This stew is surprising and delicious. It is a lovely way to warm up on a cold winter evening.

When I came across this recipe it was so interesting I just had to try it. The whole family enjoyed this stew so much I made it again the following week.

It’s nice and creamy and completely satisfying.

Butternut Ravioli Stew

Recipe adapted from Saving Dinner

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
2 onions, chopped
3 pounds butternut squash
½ cup white wine
5 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 pinch nutmeg
1 pinch cinnamon
1 pinch ginger
1 pound cheese filled ravioli (I used the mini ravioli from Trader Joe’s. It’s in the dry pasta section)
¾ cup cream cheese
¾ cup half and half
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Cook butternut squash. Do this one of two ways:

1. Slice squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Place face down in a baking tray filled with a ¾ inch of water. Bake at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes (until tender). Allow to cool and then scoop out the soft meat.
2. Peel and slice squash into cubes, cook in boiling water for about 10 to 15 minutes. Until tender.

Melt butter in a large soup pot. Saute onions in butter until translucent.

Add the cooked squash, wine, chicken broth, and spices. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook ravioli in a separate pot according to package directions.

Allow stew to cool slightly then blend half of it in a blender along with the cream cheese. Once smooth, add back to stew.

Stir to combine.

Add cooked and drained ravioli and half and half. Stir gently to incorporate.

Heat through and add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve.

These are my husband’s favorite brownie. I’ve made lots of different recipes, and this is the one he likes best.

I have tried it with whole wheat pastry flour and it works fine. But for an every now and then treat, I just go ahead and use unbleached white flour.

I also use white sugar.

The things we do for love.

My hubby says to be sure and tell you this brownie is for lovers of dark chocolate. If you are a milk chocolate fan, these are not the brownies for you.

Dark Chocolate Brownies

Adapted from Fifteen chocolate brownies on page 384 of Cook with Jamie by Jamie Oliver

Ingredients

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
7 oz good quality dark chocolate (We use 70%), broken into large chunks
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 3/4 cup sugar
4 large eggs
1/2 to 1 cup walnuts, chopped

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease or line a 12 inch rect angular baking pan with parchment paper.

Place a butter and chocolate in large, heat proof bowl. Place bowl over simmering water and melt chocolate and butter until smooth.

Add nuts and stir.

In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and sugar.

Add this to the chocolate. Stir well.

Beat the eggs and add to the chocolate mix, stir until combined. You will have a nice, silky consistency.

Pour batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. They should be still be somewhat gooey in the center when you remove them from the oven.

Allow to cool completely before cutting. We find these actually cut and taste better the next day, if you can wait that long!

If you used parchment paper, lift brownie out onto a cutting board and slice into squares. It is also fine to keep the brownie in the pan and slice as needed (only do this if you used a glass baking dish. A knife will scratch an aluminum one).

Wonderful served with real, vanilla ice cream, or coffee ice cream. A little ground coffee in the batter would also be nice.

What do you think? Does my husband have good taste in brownies?

Sharing at: Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays

Today the high five moms are sharing how we feed our family healthfully.

Below are a few things I think have helped. I’m honestly never completely confident in saying anything I have done has caused a specific outcome. After all, some kids are just good eaters. But generally, most need a little encouragement in the right direction.

Show Enthusiasm
I get a little overexcited about good food.  Picture words like: “Oh man, this is really good.” Or, “Look how red those tomatoes are,” or “Yummm!”

It borders on ridiculous, but I think it’s a good thing. My kids have caught a little of this enthusiasm. Not to say that they are thrilled about everything I put in front of them, but they are interested in trying different things.

Education
I’m fairly vocal about why we choose certain foods over others. I’m not sure this was my idea, but rather an answer to the numerous questions from one very curious daughter.

I try not to go overboard.

She knows butter is better than margarine and also looks for full fat yogurt at the grocery store. When noticing labels with fake sugar and the words non-fat, she says, “Gross.” Like mother, like daughter.

Plan and Prepare

I wish I was better at this because it makes all the difference in the world.

Young kids are hungry all. the time. If I am not on top of my game, other more convenient, less-healthy choices are made.

Creating a menu plan always helps a great deal.

Taking an afternoon to prepare snacks, pre-cook meat, and make broth, gives me a lot of easy options during the week and allows me to smile when I hear the words, “I’m hungry,” for the tenth time today!

I also double and triple recipes when possible and freeze the extra. The great thing about this is that it is usually very little work to make more of something. It also reduces clean up since the needed utensils are already being used.

Let the kids help

Allowing my kids to help in the kitchen is one of the ways they have been able to learn so much about food. It also seems to encourage them to eat better. Most kids are willing to at least try something they have helped prepare.

Allow treats every once in a while

As a kid, there was a lot of food that was off limits to me. When I would go to a friend’s home, I would eat treats like crazy! It was the forbidden fruit.

I don’t want my kids to become obsessed with what they can’t have. I’m trying to teach them what is best, but that it is okay to have some things in moderation.

I would love to hear your opinion on this, since it is something I wrestle with.

Don’t buy the “bad” stuff.

If there’s junk in the house, that’s what we want to eat. It just seems to call from the pantry.

Buying healthy food and making it readily available (by planning and preparing) allows me to keep them full and nourished as well as helping them develop a taste for the good stuff.

Visit the other High Five Moms to see what tips they are sharing:

Brandy at The Marathon Mom

Keri Mae at The Happy Home

Jasmine at Ponder the Path

Andie at Happy Andersons

I’d love to have you weigh in on this topic. How do you feed your family healthy food?

