SMART SWAPS ~ EAT BETTER

Heart Healthy Food Swaps
It's easy to do and good for you

Baby Step to a healthier eating lifestyle

Swap ~ Low Fat Sour Cream
For ~ Low Fat Greek Yogurt
Why ~ Cuts 40% of Fat Calories

Swap ~ BreadCrumbs
For ~ Wheat Germ
Why ~ It's a Superior source of vitamins B & E
Mix at a half & half ratio for benefits

Swap ~ Frozen French Fries
For ~ Sweet Potatoes
Why ~ Sweet Potatoes offers more Calcium & Fiber
And they are delicious:
Roast in the oven with olive oil & herbs instead of salt

Swap ~ Heavy Cream
For ~ Nonfat Evaporated Milk
Why ~ Add 1 : 1 ratio you won't miss the cream

Swap ~ Ground Beef in Tacos
For ~ Tofu/Soy crumbles
Ground Turkey or Chicken
Why ~ Buy firm Tofu, crumble with a fork, cook with taco seasoning mix.
Has 1/3 calories of beef & hardly any saturated fats.

Swap ~ Boiling rice with water
For ~ Boiling rice with V-8 (try other veggie juices too, even save the water from steaming veggies for rice later)
Why ~ Adds flavor & Lycopene


Get Heart Healthy in 2014

SuperSeeds ~ Eat 'Em

These are a few supersedes to search out when shopping
and why they are good for you.

CHIA ~
Rich in Omega - 3
May allieviate hunger
Add whole to cereal, baking, and Smoothies

FLAX ~
Omega - 3 rich
Nutty Flavor
Always grind or buy ground seed.
Whole Seed are very hard to digest.

HEMP ~
Tastes like sunflower seeds
Contains all essential Amino Acids
Ideal Protein Source
Sprinkle on Yogurt, cereal, or salads

SESAME ~
Tasty Crunchy and slightly Sweet
High in Magnesium, Copper, and Calcium
Add into stir frys or toss with steamed vegetables

Secret Recipe ~ Chick Fil A

I have had a lot of request for the "Chick-Fil-A" recipe so here it is

Ingredients
1 boneless chicken breast \
jar of dill pickle slices
1/2 C flour
1 T powdered sugar
1/2 tsp each of paprika and salt
1/4 tsp each of black pepper, garlic powder, celery salt, and dried basil
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper(optional)

1/4C pickle juice
1 egg
1/4 C milk


Directions
Flatten chicken between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Cut into 2 pieces and soak in pickle juice for at least 30 min.
mix egg and milk together. mix all the dry together.
dip chicken in egg mixture on both sides then in dry mix on both sides.
fry in oil (they use peanut oil but any will do) at about 350degrees.
serve on a buttered (lightly toasted) bun with 2 pickle slices.

I have made this as sandwiches and nuggets and both are delish

Raw Vegan Carrot Soup

Kill that Cold with Raw Vegan Carrot Soup

Ingredients (These are approximations. Adjust to your tastes)

2-3 cups almost boiling water
3 tbs olive oil
3 carrots
1 stalk celery
half an onion
2 cloves garlic
an inch of ginger
couple dashes of tamari
1 tbs miso
½ tsp coriander
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp pepper

Directions

Now hold on to your hats. This is complicated ! Put all ingredients in the Vitamix and blend on high until smooth. Instant cold busting soup!
If you don’t have a high powered blender you’re out of luck. Just kidding. Simply boil your carrots and celery until tender and add all the ingredients into the blender and blitz until smooth. The important thing is to get the onion, garlic and ginger in the soup raw to maximize its effectiveness.
Bon Appétit !

Via @EcoPassport on Twitter

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Carrots "Fantastique"

This came from our Oldies Recipe Box.
I'm sure it's from the 1970's or early 1980's
(Due to the specificity of the Sweet'n'Low product use)

Carrots "Fantastique"

Ingredients:

2 sm. cans tomato sauce
1 Tbsp. mustard
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
salt
pepper
8 pkgs. sweet 'n' low
1 lb. can of sliced carrots
2 Tbsp. dry onion flakes


Directions:

MIX all ingredients.
Refrigerate.
Eat in reasonable amounts, with food, or as a snack.

