Tuesday, June 30, 2009

More Super Yummy Recipes!!!

Below, you'll find some of the best recipes on earth for cookies, chocolate cake, apple pie, pumpkin pie, and apple crisp.

Orange-Ginger Oatmeal Crunch Cookies

Yum! The special flavors and texture of this glorified version of the plain old-fashioned favorite make it a crowd pleaser.

1 1/2 cups oatmeal (360 mil.)
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour (180 mil.)
3/4 cup unbleached white flour (180 mil.)
1 tsp. aluminum-free baking powder (5 mil.)
1/2 tsp. sea salt (2 mil.)
3/4 cup currants (180 mil.)
1 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped (230 mil.)
1/2 cup canola or light walnut oil (120 mil.)
1/2 cup barley malt or brown rice syrup (120 mil.)
Zest of 1 orange
1/2 cup orange juice (120 mil.)
1 Tbs. peeled and finely grated fresh ginger (15 mil.)
1 tsp. vanilla (5 mil.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 C or Moderate Heat). Line two baking sheets with parchment or brush with oil. In a medium-large bowl, mix dry ingredients. In a smaller bowl, whisk together wet ingredients. Stir into dry. Makes 3 cups batter.

Transfer heaping tablespoons of dough to baking sheet, leaving at least an inch of space between cookies. If uniformity is important, use 1/4 or 1/3 cup scoop. Flatten cookies with the back of a fork to make 3 or 4 inch round shapes 1/2 inch thick. Dip scoop and/or fork in water to keep it from sticking. Bake cookies until edges and undersides are golden, 25 to 30 minutes.



Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Sauce and Raspberry Coulis

This cake is scrumptious, rich, and still exceptionally light! The use of cocoa powder instead of chocolate chips or bars helps keep the fat content down. "Coulis" means "drip" in French. Actually a thick puree of fruit, a coulis is used as a flavorful and decorative undersauce (spooned directly onto the serving plate) for entrees or desserts.

Cake:

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (230 mil)
1 cup unbleached white flower (230 mil)
1 cup cocoa powder, sifted (230 mil)
2 tsp. aluminum-free baking powder (10 mil)
1 tsp. baking soda (5 mil)
1/2 tsp. salt (2 mil)
1/2 cup light vegetable oil (canola, walnut etc.) (120 mil)
1 cup pure maple syrup (230 mil.)
1 cup soy milk (230 mil)
Zest of an orange
1/2 cup orange juice (120 mil)
1 Tbs. vanilla (15mil)
10-ounce jar fruit sweetened raspberry jam - (filling for layer cakes only)

Raspberry Coulis (makes 3/4 to 1 cup):

1 1/2 cups raspberries (about 6 ounces), or a 10 ounce bag frozen (360 mil)
1/4 to 1/3 cup brown rice syrup (60 - 90 mil), more with frozen berries
1/2 tsp. (2 mil) vanilla

Chocolate Sauce Or Icing (makes about 2 cups)

1 1/2 cups pure maple syrup (360 mil)v 3 Tbs. light vegetable oil (45 mil) optional
2 cups cocoa powder, sifted (460 mil)
1 tsp. vanilla (5 mil)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 C or Moderate Heat). Oil the sides and cut parchment or wax paper to fit the bottom of 2 cake tins or a 9 inch springform pan, or oil a Bundt Pan.

To prepare cake, mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, mix wet ingredients and add to dry. Whisk gently to form a smooth batter. Pour batter into pan(s). Bake until cake tests done, 25 to 30 minutes for layers, 50 to 60 minutes for springform cake, or 40 to 45 minutes for Bundt cake. Transfer pan(s) to a cooling rack for at least 15 minutes. Remove cake from pan(s) and allow to cool completely.

To make raspberry coulis, puree berries in a food processor or food mill. Strain through a fine strainer to remove seeds. Whisk in sweetener and vanilla and chill.

To make chocolate sauce or icing, in a 2 qt. saucepan, heat together sweetener and oil. (The oil adds a slightly more luscious quality, but may be omitted for a sweeter and less bittersweet taste). Whisk in cocoa powder. Simmer for several minutes, less for sauce, more for icing. Turn heat off and stir in vanilla.

Pour 1 cup of warm sauce over Bundt cake, or refrigerate icing until spreadable for layer or springform cake, up to an hour in a shallow bowl. For layers, spread jam in center, and frost top and sides with chocolate icing. Keep cake cool.

Spoon coulis onto individual plates and place a slice of cake on top to serve.

Classic Apple Pie

Although apple pie has a natural image, commercial apple pie can have twice as much fat and twice as many calories as French fries(!), and a higher dose of both than even chocolate cake, because of the fat in the crust.

Here¹s a recipe for REAL old-fashioned apple pie. Our favorite pie apples, alone or in combination, are Granny Smith, Pippin, Golden Delicious, Rome, and Mcintosh.

Filling:

3 pounds (1 1/2 kilo) of apples, 6 to 8 apples, or about 9 cups when peeled and sliced (each half cut into eighths)
1/4 cup arrowroot powder (60 mil)v 1 tsp. Cinnamon (5 mil.)
1/2 tsp. Nutmeg (2 mil.)
1/4 tsp. Sea Salt (1 mil.)
3/4 cup brown rice malt syrup (180 mil), or part pure maple syrup
1 Tbs. Lemon juice (15 mil.)