If you were intrigued by the idea of adding lavender to shortbread cookies, you might like to read my post at Frugal Granola today: Culinary Uses for Lavender.

In this post I share a few ideas for incorporating lavender into some of the dishes many of us already prepare such as brownies, cookies, and lemonade. There’s also a recipe for lavender vinaigrette!

To read the post, click here.

{Top image credit}

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Check out The Confident Mom and get organized for 2013!

I’m a firm believer in meal planning. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that menu planning will help improve the level of peace and joy in your home.

Think about it:

• The kids are hungry, your husband will be home from work soon, and you have no idea what to make for dinner . . .
• You start to get supper ready and find some of the dinner ingredients are missing. You jump in the car to make a quick dash to the store. The budget is blown. Again.
• You try to relax on the couch during nap time, but the thought of what to make for dinner keeps distracting your mind. Looking through the cabinets and the refrigerator, you try to piece together ingredients to make a decent meal. The baby wakes up. You still don’t know what to feed your family!

Can you relate to any of these scenarios?

I certainly can.

When I am on top of my meal planning, my home is a happier, healthier place.

Stephannie Langford of Keeper of the Home has created an unbelievably helpful meal planning resource: Plan It, Don’t Panic.

In Plan It, Don’t Panic, Stephanie not only explains the how and why of meal planning, she also provides a ton of practical inspiration and step-bystep instructions for making the most of your menu.

No aspect is left out. Stephanie even covers how to take pantry inventory, how to plan for dietary restrictions, and what to do if you mess up your meal plan.

There’s also 11 printable planning pages.

She covers it all!

My favorite part of Plan It, Don’t Panic is the section on meal planning methods. Stephanie knows that one size doesn’t fit all and provides lots of options for menu planning so that you can find the best method for your family.

Plan It, Don’t Panic will help you:

• Spend less at the grocery store
• Stress less at supper time
• Feed your family more wholesome food

The Giveaway

To enter to win a copy of the Plan It, Don’t Panic e-book:

Leave a comment on this post.

For extra entries:

(Leave a separate comment for each.)

1. Like Keeper of the Home on Facebook.
2. Follow Keeper of the Home on Twitter.
3. Subscribe to Keeper of the Home.

Giveaway ends on Sunday, March 4th at 9pm PST.

If you’d rather not wait and would like to purchase a copy of Plan It, Don’t Panic, it’s only $4.99.

Good luck!

This post contains affiliate links.

My kids are hungry all. the. time.

Are yours?

Having enough healthy snacks on hand makes a difference to the tone of my home.

It’s a struggle to stay on top of snacks sometimes. especially when your striving to provide good ones.

If you need ideas, check out my post at Keeper of the Home. Be sure to read the comments for some great suggestions, too.

Top image credit

Most of us could use a few more vegetables in our diet.

But there’s so much washing and chopping, they can often get overlooked.

Today I’m sharing some tips for adding more vegetables to food you are already cooking. In this post my goal to give you some ideas for increasing your veggies intake without increasing your stress level or creating  a lot more work.

Read the post here:

7 Ways to Add More Veggies to Food You’re Already Cooking

Top image credit

Shared at Your Green Resource.

I recently remembered making these little veggie bundles a few years ago. They were tasty, but it took forever to chop all the vegetables. Now, I’ve wised up and created a much faster preparation method. Which means these will show up on the menu more often.

These are essentially vegetarian burritos. They remind me of my vegetarian days (which I’ll have to tell you about some time. They went on for eight years!).

Even if you are not a vegetarian, it’s good to have a meatless meal once in a while.

The tortillas are wrapped around a  mixture of carrot, broccoli and onion. But don’t feel tied to this, many different veggie combinations will work just as well.

To make these fast, you’ll need a food processor. Or maybe one of these chopper thingys.

Veggie Tortilla Wraps

Ingredients

6 tortillas
2 carrots, peeled and chopped into large chunks
1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
1/2 small onion, chop into 2 or 3 big chunks
3/4 cup broccoli florets
3/4 teaspoon chilli powder
3/4 cup grated cheese
6 tablespoons of ranch dressing (I like to make my own using this recipe)

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place carrot, onion, and broccoli in the food processor.

Pulse until everything is in nice little pieces. It only takes a few seconds!

Pour into a bowl and add corn. Stir to blend. Then add chilli powder and grated cheese, stirring to combine. Finally add the ranch dressing and stir until evenly distributed (if it looks too dry, add more ranch).

Scoop 1/2 cup of mixture onto each tortilla.

It looks like a lot. But it’s not.

Roll up into a burrito.

To Bake: you may place tortillas on a lightly greased baking sheet or casserole dish and cover with foil. I honestly try to stay away from using foil in the oven as much as possible. A better option is to bake in a covered casserole dish, if you have one.

Bake for 15 minutes.

See. Quick and easy!

Sharing at Your Green Resource, Show Off Your Stuff, and Simple Lives Thursday.

Today I am spending a little time in the kitchen cooking ahead. I’m hoping to get a jump start on the week in order to make meal times less hectic! Plus, I have more free time when lunch and dinner only take a few minutes to put together. That’s always nice.

Below I’ve listed our planned lunches and dinners. Things will probably get switched around a little.

For breakfast I try to have some sort of protein. I think it helps the kids have better energy and think more clearly Oh, and me, too!).

