Alternative Option: Clean(er) Eating ~Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix

The sub zero cold weather is coming again to the Midwest.....  BRRRR!
Why not warm up with a cup of hot chocolate, but lets be clean about it.
Instead of a cup of the processed hot cocoa mix (that I told you about a few weeks ago Link here) how about making your own?

It's so simple and you have most ingredients in the pantry, if not they're easily accessible at the store!

 Homemade Dry Hot Chocolate mix

Makes 5 1/2 cups of dry mix

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup cocoa powder
• 3 cups powdered non-fat milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

Fill mug halfway with mix (about a 1/4 cup of mix). Pour in hot water. Mix well.


 Here are a few tips that I've picked up over the years while making this.

• Put the cornstarch and powdered milk in the food processor if you have one. (It gets rid of all the lumps!) Then put it in a large bowl and use a whisk to mix together all the other ingredients. 
• You can play with the flavor a bit and add more or less milk depending on the creaminess you prefer.
•  You can also play with the type of coco you add, dark choc, milk choc, white choc, etc. 
• Finally, if you'd like, add a tiny dash of cayenne pepper will give it a great little flavor. You can also add cinnamon or a variety of there flavoring if you want to jazz it up.

Heavenly Homemade Sugar Scrubs

Lets be honest moms, 5 minutes is about all the time was have to indulge, right? I take my 5 minutes in the morning and use my sugar scrub in the shower a few times a week.  

I have loved sugar scrub and sea salt scrub for years but have bought it very sparingly in the past due to the price in the stores. 

About a year ago I discovered homemade sugar scrub on Pintrest. 
I gave it a try and not only did I fall in love with it, I love it MORE than the store bought stuff. 

There are so many great things about it. 
~The ability to chose any sugar granule type and size. 
~Use any scent.
~Very inexpensive.
~Whip up a batch in a matter of minutes.
~Great as gifts for friends and family.

There is so much more but my favorite is that it leaves my skin softer than a babies bottom and I feel like i've just had a mini spa treatment!!!


Here are my 3 favorite recipes for sugar scrub. 

My favorite energizing summer scrub:

Ingredients

• 1 cup fine sea salt (course if you like a rougher scrub)
• 1 cup Sugar (raw or granulated)
• Orange essential oil or Orange extract
• 1/3 cup coconut Oil (add more or less if needed to achieve desired texture)

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl combine the sugar and salt.
2. Add Coconut Oil and orange extract.  Stir until well blended. (this will require some mushing around if the oil is in a more solid state, if you want you can slightly heat is just enough to make it runny, then it will be easier to mix. Careful, it gets hot fast!)
3. You should try for a texture similar to damp sand.
4. Store covered in a tight container. (I recommend plastic container if you are keeping it in the shower.)

Inspired by the recipe at:
http://www.deliciouslyorganized.com/2011/07/diy-summer-scrub.html

My favorite scrub to use in the fall:

Pumpkin Brown Sugar Scrub

Ingredients

• 1 cups Brown Sugar
• 1 cup White Sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/3 cup coconut Oil (add more or less if needed to achieve desired texture)

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl combine the sugars and spices.
2. Add Coconut Oil and stir until well blended. (this will require some mushing around if the oil is in a more solid state, if you want you can slightly heat is just enough to make it runny, then it will be easier to mix. Careful, it gets hot fast!)
3. You may add more if your scrub is too dry.
4. You should try for a texture similar to damp sand.
5. Cover in a tight container. (I recommend plastic container if you are keeping it in the shower.)

Adapted from the recipe at: http://www.theidearoom.net/tag/pumpkin-spice-sugar-scrubs

My favorite winter time scrub:

Peppermint Sugar Scrub

Ingredients

2 cups white sugar

1/4 cup coconut oil

Red food coloring

Peppermint extract (you can use essential oil too, found at a local craft store, but a few drops of extract do the same thing and is much less expensive!)

Directions

Mix sugar and coconut oil until it resembles the consistency of damp sand.

Separate the mixture into two bowls

In one bowl add a drop or two of red food coloring and mix throughly until it is a nice pink color.

In the other bowl add several drops of peppermint extract and mix thoroughly.

Layer pink and white layers into a plastic jar. 

If you go to the original site you can get the free labels pictured above to put on the jar!

http://www.couponsandfreebiesmom.com/2013/11/homemade-peppermint-sugar-scrub.html

Gluten Free Lasagna

I tried a new gluten free noodle today. A lasagna noodle!

