Post Cards Needed!

Hey, I was wondering if you could help me out.  My kids and I are trying to collect a post card from every state.  I've emailed all the friends and family that I can think of that live out of state but I'm nowhere NEAR covering all 50 states. 

Most of you probably know that we homeschool our kids so this is a project we'd like to do in order to teach them the names of the states.  We will be studying the states as we receive post cards.  Unless of course they all come at once.  Then we'll put them in our binder for later use.  In the end, we'd like to have a binder with a post card from each state. 

If you happen to live out of state or are traveling out of state and would be willing to send us a post card, please let me know.  The only requirement I have, unless I already know you, is that you must have a blog that I can check out just to make sure you aren't a crazy person.  I'm sure you're not, I just want to make sure before I send you my address.  ;)

Don't let your kids eat fruit!!

Are you confused by the title of this post?  Let me explain.

Now that my girls have started dance lessons, I'm at the dance studio three nights a week for an hour each night.  During that hour, I have tried to read the book I borrowed from the library because, well, when else do I get to read?  Unfortunately, I forget what I've just read almost instantly because of one of the moms at dance. 

Please don't get me wrong.  I'm sure she's a nice enough woman.  She's just very loud!  She and her posse sit in a circle (right under the window that parents can look through to see their kids... could you please move?) conversing.  

Well, one of the nights last week, she was telling another mom how frustrated she was that her 7-year-old daughter (who she thinks is too thin) wouldn't eat anything that she buys for her.  "She won't eat Cap'n Crunch, Lucky Charms, Fruity Pebbles, nothin'!  She'll only eat the stuff I buy for me like Crispix and Chex."

To which the other mom asked, "Will she eat fruit or anything?"

"Oh yeah!  She eats fruit all the time but I can't get her to eat anything with calories!" 

Is it just me or is that just really odd?  I mean, Heaven forbid your child should want to eat something not sugar-laden or less processed. 

Dear Blog,

I'm very sorry that I do not possess talent enough to make you beautiful.  You have potential, you really do!  Maybe a little make-up?  If only I knew how to apply it to your plain face.  I just don't. 

But Blog, I promise to hire someone to do your make-up for you once I can afford it.  They'll work their magic and VOILA!  You'll be so pretty. 

Right now you kind of remind me of my kids when they don't let me do their hair, lunch is smeared across their face and they're wearing clothes from last week that I didn't realize they had put back into their drawer for another day.  They have stains! 

Or maybe you remind me of ME when I first wake up in the morning and my hair is here, there and everywhere.  What's a girl and her blog to do?

And please forgive me for not speaking your language.  Your CSS and HTML confuse me.  I really am trying to learn but it all looks foreign to me.  I don't speak your language!  We need a translator!!  Do you speak Greek?

In the meantime, while I save up to hire a make-up artist/translator for you, you'll just have to be plain ol' plain.  But be happy, because I think you're great! 

Love,

Brooke

Banana Bread Makeover

I don't know about you but I happen to love banana bread.  But rarely do I ever get to make it because my children are monkeys and almost always gobble up the bananas long before they are banana bread ready.  Even when I buy 'extra' bananas, they are gone before I can use them. 

Well, just yesterday I had the rare opportunity to make some.  I had never made a 'clean' banana bread before.  If you know me, you know that Anthony and I have cleaned up our diets, and those of our kids,  in recent months.  Sure we slip up a time or two (or ten) each week but we're trying.  And our eating habits are largely different from where they started. 

So, I decided to give banana bread a makeover.  Maybe I was a tad bit nervous.  You see, I'm a recipe follower to a T.  I'm not one of those people that is comfortable changing things up and just knowing it will turn out.  If it says 1/2 cup, I'm going to use 1/2 cup.  But recently, I have grown a wild hair of sorts and started to tweak things a little bit.  It's not something I would say I'm good at yet.  I still cringe each time, crossing my fingers that my 'experiment' doesn't completely ruin the recipe.  Luckily, I've had luck on my side... so far.  ;)  Let's keep that streak, shall we?

Well, I made a version of banana bread that my family absolutely loved!  And believe it or not, there is absolutely NO refined sugar or white flour in it. 

Banana Bread... All Cleaned Up!

1 egg

1/2 c. olive oil

1 tsp vanilla

2 or 3 very ripe bananas, peeled and mashed

1 1/2 c.whole wheat pastry flour

1/4 c. Sucanat (dehydrated cane juice)

1/4 plus 2 T. agave nectar

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

3 T. ground flax seeds (optional)

Preheat oven to 325*. 

Mash bananas in small bowl, set aside.  In a large bowl, combine wet ingredients and mix until blended.  Add bananas, mix until blended.  Combine dry ingredients in separate bowl.  Add to wet indredients a small amount at a time, mixing each time you add more. 

Once it is all incorporated and mixed well, pour into a sprayed loaf pan (4 1/2 x 8 1/2).  Bake for 60 minutes or until golden brown. 

Make 1 loaf but could easily be doubled or tripled. 

Attitude!