Sunday

L – Chicken salad

D – Burgers and sweet potato fries

Monday

L - Beet, lentil and feta salad

D - Chicken tortilla soup

Tuesday

L - Lemon and garlic Quinoa salad

D - Steak with creamy mushroom sauce

Wednesday

L - Perfect Spinach Salad

D – Minestrone with lentils and zucchini

Thursday

L – Sandwiches

D - London broil in the crockpot

Friday

L – Not too creamy egg salad

D – Hawaiian Pizza

Snacks

Cinnamon Apple Breakfast cookies

Zucchini chips (just dehydrated zucchini)

Hummus and veggies

Coconut Cranberry Kefir (recipe to come)

Boiled egg

Kamut puffed cakes with avocado

What are you eating this week?

I’m linking up with Menu Plan Monday.

The past year I have been blessed with a daughter who has taken off in the kitchen. It is such a help and quite honestly, I’m still amazed at the things she can do!

Last night she made burgers.

The burger patties are baked in the oven, so there is no need to worry about hot oil spraying her in the face (that always happen to me when I try to make burgers on the stove top!).

If you child is old enough to know about the safe handling of raw meat, then they can make these burgers. You might need to help with getting them in and out of the oven, depending on their age.

Hamburgers Kids Can Make

Ingredients
2 green onions
2 tablespoons coconut oil or safflower oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 pound ground beef (grass fed is best)
1/3 cup flat-leaf parsley
1 egg
6 hamburger buns
Hamburger toppings: lettuce leaves, sliced tomato, cheese, mayo, mustard

Method

Slice the spring onions into small pieces.

Heat oil in pan over medium-low heat. Add the spring onions and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally until soft. About 5 minutes.

Place the cooked onions and garlic in a large bowl with the ground beef.

Chop the parsley into small pieces.

My daughter and I learned proper chopping technique from the raw food made easy DVD. I assume there are free videos on Youtube as well. I am amazed at how good cutting technique speed up the preparation process. If only I’d learned them sooner!

Add parsley to bowl with the ground beef, onions and garlic.

Crack the egg into a bowl and beat with a whisk or fork. Add to the beef mixture.

Mix the beef, egg, parsley, onions and garlic together with clean hands.

Shape into 6 patties and place on a tray that will fit in the fridge. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Brush an over tray with a little oil. Make sure the tray has sides as the burgers will release juice as they cook.

Place patties on the tray.

Bake in the oven for 12 minutes.

Use oven mitts to remove the tray. Turn the patties over with a spatula. Return to oven.

Bake for 12 more minutes or until cooked through.

Remove from the oven with oven mitts and place on prepared burger buns.

Prepare buns while the burgers are cooking. Spread with mayo and mustard or whatever your family enjoys.

Have a little fun, too!

My daughter will be 11 next week and she did very well with this. It’s the first time she has made burgers, although she has shaped raw meat before for meatballs. It took me a while to be comfortable with her dealing with raw meat, but she is getting the hang of it nicely and washed her hands very well after! Maybe too much. Ha!

What kid of food do your kids like to make?

I’m linking up with Kids in the Kitchen, and Rediscovery Domesticity.

As a newly wed, I tried to make dinner around 5pm every night. It just seemed like the thing to do.

Then we had kids.

If you have children, you are probably aware of the evening crazy hour; that time of night when kids (and parents) are likely to lose it.

Preparing dinner during that hour can be challenging.

I’ve done a number of things to make it easier:

• setting the kids up with activities
• having the kids help me
• letting the kids watch a watching a DVD
• letting the kids play in their bedrooms while I cook

These helped to varying degrees.

But what helped the most was to prepare dinner earlier in the day. Much earlier.

For some reason morning or early afternoon are much calmer. Is it that way in your house?

I can get a whole meal in the crock pot right after breakfast without much fuss.

Maybe it’s because no one is hungry.

Cooking for people who are already hungry stresses me out!

How to make dinner without going crazy:

1. Use the crock pot

The crock pot is my friend.

It is so much easier for me to put a meal in the crock pot early in the morning than cooking up at storm at 5pm.

It doesn’t have to be fancy either; just pop in some frozen chicken breasts and a little barbeque sauce.

If you need crock pot recipes, check out Crock On! A Semi-Whole Foods Slow Cooker Cookbook

2. Work on dinner throughout the day

Another method of preparing dinner early is to work on parts of dinner throughout the day.

For example, I might cut up veggies in the morning and brown meat after lunch, then it only takes a few minutes to put it all together at dinner time. This method streamlines to dinner hour significantly.

3. Prepare freezer-friendly meals

One last method is to utilize your freezer. Do a big cook up once a week, once a month, or just make double of dinner occasionally and stock the freezer. Having meals ready to go makes dinner much less stressful.

What are your tips for getting dinner on the table without too much stress?

This week is going to be busy, so I’m using my crock-pot for dinner every day! At least, that’s the plan.

I have high hopes for this strategy.

Here’s hoping I remember to turn on the crock-pot on! (I’ve been known to forget.)

Monday

Tinga (already cooked, just warming in the crock-pot)

Tuesday

Family-favorite Potato Soup

Wednesday

Roast Beef and Garlic

Thursday

Slow-cooked Honey Chicken with broccoli and carrots

Friday

Cheesy Sausage potatoes (from Crock On!)

Saturday

Chocolate Chili – I usually make this on the stove top, but will try it in the crock-pot this time. I already have the ground beef cooked (it’s in the freezer)

If you need crock-pot ideas, Crock On! has some great recipes.

