Fresh from the garden to my front door! My 1st CSA Share!

Yesterday my first produce box arrived at my door!  It is a bit small, but my farmer assures me that it will get bigger as produce grows.  So I have lettuce, Kale, cilantro, rhubarb, and some green onions!  Yummy!  

How my CSA works
I give my farmer a set fee prior to the start of the season.  This cover the costs of the farm operation. 
There are risks due to weather and other factors out of the control of my farmer, which are are shared by everyone in the CSA community.

Why I like my CSA

I love that I support my local farmer and the personal contact with that our farmer provides us with the opportunity to ask questions about the practices the farmer uses and to visit the farm to see how it all works!
I get fresh organic produce every week delivered to my door!  
The quality of locally organically grown fresh produce.  Yummy!
The cost(if it is a good year) is way cheaper then buying from the grocery store! 


Local Food Makes Sense!
Exceptional taste and freshness - Local food is fresher and tastes better than food picked before ripening that has been shipped thousands of miles.

It strengthens your local economy - Buying local food keeps your dollars circulating in your community.

Health benefits for the entire family - No lost nutrients compared to grocery store bought foods. 

Protects the environment - Local food doesn't travel far, reducing carbon dioxide emissions from transportation lines and packing crates.Organic methods benefit the soil, air, water, wildlife and people in the farm ecosystem

Now, what to make?  Does anyone have any good rhubarb recipes?

Warning! Do not lick your Food Processor Blade! Raw Ice Cream

Now I was always the one who scooped out the ice cream...You know with the metal scoop...and when finished the first thing I would is give the scoop a lick.  Ouch not to smart right.  So then I tried short licks...and well I always got that ice cream off!  Now please when you make your raw ice cream I beg you not to lick the food processor blade....Even though it looks so tasty...and I know you hate to waste that little bit....But really it is not worth cutting your tongue for.  I tell you it was so hard for me not to lick the blade  :)


I have seen recipes for raw ice cream before, and I have been wanting to make my own...so I have been looking for an affordable ice cream maker.  Yesterday I saw this Happy Herbivore recipe here.  And I was like..."hey I can do that!"  And I had everything I needed!  So today I made raw ice cream!  This what I did!


Raw Ice Cream for one!

1 frozen Banana
1/4 cup Almond Milk 
1 Dried Fig (that I soaked the day before)
1/4 tsp Organic Cocoa


Throw all in your food processor(blender may work as well) And whirl until it looks like soft serve ice cream!
Enjoy your ice cream right away!  (this bowl started melting on me cause I was running all over the house trying to find the card for the camera!!!)


I think this recipe would do amazing with home made coconut milk...and I am going to have fun making different flavours this summer!

WMWW - JUNE - Taking a break

Hi Everyone,

I have found that I don't have as much time to be an active blogger.  So I am taking a break from wmww till the fall.  The May linky is still open so feel free to link up if you have a post...and visit and support everyone who has participated!  That is why I created this meme  :)  To support each other.

I still will be posting healthy recipes this summer!  I have joined a CSA and expect a lot  of produce which to experiment with!

Happy Wednesday everyone!

Chickpea Enchillada!

My family loves this recipe!   So much so that they requested me to make it tonight.  I love this recipe as it is so easy to make!  And of course I just use what I have on hand.  I also made my homemade tortilla's, and homemade salsa.  So yummy!!!!

2 cups                chickpeas(soaked and cooked as recommended) Today I am going to use my sprouted chickpeas!
1 cup                  salsa

1/2 cup               cottage cheese I have no cottage cheese in the fridge so I am going to use cheddar and add lot of add ins!

Add ins               onion, peppers, jalapeno peppers, mushrooms, corn, black beans, garlic, spices. what ever you have on hand or like!
1 1/2 cups           salsa
3/4 cup               shredded cheese
6                        tortilla's

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a bowl mash chickpeas, mix with salsa, cheese, and any add ins.
3. Roll even amounts of the mixture in the tortillas. Arrange in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Cover with salsa sauce and 3/4 cup shredded cheese.
4. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven 30 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving. Best served with fresh guacamole, and a nice garden salad.

If you are looking for more Chickpea recipes click here!

