Balance

Recently, I came across this practical guide to good food choices.
I printed it off four times ~ one copy for myself, and one for each of the kids.
My hope is that they will take these things with them into their adult lives.
Some things are not learned by osmosis; they need to be taught.

I'm trusting that they are paying attention.  :)

What about you?  How do you find balance in the
whole foods, healthy eating, and cooking parts of life and living?
Would you mind sharing your ideas on how you keep it all in perspective?
How are you passing these things on to your children/teens?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Enjoy the journey!
With Love, Camille

Soaked Muesli

Calvin is one of my biggest fans when it comes to food.

He's always been that way.  In fact, there's a cute story to tell

from his toddler years that I'm quite sure will be shared at his wedding.

Suffice it to say, he likes most of what gets whipped up in my kitchen.

And, this is no exception.

Muesli is uncooked oatmeal.  Stir everything together at night,

and enjoy in the morning.  Straight from the fridge.

Add in a banana, toss on some chopped nuts, and drizzle

maple syrup over it all.  You can't go wrong.  It's perfect.

At least, Calvin and I think so.  :)

What you will need:

2 cups Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
3 cups Milk (I used Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk)
2 cups Greek Yogurt
1/2 cup Liquid Honey (organic, if possible)
1 and 1/2 cups Craisins (dried cranberries)
1 cup Shredded Unsweetened Coconut
1 cup Almond Meal (ground almond flour)
1 cup Flax Meal (ground flax seed)
3/4 tsp Sea Salt
2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
3 Organic Apples ~ diced

Banana slices, chopped nuts and Maple Syrup for toppings.
(Chocolate chips?  More dried fruit?  Anything goes!)

What you do:

Mix the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
Add all the wet ingredients into the same mixing bowl.
At this point, it will be quite sloppy, but, it with thicken up...promise.

Stir together well and put into a glass bowl or storage container.
Cover and set in the fridge overnight.  This is when the magic happens.

In the morning, scoop out the amount desired to fill hungry tummies
into individual cereal bowls, add toppings, and enjoy!
We like sliced bananas, chopped pecans, and a drizzle of maple syrup on ours.

Muesli is flexible, so, feel free to adjust the ingredients
to suit your own taste.  If you want a thicker consistency,
add more oats to your recipe, or, reduce the amount of liquids.
You can substitute water for the milk.  Or use cream to thin it in the morning.

One thing to note, however, is that the yogurt should be kept in
the mix in order for the oats to be properly soaked.
They are more easily digested that way.

This recipe will serve approximately 8 hungry people,
and will keep for up to three days in the fridge.
Happy (stress-free) mornings to you!  :)

With Love,
Camille

**To make this gluten free,
be sure your oats are certified GF.

Meal Plan Update

Winter cooking is in full swing around here.

My winter meal plan has been put to good use in the last few months.

I'm loving this new system.  Two seasons in, it's a win.

As is evident from the photo below, I've made notes to myself along the way.
One of the things I wanted to figure out was the per person
cost for meals on my list.  It was an eye-opening exercise.

Some meals I had considered to be frugal weren't.
Others surprised me with their frugal-ness 
once the numbers were crunched and the final tally made. 

Figuring this out has helped when I've wanted
to stretch our food budget just a little further.
I'm not sure why I hadn't thought of doing this before.

So, there you have it.  Tweaking things as well as the
addition or subtraction of meals has been going on around here.
But, the concept of a list to work from is still in vogue.
I'm sold on the concept of it all.

And, meal planning week by week has become a whole
lot simpler since implementing this system.     

Do you have any frugal (and nourishing) meal ideas to share?
I'm always up for trying something new and adding to the list.
Thank you to all of you who shared ideas on my soup post.
It was fun to try some of them out.  You bless my heart!  :)
  
Before too long, it will be spring once again,
and the summer plan will be re-employed.  Yippee!

Happy Cooking!
With Love, Camille

Campbell's Substitute

This tomato soup is a wonderful Campbell's substitute.

It's gluten free and yummy and made up with simple ingredients.