Crock On! is one of the ebooks in the Ultimate Homemaking eBook Bundle that’s on sale this week only. (That and 96 other resources!).

When I left home at 18 years of age, I could bake shortbread cookies and make scrambled eggs (in the microwave!).

And nothing else.

It was a sad state to be in.

Thankfully, I’ve learned a few things since then and have even managed to teach my own children to cook.

I didn’t really know I was teaching them. I had no plan. But I enjoy cooking and include them often.

When my youngest was still a baby, I’d put her in the highchair and do a cooking show while she nibbled on crackers.

I had no idea what I was doing, but I’d heard it was good to talk to babies a lot, and I needed to cook, so I figured I’d just combine the two.

I felt like a goof ball, but she loved it.

As my daughter got older, I’d let her pour flour in the bowl and stir the ingredients. Now I can ask her to make tortillas for dinner and she does it without help. (It’s great!)

Cooking together is a bonding experience

If I need to connect with my kids, but don’t know what to do, I bake with them.

They enjoy it, I don’t have to think too hard, and we get cookies at the end.

Win-win-win!

There’s something about cooking that brings people together. The talking, the laughter, the working through problems . . .

it all builds relationships.

And it helps them learn how to cook, so they can do it on their own when needed. The more skilled they feel, the more likely they will be to venture into the kitchen without assistance.

Let them do it!

I believe a large part of my daughter’s success with cooking is the fact that I let her do it.

Sure, there were times when I didn’t involve her, but I try to let her wherever possible.

Sometimes we end up with flour everywhere.

Including the couch cushions . . .

Sometimes we have to remind people not to put measuring cups in their heads . . .

But, I’d rather do the reminding now, while they are young and interested, than when they are older and would rather be doing something else.

Plus, now that my kids are more proficient in the kitchen, I don’t have to cook everything. That is a blessing, let me tell you.

The following is a very simple cookie recipe your kids could learn to make on their own. It only contains a few ingredients and takes just a few minutes to prepare.

This recipe comes from the Real Food Kids: In the Kitchen ebook is one of my favorites from the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle.

It comes with cooking videos that completely blew my socks off! The videos let you be a fly on the wall in one of the author’s kitchen. You get to see her children prepare (and clean up) breakfast, and she also gives a demonstration on how to teach kids cooking skills (and many other things). It’s like having a sweet mentor let you come and sit across their dining table. Just so wonderful.

Real Food Kids retails for $20, but you can get it as part of the bundle (with 97 eBooks and eCourses) for just $29.97! Totally worth it.

I can’t recommend this book (and the bundle) highly enough. Buy yours here.

 

Equipment Needed: Mixing bowl, wooden spoon, measuring cups and spoons, small baking sheet for toaster oven, parchment paper, cookie scoop or teaspoon measuring spoon, toaster oven.

‣ 1 cup nut butter of choice (peanut, almond, cashew, even sunflower!)
‣ 1 cup Sucanat
‣ 1 pastured egg
‣ 1 teaspoon baking soda

Yields about 3 dozen.

Preheat toaster oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Combine all ingredients together in a mixing bowl. If you need to put down the spoon and knead the dough with your hands a few times, that’s okay!

Cover and allow the dough to rest for about 10 minutes. It will get even thicker.

Pinch off walnut-size pieces and roll into a ball (or use a cookie scooper or teaspoon measuring spoon to help you get the right amount).

Place six to eight balls onto a parchment lined cookie sheet for the toaster oven. Bake for 8 minutes.

Cool on a wire rack.

Roll the rest of the dough into balls and freeze in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Then, transfer to a freezer container. When you want a few cookies, simply remove that amount from the container, put of a baking sheet and bake for 9 to 10 minutes.

Note: We don’t have a toaster oven and made these in the regular oven. It worked well, just be sure the cookies are not too close together (they spread). And keep an eye on the cookies after about 5 or 6 minutes. They get crispy pretty quickly.

Don’t forget to check out the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle. I think you’ll be amazed at all the wonderful resources it includes! Great stuff for you and your kids.

Below is a picture of just the educational resources. All these, plus 85 MORE titles (a $640 value) and $140 of free product bonuses for $29.97! Awesomesauce!

Get your bundle here.

 What are your best tips for teaching kids to cook?

I am thrilled to see so many of you joining me for the Vegetable Eating Challenge! It’s much more fun to do this with friends!

I find eating veggies one of the hardest habits to stick with. I’m not sure why. Maybe it’s because of the multiple steps involved in preparing them or perhaps it’s just that I like other foods better! Whatever the reason, I’m determined to continue improving this area of my life. I believe consuming a large amount of veggies frequently is foundational to good health.

(If you want to be inspired by the power of vegetables to heal your body, check out Dr. Terry Wahl’s amazing transformation which she discusses in her awesome Ted Talk.)

Here are a few tips for eating more veggies on a consistent basis:

1. Keep them on hand

Yes, I know. That is kind a given, BUT, it’s important because grocery shopping takes planning. On the weeks where I don’t do a dedicated grocery shop, and just dash to the store for this and that, we eat much worse! Fewer vegetables are consumed, and I notice a big difference in how I feel.

It can be hard to always have the right types of food on hand when you are busy and have kids underfoot, so it’s important to plan ahead for shopping trips.

Now may be a good time to research delivery options in your area. I have a wonderful local CSA that actually delivers to my door! It’s amazing!

I also order from Azure Standard, which delivers once a month. This helps me keep a well stocked pantry and freezer.

