The Power of Xanthan Gum

This sister goes gluten free most of the time due to hubby's food allergies. At first, going GF is pretty overwhelming and confusing. Once I discovered the power of Xanthan Gum my world was rocked! 

I tried just substituting my regular Flour with Bob's Red Mill GF Flour, but things just did not turn out right. 

Xanthan Gum acts as a thickening agent and helps all the ingredients stick together. The price tag is a little steep, but when there is a food allergy in the house nothing can be beat.  Also, Bob's Red Mill has many GF products that make baking so easy. We love the GF flour, Sandwich Bread mix, and Pancake mix. 

GF Recipes will be coming soon! 

Tate's ~ the Natural Miracle Product Review

We have tried Tate's products and love them.  First, we tried Tate's the Natural Miracle Conditioner which has:
No Oils
No Dyes
No Gluten
No Colors
No Iodine
No Glycols
No Glycerins
No Sulfates
No Parabens
No Fragrance
No Phosphates
No Pesticides
No Animal Testing

We use the conditioner as hair conditioner as well as body and face lotion.  It is organic and has many uses!!  This conditioner cleared up Little Crunchette's diaper rash!  So after loving this product we decided to try some other products.  So we tried, the Shampoo, the toothpaste and the Nail Polish Remover and we love love every product!!

Little Crunchy uses the toothpaste and loves it!  The toothpaste has NO Sulfates, Parabens, Binders, Glycol. Dyes/Color, Artificial Flavors, Saccharin or Artificial Sweetner....It is also Gluten Free, Fragrance Free, Flouride Free and Sugar Free. 

For a full list of ingrediants or other products, please visit http://ourtatefamily.com/

If you are interested in buying the products,  ask us......we sell them!!!  Ask us about co-op pricing !!!

Christmas Catalog Overload

Whew!  In the past two days I have gotten eight catalogs in the mail and I have only ordered from one of the eight before.  So how did my name end up on all of these mailing lists and how do I get off of them?  Only 3 of the catalogs had 10% recycled paper.  What a waste of trees.....guess I will be visiting all of the websites to remove my name from their mailing list.....I want to do my part to save the forests!  By the way.....Little Crunchy has enjoyed looking at all of the toys and telling me what she likes!!!  Little does she know.....I am finished with my Christmas shopping for her!!!!

Sister's Potato Soup

It was a little cold this past week so potato soup sounded like an excellent option for a late lunch. 


Prep Time: 15-20 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 to 1 1/2 hours
Total Time: about 1 hour 40 minutes 


Ingredients:
1 Onion chopped
1 cloves of garlic chopped
4 T of coconut oil (or olive oil)
1/2 cup of white wine
5 cups of veggie or chicken broth
5 large stalks of celery chopped
4 large potatoes mostly peeled and cut into chunks
Fresh Arugula and Marjoram
1/2 bell pepper chopped
1 zucchini chopped
1 large apple or 2 small apples chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups of RAW Milk Cream OR RAW Milk (or almond milk)
1 Large handful of Spinach and Swiss Chard
Bragg's Nutritional Yeast
Raw Cheese


I really tried to color coordinate this meal with lots of greens and cream colors. 


In a large pot, saute chopped onions and garlic in the Coconut Oil for about 3-4 minutes on medium-high heat. When onions are soft add in the wine.  Let the onions and garlic cook in the wine for another 3 minutes.

*Feel free to add your favorite white wine and pour a glass for yourself to enjoy while cooking!*

Add in the veggie broth. I used 1 cup of chicken broth (leftover in the fridge) and 4 cups of veggie.   Add in the celery and potatoes and bring this mixture to a boil (about 8-10 minutes).  
Turn the heat down to keep the soup simmering. Add in the fresh chopped arugula, marjoram, bell pepper, zucchini and apple. Give it a good stir and let this simmer for about 20 minutes.

Add in about 1 teaspoon of salt and 2 T of pepper. Stir in the RAW Milk cream. Let this simmer for another 5 minutes then add in the large handful of spinach and Swiss chard (about 2 cups total).  Sprinkle in 1/4 cup Bragg's Nutritional Yeast (this gives the soup a rich cheesy taste) or 1/2 cup of shredded raw cheese.  Give the soup another good stir and let it sit for about 10 minutes over low heat. 

Caution: At this point, the smell will have taken over your kitchen and seeping into other areas of your home.  Spouses and children may ask, "What's cookin' good lookin'."

To serve: Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with fresh ground pepper and serve with rice chips or tortilla chips.

Raw Butter

Have you ever tasted Raw Milk Butter.......mmmmmm...it is delicious and very easy to make. Once you try it you will never go back to store bought butter again!  When I made this butter yesterday, I had a pint of cream and it took from start to finish 15 minutes.

Ingrediants:  Fresh Raw Cream
                        Stand Mixer with whisk and paddle attachments
                        Filtered Ice water

Step One:  Let your cream reach 65 degrees......(this is the most important step, otherwise it takes a lot longer to make)

Step Two:  Start with your whisk attachment......Turn on your mixer to about 7 or 8....make sure you have your splash guard on.....(or maybe make a guard out of wax paper)....first the cream will whip up and you will have perfect whipping cream....but keep mixing.....switch to your paddle attachment after you have made whipping cream.. but ....when the cream looks like it is starting to separate. 

Step Three:  Once separated you will have chunks of butter and liquid......pour off the liquid and save it, you just made buttermilk....

