Way past time for a GIVEAWAY! We have a Winner!

I went to Random.org and the winner is...........

Sierra  who said...

I would love new recipes, thanks for the chance.

Sierra, please contact me here with your email and I will send you this book!

Congratulations, both to Sierra who won the drawing and to Kelli who was the very first to comment!  Thanks to everyone who entered and for all your support and kind words!  Don't worry I plan to give you all a chance to get this book for free this Summer so "stay tuned!" 

This giveaway is now closed.
Remember back in March when I came out with Book 4 ~ Breakfast?  Well I'd say it's high time I gave some away!  But I say we change it up a bit!  We will do the same stuff.....you know the drill....

To Enter:  All you have to do is leave a comment. 

If you would like a second entry:  Add my button to your blog! (code in sidebar by my button under add my button heading)  Or let me know if you already have it on there in another separate comment.

For a third entry:  Become a fan and/or follower (box just below "our favorite readers" on the side bar and let me know in yet another comment.  If you are already one just remind me in another comment.

For a fourth entry:  Spread the word about my new eBook on facebook or your blog then let me know about it in of course another comment.

1 week from today (Tuesday May 29th) I will do the drawing and announce the winner!

HERE IS WHERE IT GETS DIFFERENT!

The first person to comment on this post gets a book too!
Yep it's that simple....you comment very first then you can either leave your email in the comment or send it to me through My Contact page and I'll send you the book TODAY!
Update:  Kelli was the first to comment!  Way to go Kelli!  But don't worry all comments will still be entered in the drawing next week so comment away!

Good Luck!

Take a peek inside!
Find my other recipe books at My Shop!

Did you notice?

You may not have noticed but finally got an amazon store put up a while ago.  Have you noticed it???  To get to it just click STORE on the top menu bar. Or you can click here!  As I think of things I will update it.  It has some of my favorite books and kitchen tools for healthy living.  Remember I don't recommend anything I don't use and love myself.  I also have a wish list of things I obviously don't use but really want to one day!  I hope you can find it helpful in having things you need to make a Simple Healthy Tasty Lifestyle even easier! 

Oh and don't forget about the giveaway!!

Inspiring Benefits of a Plant-Based Lifestyle!

I came across this yesterday!  I thought it was excellent!  Some people are so amazing!  It's just over 3 minutes, check it out......VERY inspiring!

Brainwashing

I thought I would bring this forward since last week I read about this and it has got me thinking.  I thought about going off and writing another post about why we would trust commercials anyway......but then I remembered this post....... and the only thing I have to add to it is this. ;)

The other day I was in line at the grocery store and I saw a jar of Nutella so I of course picked it up turned it around and read the little words under INGREDIENTS.  Quite honestly it's not near as bad as the other things that where around it but the first ingredient was ummmm SUGAR.  Right there in plain sight on the ingredient list.  All a mother needs to do instead of letting a TV tell her what is good for her kids is look at the ingredients and decide for herself if they are going to nourish her child and be "part of a balanced breakfast" or not.  It's really that simple I think most of us deep down know if it's real food or not and if it's nourishing or not.  And of course we all know that fresh fruits and vegetables are the very best for us I knew that before I ever studied nutrition.  I won't keep rambling if you haven't read this post it's a must read if you would like to become more informed and proactive when it comes to what you eat and feed your children.

In Health,

Originally posted September of 2008

Alright I hesitate to post this because we get so much negative venting stuff thrown at us on a regular basis that I hate to add to it. But I do think that we need to become more aware. Plus I posted it on my family blog (it's mainly our family photo album but sometimes I use it to vent and hey my family has to love me right;) Anyway my brother who very seldom comments insisted that more people need to know this. So well here it goes I hope the info is helpful. Let me know what you think! It is kind of sarcastic cause well it's like we either laugh about it and do something or we get fuming mad. It'd rather see the humor in it! And educate myself and my family!

Just start by watching this. Don't worry only 30 seconds!

If video doesn't work go here.


Hummm!?!?!?!? I never knew! Alright have we really become such zombies that marketing like this is going to work? First when I see pretty much any add or commercial I ask myself, "Who is funding it?" Well you will notice at the end of the commercial it tells you. Corn Refiners Association! Hummm Well I think I can trust them to tell me the truth about corn syrup. They don't have anything to loose if I don't consume corn syrup do they? ;) They must have me and my families best interest at heart. Here are some other things I have learned from adds similar to these.