Boy did I have an attitude last night!  I was fine up until it was time for our workout.  It was Plyo-X night.  Plyo is evil and I hate it!  It's Anthony's absolute favorite while it's my least favorite.  I just plain didn't want to do it.  I suggested trying Cardio X but Anthony was reluctant.  He wanted his Plyo. 

I was forced to endure the entire demonic workout pretty much by myself due to an injured calf Anthony is nursing.  Ummm, yeah, that was irritating... not the calf, just the fact that I had to do it by myself.  I really should have just done the cardio no matter what he said.  I knew he wouldn't be able to the Plyo, it's all about jumping.  Injured calf... HELLO!  No jumping!! 

Just a few minutes in, Anthony could see my irritation and suggested that I needed to find my Chi.  He's currently reading a book called Chi Running which explains all about having your chi in check and such.  Yada, yada, yada.  Can you imagine the surge of anger I felt as he is suggesting that I find my chi?  MAYBE IT'S ON VACATION, NOW HUSH!  I didn't say that, I just really wanted to.  Find my chi... pssshhhh! 

I think it's this darn weather.  No it's not raining, hailing, snowing, foggy, or even windy.  The problem?  It's so darn sunny! 

That's right, I've got a confession.  I do NOT love summer.  Sure, I love the activities, the laughter, the kids playing outdoors, the food (Summer means lots of yummy fruits and veggies in season, right?), the bbq's, the get-togethers and even the busy-ness.  **Would the real word be business?  Because I thought about putting that but then I thought you would read it as BIZ-ness.**

But that darn SUN!  It makes it so dang HOT!  Given the choice between hot or cold, I will take cold every time.  Anyone that knows me well knows that I don't do heat.  I HATE HEAT!!!!!  Hibernation for me comes during the summer time.  Or it would, if it would just slow down.  Summer is crazy around these here parts.  I'm sure that's normal for just about everyone.  Just venting for a moment.  Anyone else have the I'm-a-bear-in-the-heat syndrome?  Let's call it an allergy. 

Oh, and speaking of attitude, C is really beginning to have one as well.  Maybe he's allergic as well.  He's been walking around with his little 3-year-old attitude saying, "Kill you!" in a not so funny tone.  What do I do about that?  Actually, last night we put soap in his mouth.  In all fairness, we warned him several times and he kept saying it.  Probably just to see if we really meant what we said.  So, I grabbed the baby wash and Anthony pumped a small amount into his mouth (which he willingly held open).  Let's just say I don't think he'll be so willing the next time.  And yes, we rinsed it out right away. 

He's also been telling everyone to "Be a man!"  He picked that up from "Follow That Bird".  Have you seen that one?  If not, you really should.  It's a Sesame Street movie.  One of my favorites from my childhood.  Still love it.  Total nerd, I know.

Anyway, it started out with him telling H to "be a man" as they layed in their beds one night.  Now, he says it to anyone that's annoying him in any way.  At least he's polite about it.  "Please stop it, Mom.  Be a man!" 

When I retort with, "YOU be a man," he always says, "No, I can't. I'm a boy." 

Oh how I love that little boy.  He's great! 

Fiesta Salad

While searching for something to make for dinner the other night, I was determined to find a salad recipe.  Why a salad?  I don't know.  It's so unlike me.  I never crave salads but I had just returned home from the grocery store, Anthony left to work on a friend's deck as soon as I got home, and I needed something quick and easy.  Salad sounded great for that and I had just brought home a bunch of different greens that I was so excited to use. 

Silly, I know.

So, I grabbed my recipe binder (which only recently became a binder.... before that it looked like....)



Scary, eh?  Am I the only one who hoards recipes from the internet and other sources and then never makes them?  I mean, who wants to dig through a mess like that to find a recipe?  Not me!  Well, not anymore.  I dove right in as soon as I was smart enough (after many years) to get them into a binder.  A novel concept, I know. 

There I go getting off track again.  So, back to dinner.  I found this recipe for Fiesta Salad.  Perfect!  I had all of the ingredients.  So, I put it all together while only tweaking it slightly.  (Recipe calls for bagged salad... I used my own greens)

DELICIOUS!!  It would be perfect for a pot luck.

Even my kids loved it and that's saying a lot of a salad. 



Fiesta Salad

1 bag prepared salad (or prepare your own greens... I used 1/3 spinach, 1/3 romaine, 1/3 red leaf lettuce)

1 can corn, drained

1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained (I used red beans)

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 c. grated cheese

2-3 green onions, chopped

1 large tomato, chopped

1 can whole olives (you can use sliced if you prefer)

Dressing

3/4 c. ranch

3/4 c. salsa

Layer all ingredients in a large, lovely bowl.  Pour dressing over the top and garnish with crushed tortilla chips or tortilla strips.

You're going to love it!!

 

Clean Eating Challenge: Step 6 -- Implement "The Cheat"

Well, how was your week?  Was it super hard not to cheat at all (other than maybe a food storage item here and there)? 

This week you get to cheat!  Woohoo for cheats! 

Alright, there are a few ways you can do this.  There's the 'cheat meal', the 'cheat day', and the 80/20 rule.  Let me explain...

