After a few weeks of changing my diet over to clean eating, I am at a point where I can focus on finding the best sources when it comes to purchasing food. Up until now, I haven't worried too much about the meat we are eating because there were so many other big issues that needed to be changed.
Now I find myself wondering what is in the meat my family and I are eating. Upon further inquiries and label reading I found preservatives in almost everything.
Today I made it my goal to find some places to purchase meat without preservatives. I started at our farmer's market on Saturday. I placed my name on a list where 2 or 3 families will share a cow. The place they have the meat processed (in Lindon I believe) is one of the best they could find and the meat is flash frozen without preservatives. This will take some time to get our meat.
Next, I googled butchers in my city. A list came up and I started to call. Most of the meat I can purchase is preservative free :) The only catch is that it takes a bit of planning. I must log onto their website and put an order in. It will take 2-3 days to fill the order then I can pick it up. They have shredded meats as well that do not have preservatives...but be careful. As I was talking to her she stated that their BBQ meat is put into BBQ sauce. This typically means that the sauce has preservatives in it.
The last option that I found today is Costco. This is quite convenient when I need something today for dinner. I talked to the meat department and he said that all their meat is cut fresh right there and packaged. No preservatives at all. YAY! We love Costco meat in our family of 4 boys/men...good news for me. The no preservatives pertains to all the meat in the long freezer under the meat department windows. When I asked about the salmon, it is farm raised and often times when that is the case, there is color added....which we want to avoid.
So, the bad news? Almost all deli style sandwich meat has preservatives. I haven't been able to find any without preservatives yet. I will keep looking and let you know when I find some.
Happy Eating!
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Biking Hobble Creek Canyon
I love to bike and I love my kids. Why is it that when I put the two together I find it hard to love anything :) LOL! If my kids don't have a good time it is amazing how quickly the complaining can take the enjoyment out of biking.
There is a ride that we all love and the complaining is kept to a very minimum. It is the ride up Hobble Creek Canyon in Springville, Utah. It is a paved bike path that goes up just past the golf course. It is beautiful and only has one major hill that my kids sometimes have to walk. We take snacks and water and stop at the top for a quick bite.
I have been pulling them up this canyon for the last 6 years and it is so fun that they can ride it on their own. I put my littlest guy in the wee-hoo bike trailer so he can help peddle if he wants or just hang out if he gets tired. I like the wee-hoo for that reason.
To get to the canyon take the Springville/Mapleton 400 South exit off of I-15. Turn east and continue on this road. You will eventually pass Ream's grocery store. At the next stop sign take a right and follow this road up the canyon. Off to the right is a bike path and you can get on at any point. I like to start up near the mouth of the canyon. There is room to pull the car to the side of the road here.
Be sure to stay in your lane of travel when going around corners up this canyon. Often times there are fast bikers coming down as you are going up and we don't want anyone to get hurt :) My middle child accidentally got going too fast before the first bridge and went right into the river 2 years ago. He was fine and we all had a good laugh after it was all said and done.
The beauty of Hobble Creek Canyon in the fall. |
I have been pulling them up this canyon for the last 6 years and it is so fun that they can ride it on their own. I put my littlest guy in the wee-hoo bike trailer so he can help peddle if he wants or just hang out if he gets tired. I like the wee-hoo for that reason.
To get to the canyon take the Springville/Mapleton 400 South exit off of I-15. Turn east and continue on this road. You will eventually pass Ream's grocery store. At the next stop sign take a right and follow this road up the canyon. Off to the right is a bike path and you can get on at any point. I like to start up near the mouth of the canyon. There is room to pull the car to the side of the road here.
Be sure to stay in your lane of travel when going around corners up this canyon. Often times there are fast bikers coming down as you are going up and we don't want anyone to get hurt :) My middle child accidentally got going too fast before the first bridge and went right into the river 2 years ago. He was fine and we all had a good laugh after it was all said and done.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Clean Eating Lime Chicken Tacos
This recipe is a cinch! And it got thumbs up all around the table tonight.
Crock Pot Recipe
Place 3-4 Large Chicken Breasts in the crock pot on low. (My chicken breasts were rather large)
Juice 2 limes and add 1 Tbsp Chili Spice...mix and pour over the chicken (or add 2 drops of doTerra Lime essential oil in 1/2 cup water with spice).
Let cook for 6-8 hours.
Shred the chicken and return to the pot.