Frozen veggies are a great option that allows you to have some type of vegetable on hand year round. Many frozen vegetables are frozen at the peak of freshness and may even be more nutritious than veggies at the store (the ones that have traveled far and been sitting there for days and days).

2. Prepare veggies ahead of time

Any way you can prepare veggies so they are easy to grab when hunger strikes, is good!

Here are a few ideas:

• chop carrots, cucumber, and peppers for a quick snack
• prep. a salad or soup at the beginning of the week that will last a few days
• saute onions and mushrooms to freeze for later use
• blend avocados with a little lemon juice and freeze in ice cube trays for use on salads (thaw out when ready to eat– it’s almost like  salad dressing)

3. Replace pasta with vegetables

This took a bit of getting used to, but I love it now!

Some quick ideas:

• cook up some broccoli and pour a meaty pasta sauce over the top for a hearty meal
• have roasted veggies on the side instead of macaroni and cheese
• get a spiralizer and make zoodles (zucchini noodles) to use in place of spaghetti
• try spaghetti squash in place of pasta too

4. Add a Green Smoothie to Your Daily Rotation

A great breakfast or snack, green smoothies allow you to easily add a serving or three or veggies to your day.

If you’ve never tried a green smoothie before, you might be surprised how un-green they can taste. Start by adding a little spinach to a smoothie made with a frozen banana, strawberries and water. Just blend up the water and spinach first so it will be nice and smooth. Find out everything you want to know about green smoothies here.

5. Snack on Veggies

Snack time should be viewed as a way to add more nutrition to your diet. It’s often the moment we grab something unhealthy, just because it’s not meal time. Instead, plan ahead and have some vegetables chopped and ready to go.

You might even like to have something that resembles a mini-meal instead, like a small bowl of soup!

6. Make a Meal Plan

The best way to know you are going to eat enough veggies is to plan for it. Creating a simple meal plan will help you stay on track and also let you know what you need to get at the grocery store!

7. Tape the Veggie Eating Tracker to the Front of Your Fridge or Cabinet!

Seriously! If you are anything like me, you might actually forget that you are trying to increase your vegetable intake. I have to be reminded constantly!

Print out the veggie eating tracker and put it somewhere you will see it often. I tried to make sure it was pretty so we could all put it up in a prominent place. Maybe you’ll even inspire others in your home to eat better!

My Veggie Challenge Update

I did terribly this week! What a way to start out! I know it was because I did not do many of the things mentioned above. The week started out on a whirlwind and I let it get the best of me! But, I’m ready for this week. I’ve got some veggie-heavy soups on the menu and planning to have a green smoothie each day.

How did you do this week? Did you eat more veggies than usual?

Share in the comments below of link up a blog post from your blog.

Or share your posts on social media using the hashtag #delightfulveg

I’d love to see updates on your veggie eating challenge, but you are also welcome to share veggie-based recipes for us to enjoy!

The post 7 Ways to Eat More Veggies (Plus Veggie Challenge Update!) appeared first on A Delightful Home.

Homemade gummies are a delicious treat. They are easy to make and taste great. Plus, these particular gummies have the benefits of beef gelatin, which is gut healing and nourishing to the body in many ways (see more of the health benefits of gelatin here.)

I know that gummies made with beef gelatin sounds pretty awful, but I can assure you, there is not beef taste whatsoever. I promise.

These are goood.

These gummies are often eaten by me and my family as a snack or dessert. I especially like them in the afternoon when I’m wanting something sweet. They satisfy my sweet tooth without the need for a ton of artificial or refined sugars.

Gummies can be made in many various flavors, including berry, lemon, and peach. This strawberry variety is my current favorite.

The ingredients can be tweaked to make this into a jello instead. I will share that recipe next week.

Specialty ingredients are tools:

To make these gummies, you will need a stick blender or whisk and silicone mold. You’ll also need the extra-special, secret ingredient: powdered beef gelatin. These may seem like specialty ingredients if you’ve not made these before, but one you have them on hand, you’ll find many uses for them. each is now a staple in my kicthen.

Strawberry-Lime Gummies

The recipe is adapted from Strawberry-Lemonade Gummies in The Gelatin Secret

Ingredients

1 1/2 – 2 cups frozen strawberries (Note: I use frozen strawberries because I always have them on hand. Feel free to use fresh.)
1/3 cup lime juice
7 tablespoons gelatin
2 tablespoons honey
stick blender or whisk
silicone mold
blender

Method

Thaw strawberries and place in blender (along with any juice/liquid that has come from the thawing process). Blend until pureed.

Add lime juice and honey and blend again.

Pour into a pot and warm on the stove over medium-low heat.

While warming, prepare the gelatin by measuring into a small bowl or cup.

Once warm (just warm, not hot, hot, hot) add the gelatin a little at a time and blend with a whisk or stick blender until smooth.

If the gelatin clumps up, don’t be discouraged. Try the stick blender to break to the clumps. The first time I made gummies, I had clumps everywhere! You have to work pretty quickly. Be careful not to splash the warm mixture over yourself! If you have trouble, keep trying. The technique gets easer the more you make these. I often find the whisk works better for me than the stick blender. Just sprinkle in a little at a time then stir it in quickly.

Place silicone mold on a cookie sheet and pout the mixture into each mold. I pour straight from the pot because it has pouring spouts on the side. But, if you don’t have a pot like hat, you may pour the mixture into a heavy measuring cup with a pouring spout and pour into the molds from there.

Once in the molds, place in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Pop out of the molds and enjoy!

Keep gummies in the fridge for up to a week (if they last that long!).