Double Crust Pastry:

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (360 mil.)
1 1/2 cups unbleached white flour (360 mil.)v 1/4 tsp. sea salt (1 mil.)
1/2 cup light vegetable oil (walnut, safflower, canola, etc.)
Up to 1/2 cup (120 mil.) dry or wet sweetener (brown rice syrup, FruitSource syrup, pure maple syrup, barley malt), optional
Up to 1 cup water, apple juice, or cider (230 mil.), less (none to 1/2 cup) with wet sweeteners, and more (1/2 cup to 1 cup) with dry sweeteners.

Glaze:

2 Tbs. brown rice syrup or FruitSource syrup
2 tsp. Water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 C or Moderate Heat). Brush a 9- or 10-inch pie pan with oil.

To prepare the pastry, mix the dry ingredients. Stir in oil, then sweetener. Add liquid gradually to form a pliable dough.

Divide the dough in half, and roll out each half separately between sheets of wax paper. Lay the bottom pastry in place, and trim so that the dough barely extends over the rim of the pie pan.

To prepare the filling, in a large bowl, mix apples with dry ingredients, then mix in wet ingredients.

Fill the Pie. Invert the top crust onto filled pie shell. Trim the top pastry so it extends 1/2 inch beyond the rim of the pan. Fold excess top pastry under the bottom pastry to form a rim. Crimp or flute with your fingers or press with a fork to seal. With a fork or knife, poke holes in the top crust to serve as air vents.

To prevent excessive browning, cover the rim with foil. Place a baking sheet or a piece of foil on the shelf under the under the pie pan to catch the dripping juices.

Bake the pie until fruit tests tender when pierced with a small sharp knife, 50 to 90 minutes depending on the apples. Remove the foil. If desired, mix the glaze ingredients and brush it over the surface and rim of the pie. Return the pie to the oven for 5 or 10 minutes more. Or brush crust lightly with water and sprinkle with a tablespoon of organic sugar crystals.

Transfer pie to a rack to cool for at least one hour before serving, for the juices to become saucy. If desired, serve with a scoop of your favorite frozen dessert.

Pumpkin Pie


Makes 8 to 10 servings

We actually prefer freshly-baked sweet winter squash for "pumpkin" pies. The color is richer and the flavor is naturally sweeter than canned (or even fresh) sugar pie pumpkin puree. Squash is the main ingredient in canned pumpkin puree.

Baking enhances the sweetness of butternut squash, the variety most widely available. When pureeing in a food processor, add water to very dry squash to make it thick, smooth and creamy.

This no-bake recipe uses soymilk for a custardy filling texture. Both agar sea vegetable flakes (for a gelled consistency) and arrowroot starch (for the creamy smooth consistency) are used to create the great mouth-feel.

Since commercial "pumpkin pie" spice may contain sugar, dextrose and extractive of spice, look for a more natural combination of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice. Or measure your own as in this recipe.

Filling:

1 1/2 cups (360 mil.) baked winter squash puree, or a 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
2 Tbs. arrowroot powder (30 mil.)
1 1/2 cups organic soy milk, rice milk, or almond milk (360 mil.)
1 tsp. cinnamon (5 mil.)
1/4 tsp. each nutmeg and ginger (2 mil or 1 tsp. (5 mil) freshly grated ginger
A pinch each allspice and cloves
1/2 tsp. sea salt (5 mil.)
1/2 cup (120 mil) pure maple syrup or another wet sweetener (all or part brown rice malt syrup, FruitSource syrup, or barley malt syrup)
3 Tbs. agar flakes

Single Crust Cutout Pastry with Glaze

3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour (180 mil.)
3/4 cup unbleached white flour (180 mil.)v a pinch of sea salt
1/4 cup light vegetable oil (walnut, canola, sesame, almond, sunflower, safflower, etc.) (60 mil.)
Up to 1/4 cup (60 mil) wet or dry sweetener, e.g. 1 to 4 tablespoons brown rice syrup, FruitSource syrup, pure maple syrup, barley malt, or sorghum syrup; or granular FruitSource, maple syrup granules or evaporated sugar cane juice (optional)
Up to 1/2 cup (120 mil.) water, apple juice or cider, or organic soymilk, less (none to 1/4 cup) with wet sweeteners, more (1/4 to 1/2 cup) with dry sweeteners

Glaze:

This new glaze creates a golden sheen without a milk or egg wash. Glazing the pie before it is baked is not as effective (i.e. the glaze virtually disappears, as doing so towards the end of baking).

1 Tbs. brown rice syrup or FruitSource syrup (15 mil.)
1 to 1-1/2 tsp. water (5-7 mil.)

Tofu "Whipped Cream" (optional; we¹ve included this for our non-dairy friends)
Makes 2-1/3 cups (appx. 600-700 mil.)

1 pound organic tofu, fresh and firm or medium (454 grams)
1/2 cup pure maple syrup or part brown rice syrup (120 mil.)
1 tablespoon vanilla (15 mil.)
Nutmeg for garnish

To prepare the squash, place it either whole or halved and cut side down on a baking sheet. (Halving the squash cuts the cooking time in half, but leaving large hard squashes whole makes for a happy cook.) Bake squash at 450° F (225 C) until quite soft when pierced with a fork or knife, 20 minutes to 1 1/2 hours depending on the size of the squash (and longer at a lower temperature, e.g. 350°).

Discard skin or shell and seeds. Puree squash. You may need to add a tablespoon of water if squash is quite dry (e.g. kabocha squash). Measure yield; a pound of squash yields around 1 cup of puree.