The box says oven ready. I tried them the first time without cooking and it did not work!!! They were crunchy and over all not good. This time I cooked them for about 10 minutes and then drained them.

The only complaint I have it they really stuck together, both while cooking and when I drained them. I had to run water over them and carefully pull them apart one by one. Also, they a bit shorter than a traditional lasagna noodle so I had to cut (or use the ripped pieces) to fill the pan.

But after getting the lasagna assembled it cooked beautifully and tasted wonderful. 

I used my homemade ricotta with this (of course) and it made it absolutely delicious! 

I would say the noodles were a success.  It was so good that my husband had to double check with me that I used gluten free noodles, as he said, "This tastes so normal, are you sure you used gluten free noodles?"

Chop Salad Recipe

This is one of my all time favorite salad recipes. 

Better yet, it makes a great all in one meal and only takes 15 minutes to make and serve. 

Ingredient list:

Head of romaine

2 cups cooked pasta

1 cup chicken Brest Cooked & cubed (great way to use up leftovers!)

4 green onions diced 

2 roma tomatoes diced

3 tablespoons real bacon bits

1/2 cup Gorgonzola cheese 

Start some water boiling for the pasta and toss in the pasta when it's ready. 

(I use gluten free and happen the like the little rings.)

I like to start with a crisp fresh head of Romaine (I'm not a huge fan of iceberg).

Chop the whole head up onto nice bite size pieces and toss into a bowl.

Make sure everything is diced and chopped. 

When the pasta is done drain it. I recommend cooling it under cold water before adding it to the salad.

.....then toss everything together!

My favorite part about this salad is it is so flavorful that it doesn't need any dressing. But if you are a dressing kinda person my husband does love this with poppyseed dressing.

Enjoy!

Snow Ice Cream

Do you have some freshly fallen snow? 

We seem to have plenty of it here in the Midwest and many schools are closed tomorrow so why not make a delicious treat and a wonderful memory at the same time? 

Homemade snow ice cream!

****Update: This year we tried ice-cream and sweet and condensed milk.
Success. A very sweet and creamy ice-cream.***

Ingredients:

4-6 cups of snow 

1 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 sugar 

Learn for my mistakes and DO NOT pour the milk directly into the snow!!!!!

Instead, mix the milk, sugar, and vanilla together and THEN spoon in the snow and mix.

(In my opinion it is more of and semi melted frosty consistency than actual ice cream) 

My family are chocoholics and will only settle for chocolate icecream. So I decided to add chocolate....

Stir.

Scoop.

Serve. 

Yum!

Update: This year we tried ice-cream and sweet and condensed milk.
Success. A very sweet and creamy ice-cream.

Second note. To the person putting the notes on Pintrest in regards to snow ice-cream:

• "Even if you collect it in a bin there will still be a bunch of different environmental pollutants in it.... Regardless if it looks "clean" it really is not something that anybody should be putting into their bodies. Best idea would be to freeze filtered water and shave it yourself to make snow at home."
• 
  

  I say: 

  I'd rather do this than buy ice-cream full of processed chemicals! Eating snow is no different than drinking rain water or walking around in a city and breathing the polluted air. We've all survived this long. Let us enjoy the little things in life. The small bowl full that my child and I eat will not kill us and the memory we make will last a lifetime. All things in moderation.

Thankful For The Teacher

I wanted to give my daughter preschool teachers something little and cute for thanksgiving to show them how thankful we are for all that they do. 

Start with cellophane wrapping, individual cups of carmel dip, a large apple, ribbon, and some paper. 

Cut some of the clear wrap and place the carmel cup and the apple on top. 

Pull up the wrapping all nice and pretty and tie it with a decorative ribbon.

Ahead of time I cut some coordinating pieces of card stock and then traced the letters out lightly in pencil so that my daughter could write the message for her teacher.

Punch a hole in the "card"

Tie the card to the package. 

I for one think this is such a cute take on the 'apple for a teacher' idea!

Do you have any fun teacher gifts you have made?

Homemade Watercolor Paint

Homemade watercolor paints!

Finding this was amazing because my daughter LOVES to paint. I prefer watercolors because they clean up so much easier than other paints. 

So here is my adventure….