Add 1-2 cups of frozen white corn.
Add 1 1/2 cups of your favorite salsa.
Heat thoroughly and serve up in warm clean corn tortillas with lettuce, cherry tomatoes halved and salsa. Mmmmmm. This recipe is so simple and yummy. A keeper.
I will have to get photos next time...we ate it so fast that I did not have an opportunity to snap a picture!
I adapted this recipe from A Taste of Home recipe.
Crock Pot Recipe
Place 3-4 Large Chicken Breasts in the crock pot on low. (My chicken breasts were rather large)
Juice 2 limes and add 1 Tbsp Chili Spice...mix and pour over the chicken (or add 2 drops of doTerra Lime essential oil in 1/2 cup water with spice).
Let cook for 6-8 hours.
Shred the chicken and return to the pot.
Add 1-2 cups of frozen white corn.
Add 1 1/2 cups of your favorite salsa.
Heat thoroughly and serve up in warm clean corn tortillas with lettuce, cherry tomatoes halved and salsa. Mmmmmm. This recipe is so simple and yummy. A keeper.
I will have to get photos next time...we ate it so fast that I did not have an opportunity to snap a picture!
I adapted this recipe from A Taste of Home recipe.
Monday, August 27, 2012
Give the Gift of Cards
I love making cards and I love to give cards as gifts to my friends for birthdays or other special occasions. As the result of both of our floods (one we are still trying to get settled and the house put back together), all my card making stuff was put away. That put me behind on gifts for friends.
I was happy when I could finally pull it back out. I worked for a week to get these cards done and tied up all pretty. I try to make similar sized cards as they package up better that way. I find a beautiful ribbon and tie it round them with an attached tag.
Here is my finished product:
Here is a photo of the cards included in this pack. I focused on birthday cards and a couple of sympathy cards as well.
A simple card or note can brighten someone's day. Let's make many days brighter.
Happy Carding:)
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Black Sheep R/C Racetrack
One of the best Christmas presents our boys received were big remote control race cars. They were a hit right from the beginning. There is something about boys and cars that never gets old. My 12 year old recently asked me if I wanted him to drive to pick me up. I told him no way! He then explained that he had a dream and in his dream he drove the car....in short, he assured me that because of this dream, he could drive the car :) I love it when my children make me laugh!
If you get one of these cars for yourself or your child (my husband now wants a car), be sure to invest in a bigger battery. I think a battery that runs the car for 30 minutes costs about $40. The only problem we have is knowing where to go to run the cars for fun. The street and church parking lot are always options, but we were looking for something more.
After a long Saturday of garage cleaning and chores we decided to load up and take the boys to race their cars. We found a race track in Spanish Fork called Black Sheep.
I have yet to find out what the fee is. Every time we go, no one is ever there. I will call again to see if I can find out. If you go, please be sure to respect the rules that are plainly posted.
- No Sunday Use
- This is a Family Track
- No Foul Language
- Pay Use Fee for Non-Members
Getting ready to race around the track.
Cars need a bit of a fix and a battery change to continue the fun. Little brother had the job of righting the cars when they flipped or went off the track. He should like that for another year or so until he finally decides it is his turn to run the cars. This is an inexpensive and fun family activity if you already have a car.
To get to the track you take I-15 to the Spanish Fork exit. Turn right off the exit and follow the street until you get to 2700 North. Turn right until you come to 200 East and turn right again. The track is located about 1/2 mile down this road behind a business called....Ideal Machine.
Look for a small narrow dirt road to the south of the business and turn right. Follow the road behind the building and you will come to the track. It gets really dusty and the wind blows so beware :)
You can also get there from Springville by taking 2700 North west over the freeway and turning left onto 200 East. Go 1/2 mile or so until you come to Ideal Machine and turn right on the small dirt road just south of the business.
Happy Racing!
Labels:
Family Fun,
Family recreation,
Kids,
recreation,
Summer Activities
Clean Eating Day 16
Clean eating Day 16
Breakfast
Waffle (from thegraciouspantry.com)
Pure Maple Syrup
Milk
Lunch
Tortilla Soup
Green Smoothie (2 cups red grapes, 1 cup spinach, 2 nectarines, 1 banana, 1/2 cup frozen fruit)
Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Dinner
Chicken Sicilian Soup
Macadamia Nut Crusted Talapia
Steamed Cauliflower and Broccoli
Fresh Bread
Carrabba's Restaraunt
Tortilla Soup
Green Smoothie (2 cups red grapes, 1 cup spinach, 2 nectarines, 1 banana, 1/2 cup frozen fruit)
Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Dinner
Chicken Sicilian Soup
Macadamia Nut Crusted Talapia
Steamed Cauliflower and Broccoli
Fresh Bread
Carrabba's Restaraunt
Friday, August 24, 2012
Clean Eating Day 15
Clean Eating Day 15
Here is what I have eaten today. I am going to try to post my daily menu FYI.