Turn heat down to 350°. To prepare pastry, mix the dry ingredients (flours, salt, and dry sweetener if included). Stir in the oil until lumps or beads of dough form, or until it resembles coarse meal. Add wet sweetener if desired (be sure the syrups are at room temperature for ease in handling ­ then add the liquid (water, juice, or soy milk) gradually. Mix quickly until you have a somewhat soft, pliable ball in the center of the bowl. Add a little more flour if necessary.

Gather the dough together with your hands and lightly form it into a smooth flattened disk. The mixture can be rough, not fully mixed, so that the dough appears marbled when it¹s rolled out, indicating that the crust will be flaky.

Pinch off 1/4 to 1/3 the dough for making pastry cutouts. With cookie cutters, cut out 10 shapes, one for each serving, or enough shapes to partially cover the surface of the filling. A medium-large autumn leaf cutter is delightful used this way. Place cutouts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or brushed with oil.

Roll out bigger portion of dough in a circular shape between sheets of waxed paper; sprinkle flour over the bottom sheet and on top of the dough. Use light, short strokes in the beginning, starting from the center outward in each direction. You may choose to rotate or spin the dough around to do this. Then use longer strokes, applying more pressure to ensure an even crust.

Peel off the top piece of waxes paper and invert rolled dough into lightly oiled pan ­ and oiled 8, 9, 10, or 11 inch pie or tart pan. Peel off other layer of waxed paper. With your fingers or scissors, trim off the excess dough to within a finger_s width of the rim, leaving enough to fold over toward the inside of the pan to form a rim. If the dough tears, patch it with a small disc of dough (the reliable cut-and-paste technique).

Crimp the edges or simply score the edges with a fork. Bake the pastry and cutouts for 8 minutes. If desired, mix the glaze ingredients and brush over the rim of the pastry starting from the inside edge. Take care not to let glaze run between rim and pan where it could stick. Brush tops of leaves too. Return the pie and pastry leaves to the oven until golden, 5 to 10 minutes more.

To make the filling, place the arrowroot powder in a small bowl with enough of the measured liquid (one of the milks) to cover generously. Place the remaining ingredients in a small saucepan and whisk to submerge agar. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally, and simmer until agar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Whisk arrowroot mixture into hot liquid and return to a simmer to thicken.

Whisk the hot liquid with the squash puree and transfer filling to pastry. Filling gels refrigerated or at room temperature. Decorate surface with pastry cutouts.

To prepare the optional tofu "whipped cream", blend the ingredients until creamy smooth. This takes about a full minute in a food processor. Spoon a large dollop (a little less than 1/4 cup) on top of each serving of pie, or squeeze the cream through a pastry bag with a small tip for a more decorative effect. (Refrigerate the cream if you need to firm up the texture.) Garnish with nutmeg.

Old-Fashioned Apple Crisp


Filling:

1 pound each Pippin and Granny Smith Apples, or any variety or combination, 2 or 3 of each, or 6 to 8 cups peeled and thinly sliced.
2 Tbs. arrowroot powder (30 mil.)
1 tsp. cinnamon (5 mil.)
1/2 tsp. nutmeg (2 mil)
1/4 tsp. cardamom (1 mil)
1/2 tsp. sea salt (2 mil)
1/2 cup brown rice malt syrup or Fruitsource (120 mil)
Zest of half a lemon
1 Tbs. lemon juice (15 mil)
1 tsp. vanilla (5 mil)

Streusel Topping (makes about 1 1/4 cups)1/2 cup (120 mil) whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup (120 mil) unbleached white pastry flour
Dash of sea salt
3 Tbs. light vegetable oil (walnut, canola, safflower) (45mil.)
3 to 4 Tbs. brown rice syrup or Fruitsource (45 - 60 mil)
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and finely chopped (120 mil.) ­ optional

Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C Moderate-High).

To make filling, mix apples with dry ingredients. In another bowl, whisk together wet ingredients and stir them into dry ingredients. Transfer mixture to a 2-quart baking dish. Place the baking dish on a larger piece of aluminum foil, or on a rimmed baking sheet to avoid possible spillage. Cover dish with foil and bake until fruit is tender and you can see and hear the juices bubbling, 45-55 minutes.

To make the topping, mix dry ingredients. Work in oil, then sweetener. Rub mixture between your palms until texture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in nuts.

Remove cover from apples and sprinkle topping over fruit to cover. Return to oven until top is golden, 10 to 15 minutes more.

The Website you'll want to go to for more Vegetarian Recipes is:

http://www.abbeysvegetarianrecipes.com/


Again~I am sorry I can't post this as a link.....I'll try to get this figured out soon! Until then, I hope you still enjoy these great recipes!

Summer Fun!






Some of the best times of the summer are spent playing in the water and eating yummy snacks!! Enjoy a few of our fun times with us!

Healthy Snack Recipes

WWW.NATURALPATH.COM!!!! YOU'LL LOVE THIS SITE! (for whatever reason, I am not able to add this link onto my post)



Most people want to replace those unhealthy but oh-so-good junk foods with healthy snack recipes, but we also all know that it's easier said than done. Somehow we always seem to want "just one more" of those greasy, salty potato chips or [insert favorite junk food here].

