Our Granola Recipe

Maybe this should be titled "THE Granola Recipe".
Yup. It's that good.
I'm sharing this because I've been asked for it a few times since Baby Sister's wedding.
That's because we made enough of it for 150 people as favors for the wedding so the goodness was shared with some of our favorite people.
The great thing about granola is that it can be played with and you'll still get great results so I'll share my most used recipe with the encouragement that you play around using things you like...

"THE Granola Recipe"

(start to finish: 30 minutes or so :  yield: about 12 cups, 3 - qt mason jars)

6 cups of rolled oats (not quick oats)

1.5 c unsweetened shredded coconut

2 c sliced almonds, raw
1.5 c sunflower seeds, shelled and raw
2/3 c coconut oil
1 c pure maple syrup
2 c raisins (optional)

Set the oven to 325.
In a large mixing bowl, mix oats, coconut, almonds, and seeds. Set aside. 
In a medium saucepan over medium/low heat,  melt coconut oil and maple syrup until they are well mixed. This will not take long since coconut oil's melting point is so low, maybe 2-3 minutes. 
Pour melted oil and syrup over dry ingredients and stir until all is well coated. 
Pour enough of the mixture onto a baking sheet so that you have a thin layer of granola and are able to stir it around without spilling everywhere. 
Place into oven and bake for 5 minutes at a time, stirring after every 5, until the granola is a nice golden brown. Between 15-20 minutes per batch. (The mixture will not likely feel crunchy while still hot. The crunch comes as it cools so look for color, not crunch.)
Let cool for a few minutes. 
Once cool, either pour into a large bowl to break up any chunks and to stir in raisins, or place directly into storage container(s). (We use three quart sized mason jars.)

The kids love their granola like they do cereal, in a bowl with milk. I prefer it over some homemade yogurt and Hubs inevitably ends up taking it to work with him with milk and blueberries. It's also great over ice cream.
No matter how you like it, you've really got to try this deliciousness!

* Depending on how you feel about certain foods, you can substitute some of the ingredients and get similar flavor results. For example, you can use vegetable oil or canola oil instead of coconut oil (though I would not recommend it). You can also substitute honey for maple syrup or a mixture of the two.

Bath Time Improv

For the past 8 months, the only way Baby J has bathed has been in the shower with me.
Our oldest two kids were afraid of water on their heads and faces for a long time so when Bean came around I started taking showers with her to get her used to the water on her face.
This has worked well for us.
Bath time is super fast, we can be assured the that they are getting really clean, and they've been used to water on their heads.

The only problem with this plan comes when Baby J needs a bath but I don't. Oh yeah... and the other problem is that I got rid of our baby bath last year because I figured I'd just shower with him when he was born.

Clearly that was "baby brain" talking or maybe it was my intense desire to purge all the "extra" in our lives.

So rather than going out to buy another baby bath and bringing "stuff" back in the house, we improvised. 

It was fantastic!
It just so happens that the basket we had handy was small enough to keep him confined without being able to get onto his belly and it was the perfect depth that he could play in the water and stay warm.
Of course, this isn't my genius at work because, as it seems, Pinterest has stolen my ability to think for myself, but none the less, good ideas are good ideas em'i'right?

Another Reason to Try craigslist

When Hubs and I got married, 7.5 years ago, we bought a loveseat and sofa set made from bonded leather from...
wait for it...
Big Lots!
Oh, yeah! 
Anyway, for a whopping $450 or so we had a living room set that was great for napping.
Of course they lost their general comfort about 2 years into our owning them but they continued to be of nap quality for another 5 plus.
Until...
our dear Bean found a crack in one of the cushions and got a bit too curious for the couch's own good.
Hubs came home one day before we had guests set to arrive for my sister's wedding and discovered a giant, soccer ball sized tear in the "leather".
It's amazing how that stuff just peels right off!
Since our "babies" are all still young we opted to look for used furniture over new.
Once again, craigslist came through.
I checked periodically in the area for couches and found a microfiber set for an amazingly low, low price of $150.They're clean and easy to clean, they're comfortable, they are great for napping, and, oh yeah... they only cost $150!