Breakfast
Banana
Snack
Nectarine
Trail Mix (cocoa covered almonds, dried mango, almonds, peanuts, dark chocolate covered fruit)
Lunch
Melted Cheese Sandwich
Kettle Chips
Milk
Dinner
BLT Sandwich (whole wheat 5 ingredient bread, bacon, tomato and lettuce)
Milk
Exercise for Today
3 hours mountain biking (1 Shot Blok out of necessity)
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Back-To-School Gift
I just love my Beehive class. They are such cute girls. It seems like Junior High can be so much fun, but can also be a bit scary.
I decided to make something for each girl for the first week of back-to-school. My idea began when my own children were telling me how much they liked SOBE drinks. At the grocery store I went to that day, SOBE's were on sale. I grabbed enough for each girl and went home to figure out what I could do. This is what I came up with:
I opened up President Hinckley's book "Standing for Something" and started to find quotes and advice I could give the girls. I also used some scriptures and decided my theme would be,
"SO, BE.."
At the bottom after:
SO, BE teachable
SO, BE Strong
SO, BE sure to speak kindly
SO, BE loving
SO, BE happy
I ended with
SO, BE Christ-like.
I found the cute chevron paper at the silhouette store and printed it at home. The tag also came from the silhouette store. I printed the saying out and glued it to the chevron tag. I put each SOBE in a clear bag and tied the top at the side hooking the tag on. I think they turned out cute. I hope the girls like their gift.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Orange Salmon Tagine Recipe
Even before starting to eat clean, I wanted a tagine. A tagine is a Moroccan cooking vessel. It is a 2 inch deep base with an upside down funnel looking piece for the top. The idea is that the juices from the meal congregate in the funnel end and then drip back down into the meal. This makes the meat tender and the meal more flavorful.
I realized that almost every recipe I have made with my tagine is clean. Fresh veggies, fruit, spices and typically a portion of meat are called for in most recipes. I serve most of my tagine meals over couscous.
Here is the latest recipe that I tried:
Orange Salmon Tagine
1.5 tsp round cumin
1 tsp tumeric
2 broken cinnamon sticks
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 bay leaves
Mix above ingredients in the base of the tagine on medium. When they smell fragrant add:
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
1 medium onion chopped in larger pieces
4 garlic cloves minced
1 Tbsp freshly grated ginger
Cook until onions are soft then add:
3 cups chopped zucchini
2 cups chopped yellow squash
1/3 cups dried apricots
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
Toss mixture well. Set the remaining ingredients on top:
Salmon fillets (1.5-2 lbs)
Naval orange sliced thinly
Handful of parsley cleaned and chopped
Cover and simmer gently until salmon is thoroughly cooked. About 20 minutes.
Serve over couscous. (Spoon sauce over couscous).
Happy eating!
I realized that almost every recipe I have made with my tagine is clean. Fresh veggies, fruit, spices and typically a portion of meat are called for in most recipes. I serve most of my tagine meals over couscous.
Here is the latest recipe that I tried:
Orange Salmon Tagine
1.5 tsp round cumin
1 tsp tumeric
2 broken cinnamon sticks
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 bay leaves
Mix above ingredients in the base of the tagine on medium. When they smell fragrant add:
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
1 medium onion chopped in larger pieces
4 garlic cloves minced
1 Tbsp freshly grated ginger
Cook until onions are soft then add:
3 cups chopped zucchini
2 cups chopped yellow squash
1/3 cups dried apricots
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
Toss mixture well. Set the remaining ingredients on top:
Salmon fillets (1.5-2 lbs)
Naval orange sliced thinly
Handful of parsley cleaned and chopped
Cover and simmer gently until salmon is thoroughly cooked. About 20 minutes.
Serve over couscous. (Spoon sauce over couscous).
Happy eating!