Cheat Meal:  This is where you eat clean all the time except one meal per week.  A predesignated meal (maybe a Saturday lunch or something) that you decide you will eat whatever cheat meal you feel is necessary for you to get your 'fix' of junk food for the week.  Maybe you need a combo meal from McDonalds or something.  Or maybe your favorite pizza joint is calling your name.  Or maybe one of your snacks is going to be a decadant dessert of some sort.  Whatever floats your boat.  

The designated day could change depending on your weekly plans.  Maybe you have a party planned on Tuesday.  Make Tuesday your Cheat Meal day. 

Cheat Day:  This is a whole day during the week designated to eating whatever you want and not worrying about it.  Be careful with this one though.  If you are afraid that designating a whole day will throw your chi off with the clean eating, don't do it!  Stick with the Cheat Meal or the.....

80/20 Rule:  This is where you make sure that you are eating clean at least 80 percent of the time.  The other 20 percent is whatever you want.... and sometimes 'whatever you want' turns out to be clean anyway.   

This is the 'cheat' that works for me the best because, although I started out trying the Cheat Meal plan, my life seems so out of control at times.  We frequently have friends over or are invited to a get together with family or friends and I know that the food options won't always be clean.  Anthony and I both try to eat mostly clean in those situations by filling up on fruits, vegetables, water, and whatever other clean options are available before diving into the nasties.  And often times, that is enough to keep us satisfied and we don't need the yucky stuff.  This coming from the girl who has a hard time saying no to food in general, let alone the sweets and processed crap. 

One thing that we hardly ever give in to these days is soda.  That's one thing that we have given up almost entirely whether we're cheating or not.  The only soda we've consumed at all since beginning our journey several months ago was in the form of a root beer float... twice. 

I try to keep it more on the 90/10 side.  Just please keep it at least 80/20 if this is the cheat plan you choose.  Don't go any less 80% clean. 

And always remember to eat only until satisfied no matter what you are eating.  The 5-6 meals rule also applies. 

Another important thing to TRY and do is make your cheats homemade.  If you can, try not to eat the processed foods.... ever!  It really is ok to have treats once in a while but if you make your own chocolate chip cookies rather than buying Chips Ahoy, you really are doing yourself a favor.  At least you know what went into it and you can name all the ingredients.  Every once in a while a processed treat is necessary, I get that.  Just try to keep it in check. 

Well, I hope this week goes well for you.  Keep me posted on your progress. 

In case you missed the past Clean Eating Challenge posts, click on the "Clean Eating Challenge" under the labels on the right. 

And if you wrote down or printed out the ranch dressing recipe, I hope you caught it after the correction.  Nothing major but there was a slight error. 

Homemade Ranch Dressing

Update:  I just corrected the amount of agave in this recipe.  It originally said "1 - 2 T." but it should be 1 - 2 tsp.  Sorry about that. 

This is yet another recipe that I expected not to fully love considering that I am admittedly addicted to anything sugary, processed, or full of MSG.  Or at least I was.  Now I just do my best to stay away from it... mostly, so as not to tempt myself too much with it.  Because although my tastebuds say they need it, my body does not love it once consumed. 

Here's the mix part of this recipe (store in an airtight container):
2/3 c. dried parsley flakes
3 1/2 T. dried dill weed
5 tsp. garlic powder
1/3 c. onion powder
1/4 c. sea salt

When you're ready to make your dressing:

Place 5 tsp. of dressing mix into small bowl and add the following

1 c. Vegenaise* (found in health food stores in the refrigerated section -- you can use mayonaisse in a pinch but try to find one made with olive oil or other heart healthy oil)

1/4 c. milk

1/4 c. plain yogurt

1 - 2 tsp. agave nectar (remember to buy raw)

1/2 - 1 tsp. raw apple cider vinegar

Mix well with a whisk.  Refrigerate for up to 4 weeks.  So yummy!  And it's thick like my favorite brands too. 

 Enjoy!

Recipe source:  The Diet Rebel's Cookbook

Taco Seasoning

When I first made this taco seasoning, I have to admit, I was expecting something sort of bland.  The packets you buy in the store are full of MSG which really helps enhance the flavor of certain foods.  Nevermind that it's absolutely horrible for our bodies. 

So, when I used it in my Taco Soup recipe, I was expecting to tell my family that it's just something we'll have to get used to... the bland taste. 

What I wasn't expecting was to actually like it MORE than the convenient little packets I have been using for years!  No joke, even my kids and Anthony said it was better.  So happy about that! 

So, here's the recipe... I'm positive you're going to LOVE it!

2/3 c. onion powder (or onion granules)
1 1/4 c. chili pepper powder
1 3/4 T. garlic powder
2/3 c. ground cumin
3 1/2 T. paprika
3 1/2 T. dried oregano
2 T. Sucanat (dehydrated cane juice)

Mix it all up and store in an airtight container. 

So easy, right?  And definitely yummy.  After a tiny bit of research (because I have never measured a packet of taco seasoning) I learned that 4 T. (1/4 cup) is the equivalent of one packet.  Now, go make yourself some tacos or something.