My point being... before you buy new, especially if you have little kids who may just rip your stuff to shreds on a whim, give your local craigslist a peak. You never know what you'll find!

Craft Room Update: Painting Laminate

The craft room became our junk room/drop and run room/avoid at all cost room over the past months.
The idea of sitting down to sew something has been laughable since Baby J was born.
I thought for sure I wouldn't dare let our future homeschool room turn into a dump pile and yet....

Every time I passed this room I died a little on the inside.
And then we got a piano.
I had no choice but to move some things around and so our computer, the one I use daily, ended up needing a new home and so classroom/craft room was now also our home office.
I was thankful for the push to get things done and so my first stop was at good ol' Home Depot for paint and primer. 

Several months ago I found this great hutch at my Salvation Army for a whopping $35.
It's hardwood and surprisingly heavy.
I knew as soon as I saw it in the store that I would be painting it but summoning the motivation was tough.
All those nooks and cranies!
And on the left of the hutch you can see the disassembled laminate bookcase I nabbed from my mom who was pitching it.

Painting Laminate:
After a light sanding, two coats of Bullseye 1-2-3 primer, and three to four coats of gloss trim paint, these two pieces were ready for storing.

The room is still unfinished but it's functional. And that's probably how it will remain until another wave of motivation comes along.

I wanted to note....
The laminate bookshelf I painted was falling apart. I think it was mostly because of the flimsy carboard backing that came with the shelf. Using the old back piece as a template, Hubs went out and bought 1/4" underlayment from HD, had it cut to size, and we nailed it in place. The shelves were sturdy like new again. That little fix was well worth NOT buying a whole new book shelf!
All that is to say... keep your eye out for used furniture at tag sales, thrift stores, and in your own home. It almost always costs less than buying new and has always served us well.

The hutch to the left was a thrift store find for $35, the wood shelf on the desk to the right was a tag sale find for $5, the dining table/desk in the middle (which I'm considering painting Fire Engine Red) was a craigslist purchase for $50, and the bookshelf was free from my mom who was throwing it out. Not too shabby if I do say so myself.

Baby Sister Got Hitched!

Just last weekend Baby Sister married Mr. Trabis.

This wedding is a BIG part of why I've been absent from our usual "chats" here, FYI
It was a whirlwind of a week!
There was a constant flow of people through our house and my parent's house.

Hubs and I were blessed with the company of some of our favorite people who we don't see nearly often enough!
In the midst of all the running around and last minute details I waited for it all to hit me. After all, my little sister was about to make a vow, change her name, begin to meal plan for two, take care of finances, and not be available to hang like she had been before.
The feeling never really came though.
It wasn't until days after when the party broke up, the reception tent came down, our friends all went home, and we started to face normal life again that I realized the "big moment" of change wasn't going to come because the reality was she had been slowly growing up all along.
She didn't start becoming Mrs. Trabis the day she got married... it was just another leg of the trip she'd started a long time ago.
I'm proud of Baby Sister and thankful that we now have Mr. Trabis as part of our clan!
Cheers to them!

She's Two!!

Happy Birthday, Bean! 

She's fiesty and fierce.
She's snuggly and smooshy.
She's just a whole lotta power jammed into a tiny little package and Hubs and I adore every inch of her.

Kale Chips

I've seen these before.
You probably have too.
They look super healthy and therefor a bit... well..."ehh".

But I was curious.
So we tried them.

They're oddly yummy!
Like... crunchy air.

The kids loved them.
A little too much.

I've made two batches in the past two days and Hubs hasn't had any because they're gone before he gets home.
CJ, Bean, and I are veggie lovers anyway so that may be part of it.
Yeah... I recommend trying them at least.
You just might like them too.