Quickly put together, and satisfyingly good ~ it's a win!

Comfort food at its finest.

What you need:

3 - 15 oz (398 ml) tins Tomato Sauce
(I use Costco's Kirkland brand Organic Tomato Sauce)
*2 and 1/2 cups Water
*1 Tbsp Chicken Bouillon Paste
(I use Organic Better Than Bouillon)
1 tsp Sea Salt (or to taste)
1/3 cup Sugar (I use evaporated cane juice)
1 and 1/2 cups Heavy Cream

*Homemade stock could be used in place of the
water and bouillon.  Increase the amount of salt to compensate.

What you do:

Pour three tins of tomato sauce into medium pot.
Turn heat on to medium-low.
Add in the water, bouillon (or stock), salt and sugar.
Stir and bring to just simmering.

Remove 1/2 cup of simmering soup and add it to the cream to temper it.
Once the cream has been tempered, it can be slowly added to the pot.
Stir constantly.  This step will prevent curdling of the cream.
Heat through and serve to six of your favourite people.

Enjoy!
With Love, Camille

**If desired, the amount of cream may be reduced to 1 cup
and the water increased to 3 cups in order to cut back on richness.

Soaked Oatmeal Pancakes

I'm not sure what happened.  I guess I just dropped the ball.

These pancakes are a favourite around these here parts.

But, I've neglected to share them on the blog.  So sorry!

Well, today, that is going to change.  :)

Soaking grains is a good idea.  It makes them more digestible.

A good thing, right?  Soaking also frees up valuable morning time.

Since some of the prep is done the night before, 

a good breakfast is more quickly put together when time is short.

Another good thing, if you ask me.

I served these many moons ago to a sweet friend and her hubby

when they stayed with us for an overnight visit.

They were a hit.  She's since made them for her own family.

Over and over again.  Recently, she reminded me of their yumminess,

and I dug out the recipe and began making them regularly once again.

In the photo, above, you see the oats and flour after an overnight soaking.

Ready and waiting for the add-ins of the morning.

First, all the wet ingredients are mixed in, and then the dry.

It goes much better if the dry ingredients are mixed together in a bowl

before adding to the batter.  There's nothing worse than a clump of

baking powder or salt to wake up the taste buds!  This will alleviate that.

Once thoroughly mixed, the batter needs to rest for a few minutes to 
allow for a little baking soda action.  The mixture will rise a little.

Have I mentioned that I *love* coconut oil?
Well...I do!  It's a perfect substitute for butter in baking.
It has a high smoking point which makes it wonderful for frying.
And, it's good for you.  Yippee!  Yahoo!  :)

When the pancakes are ready to flip, they will be getting dry on the edges,

and there will be little bubbles forming and popping on their tops.

Flip them over and cook a couple minutes more ~

after that, they're ready to serve and enjoy!  

They never seem to come off the grill quick enough for my clan.  
I think one of those big, flat griddles would be nice.

However, the frying pan does the job just as well.

Soaked Oatmeal Pancakes
~ Originally discovered here and adjusted by moi ~

2 cups Rolled Oats (Old-fashioned variety)
1/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 cup Buttermilk
1 cup Filtered Water
2 Eggs, beaten
1/4 cup Butter (or Coconut Oil), melted
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 Tbsp Sugar (Coconut Sugar works well)
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Cinnamon, ground
1/2 tsp Sea Salt

The night before ~ mix together the rolled oats, flour,
buttermilk and filtered water in a glass bowl. 
Cover with plastic wrap and let sit on the counter overnight.

In the morning ~ mix eggs, vanilla, and 
melted butter into oat mixture.  Stir together well.  
In separate bowl ~ stir together the remaining ingredients.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix thoroughly.

Fry on hot (400 degrees) greased griddle or in frying pan.
You will know you pan is hot enough if a few drops of water *dance* on the griddle.
I like to use coconut oil to grease my pan.  Grease between batches.
Cook until bubbles form on the tops of the pancakes.  Flip and cook until golden.