"Milk it does a body good!" "Beef, it's what's for dinner!" "Pork, the other white meat!" "100% Vitamin C!" "Red Wine can help prevent heart disease!" And I know you could probably think of a million others that are not coming to me right off! Okay back to the corn syrup.

It does no one any good. It has absolutely no nutrition and it is causing tons of problems a main one is the huge increase of diabetes especially among children. Not to mention being malnourished and overweight at the same time. And because of this overuse of refined corn products many people have become allergic to corn!

Also yeah it doesn't have anything artificial in it but that punch the lady is holding. I'm sorry it's just almost hilarious to me. The only thing natural in it would probably be the water. It has artificial dyes and flavors and oh yeah corn syrup. Yep people table sugar is natural too. It comes from a good natural source BUT by the time it gets to our table it does not any longer resemble food. It's basically just the sweetness from the sugar cane no vitamins no minerals and takes those things from our bodies just to digest it. I believe it is more closely related to a drug then a food; same with corn syrup. Well there's my rant thanks for indulging me. I hope we all can become more savvy consumers! I know our children and grandchildren will thank us for learning and helping them to learn too! There are so many health problems these days and obesity and I am sure THIS kind of stuff plays a big part!

Now I came across this post the other day and thought it was great and made some good helpful points! Please be sure to click on it and go read it! Trying to do the 10 things suggested as best we can I think would help A LOT!!!

10 Ways to Stop Being Brainwashed

NOTE: Just a small FYI I'll pose the question if you are interested you can research it yourself. Is it possible that High Fructose Corn Syrup does not stimulate the release of the appetite regulating hormone lepitin? The hormone that lets you know you are full. Could that be one of the reasons they put it in everything? Not because they want it to be sweet but because quite frankly you will eat more of their product. It was a very awakening thing when we were giving up refined sweeteners. Corn syrup was not just in our sweets it was in nearly EVERYTHING! Check out food labels you will see what I mean! It's been quite interesting to me to find that now even though I still enjoy sweets I don't over indulged like I used to. I'm satisfied! A little bit goes a long way where before I could never get enough. I'm pretty sure there is something to that! Have you noticed similar results? Maybe being an ingredient freak isn't such a bad thing. ;) If you haven't looked at my Ingredient Post check it out hopefully it will help you when reading those food labels!

Chia Charger

Have you heard how great Chia seeds are for you?  Would you like an easy way to get more Chia into your diet?  You know those Chia drinks that are starting to pop-up at health food stores?  Well it's super simple to make your own.  Have a friend who had me try, what she called Chia Fresca, once and it was okay but I wasn't sure about it.  Then recently she came for a visit and bought one of those drinks when we were at the local health food store.  I thought it was pretty good she told me I needed to make it.  So we went home and I gave it a try.  I've been drinking it a lot every since!  I love it.....I mean yeah the slimy little seeds are kind of weird but they seem so full of......well energy!   I feel like I get more out of them this way then blended in a smoothie.  I feel like they give me more stamina and energy.  In fact I have to be careful and only drink a little every morning otherwise I don't want to sleep at night.  They are also very filling.  Ryan says it is kind of a weird texture but he for sure likes the flavor.  So if you don't mind the texture (give it a few tries to get used to) it's a great way to get live, raw, amazing energy.  I called it Chia Charger because I feel like it helps recharge me!  I love having Chia seeds in my food storage.  Check out a few interesting things about Chia I got in an email below the recipe!  How about a recharge?!  ENJOY!

Chia Charger

1 quart water
2 Tablespoons Chia seed
Juice of 1 lime
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 Tablespoons of Agave or other sweetener of choice

In quart jar mix water and Chia seed and let soak at least 15 minutes.  Add other ingredients.  Stir, keep in fridge.  Don't drink all at once this much lasts me a week!  I have also taken the same recipe only reduced the agave to 1 teaspoon and added 2 teaspoons cranberry concentrate.  You could try lots of flavors have fun with it!