Monday, August 20, 2012
8 Ways to Successful Outdoor Activities with Kids
I have 3 wonderful boys. I have always loved all things outdoors. I had some great guy friends in high school and college who helped me keep my interests alive and introduced me to new adventures. After that I married my husband who, at that time in life, had been a backpack guide, an excellent rock climber, a skier, a sponsored snowboarder and an avid fly fisherman. Together we took up mountain biking, road biking, backpacking, telemark skiing and much more.
Now, back to the 3 wonderful boys. You see, they didn't stand a chance. They have been in baby packs, bike trailers, etc. since they were 6 weeks old.
I definitely wanted my children to love the outdoors and the peace and clarity that comes with each outdoor experience. I did not want them to start to dislike the opportunities to admire and reflect on the creations of this world.
As my husband and I talked it over, we decided to do what we could to help them learn to love it. Our children, although still young, are a bit older than when we started 12 years ago and we have learned a few thing over the years.
1. Purchase quality clothing for the activity. One reason our children love to be in the outdoors snowshoeing or skiing is that they have the gear to keep them warm. This is such as important thing. I have seen children come ill-prepared to an outdoor activity and by the time it is over they have decided to greatly dislike the activity. Spend the extra money and get the gear that will keep them dry, warm and comfortable. Quality gear in my experience, lasts long enough to hand down from child to child without wearing out. Although you may pay more up front, in the end the return is great.
2. Purchase shoes and gear from a reputable store like REI that stands behind the products. Just this week we took back 2 pairs of hiking boots. Each of the boots had an open eyelet break off. One pair was only 2 weeks old and had broke the first day of scout camp on the hike (the boots were over $100) and the other pair had been worn by one child for a season and saved for my youngest. REI was great and refunded the money ...without a sideways glance, so we were able to purchase them each another pair of hiking boots. If the feet are comfortable it makes the day much more enjoyable for all.
3. Make sure the child is comfortable. For example, if the child is in a bike trailer make sure he has water, snacks, an activity (crayons/paper, electronic learning games, books, etc) and maybe a pillow and blanket.
4. Keep them hydrated. Camelbacks and other water reservoirs are perfect for the small hikers. They often don't drink until they are thirsty. That can lead to a bad situation. With water on my boys back they seem to drink more and overall end up being happier during our adventures. My husband has started to carry a water filter with us on longer hikes. As long as there is water nearby, we don't need to worry about running out.
5. Sunblock is a must. Nothing is worse than realizing that you forgot to apply sunblock to your child and now they are red and irritable.
6. Have fun with them. Make the experience memorable and interesting because they have fun with mom and/or dad. Take time to build a snowman, have water fights, look at the fish in the river, have adventures or whatever else presents itself as an opportunity. We play games while hiking like hiding and scaring the next group. We have taken kites to the tops of peaks to fly them. We have stopped to watch a small bird learning to hunt and being taught by its parent. We have awed over 2 moose swimming the lake and playing. Having fun is something adults sometimes need to remember to do.
7. My boys would argue that this next point is the most important of all. Food. Always bring extra. Sometimes all the kids need is a pick me up...otherwise known as a snack in our home. My boys are always hungry. When they aren't hungry they are happier and more cooperative.
Another tip for those of you with infants. When I started taking my kids in the bike trailer I found it is much easier to keep them in their car seats and then strap the car seat into the bike trailer. This allows the head and neck to be supported until they are old enough to sit upright. My boys always fell asleep on the ride so I made sure to take them during nap time.
Now, back to the 3 wonderful boys. You see, they didn't stand a chance. They have been in baby packs, bike trailers, etc. since they were 6 weeks old.
I definitely wanted my children to love the outdoors and the peace and clarity that comes with each outdoor experience. I did not want them to start to dislike the opportunities to admire and reflect on the creations of this world.
My all time favorite photo of my son fly fishing. |
1. Purchase quality clothing for the activity. One reason our children love to be in the outdoors snowshoeing or skiing is that they have the gear to keep them warm. This is such as important thing. I have seen children come ill-prepared to an outdoor activity and by the time it is over they have decided to greatly dislike the activity. Spend the extra money and get the gear that will keep them dry, warm and comfortable. Quality gear in my experience, lasts long enough to hand down from child to child without wearing out. Although you may pay more up front, in the end the return is great.
So he may be a bit overdressed to ride his trike :) |
Good shoes are needed when they find gems like this climbing rock. |
Yes. We gave him the cell phone to take pictures while in the bike trailer. |
5. Sunblock is a must. Nothing is worse than realizing that you forgot to apply sunblock to your child and now they are red and irritable.