Serve with Maple Syrup and Butter.  Yum Yum!
Makes 16 three inch pancakes.

Enjoy ~ Happy cooking!
With Love, Camille

Easy (and Yummy) Quinoa Salad ~ THM Compliant

This Quinoa Salad is simple.  Easy.  Yummy.

And, it fits into the Trim Healthy Mama eating plan.
Better and better.

I make a batch of this and we eat it for lunch.

Everyone approves.  Even my teen boys.  Win win.

We've also had this as a side dish at dinner along with a protein.
Whatever way you choose to serve it, it will be a hit.  Promise.

~ Quinoa Salad ~

Adapted from Trim Healthy Mama

2 cups Quinoa cooked in 4 cups water

1 long English cucumber, diced ~ skin on

2/3 lb (300 grams) grape tomatoes ~ halved

6 to 8 green onions ~ chopped

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (I like Meyer lemons)**
**If using regular lemons, you might like to begin with 1/3 cup ~
Add in more if it's not tangy enough...this is a taste as you make it salad :)

1/4 to 1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Freshly ground black pepper and 

Himalayan pink rock salt (or sea salt) to taste  

Cook the Quinoa in the water ~ Bring to boil over high heat.

Reduce heat and simmer with lid slightly ajar for 15 minutes.

Remove from heat and set aside for 15 minutes with lid on.

Remove to a large bowl and refrigerate until cold.

(I often do this step the night before I want to make this salad).

Once the Quinoa is cold, put it into large mixing bowl.

Toss in the veggies, the lemon juice, and the oil.

Mix well.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Chill and serve.  Or, just serve!

It does benefit from sitting the fridge awhile to allow

the flavours to mingle.  It's especially good the next day

if you can make it last that long.  In our home, that's rare.  
However, it is a HUGE salad ~ so, it may still be around.  Enjoy!

Blessings,
Camille

**This is THM compliant ~ S Helper Category 

Mini Breakfast Cheesecakes ~ THM Style

Cheesecake for breakfast?  Is it legal?  ;-)

Is it really possible to eat these little yummies and continue to lose
or to maintain a good weight?  Good news ~ Yes!  :)
This was my breakfast this morning ~ shhh...don't tell.

This is only recommended if you are doing it the Trim Healthy Mama way.

The trick is not to mix fats with sugars/carbs.  
Always wait 2.5 -3 hours before changing your fuel source.

That way, your body burns the fat as fuel and doesn't retain it for future use.

Want to know how to bake some cheesecake
that will treat you kindly and will produce no guilt?
Not even if you should choose to indulge in it for breakfast?
Remember the rule ~ no carbs for at least three hours after consuming.
Two of these will stick with you that long...don't worry.  Yippee!

First, let's discuss the supplies.
Individual custard cups are a must-have for these to turn out right.
You could substitute a large cup muffin tin, but, the cheesecakes will sink.
That would be okay in an emergency.  But, real custard cups are the best option.
Mine are 4 inches across at the widest point and 2 inches deep.

Now...on to the recipe.  :)

~ Mini Breakfast Cheesecakes ~
(Recipe altered from the original found in Trim Healthy Mama)

1 lb (500 grams) Cream Cheese ~ room temperature
2 Large Eggs ~ organic, free-range, if possible
3/4 cup Greek Yogurt ~ Fat Free
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice ~ fresh squeezed
1 tsp pure Vanilla Extract 
10 tsp Truvia (or sweetener of choice)

**If you don't want to follow THM, you could use sugar ~
You'd need about 1/2 cup granulated sugar for this recipe.

Mix all ingredients together in stand mixer.
Once ingredients are well combined, whip like you would for whipped cream.
Beat together until light and fluffy ~ this will take quite a few minutes.
Grease your custard cups with butter and fill nearly to the tops with batter.
This recipe will make 7 mini cheesecakes.

Set custard cups onto a jelly roll pan (cookie sheet with sides),
and add water to the pan as shown above.
Set into the pre-heated oven to bake.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes until tops are just turning golden.