Recipe Source:  The Diet Rebel's Cookbook

WELL, FINE THEN!!

A dead even tie... it's a conspiracy!  Well, since the recipe poll came out even, I guess I have no other choice but to give you BOTH recipes. 

You win! 

So, later today, I will post them.  Pics and all.  Not that you really need pics because we all know what taco seasoning and ranch dressing look like but I just want to be cool and post pics, okie dokie? 

By the way, the title of this post is kind of an inside joke.  I really should write it here and let you read about it.  Maybe one of these days.  So funny!  Or maybe it's just one of those "had to be there" things. 

Oh, and have I mentioned that my girls have started their dance classes?  No, I haven't... but now you know.  Dang it!  That reminds me, I still need to blog the lemonade stand.  I'm so behind. 

But that's only partly true... K and A have started, H starts tonight.  I have no doubt that she'll love it just as the other two have so far.  I know that one of my best pals from Jr. High has a daughter (on a competition team) that attends at that particular studio as well but I haven't bumped into her yet.  Where are you Hydie?  (Ok, it's really Heidi but she started spelling it Hydie way back when and pronouncing it a bit different, too.)  Just remember that if I run into you, and I haven't seen you for quite some time, my face is bound to turn beet red as soon as we bump into each other.  I don't know why, it just happens.  My face turns red quite often... it's one of my weak points.  How do I stop it?  I'm such a nerd!

Wow, this post has really gone off into left field.  Sorry about that.  I have lots of posts coming... WATCH OUT!!

Look what I got the other day...

Do you know what this means? 

Neither do I but I think it means good luck is headed my way.  I could sure use some good luck about now. 

Clean Eating Challenge: Step 5 -- Lunches and Dinners

I almost forgot to post this.  With Father's Day and the fact that my week/weekend kind went haywire on me, I just about spaced it.  But no worries!  I know you're thanking your lucky stars about now because whatever would you do without your next Clean Eating Challenge post? 

Ok, so I'm sure you'd all get along just fine.  Just let me pretend that I'm needed.  ;)

This week we're going to clean up the remainder of your meals.  THIS IS A NO CHEATING WEEK!  Let me repeat... there is to be NO CHEATING this week.  Got it?  Good!

Here's the part where I contradict myself...
If you're one of those 'crazy Mormons' like myself, and have a crazy, hair-brained idea such as food storage (or maybe you're not a Mormon but still have a crazy notion to have such a storage), you may have not-so-clean items in your storage that you're not willing to part with.  I hear ya!  That was money well spent to feed your family and I'm not telling you to get rid of it.  Some clean foodies (that's what we're calling them for the moment) will tell you to rid your home of all unclean foods.  

Ummm, sorry but I'm too cheap to throw it away and I am NOT willing to GIVE it all away either.  So, in our food storage, I had dirty items such as cream of ... (fill in the blank) soups, tomato soup, ketchup, bbq sauce, ranch dressing, taco seasoning packets, WHITE rice, WHITE pasta, etc.  That's a lot of food to get rid of.  Not that all canned foods are dirty, they're not.  Canned beans (watch for sugars though), tomato paste/sauce, fruit in its own juices, etc. are all great canned items.

So what are you supposed to do?  Well, at our house, I try to make all of our meals clean; breakfast, lunch and snacks.  Dinner is clean too, MOST nights.  In order to still use up what's down in our food storage, I try to make completely clean dinners five nights a week.  The other two nights, we make an old 'dirty' favorite with items from our food storage.  Just remember not to overindulge.  Eat just 'til satisfied, not full.  

Now here's the part that may scare you.  It scared me at first too because, how in the world would I make dinner without canned, boxed, or bottled dirtiness?  Are you ready for it?  Here it is:  ONCE IT'S GONE, IT'S GONE!  DON'T BUY IT AGAIN!  It is possible to make clean versions of those same foods.  Surprised?  I was. 

And guess what, it's not that hard.  I've had so much fun making homemade ranch dressing and homemade taco seasoning.  We don't even miss the MSG.  That stuff is in a lot of processed foods.  It's not good for you, stay away from it.  

Oh, but as I was saying, the ranch and taco seasoning are BETTER than the packaged stuff.  Hard to believe, eh?  I didn't think it was possible but it's true.  Maybe we just enjoy the flavors because we're excited to not be eating crap anymore.  At any rate, it's good stuff.  Both of those recipes come from The Diet Rebel's Cookbook.  I'm beginning to think that it's my very favorite of the three that I got for Mother's Day.  

Tell you what, I'll even give you one of the recipes.  Just vote in the poll telling which recipe you'd like and the one with the most votes will be posted in the next couple of days. 

Simple enough, right?  Clean food is yummy and there's a lot to choose from.  Everything from fruits/vegetables, lean cuts of meat, eggs, whole grains, to dairy products and more.

If you know of a recipe that your family loves, just tweaking a few of the ingredients could make it a clean meal.  Or you could ask my best friend Google for some insight.  Just type in something like "clean eating recipes" or even "healthy recipes".... something to that effect. 