Many people who are watching their weight skip snacks, but this is counterproductive.
The benefits of healthy snacks include:

* Appetite control. If eating several low-fat whole-grain crackers, fresh fruit or vegetables keeps you from becoming ravenous at mealtime and binging, you will consume fewer total calories.
* Extra energy and nutrients. Traditional, made-at-home meals often lose out to busy schedules. A grab-and-go snack can be the difference between some nourishment and none at all.
* Metabolism booster. Long periods between meals signals the body to burn slower and conserve fat. Small and regular meals throughout the day will keep your metabolism high. If you eat the same amount of food in just one or two large meals as you do in five or six mini-meals and snacks you will burn fewer calories. In addition, the actual process of breaking down food burns up calories.

Snacking should be a central part of your healthy eating and weight managment routine -- not a reason to feel guilty. The key is to select and plan healthy snack recipes that fit your tastes and then integrate healthy snacking into your daily routine. That way you keep your appetite in check, keep your body fueled with nutrients, maintain a high-energy level, and keep your metabolism firing.

We gathered our favorite healthy snack recipes that are easy to make and require only a trip to your local grocery store and a few kitchen utensils. We've also added some of your tips and blogs on healthy snack recipes, as well as healthy snack recipes from the web. Note: The following healthy snack recipes represent good general choices for people without food allergies or dietary restrictions. Always check with your doctor or a dietitian when making significant changes to your diet.
Selecting Healthy Snack Recipes from the fundmental food groups

Select healthy snacks that satisfy appetite and provide energy and nutrients. Choosing from a variety of foods will ensure nutrient balance and guard against boredom. Our picks include

Fruits and vegetables. Fresh fruits and vegetables will fill you up with a minimum amount of fat and calories. Fruits and vegetables also provide vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants other nutrients. Expand your repertoire by scanning this comprehensive list of fruits and veggies.

Nuts and seeds. Nuts and seeds are packed with protein, which give you energy and keep you satisfied. Nuts and seeds contain mostly healthy fats. Because they are calorie rich, be careful about portion sizes. Crazy about your nuts. We'll bet there's a few on this nutty list you haven't tried.

Whole grains. Pick whole-grain snacks that are fiber-rich and complex carbohydrates. These include whole-grain crackers, pretzels and crispbreads. There are lots more grains than whole wheat. Scan this whole grain list for new whole grain ideas and recipes.

Low-fat dairy and soy products. Cheese, yogurt and other dairy and soy products are good sources of calcium and protein, plus a variety of other vitamins and minerals. Dairy products can be high in fat, so choose the low-fat versions, such as mozzarella and goat cheeses from this dairy list. (Also, many people have dairy sensitivities or are lactose intolerant so be mindful of your own food reactions. The world of soy is much larger than tofu. See our list of soy foods and soy recipes and experiment.
Healthy Snack Recipes
Mix It Up

Snack Mix

* Make your own snack mix with a combination of nuts, dried fruit, carob or chocolate chips, and cereal pieces. Try a savory selection of several cereals, pretzels, nuts, and rice crackers.

Plain Popcorn

* Toss popcorn with low-sodium seasonings; try sesame seeds, ground kelp, or a combination of garlic powder, oregano, and Parmesan cheese.
* Try sprinkling plain popcorn with brewer’s yeast or Parmesan cheese.

Fresh Fruit Salad

* Cut up apples, pineapple, bananas, oranges, and berries. Throw in dried cranberries or raisins, and sunflower seeds or slivered almonds. Top with a dollop of yogurt.

Berry parfaits

* Layer fresh raspberries, cherries, or blueberries with granola and yogurt.

Chop Chop

Dried Fruit

* Choose your favorite fruit, slice it and dry it (up to a year). You can use Banana chips, mango, and apple, papaya, pear, or peach slices. If you live in a hot, dry climate, you can dry fruit just by leaving it out in the sun for a few days. If not, you can use an oven or dehydrator.

Cheese and Fruit Skewers

* Skewer cubes of firm cheese (cheddar, Swiss, Monterey jack), alternating with hunks of melon or apple.

Freeze It

Popsicles

* Blend ice cream or frozen yogurt with milk, soy milk, or rice milk, and pour into Popsicle molds. Use molds to make fresh fruit juice popsicles as well.

Bring Out the Blender

Smoothies

* Combine 1 cup (236 ml) of apple or orange juice with blueberries, raspberries, or strawberries, add ice, a touch of yogurt or silken tofu, and blend. For a creamier drink, replace juice with milk—regular, soy, or rice.

Dip and Spread

Chips

* Serve corn chips with low-fat bean dip; top salads with carrot chips for a healthier crunch than croutons.
* Try baked pita or bagel chips.
* Bake your own potato, beet, or sweet potato chips. Slice vegetables thinly, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake in oven at 350°F (177°C) until crispy.

Crackers

* Top with tuna salad, low-fat cheeses, and lean meats for fast, healthful snacks.
* Serve whole-grain crackers with soups and salads

Pineapple–Yogurt Dip

* Mix together 2 tablespoons (29 ml) of pineapple juice concentrate, 1 cup (236 ml) plain yogurt, 1/8 teaspoon (0.61 ml) vanilla, and 1/2 cup (118 ml) finely chopped, fresh pineapple. Serve with sliced fruits or berries.

Peanut Butter–Orange Dip

* Mix 1/2 cup (118 ml) peanut butter with 2 tablespoons (29 ml) orange juice concentrate, 1 tablespoon (14.5 ml) brown sugar, and 1/3 cup (80 ml) orange juice. Run through food processor and accompany with crackers or sliced fruit.