CHIA SEED

Chia seed was traditionally used by Native Americans and was domesticated in Mexico around 2,700 B.C. They were the primary staple food of the Aztec, Mayan, and other indigenous people. One spoon of chia seed mixed with water was used to supply sustenance for an entire day of hard labor. It was also used by Native Americans and settlers as a poultice for wounds and to prevent infection and promote healing. It is a great food storage item to have on hand.

 

Nutritional Value

The nutritional profile of chia seed is quite impressive.  Chia seed is about 20% protein, 35% oil, and 25% dietary fiber. They are high in antioxidants and also offer a range of vitamins and minerals, including calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, and boron (which acts as a catalyst for calcium absorption in the body). They are one of the richest vegetable sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which can help protect against heart disease and inflammation, and they are especially beneficial for those with diabetes, hypertension and arthritis. They contain all nine essential amino acids and are a great source of vitamin B-17.

1/4 cup of chia seed provides as much calcium as 3 cups of milk, magnesium 10 stalks of broccoli, 25 % more dietary fiber than flax seed, 30 % more antioxidants than blueberries.

 

Serving size of 2 Tbs Chia Sees Provides the Following Nutrients:

Calories: 66

Complete Protein: 4.14 grams

Total Fat: 6.56 grams

Saturated Fat: .64 grams

Trans Fat: 0 grams

Monounsaturated Fat: .44 grams

Polyunsaturated Fat: 5.44 grams

Omega 3 (ALA): 4.2 grams

Omega-6 (Linoleic Acid): 1.24 grams

Cholesterol: 0 grams

Carbohydrates: 7.5 grams

Total Dietary Fiber: 8.25 grams

Soluble Fiber: 1.07 grams

Insoluble Fiber: 7.18 grams

Sodium: .42 milligrams

Potassium: 140 milligrams

Calcium: 142.8 milligrams

Iron: 3.28 milligrams

Phosphorus: 213.4 milligrams

Magnesium: 78 milligrams

 

Uses

Chia seed has a mild nutty flavor and can be sprinkled on salads, cereals, yogurt, or soups, or ground up and used in breads and muffins as you would use wheat germ or rice bran. It is most commonly used as chia seed gel, which can be made by soaking 1/3 c chia seed in 2 cups of water. In about 9 minutes the gel will be ready to use. The gel will keep for about 3 weeks in the refrigerator. You can also soak chia seed in apple juice or other liquids you like. The gel can be used as an oil replacer in baking, an egg substitute, or a thickener in various recipes. The gel can also be mixed into smoothies, granola, salad dressings, or pudding.

Since chia seed absorbs so much water (up to 9 times its volume) they can be used for hydration purposes, as they will help a person retain water.

Unlike flax seed, chia seed does not need to be ground or soaked before using to obtain the nutritional benefit from the seed.

 

Shelf Life

Chia seed has a relatively long shelf life and is a great food storage item. They can be stored at 70 degrees F for 5 years or more without going rancid, due in part to the high antioxidant content of the seeds. 

How to get your Kids to Love Kale!

It's getting to be that time of year again!  I got some Kale starts from my Sister that my Dad put in pots and has been taking care of for me.  I plan to plant in my new yard this weekend.  (Yep it's the first thing going in even before the grass!)  She lives in a warmer climate than I do and has had Kale for a while now.  This is also her favorite way to use Kale so I'm brining this recipe forward!  Be sure to give it a try!

Kale is amazingly healthy but, to most people, not too Tasty! It's pretty strong, a little bitter and kind of thick and chewy!  Ryan and the kids claim to hate it but that's not entirely true.  I love it because it grows well here and its just so good for you, I think everyone should have some on a regular basis!  I don't mind the taste as much as the rest of the fam but you won't see me just eating a plain leaf very often.  So when Ryan came home with 3 foot tall Kale from the farm guess what the kids said?  After commenting on how huge it was Missy even came out with "Holy Kale!"  Matt said,  "I think we should make those into Kale chips!"  It's their favorite way to eat Kale and made this way they will eat leaves and leaves at a time!  I find it easier to throw them in a green smoothie but when we have excess Kale around making "chips" is the first thing we do with it.  I love snacking on them too!  And so does my 4 year old daughter Charly!  Check her out!




Of course I have the recipe for you! 
It's not too late you can get some Kale seeds and plant them today!

