and gently toss.  Season with salt and pepper.  You can refrigerate it or serve immediately.  Sprinkle with sunflower seeds or almonds and lemon zest.

This is yet another refreshing salad that I will definitely be making again during the upcoming Summer months!  I brought this salad to our family’s Memorial Day BBQ and it got a round of thumbs up from everyone!!  There was an itty bit left over, so I saved it for lunch the next day and served it on top of some spring mix lettuce and some quinoa of course!!  My mouth is watering just thinking of it…guess I need to make a trip to the farmers market this week for some more sweet taters!

 

Blessings,

J’lene

This post is also shared on Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays and Allergy Free Wednesdays!

Preparing for summer….

I think these last few days were a little sneak peak of what’s to come this summer!  Thankfully the thermometer has come down a few notches today and we’re enjoying a beautiful breezy day.  All this heat got me thinking that it is about time to start bringing out those “cool” summer recipes.  For me, I envision a summer of weekend trips to the farmers market, frozen treats and refreshing salads….can’t wait!

I know it’s not quite summer yet, but I couldn’t help but prepare myself with this easy fresh salad. 

*Note: I found it best to make this salad at least 6 hours before serving not only to allow the flavors to blend, but to get it nice and chilled.  The salad will hold several hours without refrigeration, which makes it great for those summer picnics and bbq’s!

 Marinated Bean Salad

Yields 15 (1/2 cup servings)

Ingredients:

1 can organic kidney beans

1 can organic black beans

1 can organic Great Northern Beans

1 can organic garbanzo beans

1 can organic cannellini beans

1 red onion, sliced thin or chopped (I prefer mine chopped!)

1 organic red pepper, chopped

1 Tbsp dill

2-3 Tbsp fresh mint, chopped fine

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

1/4 tsp oregano

4 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp gluten free balsamic vinegar

Directions:

Rinse all the beans in a colander, then drain.  Transfer the beans to a bowl.

Add the onion and red pepper.

In a smaller bowl, whisk together the dill, mint, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, oregano, olive oil and vinegar.  Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss until the beans are evenly coated.  Cover and refrigerate for 6 hours.

 The flavors were spot on and I loved the touch of mint…it added that “cool” element to the salad!

And what would summer be without some fun frozen treats?  I found these fun little snacks over at Peas and Thank You and tried whipping up a batch of our own.  They’re easy, they’re fun, they’re healthy and they’re refreshing on a hot day!  A perfect snack for the princesses to make and eat all on their own (well, I hope they would save a couple for me and the hubs)!

Frozen Yogurt and Banana Treats

Ingredients:

2 bananas, cut into pieces

1 container of your favorite Greek yogurt (we used raspberry)

1/4 cup mini chocolate chips (we used Enjoy Life)

1/4 cup granola (we used Nature’s Path Hemp Granola)

Directions:

Arrange banana slices on a baking sheet lined with wax paper.  Add a teaspoon full of yogurt to the top of each banana slice.  Top with a few chocolate chips and a sprinkle of granola.

Place the bananas in the freezer for about 45 minutes.  Enjoy your frozen treat for breakfast, lunch or after dinner dessert!

Perfect for little mouths and not “too” messy!

What’s your favorite summertime frozen treat?  I just popped some watermelon “balls” in the freezer (they make great ice cubes!) and we’re looking forward to homemade fruit and yogurt popsicles for sure! 

Blessings,

J’lene

This post is also shared on Allergy Free Wednesdays!

Quinoa Primavera

I love finding good deals although, I’ll admit, I’m not very good at it!  I especially love when I can find a “two-for-one” deal because I kind of feel like I’m getting something for free. 

That’s kind of how I felt last night when I started putting all these wonderful veggies together…side dish or main meal, you choose!  Other than a bit of chopping and shredding, this meal came together fairly quickly, which is what I needed for our busy softball game night (the season is almost over!!) And to top things off, there was leftovers!

Light enough to pair with your favorite protein…for the hubs and princesses I made it a “one-dish” meal by mixing in some baked chicken breast.

Quinoa Primavera

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 shallots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 small zucchini, chopped

1 cup shredded carrots (about 2 carrots)

1 1/2 tsp curry powder

3 cups low-sodium veggie broth

1 cup colored quinoa, rinsed

1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

3 Tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

 Directions:

Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat.  Add olive oil.  Add garlic, shallots, zucchini, carrots and celery.  Saute for about 5 minutes.

Add the curry powder and veggie broth and bring to a boil.

Add quinoa and return to a boil.  Cover and reduce to medium heat.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the quinoa absorbs the liquid (about 15-20 minutes).  Uncover and stir in cheese and parsley.   Season with salt and pepper and serve!

Hearty enough to eat alone or, in my case, use as a fabulous topper to your favorite green salad!  All of us enjoyed a homemade gluten free garlic biscuit and some fresh apple slices to round out our meals.

 

Blessings,

J’lene

This post is also shared on Allergy Free Wednesdays!

dinner with mom…

I’ve been on another kale and quinoa kick.  I think quinoa has made an appearance on my salads each night this week and I’m also lovin’ it as a simple side mixed with some black beans and avocado…easy peasy and ups the nutritional value of my meal! 

Kale is another one of those versatile veggies that has been popping up in a lot of our meals lately!  I’ve been mixing it up in our smoothies, switching out my regular mixed greens in salads for kale, and kale chips of course!!!

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In the mix: filtered water, vanilla protein powder, chia seeds, spinach, kale, kiwi, strawberries, peaches, mangoes and pineapple.