The star-burst type gummies pictured at the top were made in this daisy silicone mold.

Check out Thrive Market!

I have always bought gelatin from Amazon and thought it was the best price. BUT, I was wrong. Check out this cost comparison between Amazon and Thrive Market:

This week you can enter to win a $1,000 Shopping Spree from Thrive Market!!

This post contains affiliate links.

The post Strawberry-Lime Gummies Recipe appeared first on A Delightful Home.

ePantry is my favorite all-natural subscription service.

ePantry is known for carrying all-natural cleaning & personal care products. They offer some of the best green and healthy products around!

A few months ago I started ordering cleaning and personal care products from ePantry.com. I love how much easier it has made my life!

A few reasons I love ordering ePantry:

1. Saves Time

I can set up my order in a few clicks. It’s quick and easy (much faster than going to the store!).

2. Saves money

Items are often on sale, and even when they aren’t they are available at great prices (less than retail).

3. Keeps me stocked up on items I need

I never have to make an emergency trip to the store because I’ve run out of essentials (like dish soap!) ePantry helps me stay fully stocked. This saves me time and money as well!

4. They carry my favorite products

One of my favorite dish soaps is method dish soap in grapefruit. ePantry has it. So, I always have it too.

Here is a picture of a few of the items I received in my previous orders:

Some of the things I regularly order are: wood floor cleaner, dish soap, dish soap refill, hand soap and refills, sponges, lip balm, candles, and toothpaste.

Simply sign up, answer a couple questions, and ePantry delivers right to your door.

Plan out a delivery schedule months in advance, or customize an order when you need one.

Special Offer – ENDS 8/3

My readers will get a Free Mrs. Meyer’s Hand Soap, Free $10 Credit, & Free Shipping for first-time orders!

I am so happy to offer this to all of you, since Mrs. Meyer’s is amazing!

Mrs. Meyer’s products are full of plant-derived ingredients and essential oils. They smell great and are good for the environment (and for you!). Plus, they actually work (you know how some natural cleaning products don’t seem to work well at all?).

How ePantry works

This special, limited-time offer is only available now through August 3rd, so sign up with this link.

Next, answer a few easy questions about your home, cleaning schedule, and favorite products. ePantry uses your answers to get a feel for what you like & to suggest products for future shipments. 

Customize your basket! This is definitely the most fun part. (It’s nice when shopping is an enjoyable experience! Especially when you don’t even have to get out of your pjs!)

Including the hand soap and $10 off, your total must come to at least $20. The minimum is for first-time orders only.

Once you have filled your basket, click Finish & Pay. Your free hand soap and $10 credit will already be included.

Example basket:

I have put together an example basket to demonstrate the amazing value of this offer! Of course, I highly recommend taking a look through ePantry’s full lineup. They have a lot to choose from & they are adding more all the time!

Mrs. Meyer’s Hand Soap – free with our offer!

Grove Pop-Up Sponges: $4.50

method Dish Soap: $3.89

method Wood Floor Cleaner: $6.11

Mrs. Meyer’s Multi-Surface Cleaner: $3.89

Seventh Generation Tall Drawstring Trash Bags: $5.49

Seventh Generation Disinfecting Bathroom Cleaner: $4.39

Seventh Generation Shower Cleaner: $4.39

Seventh Generation Toilet Bowl Cleaner: $4.39

With a $10 credit, the total for this basket comes to $26.85, a $54+ value! 

And shipping is FREE!

ePanty is not your usual subscription service.

What makes ePantry different?

ePantry is serious about the earth. 

Not only can you order eco-friendly products simply and inexpensively, but with each order placed, ePantry donates 25 square feet of rainforest, and each shipment is carbon offset.

They are not just talk, ePantry takes action.

ePantry is flexible.

I wasn’t sure I would like it. I’m not usually a fan of subscription services. But, ePantry is different.

With ePantry, you are not locked in to any set schedule, but can order what you want, when you want. ePantry will make suggestions, but these can be edited at any time. The products you receive are entirely up to you.

Refer friends and family, get $10 off!

If you refer friends and family to ePantry, each person you refer will get $10 in credit for their first order! And, more good news! You will also receive $10 in credit for each person who checks out. It’s a win-win!

To top it all off, ePantry has exceptional customer service! I’ve found them to be friendly, easy to work with, and fast!

They even offer an extra $2 off if you answer the question in the chat box.

If you want safer cleaning and personal care products at great prices and with less hassles, definitely give ePantry a try!

Check it out here!

Special Offer for A Delightful Home readers:

Free Mrs. Meyer’s Hand Soap, $10 Credit, & Free Shipping for first-time orders!

Offer is good until 7/31!

 What cleaning or personal care items would you enjoy having delivered right to your door?

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The post FREE Mrs. Meyer’s Hand Soap, $10 Credit, and FREE Shipping at ePantry! appeared first on A Delightful Home.

Looking for the best ways to improve your health?

Want to lose weight and stay fit effortlessly?

Then you should consider planning your meals in advance. This way, you can make sure your family is getting nutritious meals on a daily basis. Not to mention that menu planning is a wonderful way to save time and money! People who plan their meals are more organized, eat healthier, and have more time for the things they love.

Eat Better, Spend Less

The benefits of meal planning are backed up by science. Whether you’re on a diet or you simply want to eat well, create delicious menus for the week. This way, you’ll know exactly what to buy and save money on food. Additionally, you’ll spend less time cooking and improve your health. Meal planning simplifies your life, promotes healthy eating, and cuts back on waste.

