Lawn Reform at Home

After our ginormous water bills last summer and the crispy grass we have to show for it, we knew we had to make some changes, but what exactly?  Then I came across this great website called lawnreform.org.  It was exactly what I was looking for!  We waste so much time, energy, and water on grass that isn't meant to be grown where we plant it.  Sure it looks nice, after you dump tons of chemicals on it and clean drinking water on it...lots of water.  Lots and lots of water.  So this week, we started phase 1 of Operation Lawn Reform.

First, on a nice tease of a nice day, I mapped out in the front yard where we wanted to make a bed, and dug a border around it.

Then this weekend, Stephen and Mickade worked hard.  We got bricks that match our house, and they lined the beds with bricks.  Then they also laid cardboard over the whole bed to kill the grass beneath. (The Lasagna Method) This is a great method, because once it's done it's job, it disintegrates under the mulch and becomes compost.  We're already recycling!  They covered all the cardboard with mulch, and it looks fantastic.  In another month or so we should be able to start planting our new plants.  Plants which will be native lovers of full sun and require little to no watering.  The plants will enhance the landscape and be SO MUCH MORE beautiful and interesting than boring old grass.  They will also attract butterflies and other helpful insects, while providing habitats for other small creatures.  Way better than grass, don't you think????

Pinewood Derby '11

Today was Mickade's cub scout pack's annual Pinewood Derby.  He and Stephen have spent weeks and weeks preparing for this day!  For the derby, the scouts each have a car kit that includes a block of wood and the wheels and axles...the literally carve out their own cars.  They carved, sanded, ground, polished, painted, waxed...and were finally ready. 

Mickade's car is in the middle lane "Future Car"

They were sooo nervous and excited this morning, but never fear!  Mickade's car came in 2nd for his den (so out of about 20 boys)!!!!!!  He won an awesome trophy.





His car then raced in the pack's finals for bigger trophies, and he was SO CLOSE!!!  4th place!  Overall a very successful and fun day!

For the Non-Believers...

This is Mickade's back after TWO Baked Lay's BBQ Potato Chips.  Yes, two.  The seasonings are high in salicylates.

This is after a 20 minute bath in epsom salts. The sulfates in the magnesium sulfate help the body clear out the toxins.  Amazing, huh?

One Fish, Two Fish

More baking adventures today!  It's really hard to get anything else done when you have to cook this much...but...luckily I love cooking and my family loves the results.  Today, I attempted cheese crackers for the second time.  I was also armed with a perfectly cute, teeny-weeny goldfish cookie cutter!!  So precious!  Now my little one can be just like everyone else, with little fishy crackers.  Boy was she excited! "Mama, you make goldfish crackers for me?!" she said over and over with squeals of joy.  She also enjoyed "helping" me make them (all you moms out there know that when a 2 year old helps, they tend to do just the opposite lol!).

4 ounces Cheddar Cheese (I've heard Daiya cheese is great too!)
3 Tbs. Butter, softened (or your preferred substitute if dairy-free)
2/3 cup Rice Flour
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Xanthan Gum (use 3/4 tsp. guar gum for corn-free)
1/2 tsp Corn-Free Baking Powder (I used less than a 1/4 tsp baking soda with the rest cream of tartar)
1/4 tsp. Baking Soda
3 Tbs. Milk (or dairy-free substitute)

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.  I use a baking stone, but if you use a metal pan be sure to grease it.
2. Mix all ingredients together except milk in mixing bowl with electric mixer (I use a countertop Kitchenaid) until crumby, then add milk.
3. Flour your smooth surface, and roll dough 1/8 inch thick (I just got these great rings for my rolling pin to make even dough!) and use teeny goldfish cutter until you use all the dough up!
   
4. Sprinkle with salt if desired, and cook about 10 minutes until getting golden brown on top.  Err on the side of overcooking, or they will not have the crisp of a cracker.
5. Serve to smiling little people!

Oh and hey, our kids can have fun too!  Next time I'm going to make some with natural dyes so we can have rainbow fish, too, without all the yucky stuff!

Oreo's....gluten free!

Our homeschool co-op had plans for a potluck today (which, incidentally, has now been snowed out), and I panicked.  All of our food restrictions lately make group eating situations just awful.  Will my kids be able to have any?  It's really awful to sit by and deny your kids food, especially when it may be something as simple and healthy as fruit salad.  So, I started searching and brainstorming.  I figured chicken and rice soup would be a perfect crockpot meal, so that was an easy one.  But I needed a new dessert!!  But what???  Then I found it.  Oreos!!!!  I took the original recipe from Smitten Kitchen and adapted it for our tastes and needs...fantastic!

Homemade Oreos

Gluten-free Oreos

For the chocolate wafers:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (For gluten-free, I used an all-purpose flour mix...details below)
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa (I used both Hershey's and Ghirardelli)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) spectrum palm shortening
1 large egg
A few tablespoons of water to obtain a slightly wet consistency.  If it's too dry and doughy, the cookies won't cook thin enough.