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Amazing HEALTHY popsicles!

I found these on a fave blog I follow!!! Please
enjoy!


FROM 5ORANGEPOTATOES!!!

We have been obsessed with homemade popsicles this summer. We are experimenting with every herb/juice combination possible. We don't have any of those fancy popsicle molds so we made do with what we had- good ol' ice cube trays, parchment paper and craft sticks. The set up is pretty self-explanatory.




Here are some of our favorite flavors:
Strawberry Lemonade Lavender: strawberry lemonade and a sprinkle of lavender buds per pop then freeze.




Orange mint: orange juice with 1 peppermint leaf per pop. These have a lovely refreshing taste (my favorite).





Super Healthy Smoothy: equal parts soy milk and orange juice, 1 T nutritional yeast, 2 T flax seeds, 2 T wheat bran, 2 C soy yogurt (plain), 1 bag mixed frozen berries, and a banana. Blend together then put in pop trays and freeze.





Watermelon Raspberry: 2 C watermelon, 1/2 C raspberries, 1 C orange juice; blend, then freeze.


Sparkling Lavender: 2 cups sparkling water and 1/3 cup lavender (or other flavored) syrup. Mix, stir until syrup dissolves in the water and freeze.




Lavender Lemonade Elderflower: 2 cups water, 1/4 cup lavender syrup (or honey), juice of 3 small lemons, elderflowers. Mix, stir until syrup dissolves and freeze, sprinkle elderflowers on top of each pop before freezing.




Peanut Butter, Banana and Honey: 2 C soy milk, 1 C peanut butter, 1/3 C honey and 1 banana; blend, then freeze.
Rootbeer Float: 1 bottle of rootbeer and 1 C vanilla soy ice cream; blend, then freeze.




Coffee Pops: For the mommies like myself that need a refreshing cool boost! My favorite is Bali Blue Moon coffee and soy milk, mix, then freeze. YUM!!!!

Monday, June 22, 2009

Exciting Find!!

NW students show how learning can be fun


Photo by JEFF SCHMUCKER/ DAILY FORUM
Campus Safety Officer Dru Burns fingerprints 3-year-old Cora Fisher Thursday during a Informational Fair in the Horace Mann Gym on Northwest Missouri State University Campus.">WEB 10-24 fingerprints.jpg
By JEFF SCHMUCKER/ DAILY FORUM
Campus Safety Officer Dru Burns fingerprints 3-year-old Cora Fisher Thursday during a Informational Fair in the Horace Mann Gym on Northwest Missouri State University Campus.
By Jeff Schmucker
Maryville Daily Forum

I was looking for another article with Cora in it when I came across this one in the paper's archives!! How exciting!

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Fun in the Pool!






All three kids LOVE the pool! It's our favorite thing to play in the summer. Wyatt especially loves the pool. Whenever he sees it, he starts screaming and wiggling to get there as quickly as possible. It's a lot of fun to watch!
Wyatt is also a HUGE fan of "hockgogs" (hot dogs) as he calls them and vegetarian baked beans!! (Like you couldn't tell)

Finley, Wyatt, and watching Daddy mow...some things we've been enjoying!










These are some of my favorite pictures! Seeing all three kids and the dog so engrossed in Clint mowing the grass! :) I think the thing I love the most is that the dog is standing there too!
I also posted some of Wyatt swinging and our kids with cousin Finley riding in the wagon out at G&G's farm!

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

NaturOli Sale!!

Here is the web page you need to go to!! Look for the "On Sale Now" on the left hand side once you get into the store!! Have fun shopping!
NaturOli
http://www.naturoli.com/index.html


Soap Nuts - NaturOli Hand-Sort "SELECT"  8 oz! - 80 loads! See details
Soap Nuts - NaturOli Hand-Sort "SELECT" 8 oz! - 80 loads!
Soap Nuts are a 100% natural alternative to harsh chemical detergents and cleaners. Eco-friendly, hypoallergenic, unscented, effective, gentle. Eliminates need or expense of softeners and dryer sheets - amazing!

Regular price: $16.95
Our price: $12.75 You save 25%





Soap Nuts - NaturOli Hand-Sort "SELECT" 16 oz! - 160 loads!
See details
Soap Nuts - NaturOli Hand-Sort "SELECT" 16 oz! - 160 loads!
Soap Nuts are a 100% natural alternative to harsh chemical detergents & household cleaners. Eco-friendly, biodegradable, hypoallergenic, unscented,additive free, highly effective, yet very gentle. No more softeners & dryer sheets!

Regular price: $24.95
Our price: $18.95 You save 24%

Yummy Hummus!!

IMG_5917 We stumbled across this idea after trying it on the appetizer menu at a local restaurant. We loved it and couldn’t wait to try it at home! It is best served as a delicious light dinner, for a Saturday evening at our home, or an appetizer with a Mediterranean dinner of sorts. It is hands on all the way! If you like hummus and feta, you will love this dish! When you make your hummus from scratch, this is a very frugal meal! Hummus is an excellent source of protein and nutrition from garbanzo beans and sesame seeds. Yum!

Hummus (we tried this homemade hummus recipe with good results using homemade tahini – it’s so incredibly easy and cheaper than the store! I used dry garbanzo beans, soaked them for 24 hours, and then cooked them for 5-7 hours in the crockpot. Tahini, a main ingredient of hummus, can easily be made at home with a little coffee grinder and sesame seeds! Check out the recipe here.)
Crumbled Feta Cheese
Cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
Olives, green or black, as desired, sliced in half
Naan or Pita Bread (I attempted to make soaked whole wheat naan, but it was a failed experiment. For now, we greatly enjoy Trader Joe’s Naan. Next time, I will try this Whole wheat naan recipe!)