This simple habit can help you change your life for the better. Not only you’ll end up with a healthier diet, but also have more control over the ingredients in your meals.

How many times have you run out of fruits, veggies, olive oil and other healthy foods? If you plan your meals, you’ll never be in this situation again. A well-stocked refrigerator and pantry is all you need to cook tasty, nutritious meals that your family will love.

Save Time and Money

Menu planning can reduce the stress in your life and bring you peace of mind. The best part is that you’ll spend less on groceries and gas, stick to a budget, and avoid impulse buys. Since you can cook in bulk, you will save you hundreds of dollars a month.

When you plan your meals, you can manage your time better and make use of leftovers. This also gives you the flexibility to cook and eat delicious homemade meals without running off to the store daily. Meal planning can also help you diversify your diet and avoid falling into the trap of eating the same foods over and over.

Tomorrow we’ll talk about different menu planning methods and how to menu plan with ease. Sound good?

Need some help with menu planning?

You’ll want to take a look at the Frugal Real Food Meal Plans from Tiffany Crumbs.

It’s an all-inclusive meal plan, which not only provides recipes and shopping lists, but also tips for how to make it work for you! And . . . it’s ready every month, before the month even begins! 

The 12-month option is on sale until Jan. 7. Originally $9.99/mo, on sale for $7.99/mo with coupon code ONEYEARSALE.

How you found menu planning to be beneficial? I’d love to hear about it.

The post The Surprising Benefits of Menu Planning appeared first on A Delightful Home.

Want to eat healthier and save money? Are you tired of spending hours in the kitchen every day? If so, start planning your meals!

Menu planning is the best way to clean up your diet and reduce waste. On top of that, you’ll spend less money on food and have more time for yourself.

There is more than one way to plan your meals. Some people do it every week, while others create menus for the whole month. Seasonal planning works too, and can be used year after year. So, are you ready to give it a try? Here are some easy menu planning tips to help you out:

Assess Your Needs

Before creating a menu, ask yourself a few questions. What foods do you like? What foods do you hate? Are you on a special diet? Is your family dealing with any food allergies, such as gluten or lactose intolerance?

Set long term goals and plan your meals accordingly. For example, if you want to lose weight, create a menu that’s based on whole, natural foods. Cut back on sugar, trans fats, starches, alcohol, sodium, and highly processed products.

Most meals should provide lean protein, complex carbs, and heart-healthy fats. The key to optimal health is eating clean at least 80 percent of the time. Keep this rule in mind when planning your meals.

Choose a Menu Planning Method

Decide whether you want to plan your meals every week, bi-weekly, or monthly. Each menu planning method has pros and cons.

Weekly planning gives you more freedom and flexibility, but can be time consuming.

Bi-weekly planning seems to work best for most people. You can plan your meals for just one week and fill in the next week’s menu along the way.

Some people prefer monthly meal planning.

This method can save you time and money in the long run. The downside is that it rarely works for those with an irregular schedule.

If you’re on a strict diet, consider seasonal menu planning. This approach is ideal for people with good organizational skills who don’t mind sticking to a menu. However, it may not be the best choice for frequent travelers and business professionals. If you enjoy cooking and trying new recipes, stick to weekly menu planning.

Get Organized

Once you choose a menu planning method, decide how you’re going to implement it. For instance, you can schedule certain types of food on particular days, such as fish on Mondays and Wednesdays, soup on Thursdays, and meatballs every Friday for dinner. Some families cook Italian food on Mondays, Lebanese food on Tuesdays and so on. Others assign one type of food to each day of the week. There is no right or wrong way to plan your meals. It all comes down to your needs and preferences.

Create Your Grocery List

Make a grocery list based on your meal plan. Add staples like milk, coffee, tea, fruits, vegetables, and bread. Substitute high calorie ingredients with lighter versions to cut calories and eat healthier. Choose coconut oil instead of margarine, oat or almond flour instead of white flour, and stevia instead of sugar. Stick to your menu and don’t buy anything that’s not on the list.

Consider a Menu Planning Service

If you are short on time, or don’t know where to start, you may want consider a menu planning service. There are many available online that cater to various diets and specific needs.

Some of the best include:

Frugal Real Food Meal Plans from Tiffany Crumbs – An all-inclusive meal plan, which not only provides recipes and shopping lists, but also tips for how to make it work for you! And . . . it’s ready every month, before the month even begins! 

Real Plans – these plans are completely customizable. You can even import recipes! There are over 1000 recipes already on the site. And each is made with real food ingredients.

Check out this video to learn more about Real Plans. (I love that they include recipes from Wellness mama and Nom Nom Paleo – two of my favorite websites).

You don’t need a menu planning service to get started! Just jot down a few family favorites and make a list of ingredients and you are off to the races.

These services may come in handy during busy seasons or when you just want to take something off your plate.

I’d love to hear what works for you!

The post Menu Planning Made Easy appeared first on A Delightful Home.

Did you know that coconut oil works very well is most baked goods?

Up until a few years ago, I had no idea!

It was a wonderful discovery, because coconut oil is one of the healthiest oils on the planet.

After purchasing my first jar of coconut oil, I was a little lost. Solid and white, it was unlike any oil I had used before.

Many questions began to surface: Will our food to have a strange texture? Will our bread taste like coconut? Will my family balk at this new ingredient?

Fast forward a few years and coconut oil is now my go-to oil for cooking , baking, moisturizing dry skin, and a frequent ingredient in my homemade body care creations.