Step Four:  Pour in ice water and mix for just a couple of minutes.  Pour the water out......do this 3 times or until water stays clear.  Once clear.....you are finished!!!

This is what we keep our butter in....a cute butter bell I got on clearance at our local grocery store!  In case you were wondering, I keep mine in the fridge.  Happy butter making!

Thrift Store find turned Shabby Chic

I have been wanting to try the shabby chic look and chalkboard paint for sometime so I found this painting with this great frame at a thrift store for $3.99......

Instructions for refinishing a thrift store find!

Supplies

Old frame with painting

Chalkboard Paint

Two paintbrushes

Black paint  (base for frame)( I bought sample cans of paint for black and turquoise)

Top coat paint (I chose turquoise)

1.  Pop out the painting!

2.  Lightly sand the frame and then wipe it clean!
3.  Paint the painting with the chalkboard paint (paint can be found at Lowe's for around $13).  Let dry 24 hours and then apply a second coat.  You MUST use two coats when using chalkboard paint!

4.  Paint your frame with the black paint. (let dry 24 hours)

5.  Add your color to the frame......this step is important so you do not have to do anymore sanding.....Lightly brush on the color until you reach your desired look...let dry.

6.  Place the new chalkboard painting back into the frame and you are ready to hang!

I hung this in Little Crunchy's playroom and she loves it!!!

Salsa

Yummy Salsa for any day of the week!
This takes about 10-15 minutes. 


Ingredients: 
Tomatoes (5 fresh OR 1 large can of stewed & peeled tomatoes)
4 garlic cloves
1 medium size onion
2 small jalapenos (take those seeds out!!)
Bunch of Cilantro
Dash of salt and pepper
1/4 cup of lime juice

Put all ingredients in your blender and chop it up (the onion and jalapenos may need to be cut into sections before the blender.

Pulse the blender until it is the consistency that you like. 






If you don't want it spicy take out the jalapenos...or a extra spicy keep the seeds.

Two Large Mason Jars!

Thrifty Thursday

Went to the Texas Thrift store looking for some bargains!  Not much to be found today.  Little Crunchy found Black Beauty and I picked up On the Banks of Plum Creek for later on!  Also, found these vintage prints.....hmmm what to do with these....stay tuned to see where they ended up.  Got all of these great finds for $2.00.

Went to the Illinois Thrift store and found this great Gap sweater......it was missing two buttons but hey for $2.00, you can't pass up this great deal like this!

What thrifty find have you found lately?

Election Day

Go VOTE today.  Let others hear your voice by voting!!!

One Fall Day

Woke up this morning and it was chilly so I started off the day with tickling Little Crunchy while Little Crunchette slept in and then we were off to start junking!  Our first stop was Starbucks, latte for mama and a blueberry muffin for Little Crunchy.  I like to save the trees by using my homemade latte holder....(let us know if you are intereted in one--$5 plus shipping and you pick the colors)

We found a train case and some horse movies.  Little Crunchy loves horses and can spot anything horse in a second.  The train case......well you will have to keep checking back.  I will do a thrifty project with my find for my nephew for Christmas! 



We spent the afternoon doing crafty projects (stay tuned to see the finished projects), we also carved our pumpkin and watered our garden.  Now the little crunchys are off to bed and mama is going to watch a much needed chick flick!!! 

WHAT did you spend your Saturday doing?

Coconut Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

1 can Organic Pumpkin
1 can Organic Coconut Milk
1 cup Kefir
3-5 shakes Cinnamon
3-5 shakes Nutmeg
3-5 shakes Allspice
3-5 shakes Cloves
2-5 Tablespoons Maple Syrup

Put all ingrediants in blender and blend.....Use Cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and maple syrup to your taste.

This smoothie has probiotics, Protein, fiber, Vitamin C, Iron, Calcium and lots of Vitamin A.  Sip and Enjoy!

Black Bean Soup

This is a hearty veggie soup for a cold day. It is great recipe to use up some veggies in the fridge.

Prep time: 30 minutes (soaked beans about 10 hours)
Total time: 2 hours

Ingredients:
1 bag of organic black beans soaked 6-8 hours. OR 2-3 cans of organic black beans.
1 can of fire roasted tomatoes
2 cups of veggie broth
3 cups of Water
1 bell pepper
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup of green onion
1/2 yellow onion
2 cups chopped carrots
1 small butternut squash (about 4 cups chopped)
4 garlic cloves chopped

2 Tablespoons fresh cracked pepper ( also used about 2T of fresh cracked pink peppercorns) 

1 T Salt

1 teaspoon of All Purpose Seasoning
1/2 t of chili powder
1/2 t of cinnamon

If you are soaking your own beans follow the directions on the back of the bag for cooking instructions. Otherwise, dump 2 cans of black beans (drained) and 1 can of fire roasted tomatoes in a large stock pot.  Add 2 cups of veggie broth to the pot and 3 cups of water. Get out your handy chopper or a sharp knife and good cutting board. Chop all veggies into a little larger than bite size pieces. As you chop add to the stock pot.

 Turn stove onto medium heat once all veggies are added to the pot for about 15 minutes. Add in all spices and give the pot a good stir. 

*Use your best judgment (guess) if you need more veggie broth or water.* Let this simmer for about 35-45 minutes. Stir occasionally. Check the pot for veggie texture of your liking. If you want an added kick add 1 T of cayenne pepper. 









Garnish with a little salsa and serve with rice crackers or tortilla chips.

Enjoy!

Work In Progress!

Please check back often as this is a work in progress!  Recipe coming soon!