IMG_5918

Scoop a little of each topping onto your piece of naan or pita and enjoy!

This is from one of my favorite blogs!! I have posted it below for you all to enjoy!!

From: http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/



Monday, June 15, 2009

More on Soap Nuts!!


soap-nuts There have been a lot of questions about Soap Nuts and so here are some of them and the answers that I hope are very helpful to you. Italicized answers are from Chris Sicurella, the founder of NaturOli.

By the way, you don't have to make a big purchase of soap nuts before giving them a try. NaturOli offers many different sized packages of soap nuts – everything from a 5-load sample pack , 40 load package, to a 640+ bulk package. You save more money the larger quantity you buy, but definitely try the sample pack first! Check out NaturOli!

Frequently Asked Questions:


Question: Can you use them in HE washers

Yes! They work beautifully in HE washers.

Question: Can you use these for front load washers?

Definitely! They actually work the best with front loaders as it provides more effective agitation.

Question: How do soap nuts do for people with sensitive skin?

Soap nuts are the best option for sensitive skin issues. There is nothing added to them that could irritate the skin.

Question: Is it important to buy organic soap nuts?

No. Soap nut trees grow in the wild and thus not subject to pesticides or chemical sprays. Secondly, bugs don’t like soap nuts anyway, so there is no need for chemicals.

Virtually all soap nuts, particularly of the higher quality mukorossi variety, are wild-crafted. They grow throughout the Himalayan foothills at relatively high elevations. The range is primarily from Southern China through Nepal and Northern India. Hence, the VAST majority are growing in lands virtually untouched by humans hands. Most of the land is not even private land.

That said, being wild-crafted mukorossi trees don’t even have much of an opportunity to be treated even if one wanted to. Now the VERY interesting part: Insects don’t like saponin. It is actually used as a natural insecticide by many people. It repels insects as most common soaps do. Also interesting: Saponin is naturally anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-microbial. It reminds me a lot of the olive tree. They are extremely hardy and rarely get sick or even develop pest problems. The life span of a mukorossi tree is around 90 years! Again, very similar to olive trees. They are very prolific fruit producers for 80 out of those 90 years.

Question: Do they work well for cloth diapers?

Yes, I have had great results using soap nuts to wash all my variety of cloth diapers. I have various pocket diapers, prefolds, covers and AIO’s and they are all clean and fresh smelling after using this soap nuts.

Question: I have heard that soap nuts have anti-fertility concerns. Is this true?

Actual use of saponin as a contraceptive dates back to ancient Ayurvedic treatments. A few studies have been done. Here’s the BIG thing to note about any study like this: Look at the dosages. HUGE! It is the type of study that is specifically looking for results one way or another. I would never suggest soap nuts for use as a contraceptive either. Imagine what would happen if we were to ingest 50mg of SLS everyday. We probably be dead in a short period, right? Well, SLS is one of the leading ingredients in commercial detergents. It’s a matter of perspective and things should be kept so IMO. There are few and very inconclusive studies about saponin for biological treatments for this or that. Most are old and of Asian origins. Soap nuts are a natural detergent alternative. That’s it. It’s much healthier than continued exposure to the multitude of well studied known carcinogens out there.When so obscure, and so out of context (nobody is being injected themselves with high doses of saponin or eat them for birth control – surely you’d get pretty sick first) they really don’t have much genuine relevance to how they are actually being used.

Does that make sense? You will never be ingesting soap nuts in such huge quantities that might cause these affects. It just is not possible unless you consumed the liquid in such proportions, and who is going to do that?

Question: Do you have to use each batch up in one day? Do the 4-5 loads have to be done all in the same day? It sounded like from what I’ve read that it does or they’ll begin to mold.

No. You can use the same wash bag of soap nuts for an indefinite period of time as long as it is allowed dry between usage. If left in water (or kept wet somehow) for an extended period they most certainly would develop mold or other fungus. It’s a dried fruit and that would happen naturally. That’s all you need to remember. Once hydrated again, it will be just like any other fruit or vegetable.

Question: Can soap nuts be used for people with nut allergies?

According to Mountain Rose Herbs:

Soap nuts are hypoallergenic, and can be used safely by people with nut allergies as they are a fruit closely related to the Lycii/Goji berry. There seems to be little information about the internal uses of soap nuts, although they certainly have been used as a solution to clean fruits and vegetables, so the evidence does suggest that they are of a benign nature if ingested.

Hope that helps you all!

To find out all you need to know about soap nuts, visit Soap Nuts Pro.




Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Soap Nuts!

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I am so excited to tell you about Soap Nuts!! "Soap Nuts clean effectively without the addition of softeners. 100% natural, chemical-free, frangrance-free, biodegradable and hypoallergenic. Extremely low cost per load!" (I borrowed this from http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/
and it is an amazing blog~so be sure to check it out!!)

"Soap Nuts are an incredible green/natural product that continues to fascinate me the more I learn. God supplied us with a fruit from His creation that cleans our laundry with no additives! It grows on trees! Just a simple dried nut placed in a small bag and thrown into your laundry! I am in awe of how He beautifully supplies all we need without any harsh chemicals."