6. Have fun with them. Make the experience memorable and interesting because they have fun with mom and/or dad. Take time to build a snowman, have water fights, look at the fish in the river, have adventures or whatever else presents itself as an opportunity. We play games while hiking like hiding and scaring the next group. We have taken kites to the tops of peaks to fly them. We have stopped to watch a small bird learning to hunt and being taught by its parent. We have awed over 2 moose swimming the lake and playing. Having fun is something adults sometimes need to remember to do.
7. My boys would argue that this next point is the most important of all. Food. Always bring extra. Sometimes all the kids need is a pick me up...otherwise known as a snack in our home. My boys are always hungry. When they aren't hungry they are happier and more cooperative.
Another tip for those of you with infants. When I started taking my kids in the bike trailer I found it is much easier to keep them in their car seats and then strap the car seat into the bike trailer. This allows the head and neck to be supported until they are old enough to sit upright. My boys always fell asleep on the ride so I made sure to take them during nap time.
Hansel and Grettling our kids
Last year on a vacation to Southern Utah in search of some beautiful arches, we found ourselves in a bit of a pickle. |
We tried piggy backing him, switching off with each other and promising long rests if he could just go a bit further. Our efforts were to no avail. Then it hit us.
Why not "Hansel and Grettle" him back to the car?
We had some licorice nips with us (it was our lucky moment of the day), and with the nips in hand, my husband set out ahead of us. He left the licorice on rocks along the trail. As soon as my son realized that he could hunt for treasure along the way and eat it when he found it....our problem vanished. He had a renewed energy and we made it back to the car. We lovingly refer to this as
"Hansel and Grettling our children".
After this experience we never leave on a hike or other physical activity without a snack in our packs....
...just in case!
Happy hiking :)
"Hansel and Grettling our children".
After this experience we never leave on a hike or other physical activity without a snack in our packs....
...just in case!
Happy hiking :)
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Alpine Natural Water Slide Hike
My friend called me to go find the natural water slide in Alpine, Utah. It is something I had read about and wanted to take our hiking group to. Sadly we never did make it there. So we loaded up the kids and headed out in search of an adventure. And an adventure is what we got.
Getting there was our first adventure. My friend looked up directions before we headed out. We got somewhat confused and took a right turn where we should have gone straight. This one mistake led to at least an hour of searching, hiking, hot and hungry kids and bewilderment. We finally determined where we had made our mistake and headed up the road to the correct trail.
Once there, the kids had a ball. My 6 year old went down the slide and came out crying. When I asked if he was hurt, "no" was the answer, when I asked why he was crying, "it is just so cold". I told him he did not need to go again and his reply, "It was fun, I want to...(between tears) I just need to get warm first".
The water slide is made of a large, smooth granite slab in the river. It is about 25 feet of slide. The water is freezing cold and the hike up is a bit slippery, especially with chaco's on.
To get there, take I-15 to the Alpine/Highland Exit and head 5 miles east towards American Fork Canyon. Turn left at the stop light in Highland (near the grocery store and gas station). Drive on this road a few miles. You will come to a round about. Continue on the same road through the round about. When you come to Fort Canyon Road you will turn left and follow that road until you come to a gated off road with a large No Trespassing sign. Park anywhere along this road. Go through the No Trespassing gate and stay on the road for about a mile.
You will pass a right turn... continue straight. You will come to two forks in the road...always stay to the right. When you finally come to a large yellow metal thing on the east side of the road, there is a small parking lot. Continue through the parking lot to the dirt road on the other side. Off to the left of the dirt road is a trail that heads through the trees and ends at the waterfall in about 100 feet or so.
And have fun!!
Getting there was our first adventure. My friend looked up directions before we headed out. We got somewhat confused and took a right turn where we should have gone straight. This one mistake led to at least an hour of searching, hiking, hot and hungry kids and bewilderment. We finally determined where we had made our mistake and headed up the road to the correct trail.
Once there, the kids had a ball. My 6 year old went down the slide and came out crying. When I asked if he was hurt, "no" was the answer, when I asked why he was crying, "it is just so cold". I told him he did not need to go again and his reply, "It was fun, I want to...(between tears) I just need to get warm first".