Mix 4 Tbsp Baking Soda and 2 Tbsp Vinegar in a bowl (this is a fun for the kiddos to see the reaction)

Add 1 tsp of corn syrup and 4 Tbsp of corn starch.

I found this sweet little 8 compartment container at Michaels for only $1.99.

Pour the mixture into each compartment. You can also use a mini muffin tin, little plastic containers, or anything else you thing will work.

Add a few drops of food coloring into each compartment to make the desired color. I would recommend NO MORE than 3 drops. 

(If you put too much in or you feel that the mixture is too 'liquidy" you will have to add more cornstarch to make up for the extra liquid. I learned the hard way.)

Use a tooth pick to mix the cornstarch mixture and food coloring together.

After lots of drips and mixing and a bit of a mess you end up with this. 

Now comes the hard part. You have to wait 48 hours……WAIT….. WAIT….. WAIT……

I am not patient and my daughter was dying to use the paints. At one point I was not sure it would work. But low and behold, IT WORKED!!!!!

Now you can make beautiful watercolor painting for only pennies!

30 minute meal

I just got home.

It's 5pm.

"What's for dinner?" The family says.....

Ahhhh. I didn't plan ahead. 

Quickly I raid the pantry, fridge, and freezer. 

Here is what I grab….

Frozen chicken breast, rice, and Birds Eye Recipe Ready Fajita Starter.

I can make this work. For fun I are the timer for 30 minutes and see if I can pull a Rachel Ray...

Step 1

Thaw chicken quickly in the microwave. 

(Yes, I know this is not the best way to do it. I always get a semi cooked end and a frozen center but let's be a real, I didn't plan ahead,  I have a hungry family waiting, and I'll do what ever I need to do.)

Step 2.  

Two cups water and one cup of rice set to simmer for 15 minutes.

Step 3. 

Pull the (semi) thawed chicken out and chop it up into cubes.

Step 4. 

Throw some olive oil in the pan and brown the chicken. 

At this point I threw in some salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, garlic… and maybe some other random stuff to make it taste good. I prefer the wing it, add it if it sounds good, and taste as you go method. 

Step 5.

Add the frozen pepper and onion mix.

Looking at the cost of green and red peppers lately I'd say for a $1.98 this is a great bargin and not to mention super convent to have on hand.

Stir and admire the pretty colors….

…. and think of all the veggies and great nutrients that your family will be eating. 

Step 6.

 Rice should be done buy now. Toss in with the chicken mixture and stir.

Step 7.

Top it off with some shredded cheese because we know that everything tastes better with cheese!

YUMMY. 

Take that Rachel Ray. I did it myself with 15 SECONDS to spare!!!!!

A nice low fat balanced meal with protein, starches, and veggies. Serve with a bowl of pear sauce. 

(for a refresher on how to make pear sauce click here.)

Do you have a 30 minute meal? 

I'd love to feature some guests with recipes and pictures. 

Let me know if you are interested. 

Gluten Free Olliebollen (a real Dutch treat)

Oliebollen is a traditional Dutch treat and one of my personal favorites! 

You will also see it spelled 'Olie-bollen'. This is a dutch pastry similar to a doughnut. It typically is a deep fried pastry filled with raisins or apples and dusted with sugar. 

However, being gluten free I have missed out on eating this treat over the years, so I decided it was time to make a GF version.

First start by mixing up a gluten free flour base. Here is my favorite standby: 

Take 4 cups of the gluten free flour mixture.

Add 1/2 cup of sugar, 

        4 tsp baking powder, 

        1 tsp salt. 

Mix together.

Add 2 eggs

        1 1/2 cups milk

         1/4 cup canola oil.

Mix together by hand. 

The dough should be sticky and thick. (This gluten free version will feel different than regular batter.)

Chop up 2 apples (the smaller you chop them the better) and add 1cup of raisins.

Fold the apples and raisins into the batter.

Heat oil to 375 degrees in a large pan.

Drop a small spoonful into oil. Make sure the balls of dough are small. (Golf ball size) if they are too big the centers will not cook. 

When the Olliebollen are cooked, 2-3 minutes, take them out with a slotted spoon and put them on a paper towel. When they are cool enough to touch roll in a cinnamon sugar mixture. Traditional Oliebollen are dusted with powdered sugar but I love the cinnamon sugar. I think it goes so much better with the apple flavor.

Now eat and enjoy. They taste best fresh and warm. 
Try not to eat them all in one sitting! 😊