While there are many uses for coconut oil, today I’m going to share specific details for using it in baking.

Before I do, here’s a quick rundown of the health benefits of coconut oil:

• Promotes weight loss
• Protects against heart disease, cancer and diabetes
• Supports thyroid health
• Is an excellent antioxidant
• Antiviral
• Boosts energy
• Heat stable (unlike most plant oils, coconut oil does not form trans-fatty acids at higher temperatures)

Coconut oil is not your typical oil! In fact, I’d go so far as to say that coconut oil is the champion of all oils.

How to use Coconut Oil in Baking

Coconut oil is a great substitute for shortening, butter, margarine, or vegetable oil. (I generally don’t substitute butter, since butter has health benefits of its own.) Over the past few years I have gradually moved to replacing most oils with coconut oil and have found it works very well.

Coconut oil can be used successfully in most baked goods including:

• Baked oatmeal
• Cornbread
• Yeast bread
• Quick breads (sweet breads)
• Crackers
• Cakes
• Muffins
• Granola
• Granola Bars
• Waffles
• Biscuits
• Scones
• Pie crust
• Cookies (Not all cookies are suitable. But many are. Cookies that rely heavily on butter, such as shortbread, will not work well.)

I love to incorporate coconut oil into holiday baking because it makes sweet treats a little healthier. Add some whole wheat flour and natural sweetener, and you have a nourishing, real food dessert.

Using Coconut Oil in Liquid Form

In liquid form, coconut oil is an excellent substitute for vegetable oil, melted butter or margarine. One cup of solid coconut oil will melt to approximately one cup of liquid.

To use as a liquid,  melt coconut oil over low heat and allow to cool briefly. Then use as you would any other oil.

Another option is to place a jar or bowl of coconut oil on top of a warm stove to melt as you prepare the rest of the ingredients. Coconut oil melts quickly.

If using cold ingredients, stir the oil in quickly (and vigorously) so that it does not solidify and make clumps. I rarely have this issue when baking (because there usually aren’t enough cold ingredients to cause a problem). It is worth noting that coconut oil works best when ingredients are at room temperature.

Using Coconut Oil in Solid Form

Coconut oil will remain in a solid state when the temperature is below 76 degrees Fahrenheit.

In solid form, coconut oil works well in recipes that require butter or shortening to be cut into dry ingredients (like scones, and pie crusts). Because coconut oil is solid at room temperature, it makes baked goods nice and flaky.

When softened slightly, coconut oil can be beaten along with sweetener (such as honey or sugar) the same way you would shortening or butter. (I have tried it without softening first, and it worked that way, too. It just required a little patience and persistence.)

Solid coconut oil is also an excellent choice for greasing pans. Scoop out a little solid oil and rub the sides and bottom of the pan as usual. Use any leftover to moisturize your hands and elbows!

Which type of coconut oil should I use?

Unrefined (or virgin) is the most beneficial grade of coconut oil. It is minimally processed using very little heat and has a mild coconut scent and flavor (which I rarely taste in baked goods).

The next best is expeller-pressed, which has its scent and flavor removed through a gentle deodorizing process.

The least beneficial type of coconut oil is industrial/commercial grade. This type of oil has been refined, bleached, and deodorized. It has no scent or flavor and is lacking in the vital nutrients present in virgin or expeller-pressed versions.

Coconut oil keeps for two years without refrigeration. Buying in bulk is usually the least expensive option.

Using coconut oil in baking reduces the need for other oils and helps simplify the kitchen. Keeping coconut oil, olive oil, and butter on hand, will covered most of your cooking and baking needs.

Some of my favorite recipes using coconut oil:

Chocolate Coconut Oat Bars (pictured at top)
Pumpkin Gems
Basic Soaked Muffins
Coconut Flour Orange Cake with Coconut Oil Frosting

Do you use coconut oil in baked goods? If yes, tell us your experience. If not, what concerns you the most about trying it?

Want a FREE jar of High-Quality Coconut Oil?

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The post How to Bake with Coconut Oil appeared first on A Delightful Home.

You’ve probably seen (or used) a French Press to make coffee, but this handy little tool can do lots of other things too.

I’m sure you already know a few.

I love using a French Press; it feels luxurious, yet simple. (Although, I did recently break mine. That was not fun!).

Uses for a French Press

If you have a French Press, perhaps you’d like to try a few of the following:

Coffee

You already know this one. But, I can’t leave it off the list. A French Press makes great coffee. It’s important to grind the coffee so it is a somewhat coarse grind, not too fine. Use about 1 tablespoon per cup of water and leave the plunger up for about 3 minutes.

Tea

I love to use my French Press to make tea. I enjoy seeing the loose herbs floating around in the water while the tea brews.

You’ll need about 1 teaspoon per cup of water.

One note about tea, only make as much as you will drink fairly soon. The leaves will continue to steep with any water remaining in the press, which could result in bitter (or overly strong) tea.

Whip cream

I haven’t tried this yet, but recently read that this was possible. It won’t whip the cream to the same consistency as a beater would, but it will work in a pinch!

Read more here: How to use a French Press to make whipped cream!

Rehydrate dried foods

If wanting to plump up dried mushrooms, dates, or any other small amount of dried food, add it to the press and cover with water. Leave for allotted amount of time for that particular food.

I’m sure there are many other uses!

Do you use a French Press? If so, is there anything special you like to make in it?

This post contains affiliate links. Image via Amazon/Bodum

The post 4 Ways to Use a French Press appeared first on A Delightful Home.