Remove to cooling racks to cool completely.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold.

Serve topped with Greek Yogurt or whipped cream and berries.

These are also super duper yummy all by their lonesomes.  :)

Enjoy!  Banish the guilt!

Many Blessings,
Camille

**This recipe is THM *S*

Chocolate Pecan Muffins ~ THM Compliant

Have Y'all heard of Trim Healthy Mama?

I kept hearing about it so much, and I was intrigued

enough by all that I read, that I bought the book.

These girls have much to say that makes a lot of sense.

I don't know enough about them to endorse all that they

may stand for, but, the initial results I've had

from eating the way they suggest have been positive.

I've felt better than I have in a long while.

I've dropped 10 pounds without starving myself ~ it really has been painless.

And, the cravings truly are not there or, can easily be satisfied

while staying on plan and continuing to achieve your ideal weight.

It isn't a "diet" in the conventional sense ~

 it's a way of eating and nourishing oneself that is easy to stick to.

It tends to regulate blood sugars and help the body find a good balance.

I have found it to be both satisfying and energizing.  :)

Are you interested to learn more?

Click here to find the book for sale on Amazon.

One thing to mention, and it's a significant thing if you ask me ~

these sisters do not endorse sugar of any kind

if your goal is to lose weight and/or balance your blood sugars.

That means no honey, natural sugar, raw sugar, or maple syrup

for those who are trying to achieve the specific goals mentioned above.

These authors would not include growing children in that restriction.

All of God's good food is encouraged in their case.

And, for everyone, a balanced approach to nutrition is promoted.

They encourage the use of Stevia in a couple of forms.

One of those is Truvia ~ I don't know for sure how I feel about it.  

More research is required before I become settled on the matter.

In the meantime, I have been using it.

That's my disclosure for this post, and I felt it was 

necessary to give it prior to sharing the recipe.  

There.  Now I feel so much better.  *Wink*

Having said all the above, I don't see why you couldn't make these

muffins with regular sugar if you don't want to follow the plan.

I've not actually made them without Truvia, so you'd have to give it a try to see.

According to my calculations, this recipe would require approximately 

3/4 cup to 1 cup of sugar to achieve the same level of sweetness.

Oh, and just so you know.  I still have sugar occasionally.

When I do, however, the scale shows me that I've done it.

It's so empowering to know how to quickly arrest that situation

and stop it in its tracks before it gains a foothold.

Now, on to the recipe!

~ Chocolate Pecan Muffins ~

(Adapted and modified from one of the recipes

which may be found in Trim Healthy Mama)
**These would fall into the S category**

6 Large Eggs ~ Organic, preferrably

2 tsp Vanilla ~ I use the pure extract

1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp Golden Flax Meal

1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp Almond Flour

1/2 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

1/3 cup Truvia sweetener (or 3/4 cup to 1 cup sugar)

1 Tbsp Baking Powder

1 cup Chopped Pecans

1/3 cup Coconut Oil, melted

Whisk together eggs and vanilla in a medium bowl and set aside.

Measure all dry ingredients together in large bowl and

stir until no lumps remain ~ I mix with my fingers.

Mix egg mixture into dry ingredients, stir lightly with a fork.

Add in melted coconut oil and stir together well.
Let sit a minute or two to let batter rise a little.

Spoon into prepared muffin tin.

I use parchment liners in my muffin tin,

but, you could grease the muffin cups prior to filling.

Fill to the tops of the liners ~ I use the large size.

Makes 10 large muffins.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 18 to 20 minutes.

Tester should come out nearly clean. 

Be careful not to over bake as your end product will be too dry.

Serve warm with butter.  Enjoy!

Many Blessings,
Camille

**Disclaimer ~ I only endorse things that I use and enjoy.

I am not compensated in any way for my opinions.

They are just that ~ opinions.  Please do your own research
in order to be sure that you have made the right choice for you.  :)

Soaking and Drying Nuts

Did you know that nuts, oats and beans

are more nutritious when soaked prior to cooking?

This is a relatively new concept to me.