Backyard Treasure Hunt

I have been trying to hang out with the kids more these days.
I'm a stay at home mom and that may sound like a hard thing to NOT do since we're together every day but that doesn't necessarily mean that I "hang out" with them.
I clean around them.
I clean up after them.
I help them get things out to play with and pick things up.
I even sit in the same room and read or surf the web but play WITH them? Hang out WITH them?
Yeah, it's not really my thing.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE being around my munchkins.
That's part of why we have four of them!
But I struggle to play WITH them so I decided to come up with something that would keep us both entertained for a while.

Enter: Backyard Treasure Hunt!
With a few things I already had around the house...empty egg cartons, kid friendly jewels (aka pirate booty), leftover Easter candy, and spare change off the night stand... we were in business!
I did the creating and planning for them and they did the exploring and the hunting. (Oh! And it was educational as the kids learned about following maps)... This one was a win-win-win!

 

"Best Fajita Marinade"

 We are headed towards a Paleo diet in our house.
I won't say we're committed... it's more like a modified version of it.
For those of you who don't know what Paleo is here's a condensed version.

aka caveman diet, it gets you back to eating like they did WAY back when. no grains, 

no corn, no legumes - that means peanuts (which I recently cut out anyway because 

apparently it made Baby J's eczema flare up), little to no dairy (butter and ghee are a.o.k.), 

lots of naturally full fat stuff like beef, coconut, avocados, nuts, and loads of veggies. 

We've been working our way towards this diet for a few weeks now and I honestly feel better and have more energy than I've had in a while. Now, keep in mind that I have also been in a pregnant or recently pregnant phase for over five years straight. So my return of energy may be due to Baby J's 6 month birthday that is fast approaching even though I am still not getting a full night's sleep. Either way, the weight seems to be falling off faster as I have been losing weight at a noticeable rate. It's enough reason for me to keep going.

So all of that is to intro you into this yummy recipe that is quite possibly THE best fajita marinade, as the original sharer of this recipe assures me it is. (Found here.)

As usual... I tweeked it EVER so slightly and here's what I ended up with... 

What' You'll Need:

1 lb chicken thighs

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

1/4 cup oil (I've used peanut but ghee, coconut oil, or palm oil may be better)

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

2 teaspoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

What To Do:

Mix the marinade in a large bowl, whisk well, add chicken thighs and stir to cover. Let sit for at least an hour. Then grill them up! For the chicken thighs on a gas grill it takes 8-10 minutes to grill through (4 mins on each side). Once done, place on a plate and tent with foil for 5-10 minutes. Slice meat thinly against the grain and enjoy! 

We eat ours over salad greens with peppers and onions cooked on the grill with salt and salt, cherry tomato pureed in the blender,  guacamole, and a touch of sour cream. I've made this twice in the past week. 

So delicious!

Randall Goodgame!

If you've been by to visit before then you'll know that I kinda have a crush on Andrew Peterson. No worries, Sweet Hubs knows and is totally okay with it cause I'm pretty sure he does too.
Well thanks to Andrew, we found Randall! Remember Slugs & Bugs?
And now... as if it couldn't get any better with all the great songs, albums, blogs, books, art, and concerts between the two of them... Randy is now working on an "all Scripture CD" to help us memorize the Word!
Yup! It's right here at the Slugs & Bugs / Sing the Bible (Vol. 1) Kickstarter page!

If you're not familiar with Kickstarter the short version is that it's an artists way of taking donations from fans with perks like pre release copies, CDs, apparel...and if you're a big spender... personal concerts! The money helps pay for production and you get to walk away with a gift and smile in your heart knowing that you had a part is something special like making awesome music available to everyone!
Based solely on Randy's past work I know this project will be amazing but it gets better... Sally Lloyd Jones, writer of The Jesus Storybook Bible, and the African Children's Choir are in on the project too!
I can't even handle it! 
So if you want in on the ground level of this exciting project... check out the details and pledge packages at Kickstarter.
Aaaaand I'm out!

Happy Monday!

Prop 37 Supporters/Opponants

During the last election there was a BIG movement nationwide (well, specifically in California but it would have affected the entire country) to require companies to label food with GMO ingredients. At this point in time we can safely say the vote did not pass but there are many out there who are claiming voter fraud so maybe it's not all over yet. Either way, just because food packages won't be labeled doesn't mean you don't get to know the nitty-gritty. So here's what I've found so far...