While I’m good with eating the same thing morning, noon and night, the rest of the fam appreciates when I change things up every now and then!  So, last night I decided to try something new using the two things that I’ve been so familiar with lately….kale and quinoa!  And to top things off, I invited Grammy (my mom)to join us for dinner.  She’s a great guest to have when your trying out new dishes, especially when she’s home alone because Papa (my dad) is out of town for work!  She gladly accepted my offer and gave rave revues for the evening meal…thanks Mom!

I married some kale and colored quinoa together in, what I believe, to be one of the most divine side dishes to accompany a meal!!  There was definitely a “happy dance” goin’ on in my mouth!

Colored Quinoa and Kale Salad with Roasted Veggies

(inspired by Two Peas and Their Pod)

Yields 6 servings

Ingredients:

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped

1 medium sweet onion, sliced

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

3 cups kale, washed and leaves removed from the stem

4 Tbsp balsamic vinegar, divided

1 cup colored quinoa, cooked according to package directions

1/2 cup dried cranberries

Parmesan cheese (optional to sprinkle on top)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place sweet potatoes and sweet onion slices in a medium bowl.  Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Toss to coat and then put them on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper or sprayed with cooking oil.  Bake for 30 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are tender (stir  a couple of times while baking).

Drizzle the kale with 2 Tbsp of the balsamic vinegar.  Season with salt and pepper and place on the baking sheet when the potatoes and onions have been in the oven for about 15 minutes.  Bake for the remaining 15 minutes, until the kale is wilted and starting to get crispy.  Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn!

While the vegetables are roasting, make the quinoa following the package directions.  After quinoa is cooked, allow it to cool to room temperature.

When the vegetables are done roasting, let them cool to room temperature.  Chop up the onion slices and potatoes into bite size pieces.  In a large bowl, combine the onions, potatoes, kale and quinoa.  Drizzle with the remaining 2 Tbsp of balsamic vinegar and add in the dried cranberries.  Stir to combine and season with salt and pepper if desired.  Top with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and serve!

  I might even have to say it’s even better the next day!  Had some for lunch and sprinkled a few sliced almonds on top for some extra crunch (the roasted kale lost a bit of it’s crunchiness).  Oh-So-Good!

Happy Thursday!  Looking forward to leftovers tonight…it’s fun to have a “leftover buffet” at least one night a week.  It gives me a little break from cooking and the princesses have fun picking and choosing what ends up on their plate!  We just have one rule…at least one veggie must make an appearance as part of their meal.

This was my “leftover buffet” meal from last week: Mixed greens salad with cucumbers, carrots, green onion, red peppers, broccoli and sunflower seeds.  I topped that off with a homemade black bean burger, fire-roasted corn, homemade salsa and guacamole.  The end result sort of reminded me of a Chipotle Bowl!!  Yummy goodness!

Do you have a fun weekly family dinner tradition?

Blessings,

J’lene

Something Old, Something New and Something Fun!

Just a quick post today because we’re having too much fun on our Spring break this week!

We started off the week by baking up some “oldies but goodies”…in other words, some of our favorite snacks we like to have on hand while we’re out and about having our fun!

Our Favorite Granola 

Pumpkin Spice Granola Bars

 

Carrot Breakfast Cookies

And for something extra sweet… Irresistible Chocolate Granola(the hubs and I sprinkled this on top of sliced apples that were drizzled in warm peanut butter = one of my new favorite desserts!)

Since I’ve been blessed by having the hubs home more hours than he is away, I decided to cook up something “new” for dinner last night.  It’s actually a new twist on an old favorite meal of ours…Sloppy Joes!  I’m bringin’ in the big new guns…veggies that is!

Veggie Sloppy Joes

(inspired by Vegan Planet)

Yields 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

8 oz. organic white mushrooms, chopped

3 frozen veggie burgers, thawed and chopped (I used Dr. Praeger’s California Veggie Burgers, which are vegan)

1 tsp ground fennel seed

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp dried basil

sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

2 cups organic marinara sauce (I used Trader Joe’s!)

shredded mozzarella cheese for topping (optional)

4-6 sandwich rolls (I used Trader Joe’s whole wheat hamburger buns for the princesses and the hubs and Udi’s gluten free for myself!)

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the mushrooms and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add the chopped veggie burger, fennel, paprika, basil and salt and pepper to taste.  Stir in the marinara sauce and simmer for about 10 minutes or until heated through and flavors have blended.  Spoon the warm mixture onto rolls and serve.  I also topped ours with a little sprinkle of mozzarella cheese!

There was no shortage of eating our veggies in this meal! 

My first attempt at making sweet potato fries!  I don’t know why I haven’t cooked up these amazing little guys more often…OH YUM!  The princesses weren’t a big fan of the new fries, they preferred the “regular” homemade ones.  After washing up both potatoes, I cut them into “fries” and tossed them in a large ziploc baggie with a tablespoon of olive oil, fresh ground pepper, a little sea salt and a pinch or two of smoked paprika.  I cooked them at 425 degrees for about 25 minutes, turning them halfway through.  An easy, peasy and delicious side to our meal!

I’ve missed not being in the kitchen much this week, but it’s been worth the sacrifice because our time together as a family has been priceless, to say the least!

 One of our highlights so far…The San Diego Safari Park to see the butterflies!

My two favorite beautiful butterflies!

   

Spring babies graced us with their presence! 

And hangin’ out in the new “Bat Enclosure!'”

We’re off to have more good times before the week is over!

Blessings,

J’lene

This post was also shared on Allergy Free Wednesdays!