The water slide is made of a large, smooth granite slab in the river. It is about 25 feet of slide. The water is freezing cold and the hike up is a bit slippery, especially with chaco's on.
To get there, take I-15 to the Alpine/Highland Exit and head 5 miles east towards American Fork Canyon. Turn left at the stop light in Highland (near the grocery store and gas station). Drive on this road a few miles. You will come to a round about. Continue on the same road through the round about. When you come to Fort Canyon Road you will turn left and follow that road until you come to a gated off road with a large No Trespassing sign. Park anywhere along this road. Go through the No Trespassing gate and stay on the road for about a mile.
You will pass a right turn... continue straight. You will come to two forks in the road...always stay to the right. When you finally come to a large yellow metal thing on the east side of the road, there is a small parking lot. Continue through the parking lot to the dirt road on the other side. Off to the left of the dirt road is a trail that heads through the trees and ends at the waterfall in about 100 feet or so.
And have fun!!
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Clean Eating Update 2
Don't think that just because I haven't been blogging about my clean eating that I have given up :0) I think that it is time for an update.
Life just gets in the way of all the things I want to do...including clean eating. After deciding to "go clean" for 100 days my family experienced a number of set backs including floods, family get togethers..need I say more? That is just scraping the surface and I don't believe it is very different for any one of us. We all go through stuff...and it throws us off our game for a minute or two. The trick is figuring out what to do and how to eat well even in non-ideal situations. As I find tricks that work for me through this journey I will share.
My family eats clean at home, but when we are at family functions, scout activities or visiting friends or family I let them choose what they want to eat. I want to teach my boys what good and healthy food is and I want them to choose to eat it. Somehow it becomes yucky if I say, "this is what you have to eat". lol! My oldest actually told me that he would pass on a treat the other day because it wasn't clean and he would eat clean with me. Yay! Of course all of this came after my boys saying they were going to starve and telling everyone who asked that clean eating bites:)
I am finding that clean eating isn't very hard to do in my own home now that most of the cupboards and pantry have been cleaned out. I have been replacing old choices of food with better and cleaner food. In another couple of weeks I will write a post about what I have in my pantry. It might give you ideas about what to keep in your own pantry.
Clean or cleaner eating is different for everyone. My husband who was death about doing this told me the other day that he went out with his co-workers to the favorite local hamburger joint and that for the first time ever, he didn't really like it. He said that he didn't feel good and it just didn't sound good to him. Now, realize that this is coming from a man who has eaten more hamburgers in his life than anyone I know :) That is probably an exaggeration, but you get the idea.
Clean eating has improved how I feel and how my family feels. After just a few short weeks I have even lost about 5 pounds just from eating better. I don't count calories or anything like that...I just don't feel hungry like I used to. I attribute this to eating considerably less sugar and no preservatives or processed foods. If you haven't made the commitment to try it, give it a go. Aren't we all after a healthier body and increased energy? The magic solution? In my opinion, it is clean eating.
So, today this is what we ate:
Breakfast - Egg white omelet, fruit
Lunch - Almonds, grapes, whole-wheat toast (on the go lunch)
Dinner - Tilapia, green salad with balsamic dressing and a green smoothie.
To make the tilapia:
Mix juice of a lemon, 1 tsp. sea salt, 2 tsp. cumin seeds or powder, 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes and a small bunch of chopped cilantro in a bowl. Place 2 pounds of tilapia loins in a 9x13 baking dish and spread mixture evenly over fish. Broil on high for 10 minutes or until fish is white and flaky. Serve over salad or rice.
Smoothie:
2-3 cups seedless red grapes
1-2 cups fresh spinach
1 banana
2 oranges
1 cup ice
Happy Eating!
Flower Birthday Card
I love birthdays.
When I first moved to my new neighborhood I had the thought that I should take one of my neighbors a birthday card on her birthday. I hesitated because we were fairly new to the area and I didn't know her well at that point. The decision to not take her a card has been one of my regrets. I came to find out later that in this friend's native country, birthdays are huge. She had been feeling somewhat overlooked and unhappy because of the circumstances of that particular birthday. And I did nothing to make it any better.
I learned a great lesson that day. First, to follow the impressions we have. God does love us and he knows what we need...he often works through others. And second, birthdays are special days for everyone and just to be recognized makes each one of us feel better.
So, send a card. Here is a simple one. I made some to give away as gifts and others to use for birthdays.