There are those that don't use them and supported labeling... 

and those those who do.

(top left)(top right)(bottom left)(bottom right)

Ugh.

I'm just beginning to scratch the surface so these lists may change but for now... that's the story.
Blah!

Guilty and Thankful for the Reminder!

"Mommy Wars" No More - We Lay Our Weapons Down 

by Sonja Piper Dosti

Ghee

Every heard of ghee (pronounced gee)? How 'bout butter oil? Clarified butter?

I hadn't until about six months ago when I was looking for healthy cooking oils as alternatives to the old standbys that, I'm discovering, aren't as fantastic as we're told they are. (More about that at the bottom of the post if you're interested.)

I like coconut oil for baking, granola, curry, and other sweeter cooking but the coconut flavor can come through so if it's a savory dish I like more of a butter taste.

Anyway, ghee is original to South Asia and is used for rices and lentils mostly but it is delicious on steamed vegetables. From what I've read when you heat the butter the milk solids are removed so it has been known to be a good option for people with a low dairy tolerance. It's great for frying and sauteing with a high smoke point of 482 F and has been shown to lower bad cholesterol as naturally saturated fat foods will do. (Yes, saturated fat may actually be GOOD for you and low fat just might be bad but that's another discussion for another day).

So... where can you get ghee?
I have seen it in stores sold in jars but it's so simple to make and I know exactly what the butter source is so I quickly and easily make my own.
Here's how...

Place one cup of the butter (salted or unsalted, I've done both and they're both fine) in a saucepan.
No, not all butter is created equal. Grassfed and the darkest yellow you can find are best.
I personally prefer Kerrygold blocks wrapped in foil, not the spreadable tubs and have found that the best price around is at Trader Joes.

Heat the butter on medium high heat until it begins to boil.

There will be two foaming stages. Some people skim the foam off the top but I have seen no need to do this plus I'm cheap and hate to see any butter wasted to the skimming process.

The butter will foam once, as shown above , and then clear up...

until it foams the second time. According to Alton Brown the second foam indicates that the ghee is done. It will be a deep golden yellow and the milk solids will fall to the bottom of the pan..

or, as in my case, the boiling will cause some of the milk solids to rise to the top.

Strain how ghee into a heatproof jar and let cool.

(milk solids left in the pan)

The first time I did this I was shocked that the ghee was no longer liquid after it cooled. Instead it was somewhat of a gritty, grainy texture but it melts right back to liquid once heated.

So why not olive oil or canola?

First, I am not a nutritionist and have conducted no personal studies but our families eating mantra is "as God intended it" which basically just means with as little processing, pesticides, and tampering with as possible. If it required intense processes and intimidating machines... we avoid it. That's about as simple as I can get.

Olive oil is great IF you don't overheat it. Research has shown that olive oil can be damaged at temperatures as low as 320 F. Some go as far as to describe its post heated makeup as "toxic".  We use it on salads and just about anything else we don't heat.

Canola Oil  is a product that all together gives me the willies. It's sold as a health product but nothing about it makes me feel good. According to Sally Fallon, co-founder of the Weston A. Price Foundation writes in her cookbook Nourishing Traditions... 

"the newest oil on the market, canola oil was developed from rape seed ... which is considered unsuited to human consumption because it contains a long-chain fatty acid called erucic acid, which under some circumstances is associated with fibrotic heart lesions. Canola oil was bred to contain little if any erucic acid and has drawn the attention of nutritionists because of its high oleicacid content. but there are some indications that canola oil presents dangers of its own. it has a high sulphur content and goes rancid easily ... during the deodorizing process, the omega 3 fatty acids of processed canola oil are transformed into trans fatty acids..."

Vegetable Oil is almost always corn oil or soy oil and both of those ingredients are high on the GMO list. For that reason, alone, I avoid it. 

The reality is that you can find research to support just about any theory you have but these are two instances that I haven't been able to refute to my satisfaction and for our family it's "better safe than sorry".