Black Bean Quesadilla!

Tonight's Dinner!

This one of our favorite meatless meals!  I have share this yummy recipe before...but it is so good I thought I would share again! 

 

Prep all ingredients.

• tomato diced
• green onion sliced
• soft cooked black beans(can substitute w/chickpea's, or leftover chicken or beef)
• frozen corn
• jalapeno pepper, diced real small, no seeds.(this gives it some kick...just enough that kids will still like it)
• shredded marble cheddar cheese

Arrange ingredients in separate bowl and let you family members load up there own tortilla's!  When they are done, fold in half, and bake till cheese is melted and tortilla crisp!

So simple! So yummy!  No extra seasoning required!

Eat it with a side of salad and Enjoy!

I hope you have fun with creating your own quesadilla!  
Let me know, what do you like in yours!

Watch My Weight Wednesday!

Happy Wednesday All!

I have had a busy few weeks!  Right now I am really trying to get more "raw" foods in my families diet.  So I have been busy peeling and chopping fresh produce to add to all our meals!

I also have been sprouting lots of beans.  So yummy!

I want to share a great book I found recently from the library!
Hooked On Raw

by Rhio

Hooked on Raw, is a "cook"book full of raw recipes. Also full of info about health-related issues, such as bringing wild foods and organic foods into your diet, soil fertility, food irradiation, genetic engineering of seeds/plants, hybridization of seeds, fasting, rejuvenation and much, much more.  I found it very informative and easy to read!  I love the recipes and will share some of them soon!

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Watch My Weight Wednesday!

Last week was a great week!  

Check out these great posts linked up last week!

I love this post that Julie linked up!  Titled Satisfaction


"I have reached the NEW ME!!! I am SATISFIED with the new me. I am loving all that I can do. Now I’ll tweak it a bit and end up even better, healthier and full of smiles."


Your awesome Julie!  You inspire us all!






Adena also linked up this post Monthly Measure/Weigh-In

She has achieved so much!  Give her a visit and show your support!

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Mid-Eastern Mushroom and Sprouted Chick Pea Couscous

Mid-Eastern Mushroom and Chick Pea Couscous

Modified from recipe on canadianparents.com

Ingredients

• 1 ¾ cups vegetable broth            
• ½ tsp Each ground cumin and ground coriander    
• ¼ tsp hot red pepper flakes      
• 1 tbsp grated fresh gingerroot            
• 2 cloves garlic, minced   (I used about 5)             
• sliced fresh Mushrooms            
• sliced carrots                    
• 1 onion, chopped (I used green onion to sprinkle on top)               
• 1 cup whole wheat couscous        
• 1 cup sweet red pepper, chopped            
• 1-2 cups sprouted chickpeas   
• ½ cup raisins                        
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro         

Directions

1. In large saucepan combine broth, cumin, coriander, hot pepper flakes, gingerroot and garlic; bring to boil.

2. Add mushrooms, carrots and onion and cook covered over medium heat for 5-7 minutes or until carrots are crisp-tender.

3. Meanwhile, place couscous in a medium bowl and pour 1cup boiling water over it; cover and let stand for 5 minutes.

4. Add red pepper, chickpeas and raisins to the mushroom mixture; continue to cook 2-3 minutes or until hot.

5. Sprinkle with cilantro

6. Fluff couscous with a fork and spoon into individual serving dishes; top with vegetable mixture including broth. 

5 Question Friday!

Happy Friday everyone!  I have not done one of these in awhile.   

1. What is your favorite sign of spring?

All the yucky snow melting and being washed away...I still have some in my flower beds.  I just love watching spring flowers popping up beneath the soil to brighten the day!

2. What was your best birthday ever?

Would have to be my 19th Birthday!  My boyfriend(now my husband)surprised me with a limo and took me bar hopping! (Drinking age is 19 in Canada)  It was the best surprise!  But not best surprise ever...My hubby keeps surprising me all the time!  Love you Jason xoxoxox

3. What is your favorite dessert?

Hmmmm...This one is tough.  I really don't like desserts...I know strange.  I will eat one if there is one offered.  But I won't go out of my way to make one unless it is for somebody else like birthday cakes and sometime company.  But I do love a piece of dark chocolate with a nice red wine!  One of our at home date night treats!