Potato Pone

Although it's not the prettiest gal on the block
She sure is a sweet, tasty treat.

This recipe has variations from Africa, West India, Jamaica, Belize, & Europe
It is worth a research to taste them all.

This is our families' favorite Sweet Potato Pone recipe


Ingredients:
2 cans sweet potatoes (29 oz.)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
1 stick of butter
2 tablespoons vanilla
1 1/4 cups of flour
1/2 cup of raisins



Directions:
Drain potatoes.
Put in mixer bowl and add butter, sugar, egg vanilla.
Gradually add flour. When mixed, stir in the raisins.
Put into a 9 X 13 greased baking dish.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes at 400 degrees until the edges are light brown and is set.

Lavender Mint Tea

Holiday Stress working on ya?
This is a nice soothing recipe, that's tasty and medicinal too.

Lavender Mint Tea

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon fresh lavender flowers or 1/2 teaspoon dried lavender flowers
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves or 2 teaspoons dried mint
1 cup boiling water


Directions:
In a tea or coffee pot combine the lavender flowers and mint.
Pour boiling water over the mixture; steep 5 minutes.
Sweeten with local hive honey.
Makes 1 cup

You can use this recipe for most any mint or herbal tea.

Enjoy and Have a Blessed Holiday Season

Grasshopper Cookies ~Recipe 3Fer

I have two favorite recipes that I was inspired to experiment with this Holiday Season
I have our tried and true everybody loves em Butter Mints & delicious and versatile Homemade Chocolate Wafer Cookies.

So I put them together, kind of a "your peanut butter's in my chocolate" kind of thing :)

The outcome is a Homemade Grasshopper Cookie
You marry these two recipes as pictured
I suggest making both parts ahead of time and letting the kids put them together while you finish another cooking project.

(Make Cookies First) and cool.

Flatten out enough butter mint, for the number of cookies you are making, to the right size. Let them set a while so they can harden a little bit.

Melt a little dark chocolate chips to stick them together on both sides.

For the vibrant Grasshopper Green color in the mints, use green color then add yellow.
It just brightens things up a little like a few drops of Sunshine :)


Here are the two base recipes to get you started

Homemade Chocolate Wafer Cookies

These are good alone, with coffee, and crushed to make cheesecake crusts

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups (6.75 ounces) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (2.4 ounces) unsweetened cocoa powder (see Note)
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly softened
3 tablespoons whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:
Combine the flour, cocoa, sugar, salt, and baking soda in the bowl of food processor and pulse several times to mix thoroughly. Cut the butter into about 12 chunks and add them to the bowl. Pulse several times. Combine the milk and vanilla in a small cup. With the processor running, add the milk mixture and continue to process until the mixture clumps around the blade or the sides of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a large bowl or a cutting board and knead a few times to make sure it is evenly blended.
Form the dough into a log about 14 inches long and 1 3/4 inches in diameter. Wrap the log in wax paper or foil and refrigerate until firm, at least one hour, or until needed.
Position the racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the baking sheets with parchment paper. Cut the log of dough into slices a scant 1/4-inch thick (I went thinner, closer to 1/8 of inch. If you’re trying to emulate the store-bought wafers, slice as thin as you can, and watch the baking time carefully, as it might be less.) and place them one inch apart on the lined sheets (cookies will spread). Bake, rotating the baking sheet from top to bottom and back to front about halfway through baking, for a total of 12 to 15 minutes. The cookies will puff up and deflate; they are done about 1 1/2 minutes after they deflate.
Cool the cookies on the baking sheets on racks, or slide the parchment onto racks to cool completely. These cookies may be stored in an airtight container for up to two weeks or be frozen for up to two months.

Makes 50 to 60 1 3/4-inch wafers. However, I cut my thinner than suggested and yielded more.

Note: These cookies should crisp as they cool. If they don’t, you’re not baking them long enough, in which case, return them to the oven to reheat and bake a little longer, then cool again.