This card was made using a pre-made embossed 5.5 x 5.5 inch square card. If you don't have any that are pre-made, simply cute a piece of white paper 5.5 x 11, score the middle and fold. You can choose any paper design or emboss on the card.
I cut a 2.5 inch square with rounded corners out on my silhouette machine with the happy birthday saying using the print and cut feature. Then I cut out a white frame slightly smaller than the square. I chose a flower I liked from the silhouette store and cut 2 of them out in pink card stock.
Glue the first square onto the card and the first flower onto the square. Make sure it is situated so that the happy birthday sentiment is visible. Next, secure the frame and the second flower to the card using foam glue dots to give it a 3-D look.
Simple as that and you can bring a smile to someone who needs it.
Labels:
Birthday cards,
cards,
Silhouette,
Silhouette Machine Cards
Cute Owl Card
I have been experimenting with the backgrounds and paper printables found at the silhouette store. This is a fun card that can be given for birthdays or as a thank you for a great time.
I used a wood background and then had my silhouette cut a hole in it. I chose one of the many cute owls and the print and cut sentiment "Best Day Ever".
Happy Card Making!
I used a wood background and then had my silhouette cut a hole in it. I chose one of the many cute owls and the print and cut sentiment "Best Day Ever".
Happy Card Making!
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Spanish Fork Reservoir
Today we took the kids to the Spanish Fork Reservoir with a group of friends. I have put off going this summer and realized how much fun we have missed out on. Next year this is going to be a weekly trip for us. If you have not been to the reservoir before it is a nice treat. The crowds are low, the beach is nice, it is free, the kids can build in the sand or float out into the lake with life vests on. The area is clean and there is even a playground and pavilion further up the road for parties or get togethers.
This is one of our favorite things to do as a family.
To get there, take I-15 to Highway 6 (Exit 261) towards Price. Follow Highway 6 for 6 miles, take a right on Powerhouse Rd. Drive 1 mile and you will see Spanish Oak Drive and a sign for the Spanish Fork gun club. Turn left here. Follow the road up through the neighborhood and after you enter the gates there is a parking lot to the left. Park there and take the stairs up to the reservoir.
Bring sunshades, sunscreen, water toys, sand digging toys, water, food and flotation devices. There is an old log in the reservoir that provides hours of fun for kids.
The reservoir also provides great open water swim training. Please take a buddy and be safe!
Monday, August 13, 2012
Sending My Love
I thought this card was adorable when I found it on Pinterest so I decided to try to re-create it on my own. I think it turned out cute and it could be sent for various occassions.
This picture is a bit darker than I had hoped.
I love how the hearts are coming out of the vintage typewriter with the sentiment "Sending My Love". I used a heart card, a printable background and a vintage typewriter from the silhouette store. The typewriter is adhered using glue dots so it sits away from the page. I attached the card to a single background piece of maroon card stock.
Get yourself a silhouette and start making cards :) There are so many great ideas.
This picture is a bit darker than I had hoped.
I love how the hearts are coming out of the vintage typewriter with the sentiment "Sending My Love". I used a heart card, a printable background and a vintage typewriter from the silhouette store. The typewriter is adhered using glue dots so it sits away from the page. I attached the card to a single background piece of maroon card stock.
Get yourself a silhouette and start making cards :) There are so many great ideas.
Labels:
cards,
Silhouette,
Silhouette Machine Cards,
Sympathy Cards
Sympathy Card
I seem to go through phases of things I enjoy doing. I love to make cards using my silhouette machine but haven't had much time until 2 weeks ago. With our first flood everything got put away and I was just able to pull it out again.
Here is one of the cards I made for a friend who went through a terrible loss. It is my experience that the only suitable things to say in these delicate situations are:
Here is one of the cards I made for a friend who went through a terrible loss. It is my experience that the only suitable things to say in these delicate situations are:
- I am so sorry!
- I am thinking of you and your family.
- I love you.
And most of the time, a great big hug is all that is needed. Too many words often times cause more heartache and may be misunderstood by the receiver. I learned this lesson from my little sister as she and her family went through a terrible loss.
Food, nice cards, flowers, cleaning, weeding, lawn care, carpooling other children, gift cards for activities or restaurants and most importantly, visits...are all things that can be done for someone in such a situation. I usually don't ask if I can help anymore, I try to do something for them to show my love. I used to always ask what I could do, but the answer was usually the same...nothing. I found that often times the individual doesn't know what they need because they are in a world of hurt and pain. I have had some great teachers who showed me by example the many things that can be done to help others. Many of these people were strangers to me, others were stories I heard about and others still were those I saw in action. Thank you for your great examples.