I first wrote on some of the changes I'd made in my 

kitchen back in my early days of blogging ~ 

It includes many links to the *whys* and *hows* behind soaking.

That post may be found by clicking here.

At the time I didn't know about the benefits of soaking and drying nuts ~

just goes to show we are always learning something new, doesn't it?

I certainly do not have it all together in this area,

and I have been known to completely change my mind on some 

things after further research.

It's a good thing to be flexible ~ another thing I've been learning.  :)

Soaking may seem like such a lot of extra work, but, it really isn't.

It just requires a little advance planning,

and the end product is so much better for you.

I cannot help but take notice of the references to soaking beans

in the "Little House" books when I consider what we do as cooks today.

There seemed to be a general knowledge about these things passed

down from one generation to the next back in those days.

We often are hurried and harried in this day and age ~

sometimes food preparation suffers in the process of day to day living.

Soaking and drying nuts is my most recent kitchen upgrade.

I buy pecans and almonds raw.

Then, I soak in salted filtered water for about twelve hours ~

I use 1/2 Tbsp sea salt to 1 lb nuts in about six cups water.

For a specific guideline on how long to soak 

for the type of nut you are working with ~ Click Here.

Sea salt is added to the bottom of a large glass bowl ~

then one variety of nut is added and covered with plenty of fresh water.

Soak only one type of nut per bowl of water.  Stir to dissolve the salt.

Set a lid or large plate over the bowl to cover it ~

some people use a tea towel so it can *breathe*.

After about twelve hours, the water will be brown and murky ~

 pour it off and rinse the nuts well with fresh water.

I use my dehydrator to dry the nuts.

This could also be done in the oven if it will allow you to set it

for a low enough temperature ~ it needs to be about 115-120 degrees F.

Whichever method you choose to use,
it's beneficial to spread the nuts onto parchment paper
for the drying time ~ I do this even in the dehydrator.
If you are using your oven a parchment lined cookie sheet works well.
It's best to try to evenly distribute the nuts in a single layer.

This next step takes a good 24 hours for pecans,

and closer to 36 hours for almonds.
The nuts need to be kept in the oven or dehydrator for the 
appropriate length of time and turned every so often.
Keep checking them for *doneness* ~ this is the fun part!

The goal is to remove all that water and get them

toasty and crunchy ~ They are kinder on your tummy,

and, in my opinion, actually taste better than when they were *raw*.

Once you have a batch of nuts ready to go,
put them into a freezer container and keep them
frozen until needed ~ they will be kept fresher that way.

What about you?  
Do you prepare raw nuts in this way?
Oh, and if you don't and aren't ever planning to,
know that there are seasons for everything ~
It's okay if you never ever do this!  *Smile*

Happy snacking!  :)
Camille

**Update ~ I have found that my pecans have turned out too salty
in recent days and have modified the instructions to reflect this.
Make sure you use lots of soaking water and 
rinse very well prior to the dehydration process.  

Yummy Oatmeal Muffins

In keeping with my recent buttermilk theme,
I'm going to share one of my favourite muffin recipes with you.
This particular recipe comes from the Canadian Heritage Cookbook ~
I think that's fitting since I am Canadian through and through.  :)

I've altered the method a little to allow for a soaking time for the oats.
Did you know that soaking grains is an important thing to do?
I didn't until just a few years ago. 
It's not difficult to incorporate soaking into the cooking process ~
it just requires a little planning ahead.

Before I share the recipe, I need to tell you about another favourite of mine.
These paper chef parchment paper muffin liners are the Best!
And, did you know that they can be re-used?
Even though they are more expensive than their bleached
or coloured counterparts, they are more economical if you 
use them twice instead of just once.
I've even made them last for three baking sessions.