4. What is the best excuse you've ever used to get out of a ticket?

You can get out of tickets???  

5. Do you wake up before your alarm, with your alarm, or after hitting snooze several times?

Depends on how tired I am.  Today was with the alarm..this is my preferred method of waking up!  I hate waking up before the alarm, I need all the rest I can 

get...you know beauty sleep and all that  :)

Joining in the fun with 5QF

Watch My Weight Wednesday!

I want to thank everyone for joining in with this blog hop and linking some fabulous posts!

During March Melissa from Change is Inevitable has been posting some great Healthy Swaps recipes!  She has been finding some healthy swaps for fries, onion rings, pizza, and some yummy desserts!  You need to check them out!

Rochelle from The Pretend Chef has been posting about her journey on the Flat Belly Diet!

You should definitely give her a visit to cheer her on!

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The Ultimate Blog Party!

Woo Hoo!  It is that time again!  Party Time!

One of my favorite sites, run by twin sisters, Susan and Janice are hosting  The Ultimate Blog Party!!! Not only is it great fun, and a chance to win some pretty terrific prizes, it’s also a great way to get to meet some new mom bloggers.

Let me just take a moment before we get to the fun stuff to introduce myself.  I’m Angie, a mom with 2 beautiful kids, Kaitie 13, and Andrew 10. I am married to the man of my dreams!   I love him more today than the day I first fell in love with him.  Well, enough about me, let the party begin!!! 

This is my blog, where I share healthy recipes and weight-loss tips!  So welcome to my little home on the blogosphere and please take a look around, and don't forget to tell me a little about yourself so we can get to know each other!  

Now to the food!  Would you like to try a...

Black Bean Burger! 

or for the kids how about a Banana Cracker!

Perhaps some yummy Waldorf Salad

I’d love to get know my fellow bloggers! How about a few questions…

What’s your favorite thing to do?

What is your favorite meal?

What was the last thing you ate?

Why is the sky blue?

Watch My Weight Wednesday!

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Sweet Potato Steaks!

My daughter and I love our sweet potatoes!  Our favorite dish is baked sweet potato wedges!  We decided to try something new and something I never saw before.

Sweet Potato Steaks

• 2-3 Sweet potatoes cut in rounds
• 3 tbls Dijon Mustard
• 2 tbls Olive oil
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1/2 tsp seasoning (we used red pepper flakes)

1. Pre-heat oven to 350
2. Cut potatoes
3. Mix all ingredients in a bowl and coat Sweet potato rounds
4. Bake until tender 30-45 mins.

These were so yummy!  We will definitely do this recipe again!  I had lots of extra topping cause I only did 2 sweet potatoes so measurements should be fine for 3 longish potatoes.

Enjoy!

Urgent radiation preparedness action items for California, Oregon, Washington, B.C., Yukon and Alaska

( www.NaturalNews.com ) - please forward

The New York Times report that a radiation plume will reach California by Friday has a lot of people asking us for more information about what to do. (Seehttp://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/17/science/17plume.html?_r=1)


Fortunately, the amount of radiation that would actually fall on California (or Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, Alaska, etc.) is currently very small. Too small to pose a serious health risk for right now.
The time to get really concerned is if -- and only if -- the Fukushima reactors suffer a fuel rod "meltdown" event which would release a massive amount of radiation into the atmosphere. The United Nations has calculated that such an event would send a cloud of very powerful radiation headed eastward, arriving on the shores of the United States and Canada within 2-3 days after the meltdown, depending on wind patterns.
Importantly, this will give you some time to take action should such an event occur. The next 24 - 48 hours are crucial in Japan's effort to stop the nuclear fuel rod meltdown. It is entirely unknown whether Japan can succeed in stopping it. The situation remains dire.