A couple of sites I've been to are:
The Gracious Pantry
Clean Eating Mama

There are soooo many more though.  Just do some research.  You'll find your favorites. 

Next week, we'll talk about how and when to eat crap.  But remember, this week is a NO CHEATING week (except a dinner or two... only a little dirtiness, please! i.e. a can of cream soup)

Keep it clean, people!

In case you missed it:  (I'm too lazy to put all the links here right now -- I know, lame -- but if you go to my Labels on the sidebar and click 'Clean Eating Challenge'... all the past weeks challenges are there.)

Dirt Cups

What kid doesn't like to go outside and play in the dirt?  Or better yet, what kid, at some point, doesn't eat the dirt that they like to play in? 

Think back... I bet there was a time in your life that even you tried eating dirt.  I remember mixing it with my milk once thinking it would taste just like chocolate milk.  Ummm, yeah.  Let's just say it doesn't quite have the same appeal as Nesquik.  I don't recommend it.  Tell your kids.  Not that they will listen, but you could certainly try.  Oh what the heck!  Let 'em try it.  A little dirt never hurt anyone. 

But instead of giving them real dirt, let them make these dirt cups or sand cups.  That's right!  Your kids can make this practically by themselves.  Depending on age and skill level, of course.  My kids make them for their Lemonade Stand each week and they always sell. 

'Cause who wouldn't want to eat this?  Well, besides the kid that saw them and said to his mom, "Ew!  I don't want one of those, that's gross!"  We'll leave him out of the equation.



Kids go nuts over them and they're so simple. 

First, you'll need to have a package of Oreo's on hand for the dirt cups and/or a package of Nilla Wafers for the sand cups.  Then place the cookies in a gallon sized zipper bag and have the kids beat the cookies until they are fine crumbs. OR, you can put them in a food processor and let it do the dirty work for you. 





Then you're going to make a large box of pudding (chocolate or vanilla) according to the package instructions.  After it's made, add up to half of the crumbs to your pudding.  I prefer a bit less but it's up to you.  Then you'll add up to 8 ounces (small container) of whipped cream to the pudding.  Again, I prefer about half that amount but nobody asked me. 

**These pics are only of the pudding itself.  No whipped cream or crumbs have been added yet.**





The other half of the crumbs will be used as dirt and/or sand in your cups.  Fill the very bottom of a clear plastic cup with a spoonful of crumbs. 



Cover that bottom layer of crumbs with a thick layer of pudding mixture. 

 

Spoon another layer of crumbs on the top.



Garnish with gummy worms, Swedish Fish, or other gummy, buggy creatures. 



Aren't they fun?  You're kids will LOVE them!

Going Nuts!

Taking a much needed break from my chaos at the moment. 

I'm pretty sure I'll be in a mental institution by Monday.  I know we all have way too much going on and now that summer is upon us, the way-too-much turns into more-than-I-can-handle.  Every year I tell myself I'm not going to let it get that way and every year I prove myself wrong. 

Not only have we been sick for the past couple of weeks but I've also volunteered for my girls' Liberty Girls Retreat (tomorrow) which will be super fun, but super chaotic as well.  The order for the looms I am putting together came in late (as in yesterday), I'm supposed to 'come up with' a hair bow out of coffee filters for the girls to make... didn't know about that until yesterday (can anyone point me in the right direction?), I've got more orders for soda can bows than I know what to do with (which I'm grateful for, just trying to find a moment...), my house is a disaster as a result of us all being sick (nothing ever gets done when we're all sick), we've got family coming in from out of town on Saturday, and the Father's Day party is scheduled to be at my home on Sunday. 

HOLY CRAP!  I have so much to do.  Did I mention I still need to go to the grocery store between all of this? 

OH!  And my girls are starting dance classes on Monday (K), Tuesday (A) and Wednesday (H)... why must they all choose a different style of dance?  Simplicity is not in their genes I suppose.  

Is it alright to scream yet?   So, if you see me, and my eyes are all bugged out, my hair a bit unkempt, and I have a cheesy perma-smile on, you can bet I've gone looney.  You may need to admit me. 

I'm just hoping I have time to shower a couple of times, maybe? 

And if I don't, well, I guess I'll just reek... for a week... and be a geek. 

You don't need to tell me what a great poet I am.  I really need to get this stuff published.  You're jealous, I know.  Deal with it!  ;)

And the next time I need a chaos break, you'll get to hear all about my awesome kids and how they earned their own way into dance lessons (with a little help ;). 

I hope your summer's as chaotic as mine is so far.  Not because chaos is fun but because it brings memories.  Hope they're good ones! 

Confetti Squares (Krispy treats with serious attitude!)

Thank you Martha Stewart!  Hopefully you're not a hater.  I happen to love her and her ideas.  Sure, she's sometimes a bit dry and maybe a little impatient with the guests on her show but you can't tell me she doesn't have grand ideas. 