Wheat flour Oreos

For the filling:
1/2 cup Spectrum palm oil shortening2 cups powdered sugar (I made ours in the Vitamix, using tapioca starch instead of cornstarch since M can't have corn)
1/4-1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. In electric mixer, mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, and sugar.  Add the shortening, and then the egg. Thoroughly mix (wheat version will make nice ball of dough, gf will be slightly wetter).
3. Roll rounded teaspoons of dough in your hands into little balls and place on cookie sheet (I use baking stones, otherwise you may want to line with parchment paper).  Place on cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Flatten dough with bottom of glass or your fingers. Bake for 8 minutes for wheat, 10 minutes for gluten-free.  Let sit for a couple minutes then place cookies on cooling rack until cool.
4. For the cream filling, mix shortening at low speed, gradually adding in sugar and vanilla. Mix on high for a couple more minutes until cream is light and fluffy.
5. To make the best cookies you've ever tasted, put the cream in a pastry bag with a large round tip (or in a strong ziplock bag with the corner cut off) and squeeze about a teaspoon glob of cream onto one cooke, then place another one of similar size (I know I still have to work on uniform sizes for my cookies lol!) on top, pressing together lightly. 

All-Purpose Gluten-Free Flour
3 cups brown rice flour (I make my own in my Vitamix, much cheaper and I never run out!)
1 cup potato starch
1/2 cup tapioca starch

This recipe could easily  be adapted for other food allergy needs...different flour mixes,egg-free, etc.

I'm going to confess....the gluten-free ones taste more like Oreos than the wheat ones!!!  The wheat ones come out a little softer, whereas the gluten-free ones have that familiar crunch.  So delicious!!!!

2/18/11...I just edited this recipe.  I made it dairy-free and it's even better than before.  The cream is just like oreos now!

Even Unicorns Need Spa Days

 

Lucy had her hair cut Friday and was inspired.

A Lot Can Happen in 30 Days

At the beginning of this year I decided my resolution was to get back into shape.  After 3 babies and our last move (during which I somehow gained almost 10lbs) and the food allergy baking (because, of course, how do you know if things are coming out good if you don't eat half the batch taste them along the way?), I needed to do something.  My ab muscles were, uh, missing.  My rear end had gone south.  I wasn't totally sure how I was going to accomplish this until one of the shopping blogs I subscribe to posted a link to Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred.  It was only $7.99.  I read the reviews, and was completely intrigued.  I saw before and after photos on blogs and was blown away.  Could that really happen in only 30 days????


So I ordered it and set forth on my journey.  It was a tough workout, but the kind of tough that makes you feel awesome about yourself for getting through afterward.  Sure, it was hard to walk up the stairs sometimes, but as I started to see things like calf muscles starting to cut through, I was motivated.  I have been sore in one capacity or another for 30 days...but I like it!  I was truly determined.  I did the workout each and every day for 30 days straight, even if it meant working out at 10pm when  everyone was finally asleep and the kitchen was picked up.  I had to do this, for myself, for once.

And it was worth it.  I know I posted my clothed photos on Facebook, but it seems I've motivated so many of my friends to try it today, I thought I'd just go all out and put myself fully out there.  If I can inspire a few of my friends to get healthy, it will be worth it!

I was totally out of shape for me when I started.  My before photo is a bit, um, embarrassing, but the after makes it worth it.  I'll come out of hiding here and give you the real deal.  In just 30 days, 25 minutes a day...less than 3 hours a week...I lost 3 1/2 inches off my waist and reduced my body fat percentage down 5% and into an acceptable range.  Other places saw modest circumference reduction, but huge changes in composition.  I'm much more solid.

 

My before photos are a little embarrassing, but I really feel like you need to see them to understand.  I mean, I have visible abs (and if you  were to feel my abs, you can actually feel the ridges of the 6-pack just aching to come through).    You can see the outline of definition in my thigh muscles.  You can't tell in these photos, but I even have calf definition starting to peek through. The best part of the whole regimen, though, was I started to see changes in only 5 days.  No joke.  My waist melted away that first week, I think I lost 2 inches in that first week alone.  Freaking A-mazing.  If you decide to try this, please take photos and measurements of yourself before you start.  I totally had a freakout at the end of each week when the scale didn't move...and then I looked at my new photos compared to my first ones, and read measurements...and knew I was on the right track.

I did a little dance last night when I was finished, so excited for having completed the 30 days.  I'm  not quite ready for bikini season yet, but luckily I have time....and Jillian Michael's 6 Week 6 Pack on the counter waiting to be started!

Healthy Chocolate Fix!

I just made this recipe for the first time!  While it's certainly not as decadent as a traditional recipe, it will do the trick.  Of course, my currently baking batch is full of semi-sweet and white chocolate chips, so that probably ups the rich factor.  Also, I'm considering making it with butter one time too and seeing if that makes it a tad more decadent.  But really, using black beans instead of flour not only makes it gluten-free, but makes it chock full of protein, fiber, and  nutrients! (I wonder if this means it's ok to eat the whole pan?)

Black Bean Brownies

1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained (I used 2 cups of black beans I had prepared myself)
3 eggs
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup cocoa powder (this could easily be upped)
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Conversation between Stephen and Lucy

This morning, before leaving for work (where he often sleeps, remember):

Stephen: Lucy, did you sleep in  my bed last night?

(She did, of course, sleep in our bed.)

Lucy: No...your bed is on your boat.

Bahahahahahaha!!!!