Now, on to the recipe.
Here is my hand printed recipe...hope you can read it!
If not, just ask.  I'm getting lazy, aren't I?  :)

The oats I use are the rolled/old fashioned ones.
I use sea salt, and occasionally, I will substitute Sucanat 
(as pictured below) for the brown sugar. 
I use butter, not oil, and if I want to be extra good, 
I will use whole wheat flour instead of white.  :)

Mix buttermilk and oats in a large bowl ~
Cover with plastic wrap and leave on counter to soak overnight.
In the morning, mix brown sugar, egg, and melted butter into the oat mixture.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, sea salt, baking soda and baking powder.
Stir the dry ingredients into the wet until just moistened.
Spoon into muffin tins lined with papers ~
if you do not use paper liners, grease the tins.

Bake at 375 degrees F for about 20 to 25 minutes ~
A toothpick will come out clean when they are done.
Mine are usually done in 20 minutes.
Transfer to wire racks to cool.
Makes about 10 to 12 large muffins.

The photo above shows the muffins prior to baking ~
I fill the cups right to the top.  
I hope you enjoy them as much as we do.  :)

Many Blessings,

Camille

Dairy Free Mint Ice Cream!

You would never know this
ice cream has no sugar in it ~
Just honey.

And no CREAM either ~
Only coconut milk!

W.O.W.

It is yummy.

Oh...
and one *secret* ingredient
to make it green ~
S.P.I.N.A.C.H.

Can you believe it?
Shhh....don't tell my kids! :)

I found the original recipe here.
And then I tweaked it ~
Just a little.

If you are looking for
dairy-free, sugar-free, grain-free recipes,
The Unrefined Kitchen
is a great resource!

~ Mint Ice Cream ~

Three 400ml tins premium quality coconut milk ~
Or just two if you use the liquidy stuff...
Make sure these are full fat, not *lite*! :)

1/2 cup Liquid Honey

1 cup Baby Spinach Leaves ~
Lightly steamed and cooled

2-3 tsp Peppermint Extract

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Chocolate Chips to taste ~
My photo does not show chocolate
chips since this was a chocolate-free batch.
It's super-duper yummy with chocolate
chips in it though!

Scoop off the top heavy cream from
your tins of coconut milk and
discard the watery stuff ~
Or, if you are using all the contents
of the tin, just use two.
(I have done it both ways,
and I prefer the taste when
the watery stuff is not included).

Place into blender or a deep bowl.

Add the remaining ingredients
and blend ~ I use a deep bowl and
mix it all up well with my immersion blender.

Taste and adjust flavourings.

Process in your ice cream maker according
to manufacturer's specifications.

If adding chocolate chips,
do so at the end of churning and
fold in until well distributed.

Transfer to a freezer container.
Store in the deep freeze until
ready to use.

Thaw a few minutes prior to scooping.

Enjoy!

Blessings,
Camille

Almond (or Peanut) Butter Granola

This got rave reviews.
My Sweetie couldn't believe that I made it.  :)
Should I take that as a compliment?

I chose to.  Y.U.M.

Jennifer Jo featured it on her blog about a week and a half ago.

I altered it slightly.

One thing to note ~ I don't have peanut butter

in the house because two of our children are are deathly allergic to it.

However, I think it would be F.A.B.U.L.O.U.S.

made with peanut butter. I substituted almond butter.

And it was SO GOOD!

~ Peanut Butter (or Almond Butter) Granola ~

Adapted from Jennifer Jo's recipe.

5 cups rolled oats

2 cups coarsely chopped pecans

1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/3 cup brown sugar (I used Sucanat)

1/3 cup liquid honey

1/3 cup unrefined organic coconut oil

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

(I used almond butter) ~ If it's salted,

decrease the amount of salt you use.

1 cup dried cranberries (or other dried fruit)

Stir the oats, nuts, and coconut together in a large bowl.

In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar,

honey, coconut oil, salt and peanut (or almond) butter

over medium heat until melted together.

Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and stir to combine.

It will be lumpy. Spread the mixture into a

10" x 15" glass baking dish and bake at 250 degrees for 60-90 minutes ~

Stir every fifteen minutes, until nicely golden in colour.

Be careful not to overdo it.

Cool to room temperature and add dried fruit.

Store in an airtight container.

Serve with creamy milk.  Enjoy!

Blessings, Camille