Kale Chips

1/3 cup cashews

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

3 Tablespoons water

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 teaspoon Real Salt

¼ cup nutritional yeast

1 small chunk of onion

½ teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1 clove garlic

Ground black pepper to taste

Blend all ingredients until smooth in blender. Using a pastry brush “paint” both or one side  (I do both sides) of a Kale or Collard leaf and set them on a nonstick sheet on your dehydrator.  Dry them at 105 degrees for 6-12 hours, take off sheets, turn them over and dry for 2-4 hours more, until crispy.

Robyn of GreenSmoothieGirl posted this recipe a few years ago on her blog, she had gotten it from a reader!  It became an instant family favorite! 

 
Speaking of Robyn I went to another one of her classes last night!  I recently read her book "The Green Smoothies Diet" and wanted her to sign it plus I love hearing her speak.  She tells it like it is and I just love that!  She does classes all over.  If she comes to your area I highly recommend going to one, be sure to tell her Tammie@SimpleHealthyTasty sent you, she will know who you are talking about.  She told me last night as I was getting the picture below with her, that I should start teaching some classes for her.  Oh that could be so much fun!  I've thought about maybe doing some local classes in the next few years.  But I don't know if I'm ready to travel as much as Robyn does, I'm kind of love being at home!  But maybe as the kids get older.  I do love teaching classes and seeing the light come on as people start to understand true health principles!  Robyn is doing such a wonderful thing it was so fun to be there and learn more from her!  I also love reading her blog she is just such a good writer and inspires me on a regular basis!  Thanks Robyn!!!!

Oh by the way thanks so much to those of you who said hi to me at the class!  It made my day!  It's so fun to meet readers!!!!  If you ever see me please don't hesitate to come say hi and introduce yourself.  And if you have time I would love to hear "your story" too!!!!

Cutting and Increasing a Recipe Handout

I taught a Kitchen basics class a while back and these were the handouts.  Remember when I told you I was working on getting my handouts available.  Well I just because I'm slow doesn't mean I have forgotten.  We are moved and settled but we only just today got our stuff that has been in storage for the past five months out.  So still lots of unpacking and lots of goings on.  But I still am remembering my vision here with Simple. Healthy. Tasty.  And I still believe we can save the family unit one Simple. Healthy. Tasty. meal at a time!  I will do all I can to help those healthy meals be as simple as possible.  I hope this little handout can help.  I printed it up half size and stuck it in my recipe binder.  It would also work good printed on a sticker and put on a magnet to go on the fridge.  Just click on the icon to download it or right click and save it to your computer.

Hungry for Change

Have you seen this?  I was fairly impressed!  I told Ryan that I felt like it contained most all the info on diet and healthy weight loss that took me more than 15 years to learn and gather.  Would have saved me a lot of time and effort if it had been made sooner. ;)   Worth taking the time to see!!

Curry Dip

If you have Book 3 you may have already tried this recipe.  Since this is one of Ryan's most very favorite dips and I have made it often over the years, I thought I would share it here too.  We love it to dip all sorts of raw veggies in.  Our favorite though it Jicama!  The perfect addition to any vegetable tray!

Easy Curry Dip

Vegenaise
Curry Powder (I use the mild kind for this it isn't spicy)

Just mix curry powder in with the Vegenaise.  That's it!  Don't be afraid to put plenty of curry powder in,  when you think you have a lot......add more! ;)  Stir well;  makes a great dip for carrot sticks, celery, snap peas, bell peppers, zucchini, onion, jicama, etc.  Also is a good spread on sandwiches and other things.

Carrot Butter

Sorry the pictures are a bit blurry and not the greatest.....but oh the recipe is wonderful!  A great Spring time recipe that would be great at part of a Easter dinner, breakfast, brunch or whenever.  We love this Carrot Butter on Toast, as a fruit dip, or any way you can think of eating it.  I personally like it by the spoonful! ;)  ENJOY!

Carrot Butter

1-1.5 pounds carrots peeled and cut into small pieces
Large pot of water
1 cup macadamia nuts
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
3-4 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
1/2 Tablespoon vanilla
2 teaspoons Real Salt

Place carrots in large pot of water and boil until the carrots are very, very soft.  Drain carrots then add them with all other ingredients to blender and puree until really smooth.  Good warm or cold.  Refrigerate leftovers.