If you live in the western states or provinces of North America, it is extremely important to be prepared by taking the following actions RIGHT NOW:


1) Fuel up your vehicle(s) and be ready to hit the road for a possible evacuation (or hunker down if you're out in the country and feel like you would be safer there).
2) If you plan to stay put, go to the hardware store TODAY and buy large amounts of plastic and duct tape to seal up your windows and doors. This will help protect you from radioactive fallout. You will also need to store water, food, and all the usual emergency supplies because outside help probably won't be available.
3) If you plan to evacuate, have a "Go Bag" ready to go at a moment's notice. This go bag should include a water filter, emergency radio, flashlight, duct tape, emergency knife, spare cash, whatever medical supplies you might need, extra food and water, spare fuel cans and so on. Have it ready now in case you need it.
4) Significantly increase your intake of iodine-containing foods and superfoods starting right now: Seaweeds are a great source. We've listed our entire inventory of what we have available at our store (http://www.naturalnews.com/031730_iodine_radiation_poisoning.html), but I would actually prefer you to go out and get this locally TODAY at your local health food stores, where possible. You may not have time to wait on a UPS delivery. Fortunately, our store ships from Ojai, California, meaning that if you order foods from us today that are in stock, and you're in California, you could receive them very, very quickly (within 1-2 business days).
5) If you have potassium iodide pills (radiation pills), don't take them yet. Keep them ready to take if and only if a meltdown event occurs and a massive dose of radiation has been released into the atmosphere.
6) Have a plan for you and your family. Where will you meet if you need to evacuate? Don't count on cell phones working. Have a plan of where to go, how to get there and how to survive once you get there.


Hopefully none of this will be necessary. If they can stop the meltdown at Fukushima, there is virtually no real radiation risk in North America. That's the outcome we're all hoping and praying for.
But if a meltdown takes place, it is almost certain that strong winds will push a massive radiation cloud right into North America within a matter of days, potentially dropping a highly dangerous amount of radioactive material on California or other regions. That's the scenario that we all need to be prepared to guard against.


Do not rely on your government to tell you the truth about what's happening. Governments are in the business of "preventing panic" by withholding information you need to know. Governments believe that if too many people know the truth, it might start a panic, and even more people could die in the panic than from the event itself. They may actually be correct at some level on that, but I believe that people have a right to know what's really going on. And the sober, shocking truth of the matter is that as of right now, our world is facing an unprecedented nuclear meltdown event that could dwarf the Chernobyl catastrophe of 1987. We're talking about as many as 600,000 spent fuel rods which are now threatened by fires and loss of cooling fluids. This is not a set of circumstances to be taken lightly.


I urge all NaturalNews readers to take this seriously. Get prepared now. Get your go bag ready just in case. Start boosting your natural iodine intake TODAY. Be ready to head out of Dodge if you're in a geographic area that could be impacted. And then watch the news on this to stay informed (and read NaturalNews for an honest analysis of the situation).


Another thing: If a meltdown does occur and an evacuation is announced for parts of the west coast of North America, you will need to be one of the first to head out if you expect to get out at all. The highways around Los Angeles in particular do not have the capacity to handle a mass evacuation. They barely have the capacity to handle rush hour! Imagine what happens if half the people in L.A. try to leave all at the same time... that will be a week-long traffic jam, and people will run out of gas on the highways, abandon their vehicles, and make the highways impassable.


I don't mean to paint this as a worst-case scenario, but I'm trying to give you an accurate description of what might realistically happen if a radiation cloud is headed toward LA and an evacuation effort is announced. If you aren't out of LA by the time the government announces an evacuation, you're probably too late.
This is actually a good time to own a Prius because a Prius can idle without the engine running and use virtually no gas. A Prius is a great getaway vehicle for jammed evacuation highways where traffic is barely moving.


Be safe and be smart about all this. Think ahead. Get real about what might unfold if a meltdown occurs. This is a time to interrupt your regularly scheduled programming and start thinking seriously about what you can do to protect yourself and your family. It's better to be prepared than to be caught by the unexpected.


We are lucky in one sense right now because we have forewarning of all this. There is time right now to take preparedness steps to deal with a meltdown event should one occur. I strongly advise all NaturalNews readers to use this time wisely and get squared away for what might be coming.
Watch NaturalNews.com for more updates throughout the day. We'll be posting stories at an increased frequency during this Fukushima catastrophe to help bring people information more rapidly.