Now for an old tyme favorite in my family

Butter Mints

Ingredients:
1 stick butter
1/2 tsp. salt
5 drops of peppermint
2 Tbsp white corn syrup
1 box 10 X confectioners sugar
coloring of choice

Directions:
Cream Butter, Syrup, & Salt. Mix well.
Add Sugar & mix well (mixture will look crumby like sand)
Add peppermint & color last & mix well. It will still look crumby but be coming together a little)
When everything is well distributed it is best to knead a little with your hand. The heat from your hand will make the candy smooth in texture and color.
Roll a small daub in palm & press down with thumb. (or roll into small diameter logs roll in waxed paper and refrigerate) Then cut into individual candies.
Makes lots of Holiday Candy

This is one of our Winter holiday favorites with adults and children alike. It is also much fun to do with kids.

Coming up is Old Fashioned Tea Cake Cookies.

Christmas Crack ~ Crazy Good Candy

Christmas Crack

Ingredients
1 sleeve saltine crackers
1 cup butter
1/2 cup light brown sug
12 oz. semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 - 3/4 cup chopped nuts - depending on how many you like

Directions
Put sleeve of saltines in a single layer on parchment paper on a large rimmed cookie sheet.
Melt the butter and brown sugar in medium saucepan. Cook for 3 minutes, stir constantly.
Pour hot mixture over crackers and spread evenly. Bake 10 - 15 minutes at 350 degrees.
Remove from oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips. When they start to melt, spread evenly over crackers.
Sprinkle chopped nuts on top before cooled.
Refrigerate 1 hour, then break into pieces and serve.
I use a 17.5" x 12" rimmed pan.
And you can also mix butterscotch chips with the chocolate and it is really good too! Enjoy!!

We had to use Toasted Salted Pecans this year and it's AWESOME

Tastes ALOT like a SKOR CANDY BAR

Tiny Trees on a Tray

I've seen similar trees in one of my favorite catalogues for years at quite exhorbant pricing and had a little leftover oasis this year and decided What The Hey!

The most worrysome part of this project is cutting the oasis, it's dusty and messy (wet or dry) but it is so worth it in the end. I was going to Just Do It and have my kids oh and ahh and that be the end of it. But I put my 5 1/2 yr old daughter in charge and it was just the right kind of project for her.
I cut the stems (branches) all the right size and just let her go at it, and it's one of the most perfect decorations in our house. (both to look at & for fragrance)
And will be as much as a tradition in the future as making Gingerbread houses.

The oasis I had was in a square portion but you may be able to purchase cones and spheres as well.
So I recycled the old Oasis and cut it down into triangular shaped forms. (Shown here)Soaking in a bowl of water.

Arborvitae required quite a bit of branches. But was fun all the more.
We started from the bottom & worked our way up. We had to have longer stems for the damaged parts of the oasis.



Fraiser Fir was quite sappy & sticky
I plan to let my youngest finish up the boxwood tree tomorrow whilst I start the Holiday Baking.

Watch for homemade Grasshopper Cookies Recipe

Tomato Cage Topiary

This thought came to me all of a sudden this week as I was looking over the prices of live trees to put into my pots.
I had some extra greenery cut so I put my mind to work how to use it up
Repurpose your Tomato cages from the garden

This is a daytime and a nighttime view of my finished trees, They are large enough to make a statement in daylight or nighttime and the design can be more elaborate if you wish adding ornaments or garlands. I was simply using what I had around (the least expensive options)

Materials Needed:
Tomato Cages
Floral wire
Fresh Cut Greenery (16" pieces are optimal)
Embellishments (lights, Ornaments, Toppers)
one wire hanger cut into 6" pieces and bent into a U-shape to hold down tree into soil)

I started with an assortment of Tomato cages, and chose the least damaged of what I had.
I wired the tops to make a sort of teepee form

Then I started adding my greenery it was already cut into about 16" pieces since I was putting together wreaths and garland(Check out past blog posts from 2012). More pieces can be put into a bucket and cut into to make those. (it takes about 1/2 -3/4 a five gallon bucket to make each tree)
I used Sea Green Junipers for the ones pictured.

Wrapping once across the branch, under the first rung in the cage and back around is enough to hold on your branches.
If it seems thin push branches to one side and add a couple more.
You are really just creating an illusion, so unless you're going to have a professional checking out your work, the imperfections are what actually give this project its charm.
I topped off my Tree Creations with what ever red flowers I had around (they were inexpensive Dollar Store finds)
I also topped the very top with just a little fraiser fir branches. Just because.
We added a strand of solar led lights to each tree.