April Fools Joke!

Had to bring this forward just because it was so funny last year!  Although it's obvious now that it was a joke it's still pretty funny.  Happy April everyone!

This is our newest family favorite! 

Good Pizza, Made Better

1 Store bought Pizza Crust
1 Jar of pizza sauce (Hunt's is best)
Lots and lots of shredded cheese (use more then one kind for best flavor)
1 Large package of Corn Dogs (Costco is the best place to get these they come in huge packages so you can enjoy leftovers for days and days, makes really simple quick lunches to nuke in the microwave!)

Put together like you would any pizza!  Just be sure the corn dog sticks all face in like the picture above!  Or look at the pictures below for some other great ideas!  Just some fun variations on this same great theme!  Enjoy and don't forget to always keep it SIMPLE. Healthy. Tasty!

APRIL FOOLS!!!! :)




Some things are simply NOT meant to be healthified!

Ha ha ha ha!  Did I get ya?!?  I certainly hope not!
I hope it was VERY obvious to all of you!
If not PLEASE, Please, Pleeeeease, read everything on my blog!
Have a very WONDERFUL and fun April Fools day!
Thanks for all of your encouragement and support!
Keep it up and Seriously!
Keep it Simple. Healthy. Tasty!!!!

P.S.  I'd love to hear what your were thinking when you first started reading this post!  Share in the comments it will give us all a good laugh!  One of the most healthy things out there!

Book 4 ~ Breakfast

Alright I have had this done for a few weeks now but then....well we moved.  Which is a good thing as most of you know we were living in transition at my parent's while we looked for a home.  It took us longer than we thought it would.  Lots of red tape and silliness with short sales etc.  After getting tired of waiting on unemotional banks we found a brand spankin' new home that was just about finished that a contractor was selling for the same price that we were offering on all the short sales.  Anyway we are in and we love it I will have to post pictures soon and give you a "tour."  Especially as I finish organizing my food storage room and pantry!  So long story short...internet just got hooked up yesterday that is why my breakfast book hasn't been posted sooner.

About 4 years ago I made a goal to stop buy pricey "healthy" cold cereals for breakfast.  It was getting way too expensive and I knew that even though the cereal had good ingredients it wasn't near as healthy as something I would make myself.  So I stopped buying cereal and started finding other options.  These are our families favorites of those options!   

Get your copy TODAY!    
And enjoy breakfast the Simple. Healthy. Tasty. way! 

Take a peek inside!
Find my other recipe books at My Shop!
See additional information below.

		30 of our favorite Breakfasts...Pancakes, Smoothies etc.
		Page numbers for easy reference.
		Easy to print pages choose full or half size.
		Keep your recipes ORGANIZED.
		Table of Contents with Page Number for EVERY recipe.
		Save Lots of Time. All for ONLY $4.95

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Granola and Oats                 Oatmeal Cookies Granola………………………………………4                 Stove Top Granola………………..………………………………..4                 Great Granola………………………………………………………….5                 Make Your Own Instant Oatmeal.…………………….5 Hearty Breakfast                 Homemade Hash Browns….…….…………………………….6                 Mountain Man Breakfast…………………..………….........6                 Savory Sausages ………………………………….……….……….7                 Breakfast Burritos……………………..……….…….…………7 Pancakes, Waffles, French Toast                 Rich and Buttery Maple Syrup……………………………8                 Coconut Syrup………………………………………………………….8                 Blender Pancakes…….……………………………………………..9                 Feed a Crowd Pancake Mix…………………………………..9                 Easy Whole Grain Waffles…………………………………10                 French Toast Stix………………………………………..………10 French Toast Stix, Feed a Family Version..11 Tam’s Tasty French Toast…………………………………..11 Fruit                 Really Easy Fruit Salad…..…………………………………12                 Green Smoothies                 Peanut Butter Chocolate Green Smoothie……13                 Creamsicle Green Smoothie……………………………..13                 The Basic Green Smoothie……………………………….13                 Beet Boost Smoothie…….…………………………………..14                 Cherry Chocolate Mint.……………………………………..14 More Smoothies Can’t Be Beet Smoothie…………………………………….15 Sweet Potato Smoothie……………………………………..15 Orange Julius……………………………………………………….15 Strawberry Banana Smoothie……………………………16 Peanut Butter Carob Smoothie…………………........16 Fresh Fruit Smoothie………………………………….………16 Apricot Smoothie………………………………………………….17 Other Smoothie Ideas………………………………………..17