Now off my soapbox and onto the card:)
I had the yellow cards from a great outlet sale I stumbled upon. The card measures 4x6 with a scalloped edge along the top.
I simple created a square shape on my silhouette and printed with deepest sympathy on the bottom. I then attached a branch and a little bird that I cut out. Voila! A simple yet cute card. The bird and the white square are both attached to the card with glue dots giving it a 3-D feeling.
I have white envelopes to go with this card.
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Edenbrooke Book Review
Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I did not have any expectations going into this book and I really loved it. I found myself laughing at the main character over and over again. Her wit and her personality just grabbed and kept me until the last page. I related to her in many ways. I think that if you enjoy love, strong women, awkward moments and dashing gentlemen this is a book for you.
Twirling, singing, milk maids, fainting, witty interactions, promises, misconceptions...this and more.
Enjoy!
View all my reviews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I did not have any expectations going into this book and I really loved it. I found myself laughing at the main character over and over again. Her wit and her personality just grabbed and kept me until the last page. I related to her in many ways. I think that if you enjoy love, strong women, awkward moments and dashing gentlemen this is a book for you.
Twirling, singing, milk maids, fainting, witty interactions, promises, misconceptions...this and more.
Enjoy!
View all my reviews
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Blueberry Peach Green Smoothie
Mmmm. This recipe is for a smoothie. I used my BlendTec blender and highly recommend it over any other blender. I have used mine daily and love it. This recipe results in a full wide side blender full so if you have a smaller blender, half this recipe.
3 cups Seedless Red Grapes
1 Banana
2 Peaches with pit removed
6 Strawberries
1/2 cup Blueberries
2 cups Fresh Baby Spinach (I keep my large bag from Costco frozen and pull out only what I need)
1 cup Ice
Don't let the color of this smoothie fool you. It tastes great!
Did you know that blueberries reduce inflammation and help stop cancer growth? Strawberries have tons of Vitamin C and they fight cancer. Spinach helps your eyes stay strong with the lutein, is high in anti-oxidants and gives our bodies iron, vitamin C and beta-carotene.
So......drink up to good health:)
Happy Eating!
3 cups Seedless Red Grapes
1 Banana
2 Peaches with pit removed
6 Strawberries
1/2 cup Blueberries
2 cups Fresh Baby Spinach (I keep my large bag from Costco frozen and pull out only what I need)
1 cup Ice
Don't let the color of this smoothie fool you. It tastes great!
Did you know that blueberries reduce inflammation and help stop cancer growth? Strawberries have tons of Vitamin C and they fight cancer. Spinach helps your eyes stay strong with the lutein, is high in anti-oxidants and gives our bodies iron, vitamin C and beta-carotene.
So......drink up to good health:)
Happy Eating!
Labels:
Clean eating recipes,
health,
Nutrition,
Smoothies
Cantaloupe Carrot Beet Juice
Last night I tried a new juice. It was pleasant tasting and my husband said how much he liked it. I threw in what I had on hand. Here is the basic recipe:
3 Bunches Beet Greens
1 Beet
1 Cantaloupe
1 Handful Watercress
2 Peaches
7 Carrots
1 Cucumber
I always juice my greens first followed by the softer fruit and vegetables and then the harder ones. The softer fruit and veggies should be juiced on a low speed and the harder ones on high speed. The lower speed allows the juicer to extract more juice from them.
I have definitely felt better since starting to eat clean and juice more. I also love to make smoothies in my blender.
Give this recipe a try. I think you will like it and it is full of healthy nutrients our body's need.
Happy Juicing!
3 Bunches Beet Greens
1 Beet
1 Cantaloupe
1 Handful Watercress
2 Peaches
7 Carrots
1 Cucumber
I always juice my greens first followed by the softer fruit and vegetables and then the harder ones. The softer fruit and veggies should be juiced on a low speed and the harder ones on high speed. The lower speed allows the juicer to extract more juice from them.
I have definitely felt better since starting to eat clean and juice more. I also love to make smoothies in my blender.
Give this recipe a try. I think you will like it and it is full of healthy nutrients our body's need.
Happy Juicing!
Labels:
Clean Eating Challenge,
Clean eating recipes,
health,
Juicing,
Nutrition
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