This is all in my great effort to create a safe, cost effective, and yes...green home. My husband has grown to appreciate all the efforts I have taken to help our family be healthier, safer and a pleasant place for family and friends. Please be sure to check out Soap Nuts and the amazing blog I have found them on!!

About Our Family

My photo
Missouri, United States
Clinton and I live in Missouri. Clinton works for CED, Inc. It is an electrical distributing company. He works in Inside Sales right now and is training for Outside Sales. I am an Independent Marketing Consultant for Melaleuca. I work from home and I really love what I do. Cora is 3 years old and she is so excited about starting Preschool in the fall. She loves everything Princess and her favorite color is Pink! Miles is 2 and he loves CARS the movie and is really into Thomas the Train as well. He is a ball of Fire and keeps us on our toes! And in keeping with stereotypes, loves the color Blue. Well, Wyatt Evan Fisher is here now!! He arrived at 5:03pm on June 22, 2008!! We are so very blessed and so very excited! He's 7 pounds and 5 ounces, 20 inches long! Healthy and so very handsome! We are so blessed and so proud of our new baby boy! Precious blessing from God!

Fisher Farm Family Cookout!

Fisher Farm Family Cookout!
Cora was swinging with her cousins.



Fun Fall Pictures!

We had a blast taking the kids pictures! It was a gorgeous fall day and the kids were in great moods! We really loved Miles "cheese" face! We tried to get him to say something else so he'd actually have a smile instead of the "cheese" lips! :)

I have included some of Hannah, Major and Cannon. They are great friends of Cora, Miles and Wyatt. We have had a great time being neighbors and friends! We have been really enjoying doing things together.



Cheese Lips!


Again with the lips! :)



The Ulitmate Mud Puddle Adventure

Miles LOVES Puddles! We have had a lot of rain lately and so the dead end fills up quickly with the run off. This is such a great joy for Miles. He loves water and jumping into puddles and making quite a mess of things! Take in mind that it's October and quite chilly out~this means nothing to Miles~he feels no cold. Now, since daddy took the pictures, please excuse the fuzzy ones! :)






Painting the Pirate Ship!

Cora and Miles love painting! They had a great time painting and I had a wonderful time watching them, taking pictures, laughing, being amazed at how quickly they are growing up, in awe of their creativeness. I am so blessed to be their mom. What a precious gift God has given me. I am so thankful!





Puddin'

I decided that it would be fun to let the kids play with their snack as a sensory activity! So, we had chocolate pudding to "paint" and granola and dried fruit to "decorate the painting" and their bodies as the "canvas"! It was a hit!

Miles wasn't sure at first~he usually revels in messes, but this time Mom was "letting" him and he just didn't know what to think about that! It didn't take him long to get into it though.

Cora had a great time and she dug in right away! When Dad came home from work, she invited him to join the fun as well! He took off his shirt and soon he was the canvas that the kids were painting! Cora wanted to make sure that his entire back was covered!

Wyatt remained an outsider to the event~which I am sure he appreciated! He really enjoys watching his brother and sister play. He smiled and laughed and cooed a lot! It was a really enjoyable time for us all! If you haven't had fun with pudding, I suggest you try!

Cora and her "Pudding Art Creation"

Cora and her "Pudding Art Creation"
We have chocolate pudding, granola, and dried fruit!

Puddin' face!

Puddin' face!

Miles was just getting started!

Miles was just getting started!

Now we are getting the hang of it!

Now we are getting the hang of it!

Cora loved the feel of the "squishy" pudding in her fingers!

Cora loved the feel of the "squishy" pudding in her fingers!

Daddy jumping in the fun!

Daddy jumping in the fun!

HMMMM......

HMMMM......

Almost got it all......

Almost got it all......

The Finished Paintings!

The Finished Paintings!

Now with silly faces!

Now with silly faces!

Cora's First Day of School!

Cora's First Day of School!

It was chilly morning.

At School

At School
In front on her school.

Her Cubby

Mrs. Creason~Cora's Teacher

Mrs. Creason~Cora's Teacher

Oh bath time!

Oh bath time!

May I Help You?

May I Help You?

Here's lookin' at you kid!

Here's lookin' at you kid!

Wondering if we could just go on our walk already!

Please???

Please???

Wyatt always falls asleep in his backpack on our walks!

Playing in the sprinkler!

Playing in the sprinkler!

Hannah, Grant, and Cora~Umbrellas to "save them" from getting wet....didn't work out so well!

Hannah, Grant, and Cora~Umbrellas to "save them" from getting wet....didn't work out so well!
Hannah and Grant are our neighbors. Hannah lives next door and Grant lives caddy corner across the street.

Hannah's brother Major.

Hannah's brother Major.
Major and Miles are good friends~they love to play together!

Fort Umbrella~all the kids are inside.

Fort Umbrella~all the kids are inside.

Miles coming to join the Umbrella Crew.

Miles coming to join the Umbrella Crew.

Cora Loves Playing With Finn!

Cora Loves Playing With Finn!

Clinton Jumping Over Cora!

Clinton Jumping Over Cora!

We take Jason's Dog Disel, for a walk everyday! Cora likes to hold the leash by herself.

We take Jason's Dog Disel, for a walk everyday! Cora likes to hold the leash by herself.

Cora LOVES to ride her bike! Everytime we are outside, she's on her bike!

Cora LOVES to ride her bike! Everytime we are outside, she's on her bike!