Pizzeria Style Pizza

I got this recipe from my Mom.  It's by far my favorite homemade pizza recipe!  It's like pizzeria pizza only better.  No one will notice that the crust is whole grain.  And the sauce.....well the sauce is super tasty best pizza sauce ever and also a wonderful dip for bread sticks.  Put on your favorite toppings and you might just think you were at Pizza Hut or something!

Pizzeria Style Pizza Crust

2 cups warm water
2 Tablespoons honey or Sucanat
2 Tablespoons active dry Yeast
1/2 cup Vital Wheat Gluten
2+/- cups whole hard white wheat flour
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1/2 Tablespoon Real Salt
Corn Meal

In a large bowl place warm water (about 110 degrees) and Sucanat or honey and stir.  Sprinkle yeast on top.  Let mixture foam (about 10 minutes).  Add gluten and mix until smooth.  Add 1/4 cup of flour at a time mixing well after each addition.  Add just enough flour to have a nice dough but still kind of sticky.  You may add  more or less than the two cups flour, just get the right consistency.  With the last addition of flour add the oil and salt.  Cover Bowl and let rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes.  Split into 2 pieces and roll into 2 large size pizzas, place on pizza pans sprinkled with corn meal.  Top and bake at 500 degrees for about 10 minutes.

NOTE:  To avoid soggy crust in the middle you will want to bake the pizza on a pizza pan that has holes in the bottom on the bottom rack of the oven OR use a pizza stone that is already hot (be careful not to burn yourself putting the crust on) OR pre-bake the crust for about 5 minutes before adding the toppings (again be careful not to burn yourself)!

Pizzeria Pizza Sauce

(enough for 2 pizzas with some left over for dipping)
4 Tablespoons Olive oil
2 Tablespoons Coconut Oil
1 Onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (29 ounce) can tomato puree
2 teaspoons dried basil
3 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon real salt
1 teaspoon Sucanat
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 bay leaves
2 1/2 teaspoons crushed fennel seed

In medium pot or skillet, melt coconut oil with olive oil.  Saute onion, celery and garlic until soft.  Add tomato puree and stir well.  Add the rest of the ingredients, slowly simmer for about 10 minutes or time desired (longer will bring out more flavor, just don't burn).  Remove the bay leaves and spread on prepared pizza dough.

My Favorite Pizzeria Type Pizza Toppings

Thinly sliced onion
Thinly sliced GREEN bell pepper
canned mushrooms
sliced olives
pineapple
Cheezy Sauce thinned with rice milk so it can be drizzled on pizza
Artichoke hearts (opt.)

You can use any toppings you like these are just my favorites!

Banana Cream Pie

Just like we used to have only BETTER!

Yummy things happen when I have my Mom around to inspire me!  She claims she isn't a good cook but I think she is excellent!  She or I will get an idea and try it, the one or the other of us will say you know what I think this needs to make it really good.  Then our husbands pipe up with what they think would be good (sometimes this is helpful other times not so much......No Dad cool whip won't make it better!;)  After a few tries we come up with recipes like this.  Enjoy!

Banana Cream Pie

2 regular or 1 deep dish pastry or graham cracker crust, prepared in pie pan
2-4 ripe bananas sliced
1/2 cup dehydrated cane juice crystals
2 heaping Tablespoons arrowroot powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
4 cups canned coconut milk (takes about 2 1/2 cans on the third can I use the thick half)
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon natural butter flavor (optional)
2 drops natural banana flavor (optional)
1/8-1/4 teaspoon turmeric, more or less for desired color (optional)

Sir cane juice crystals, arrowroot powder, optional turmeric and salt together in medium sauce pan and mix well.  Add coconut milk slowly while stirring, continue to stir on medium low heat until pudding thickens.  When thickened add lemon juice, vanilla and other flavorings.  Pour into prepared pie crust(s) with bananas sliced and laid in the bottom and around the sides.  Cover and refrigerate for at least a few hours to set up.  Top with My Favorite Whipped Creme.