I used to think that while her ideas were great ones, they were all a tad bit more complicated than I could handle.  But just the other day, while in the midst of my search for treats for the girls to sell at their lemonade stand, we were flipping channels and came across one of her shows.  The name escapes me because, good grief, how many TV shows does one woman need?  Seriously! 

Anyway, she was making some Rice Krispy Treats with some serious attitude!  Who comes up with this stuff?  Not that it was all that difficult to come up with adding Cap'n Crunch and Froot Loops but I'm tellin' ya, for someone like me that's just barely beginning to dare to tweak any recipe whatsoever in even the slightest way, that was some serious thinking outside the box! 

As she assembled the treats, I couldn't believe the size of the finished product.  You'll be amazed too, I'm sure.  And YES, the quantities are correct.  You really will be using a total of 18 cups of cereal.  That's right, folks... 18 cups!!

At the end of the segment, she mentioned that "these would be perfect for a lemonade stand..."

Of course!  The girls and I all looked at each other and we knew what our next grocery run would include... LOTS of cereal.  Not the norm for us recently as we have converted to a mostly strictly clean diet.  They actually sold pretty well, too.

So, let's get to it!  The equipment/ingredients you'll need include the following:

• butter


• salt


• marshmallows


• Rice Krispies


• Cap'n Crunch Cereal


• Froot Loops Cereal


• non-stick spray


• wooden spoon


• huge, gigantic, large pot


• 9x9 square cake pan (tall)

First you'll melt your butter over low heat.



Then you'll add your marshmallows (and salt only if you're using unsalted butter... don't add salt if butter is already salted) and let them melt, stirring constantly.





You'll then add your whopping 18 cups of cereal to the melted marshmallow goodness.





Finally, you're going to use every bit of strength you've got to smash it all into an itty bitty 9x9 square cake pan, sprayed with non-stick spray, with your hands sprayed with non-stick spray also.





Then it's time to let them cool, remove from pan, and cut!







Krispy Treats with Some Serious Attitude (aka Confetti Squares)

from: Martha Stewart

9 T. butter

1 tsp. salt (if using unsalted butter)

12 cups mini marshmallows

6 cups Rice Kripies Cereal

6 cups Cap'n Crunch Cereal

6 cups Froot Loops Cereal

non-stick spray

***The first thing you need to do is make sure you have a pot that can handle this much cereal.  It needs to fit with room to spare, otherwise, it will make a big mess when you try to stir the marshmallows and cereal together.*** 

Melt the butter in the aforementioned large pot over medium heat.  Add salt and marshmallows.  Stir constantly until marshmallows are melted completely. Remove from heat and add cereal and stir trying not to crush cereal in the process.  The larger the pot, the better.  Stir until cereal is coated evenly with gooey marshmallow. 

Spray both your 9x9 pan and your hands with non-stick spray.  Pour the cereal mixture into pan and use all your might and strength to smash it all in there.  Keep smashing with your hands until it's firm and even. 

You will begin to think that there's absolutely no way it's all going to fit in there but it does, I promise.  I'm always left with only about 3/4 of a cup left in the pot after all that smashing and that's only because I want to taste it while it's warm.  Mmmmm!  No one will know, it's ok.  And no, I don't eat it all myself.  My kids are like bloodhounds on these things.  I'm lucky if I get a quarter sized piece. 

Let it cool for about 45 minutes and release it from the pan.  I always have to go around the edges with a butter knife first to get it to release.  Cut into 9 gigantic squares or cut those in half to get 18 good sized treats. 



I hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

Lemonade for a Cause

As a little girl, I remember mustering up a grand idea with a friend of mine.  We wanted to earn a little money for something.  I don't recall what it was for certain but I'm sure it had something to do with sugar... some candy maybe, who knows!   So, we did what any kid would do.  We set up a little table in front of my house, filled a pitcher with lemonade mix and water, grabbed some paper cups and set out to make us some moolah! 

Had I not lived in a cul-de-sac it might have turned out a little better.  We had a few customers but nothing compared to what we were hoping for.  But we were happy with our profits and I remember telling my mom that we had made some money.  She was unaware that we had even set out to do so.  After I told her of our plans to spend the money, she asked where her cut of money was. 

What?  My mom wants a cut of OUR hard earned money? 

My argument skills came out at that point and I told her she had no business taking any of the money we had earned.  Of course at my young age I didn't use words or phrases such as 'no business' or 'earned'.  I'm sure it was something like, "But Mommy, you don't get to have any of our money.  It's our money!  You can't have it.  That's not fair!!" 

She proceeded to explain that I had used her equipment and her powdered mix (and way too much of it!  Maybe we didn't know how to make lemonade...).  Those things cost money and she wanted to make sure that we understood that there's always overhead when running a 'business'. 

Ok, lesson learned.  She didn't make us pay up but we knew for next time that we had to think ahead and plan it out a bit better. 

Well, fast forward a few years (does 20 years or so count as a few?)....  here are my beautiful girls running their very own lemonade stand. 