I'm thinking you could make a thin taller tree if you wired two cages together, and smaller one with cones of chicken wire. (Or even other topiary shapes it's only limited by the imagination)

Christmas decoration don't have to be costly or fancy to make the season special. Family & Friends and never forgetting the True Meaning of Christmas makes for a much more memorable & fulfilling Time.

Living Simpler is goof for you and good for the planet.


Here is a Sneak Peek of the next installation of our Christmas Decorating with the Kids.
Tiny Trees on a Tray

Interesting Find ~ Japanese Turf Lily

Just for fun this morning I picked up my favorite Herbal Medicine book (The Way of Herbs by: Michael Tierra, C.A., N.D.) and flipped open to the first page I found and read....(quoted below)
It was a surprisingly common plant found in many gardens and yards, that usually ends up being quite abundant, with little care or maintenance.

Japanese Lily Turf (creeping lily root, dwarf lilyturf)
Ophiopogon japonicas
Liliaceae



Parts used: Bulbs
Energy & Flavor: Sweet to slightly bitter, slightly cool
Systems affected: Heart, lungs, stomach
Biochemical constituants: Ruscogenin (steroid sapogenin), siterol, stigmasterol, sitosterol-D-glucoside,
ophioside, sugars, mucilage
Properties: Demulcent, nutrient tonic, Yin tonic

This is another grasslike ornamental grown in many gardens throughout the world. Its tonic therapeutic values make it worth pointing out. Since the flavor of these little bulbets is not at all unpleasant, it is a good idea to consider a few on them in soups for their therapeutic value.
Japanese turf lily is use4d for any symptoms associated with dryness, lack of vital fluids, including general depletion of bodily fluids, dryness of the heart, skin, & dry stool. It is especially useful for dry cough, asthma or spitting of blood.
Because of its deep nourishing properties, it gives one a sense of inner well-being, strength, & thus will lessen palpitations, insomnia, & general paranoia & fearfulness.
It is contraindicated when one has a particular tendency towards cold sensitivity, diarrhea or loose stools. However the contraindication is only in regard to long term use.



Disclaimer:
The information herin this blog entry is from the above said source. I do not recommend the practice of using herbal medicines without the consultation of your medical practitioner. Although I do condone use of natural medicinals in place of chemical products. This is for informative and entertainment purposes only the blogwriter is not liable for any misuse of informations provided.

I do recommend reaearching your health condition and searching for helpful herbal remedies. In every culture, in every climate, in every continent, herbal relief for ecological niches common ailments are usually found all around you. It is a God given pharmacy, don't misuse what resources you have but know what is there. It is the way things are supposed to be, we have been provided for, and yet we destroy what has been given to us and remedies that are rightfully ours. Become an advocate for your self, your health, your planet.

Have a Great Week
~V

Homemade Fig Newtons

First we oven dried our figs, took a long time.
We will from now on use a dehydrator.



I think we are going to try some other flavors as the fall season is upon us and a new fresh produce season is upon us, maybe pumpkin newtons, apple newtons, pear newtons, date newtons...Somebody Stop me...LOL

For the Dough
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 stick (or 1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbs honey, or corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon orange zest
3 egg yolks
1 ounce orange juice

For the Filling
1/2 cup dried figs, finely chopped
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 1/2 tbs honey or corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Making the Dough
Your dough will need to chill for at least 4 hours before you begin, so make sure to do it ahead of time!

~Cream together the butter and sugar. Add honey (or corn syrup), baking soda, vanilla, cinnamon, and orange zest and continue mixing until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Add in your sifted flour all at once and mix it in slowly. Drizzle in the orange juice and continue mixing until just combined. The dough should be very soft and wet.

~Prepare a large sheet of plastic wrap and use a rubber spatula to transfer the dough from the bowl to the center of the plastic. Fold the plastic over the dough and flatten into a disc. Wrap with remaining plastic and refrigerate for four hours or overnight

Preparing the Filling
~Combine the figs, applesauce, honey (or corn syrup), and cinnamon in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until smooth. Scrape the bowl down and pulse again to ensure no chunks remain. Transfer the fig paste to a bowl and set aside.