Garlic Feet

This is by far the best way I have found to get a lot of garlic into a child who doesn't like or can't eat garlic yet.  I have even used it on my babies just be careful to not use too much garlic and lots of olive oil on their feet before applying the garlic because garlic is hot and can burn their sensitive skin.  The skin is amazing at absorbing things it needs when given the chance.  Especially the feet, from what I understand the feet have almost twice as many pores per inch as the rest of the body.  Garlic is amazing itself but the way the feet will absorb it is pretty darn cool.  I would put this on my sick baby who was having a high fever that was lasting for a while.  I had them wear it at night to sleep in and by morning there were only flakes or garlic left (the feet had absorbed the "juice") and my baby was usually better or at least much improved depending on how sick they were.  I do remember using it a few nights in a row with Curtis more than once it always seemed to help a lot!  An easy, simple, cheap thing to know how to do that can be very healing!  I love garlic.

Garlic Feet

Olive oil
2 Tablespoons Petroleum Jelly (or other thick Jelly like stuff if you don't want petroleum based)
1/2 Tablespoon Fresh Garlic Minced (about 2 cloves)
2 rags one to wrap around each foot
Pair of old socks that fit well and you don't care if get ruined


Mix Petroleum Jelly and garlic to make a paste.  Take Olive oil and rub all over entire foot up to the ankles.  Take half the paste and spread on thick on JUST THE SOLE of the foot (not on the sides or top of the foot).  Take a rag and wrap up the foot, place the sock over the rag to keep it in place.  Repeat the process on the other foot.  If using this on an adult you will probably want to increase the amounts especially the garlic (about a one to one ration of Petroleum jelly and garlic).

Best Yet Whole Wheat Bread, Big Batch

Do you like my bread mixer!?!?!  My Mom gave it to me she has had it for years and years.  It's pretty awesome, all stainless and it's a workhorse.  So what's my excuse for not having fresh homemade bread around our house all the time?  Ummmmm......I've been really busy with moving and getting ready to move again....yeah that's it.  Besides whenever I make that much dough very little of it gets made into loaves of bread we have to make at least one batch of cinnamon rolls if not more and bread sticks will go great with dinner, oh and speaking of dinner....dinner rolls are great too and maybe some pretzels.  Have I mentioned I love how versatile this recipe is!  Now with a big batch recipe and a awesome bread mixer the possibilities are endless!




Note:  Homemade bread is always much better with flour that has been freshly ground from whole wheat.  My favorite wheat for bread is Hard White Wheat it is much less heavy then the Hard Red Wheat or Winter Wheat.  I have used a number of wheat grinders and/or grain mills and by far my favorite is This Wonder Mill!  It is the least loud machine out there, in fact it is almost quiet compared to the others.  It is also faster then the others I have tried yet still grinds the grain nice and fine.  I love it!  I have had mine for over 16 years, I use it all the time and I have never had a problem with it!  I highly recommend The Wonder Mill!

Best Yet Whole Wheat Bread, Big Batch

(yields 5-6 loaves)
2/3 cup honey
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 cups warm water
3 Tablespoons Yeast
1 ½ - 2 Tablespoons Real Salt
16-20 cups fresh whole wheat flour
3 Tablespoons Vital Wheat Gluten

In large bread mixer, combine the warm water, (110 degrees) yeast, and 2 cups of fresh ground whole wheat flour.  Allow to sponge for 15 minutes. Add the honey, oil, salt and 12-16 cups of flour until the dough begins to clean the sides of the mixer.  Dough should be smooth and kind of sticky.  Don't add so much flour that the dough gets too stiff, this will make for dry crumbly bread.  Beginners often add too much flour.  Have mixer knead the dough for six to ten minutes.  For the dough into 5-6 loaves, place the dough into greased loaf pans. Allow to rise in a slightly warmed, THEN TURNED OFF oven until doubled in size (about 30-60 minutes).  After the dough has risen turn on oven to 350 degrees. Bake the loaves for 30 minutes or until  done. This bread recipe is very versatile! Use it to make cinnamon rolls, pizza, bread sticks,
and more!