 

But I have to say that their reason for raising the money is just a tad bit more noble than mine.  They aren't thinking of running down to the local market for a candy bar.  These cuties really want to take dance lessons.  Unfortunately, Anthony and I can't afford to put them in dance lessons so the girls needed an alternative to Mom and Dad for the opportunity.   My parents were kind enough to offer to pay half if the girls come up with the other half. 

I started out making Soda Pop Can Hair Bows to raise some money but the girls have always wanted to set up a lemonade stand so we figured, this is a great time and a great reason to get it going.  Each Saturday, they are out there selling away.  Surprisingly, after just three Saturdays, they've earned the money they need to get into dance for the whole summer (along with Grandma and Grandpa's contribution).  How cool is that? 

We helped make treats, the girls made felt hair bows and I made the soda can bows which sell out every time!  It's been so fun. 

I plan to put recipes up tomorrow for the treats we've made so far.  They are quick and easy.  You'll love them!

Clean Eating Challenge: Step 4 -- The Right Amount

I've got to admit that this week was a terrible one for me as far as my eating goes.  Admitting that is not fun especially considering that I'm trying to help YOU eat better.  All I can say is that I'm really doing this more for myself than anyone else.  It's hard to eat clean when there are so many great tasting and convenient foods out there.  On the other hand, what is the goal here?  Mine is better overall health and knowing that I'm not putting foreign chemicals and other man made yuckies into my own body and the bodies of my precious family.  There's enough research out there to convince me that it does absolutely no good to eat that crap.  It only leads to more long-term diseases and other crap. 

That said, my whole family has been and actually still is sick.  We've had terrible colds, congestion, pink eye and who knows what else.  My weekly trip to the grocery store never had a chance so we've been feasting on whatever was already in the house and convenient due to lack of energy.  It just doesn't seem fair to be sick at the beginning of summer.  Colds in the summer?  It's preposterous!    

But this is a new week which means I get to try again and do everything I can to get back on track.  The grocery store is calling my name and I can't wait to get myself some yummy food with actual nutritional value.  I think it will help us all recover quicker also.  

So this week, we're going to focus on the amount of food you are taking in.  If you've read my blog long, you know that I've already said that when you're eating clean, you don't need to count calories.  And now here I am telling you to watch the amount of food you eat.  

Just know that from here on out, I may sound like a walking contradiction due to the fact that eating clean really is a personal thing and it all depends on what your goals are and how far you want to run with it.  

We know that calorie intake really plays a huge factor in our weight.  Eating clean really is more about better health and eating whole foods.  However, often times, with that comes weight loss.  But that really depends on whether you have weight to lose and it is still possible to gain weight while eating clean if you're not careful.  

Maybe you're thinking, why the heck would you say that I don't need to count calories then?  Well, here's the deal:

When we eat only 3 or 4 meals a day (which many people do), we are so hungry by the time that we eat that we over indulge.  So, what you need to do is eat 5 or 6 times per day.  Sound like too much?  It's not.  This tells your metabolism to speed up because it's going to be getting more fuel within the next few hours.  Your body now knows that it doesn't need to hold on to the food from the last meal because it will be fed again shortly.  

Does that make any sense?  I hope so.  

Well, now that you are eating breakfast (you are eating breakfast, right?), and making sure it's a good one (you're not eating Trix or something equally nasty are you?) we just need to make sure you eat a snack between breakfast and lunch.  Here's your new eating plan, unless of course you're doing this already.  In that case it's not new...

• Breakfast - shortly after waking up
• snack
• Lunch
• snack
• Dinner 
• Snack (if hungry and not too soon before bed)

Sound good?  Alright, let's chat.  Your meals, including your snacks, should be 2-3 hours apart.  Make sure you are drinking your water between meals and with your meals.  At the 2-3 hour mark you should be hungry again.  Not starving, just hungry.  Make sure you eat until satisfied, not full.  If you get full, you've eaten too much. 

This may take a few days to get used to the feeling of being just satisfied but be patient.  You'll start to recognize when you've eaten too much or not enough. 

In general, your breakfasts, lunches and dinners should be around 300-400 calories.  Your snacks should be around 200 calories.  But like I said, everyone is different and you don't have to count.  That's just a general idea if you want to count calories just to see how much you are eating each day.  To be honest, I started out not counting the calories but decided to count for a few days just for informational purposes. 

I figured out that I was eating around 1800 calories per day which made sense for me.  That was the perfect amount for me to maintain my weight at that time.  I also incorporated some pretty vigorous (vigorous to me anyway) exercise too which helped me to actually lose a few pounds at the 1800 calories a day.  I would recommend not dipping below 1500 calories even if you are trying to lose weight but that's just me.  You have to do what's right for you. 

Make sure you're not eating too soon before bed also.  I recommend eating your last meal at least 2 hours before going to bed. 

Don't be freaked out that we're not changing the content of the meals we haven't discussed yet.  We've already discussed breakfast and snacks.... keep 'em clean!  Now just make sure you're eating enough for what your goals are and only eating until satisfied.  I think we, as Americans, think that a portion is as big as Rhode Island.  Think smaller, people! 


In case you missed it...