Miles Messes

Miles loves to make messes! This montage of cereal was waiting for me one morning and boy was I happy about it..... This isn't the first (or the last ~ I'm sure) time this has happened. If you don't get him food the moment you hear him wake up~BEWARE! Oh the joys of parenthood!

Miles Helping Himself to Breakfast.....

Miles Helping Himself to Breakfast.....

Cora and Aunty A making Cheese Cake!

Cora and Aunty A making Cheese Cake!

BIG SISTER

BIG SISTER

Cora is always asking to hold Wyatt

Cora is always asking to hold Wyatt

How Sweet

How Sweet

Into the face paint from halloween.....

Into the face paint from halloween.....

Miles thought Wyatt needed some too!

Miles thought Wyatt needed some too!

Bath Time

Bath Time

4th of July

4th of July

Four Wheelin' Anyone?

Miles loves Uncle Paul's four wheeler! He just loves to run to the shed, get the helmet on (which used to terrify him) and climb on! If he can talk daddy into it (which isn't a hard thing), he gets to ride all over the farm!


Clinton Painting Cora's Nails

Clinton Painting Cora's Nails

Angela and Jeremy Reynolds

Angela and Jeremy Reynolds
This is my best friend and her husband.

Wyatt's first week!

We had so much fun spending Wyatt's First Week of life with Nani and Pop Pop! We drove down right after we were released from the hospital and Wyatt proved to be a great little traveler! He never made a peep! Cora and Miles were great helpers and loved having their baby brother in between them. Every time we got out of the car, Cora would say,"Mom! Don't forget our baby!" It was really cute. It was a lot of fun for the cousins to get a chance to spend time together too. It was a great week!

Our First Family Pic!

Our First Family Pic!

Playing Time

Playing Time
In Nani and Pop Pop's basement playing!

Balloon Swords!

Balloon Swords!
Safe Play?

Ping Pong anyone?

Ping Pong anyone?
Miles couldn't wait for his turn to play ping pong

Nani and Cora

Nani and Cora
They had matching hats! It was so much fun!

Proud Grandparents!

Proud Grandparents!

All the Kids with Nani and Pop Pop!

All the Kids with Nani and Pop Pop!

Diaper Head!

Diaper Head!
He decided that it would be fun to put his swim diaper on his head! He made the return trip home a funny affair!

Cora wanted to do diaper head too!

Cora wanted to do diaper head too!

The Arrival of Wyatt!

We were so very excited for the arrival of Wyatt! He arrived two weeks early, much to everyone's surprise! On June 22, 2008, at 6:30am, I noticed that it was going to be a very special day! I woke Clinton up and we began the "run around". We had to get everything cleaned and packed and ready for the next week. We arrived at the hospital and everything took off from there! He arrived at 5:03pm and was 7 pounds 5 ounces , 20 inches long. Just perfect! He was our smallest baby, but the size of a regular full term baby! He just seemed so tiny to us! And to think that most people have babies his size! We couldn't be more thrilled with our new little man! He is so precious to us! He is very content and sleeps very well! You can't ask for more than that!

Baby Wyatt is coming!

Baby Wyatt is coming!
I wanted a picture before Wyatt made his grand entrance!

Our Precious Little Man!

Our Precious Little Man!
Just a few minutes after he was born!

Mom and Baby!

Mom and Baby!
I couldn't be more thrilled with him!

Dad and his Son

Dad and his Son
He is so proud of his boy!

Big Sis and Wyatt!

Big Sis and Wyatt!
She sang "Mary had a little lamb" to him! It was so cute!

Wyatt Evan Fisher!

Wyatt Evan Fisher!
Our Precious Baby Boy! Loves to look around!

Nani and Pop Pop!

Nani and Pop Pop!
Happy Family!

Pop Pop and Wyatt!

Pop Pop and Wyatt!
Pop Pop was able to cut the cord! How cool!

Wyatt and Nani!

Wyatt and Nani!
We loved having Nani there for the Birth!

Uncle Jason!

Uncle Jason!
It was great to have Uncle Jason come and visit!

Summer 2008!

We are having a lot of fun this summer right in our own back yard! We got the kids a little pool that they love and a swing that I (Amy) love so that we could enjoy being outside together as a family! God has blessed us with great children, great weather, and so much love for each other. I am always thankful for how well the kids get along. I am looking forward to seeing how Wyatt will fit with our little family.

Cora is growing up so fast and she is "teaching" Miles new things all the time! Miles grows so fast "learning" from his big sister and he loves to copy her. He follows her and repeats what she says and does what she does. It is really sweet to see them playing together and learning from each other.

Umbrella Time

Umbrella Time
Cora loves her little umbrella!

Fun in the Summer Sun!

Fun in the Summer Sun!
They love their little pool!

Pool Time!

Pool Time!
They love Splashing in the Pool!!

Eatting Pluots!

Eatting Pluots!
Snack time in the pool! Can't get any better than that!

We love eachother!

We love eachother!
They are best friends!

Cora and Miles Club House!

Cora and Miles Club House!
They love this little house!

Painting!

Painting!
The kids discovered that if you get chalk wet, it makes "paint"!

Coloring!

Coloring!
Cora loves to color.

My yellow picture!

My yellow picture!
Cora wanted to make sure that I took a picture of her with her picture!

My Favorite Cuties!

My Favorite Cuties!
They are such posers!

My Studly Man!

My Studly Man!
Miles is such a big boy!

Precious Princess!

Precious Princess!
Cora is such a Princess!