Baking and Shaping the Cookies
If you don’t care about the shape of your fig newtons, you can play around with other looks and appearances too! Just keep your cookie dough about 1/4th an inch thick and it should still bake up the same way.

~Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

~On a well-floured surface, roll out your chilled dough to about 1/4th an inch thickness. Make sure the dough is floured enough not to stick to any surfaces. Cut your dough into several 3 1/2 inch wide strips. It’s easier to work with strips no longer than 6 inches long, so you might want to cut them down a size.

~Spoon your filling down the center of each strip and spread it so that it’s about 1 inch across and 1/4th an inch thick. Fold the dough edges over the middle line of filling. The edges should overlap a little bit. Flip the cookie over so that the seam side is down. Transfer your newtons to a prepared cookie sheet and bake for approximately 12 minutes, or until cookies are puffed and browned all around. If they are still moist to the touch, continue baking for a few minutes.

~Once your cookies are done, cut each of your bars into 1 inch pieces. Layer them into a plastic ziplock bag or seal-able Tupperware container. If you’re stacking cookies, place a sheet of parchment paper in between each layer. Stored at room temperature, they should stay moist and tasty for about 2 weeks!


This is not my own recipe but one I found on the internet at
http://www.yummly.com/blog/2012/11/how-to-make-fig-newtons-from-scratch/

Mystery Nut No Bake Cookies

Mystery Nut No Bake Cookies
Makes about 24 1" Balls



1/2c coconut oil
2 tbsp peanut butter
4 tbsp corn syrup
1 1/3 c plain rolled oats
1 square ramen noodles, very well broken down.
2oz. Garden of Life Raw Protein powder Chocolate

Mix together coconut oil, peanut butter & corn syrup until well blended and smooth.
Add Raw Protein Powder, and stir until all is blended in.
Add Oatmeal and Ramen noodles, stir until everything is covered. Everything should be off the walls of the mixing bowl as well. (No Waste)
Scoop out into 1 tsp or 1" balls and place on waxed paper on cookie sheet.
Set in the refrigerator about 30 minutes.
The coconut oil will set making your cookies beautifully opaque.

I served these to a couple neighbors, who loved them but were totally confused about what kind of nut I had used. (The Crunch is from the Ramen)

Watch for more recipes as I tweak some flavors in similar no bake recipes. These are quite vegan, and uses no electricity so you're in the Green ;)

We're exchanging the regular peanut butter for cashew butter next time, adding chopped pistachios, and chopped dries cherries. Watch for them...I may back down to 3 tbsp. sweetener as well. What to call themmmm....

Saying Good Bye to Summer

2013 has been an unexpectedly mild summer for us here in South Carolina. Only reaching triple digits in the way of Heat index 2 times I believe. Much more moisture than most years, which started out great but did turn detrimental for some crops as it continued with gully washing force. One day by the debris on some neighbors trees in a low spot, it rose about 30 inches in the creek between two homes, took the upper gravel driveway and delivered it to the other side of the road some 100 feet away.

From Harvesting and learning new ways to use Semi Exotic but common Summer Harvests Like Turkey & Mission Figs



By the way all that wasn't jarred was eaten in Homemade Fig Newtons, and dried Figs (The little one just loved them)

We have had some beautiful Full Moons (Blue Moon 8/21/13)



And Spectacular Skyscapes



Of Course there was much color everywhere (This is the slightest sampling of the photographs I got to take this year.) I was blessed with multiple sprains and twists so I didn't get to do much more, Fall clean up is going to be a clearout.



So today I say Good bye to Summer, Fall has felt like it has snuck in here for the last couple days.
A little precipitation this weekend would be perfect, as it has been a little on the dry side.

It has been reported that Snakes are plentiful, and here in the end of the summer the insect critters have been too. (Although some are about 2 months behind schedule...aka: June Bugs in August) Wasps, Yellow Jackets, and bees have been on the down low, and we're just getting to see some butterflies in more numbers.

I hope you enjoy this taste of what I get to live with.
Looking back over my photographs I am truly blessed.

Victoria Meetze/EarthSource Services
http://www.facebook.com/EarthSourceServicesSC7