Introduction
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 3 update

Soda Pop Can Hair Bows - Tutorial

Did you know that it was even possible to make hair bows out of soda cans?  I had no clue until a friend of mine mentioned on her blog that she was making and selling soda can hair bows.  The idea sounded preposterous at first.  Won't kids cut themselves on the bows?  I mean, we all know that the aluminum can cut you, right? 

Well, the idea still intrigued me enough to inquire about the makings of such a bow for my girls' hair and possibly to make a little extra $$ which we could all use, right?  After a few emails back and forth, I now had the information and instructions I needed to make the bows myself.  Now if only I could get my hands on some soda cans.  You see, my family doesn't drink soda very often at all so I enlisted the help of friends, family and neighbors to provide me with cans. 

At this point, I was a little nervous but I had a gazillion Mountain Dew cans from a neighbor so I decided to make those my practice cans.  I would make a couple of practice bows, besides, who would want green anyway?  Surprisingly, it wasn't as difficult as I thought it might be.  And for me to say that is huge.  I'm tellin' ya, if I can do this, ANYONE can.  Seriously!  I'm the poster child of making simple things seem difficult.  Just ask my mom. 

Ok, let's start with two cans per bow.  Actually it's more like one and a half cans (if you're using the 12 oz size).  Choose cans in your favorite colors or brands.  There are some funky cans out there to be had!  Just sayin'. 



The first step after gathering your cans is to poke a hole near the top and the bottom of the can.  I like to do mine in the barcode/text area.  I don't plan on using those parts anyway.



 Next you will take your knife (or blade) and cut from one hole to the other.



At this point you'll have to start cutting around the top and bottom of the can in order to remove them completely.  You can use either scissors or your knife to do so.  I have found it easiest to cut about 3/4 of the way around with my knife on both the top and bottom, then using scissors the rest of the way. 





At one point I was having Anthony cut the tops and bottoms off for me but he was a little aggressive with the cans and was bending them too much so I fired him!  :)

Now be careful!  This is the only part that I'm ever scared of cutting myself on the can.  The knife or blade makes the edges very jagged and rough.  To get rid of this, you can use your scissors to cut the rough edges off or just work with the can the way it is, being very careful not to cut yourself.  And here's another tip:  using pointed tip kid scissors seems to make the edges even less sharp than using really good, sharp ones.  Besides, you don't want to ruin your good scissors anyway.  Not only that but the kid scissors make it easier to work with on the detailed parts which we'll get to shortly.   (That's a tip my friend gave me and I've found it to be true.)

Now you should have the tops and bottoms cut off the cans and what's left should be the body of the cans.  At this point they are curled up and won't lay flat.  That's ok for now. 



The next thing you'll need are some cups or other circular whatevers to trace and a pen.  You'll need three different sizes of circles.  Below are the cups I used.  The top of the Backyardigans cup as my largest circle (it just barely fit on the body of the can from end to end), the top of the pink one for my mid-size circle and the bottom of the pink one for my smallest circle.  Trace them on the silver side of the can with a pen.  Certain pens will actually write on the back.  If not, just press hard enough that it leaves an indent that you can follow with your scissors.





Now you'll just need to cut the circles out with your scissors. 

Pretty simple so far, no?  And now you'll need (or at least I did because I'm kind of a nerd) some coins.  I chose a game token (ever so slightly larger than a quarter), a quarter, and a dime.  Why in the world would you need those, you ask?  Well, if you're more talented than I, you probably won't need them at all.  My friend just eyeballed the next step but when I tried to eyeball it, I ended up with a mess.  The coins act as a guide for me. 

All I do is hold them in the center of each circle (the token over the largest, the quarter over the mid-sized, and the dime over the smallest) so I can cut into the center for the petals without going too far or not far enough. 

You can create as many petals as you would like.  I personally like eight.  There's really no rhyme or reason as to why I like eight other than it's just the easiest number to for me to keep the petals the same size.  You are more than welcome to do more or less depending on your preference. 

This is how I do it, I cut the top and bottom until I reach the coin. 



Then I cut the opposite way.  I now have 4 petals. 



Now cut each of the 4 petals in half.  VOILA!  You've now got 8 petals!

Do the same thing for all 3 layers using the respective coins as guides if needed.



To form the petals, just round the edges of each petal and shape to your desire.

 

Arrange your flowers however you want with the centers stacked on top of each other. 



You'll now staple your flowers together but make sure you staple them upside down.  The staple is going to act as your anchor for your alligator clip.  I always staple twice for reinforcement. 



Add alligator clip by slipping it through both staples.



Now you will want to bend the flower petals up on the middle and top layers.



To curl the middle and top layers, just use a pencil or skewer to gently wrap the petals around and curl.  You can curl the bottom layer if you wish.  I like the bottom layer to remain straight. 

 

Hot glue a jewel (or other cool, random something) into the middle.  This will cover the staples showing through.



And here are the few of the bows I have created.





[caption id="attachment_167" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Cherry Coke Zero"][/caption]

Let me know if you try this and how it turns out.  I would love to see your creations.  It's great to draw inspiration from others!

 

I linked this tutorial to Under the Table and Dreaming &