Thank you and stay safe,
- Mike Adams, the Health Ranger

Creamy Vegetable Chowder

I love, love this soup!
Almost didn't get a picture as it so yummy!  This was the last bowl out of the pot!  I added a sprinkle of roasted garlic seasoning to give a little punch!  The kids just love it too.


Creamy Vegetable Chowder

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 cauliflower, chopped
• 1 cup broccoli, chopped
• 2 carrot, chopped
• 1 cup corn
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• fresh parmesan curls

Use a little broth and cook and stir onion over medium-high heat until tender. Add cauliflower, broccoli, carrot, corn and the rest of the broth. Bring to boil.

Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Whisk milk into flour until smoothly combined; add to saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens.

Remove pan from heat; add fresh parmesan curls on top and serve!

If you like chowder recipes please be sure to check out my potato chowder!

Watch My Weight Wednesday!

Plan to eat and keeping track.

It has been proven...By me...planning out your meals ahead of time will make dieting easier to stay on track!

Planning the night before will greatly help you stay on track.

1. Write it down
2. Check your kitchen for all ingredients
3. Prep any food (if you have time) the night before

Keeping track (Weight loss Diary)

It is often forgetfulness (which may at times be willful or deliberate) that causes us to eat more than our plans call for.

1. Record all that you eat; including snacks, unplanned desserts, even what gets left behind on junior’s plate!  Everything!
2. Jot down your water consumption
3. Record your workouts and activities
4. Each night record your thoughts on how you did that day and what you hope improve for the next day 

Did I forget something?  

What are your tips to help with weight loss?

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Owl Ice Cream Cake

This year for my daughters 13th birthday she requested an ice cream cake!  Since the theme for her party was Night Owl, I made an owl shaped cake!

The cake turned out great!

  Check this post out for what was my inspiration!

I had so much "fun" figuring out how to mold the shape of the owl.  

1. I used my roasting pan.  I lined it with card from cereal boxes and a ton of wax paper.  
2. I remembered to put a long strip of card underneath it all for easy removal from the pan.
3. I then put a layer of butterscotch ice cream on the bottom.  And put the whole thing in the freezer to "harden" up a little.  
4. Then using a piece of card wrapped in wax paper I made a wall to separate colors when I added chocolate ice cream for wings and ears, and vanilla for the rest!
5. After returning to the freezer to "set" I carefully took it out of its "mold" to decorate.

Decorating was the fun part!

I used soft cookies for the eyes...but I really wanted to use dried pineapple slices!  Which I couldn't find anywhere!  

And the slivered almonds would of stood out more if I found some with the skins still on.  

I did try to make chocolate shavings to look like feathers for the wings...but It turned out to be more of chocolate saw dust.  

For the "nest" I used multigrain honey pretzel twists.  

The beak turned out so cute!  I wasn't sure on what I was going to use???  But I ended up using 2 pieces of a walnut!  I love how it turned out!

If you want to read more about the Night Owl Party click here!

Charlie Sheen's Winning Recipes!

Charlie Sheen's Winning Recipes from Charlie Sheen

WMWW - March

Today I am sharing a poster that I found.  I am hoping that this will help with motivation!  Post it where you will look at it often!  
Click on the image if you would like to print!  Found on Healthy Living Road Map...


Simple Weight Loss (free PDF poster)

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Prickly Pear (Cactus Fruit)

Have you ever tried a prickly pear? Also known as Optunia.  First thing you need to be aware of this fruit is grown on a cactus so it does have many prickles that do hurt if you get pricked.  Be very careful when handling.  Perhaps use a produce bag as a "glove"
To prepare...just cut in half and scoop out the insides with a spoon.
The inside of the fruit is full of seeds.  We just cut it into chunks and ate the seeds...if you don't like eating seeds this may not be the fruit for you.

Prickly pear provides essential nutrients. It is also a source of carbohydrates and is an excellent source of antioxidants, having substantial amounts of vitamin C. 

Some of the health benefits associated with prickly pear:

• Immune support
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Helps manage cholesterol

Some of the nutrients found in prickly pear cactus:

Flavonoids | Pectin | Vitamin A | Vitamin B | Vitamin C

A short video of finding prickly pear and how to eat.  I do find it easier to just cut in half and scoop insides out then peeling.