A new twist on breakfast!

I have been reading a bit about the GAPS diet as a way to cleanse and heal the intestinal tract.  I was intrigued and thought about trying it.  My husband reminded me that I have a list of things to try in the kitchen and I need to focus on one at a time.  Yup, I forgot again that I need to slow down and master one thing at a time.  But it won't hurt to try a new recipe here and there right?  Here is one alternative that was posted on Real {Fast} Food's facebook page.

Pumpkin Nutbutter Pancakes

1 c. pureed squash
1 c. nutbutter
5 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice

I used butternut squash that I have TONS of thanks to the great growing capacity of our compost pile ;)  I chose almond butter to use up what I had in the cupboard.  I fried the cakes on my griddle with butter.  They cooked differently than regular pancakes and needed to be really bubbly and glazing over before your flipped them.  Believe me, I has some that turned out pretty sloppy from trying to flip when I usually would! 

These are definitely different.  It took about 3 years before Justin enjoyed pancakes with my baking mix made with half wheat flour; I think it will take at least that long to get him used to these.  I, however, liked the change!  I used our homemade maple syrup to top my pancakes.  Justin tends to lean toward molasses as his pancake topper which he said helped cover up the squash taste that he didn't like.  I am still not sure if butternut squash really has a taste of its own but I would like to try peanut butter to see if the more familiar flavor might make a difference. 

Justin had made some chicken sausage the day before.  We got a good deal on boneless-skinless chicken breasts and purchased about 80lbs.  I know it sounds like a lot but we don't eat beef (no I am not trying to make any kind of statement it is just the main trigger of Justin's gout so we really limit how much we eat) so chicken is our staple meat.  Unfortunately, I was working the day the chicken was delivered so Justin got stuck processing it.  He spent six hours splitting breasts, marinating, and packaging.  We now have tons of chicken in the freezer and about half just needs to be thawed and grilled for quick meals!  I love that he was willing to do that to make our meal prep easier later.  Anyway, he took some of the chicken scraps and ground it with spices for sausage.  A tasty experiment that I am sure we will repeat!!  A nice addition to our new approach to breakfast!

Piece of Cake

Last weekend was my niece's second birthday.  I am thankful that we were able to have the weekend off and that it was time for a January thaw which allowed us to escape and head up to NY for the party.  My sister let's me practice my cake decorating skills for her daughter's parties.  She says that sometimes she is a perfectionist but most of the time she doesn't really care if things are perfect.  Great news for me!  This year the theme was bumble bees.  Here is my modification with the Wilton Lady Bug pan.

My fingers were purple for awhile after all of the black icing!  My mom said no more black next year because it was like tar when she was doing the dishes ;P

This year and last my niece has had her own cake to destroy.  She likes stars so we have stuck with that pan!

A real food journey...

Real food.  Two simple words but together it can mean so much.  I guess I have always had the bug to cook real food but life got in the way.  When we were first married, I had lots of processed food in my cupboards.  There was stuff in those containers that I don’t want in my body but it was easy, convenient, and cheap.  I loved to cook and bake but it wasn’t a priority.  Over the last three or so years, I have read and read and read some more about homemaking, homesteading, and natural food choices.  I keep reading and thinking I could do so much better than what I am doing.  I have such a desire to change the way we live so that we can have the lives God intended.  My goal is health, self-sufficiency, and simplicity.  Why can’t I be at the place where I feel like I have accomplished those goals?  It is all about the journey.  I read the other day about how delays and setbacks are sometimes needed to make things happen along the way so we can be used in ways we couldn’t imagine.  I keep reminding myself of this and (at my husband’s gentle reminders) try to be patient.  This year I am going to be deliberate about the changes I make as I work through several goals and processes.  First, I wanted to reflect on the things that we have accomplished over the last few years and share those ideas over the next few weeks.

·         homemade baking mix—I will have to share this recipe soon!  My mom always made her own baking mix for pancakes and waffles.  I use it all the time for breakfast, biscuits, and much more.  The whole-wheaty goodness gets me every time!

·         cookies—When we moved into my house I made the rule that we would not have any more store-bought cookies in the house.  Of course there are a few exceptions…such as Oreos for recipes like this one.  I have to figure out a homemade version!  Each year I buy a few boxes of Girl Scout cookies.  I have so many memories from my days as a scout and I want to continue to support that mission. 

·         purchased boxed or frozen meals—I used to keep these on hand for busy days when I didn’t have time to cook or when I was working and my husband was alone for dinner.  Now I just make huge batches of casseroles and other meals and pop individual servings in the freezer.  They are great quick meals and work-day lunches.

·         canned soups—No more of these!  I love soup.  I could eat it every day during the fall and winter.  My husband is not such an enthusiast but he bears with me.  I always make a big pot and freeze several large portions so we can heat it up with grilled sandwiches or fresh biscuits for an easy lunch or dinner.

·         dried goods—I am slowly incorporating more dried beans, rice, barley, lentils, etc.  I opt for the most whole, natural version and try new recipes with them.

·         less pasta—Pasta used to be our staple.  It was easy and versatile.  Justin could cook it quickly and easily on the nights when I was only home for about 45 mins on my dinner break.  It wasn’t healthy so I just sought out other options.  We still enjoy it once in awhile especially if we make our own!

·         homemade ice cream—Definitely a favorite treat at our house!  We started doing this before we were even officially dating.  I bought Justin an ice cream ball early in our relationship but we often used the hand crank maker at his parents.  Now we have our own electric one.

·         preserving our harvest—In the last two years I have done a ton of canning and freezing from our garden, others gardens, and the local farmers’ market.  This past summer/fall I did several batches of jam, spaghetti sauce, salsa, and applesauce.  We have lots of frozen snow peas, corn, beets, jalapeno poppers, and zucchini.  I have experimented with ketchup and apple butter.

·         sauerkraut—My husband and my German dog’s favorite!  I really can’t take credit for this because all I really do is buy the cabbage at the farmers’ market and freeze or can it in the end.  Justin is the real mastermind behind our two crocks of kraut this year.  I will have to get him to share all his secrets!

·         homemade yogurt—More probiotics!  Read about my investigative process here. 

So even though I feel miles behind the many women that I read about, I have made positive changes in the last few years.  It is a journey and I am learning so much along the way!  Wanna join me?