Thursday, November 20, 2008

Cats



Those of you who know me well be prepared to fall over...... I am getting a cat. The kids have long been asking for a pet and we found one that everyone can agree on. Bengal cats are a relatively new breed to Canada. They are absolutely beautiful, they don't climb (because of their excellent jumping skills) and they aren't known to shed,

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Dirty Dozen

Yesterday I made a reference to the dirty dozen. This term is applied to the 12 foods that are the most contaminated by harmful chemicals, and are best bought organic. They are;

• Apples
• Bell Peppers
• Celery
• Cherries
• Imported Grapes
• Nectarines
• Peaches
• Pears
• Potatoes
• Red Raspberries
• Spinach
• Strawberries


.....and don't get me started about peanut butter

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Anyone who opens my fridge will notice a container filled with cooked quinoa, so it is ready to throw into whatever I happen to be cooking at the time. Quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids making it an unusually complete protein source.It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. It is gluten-free and considered easy to digest. I hide it in everything from cookies to chili to oatmeal. In addition to the grain that you must cook, there is a 'puffed quinoa'. This is great to stir into yogurt, your normal breakfast cereal (which the kids don't often notice), or to eat on its own.



On a separate note, here is a great quick and easy couscous salad.

3/4 c. low sodium chicken broth
1 c. uncooked couscous
1 - 20oz can of pineapple tidbits, drained (fresh pineapple is better)
1 - 4 oz can of green chilis, drained
1/4 c. chopped pecans, toasted
3 green onions, chopped
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh mint
4 1/2 cups organic baby spinach *

Bring the broth to a boil. Stir in the couscous. Cover and remove from heat. Let stand for 5 miutes. Fluff with a fork. In a large bowl combine the couscous, pineapple, chilis, pecans, onions, oil, mint and garlic. Toss to coat. Chill. Serve over spinach.


*spinach is one of the dirty dozen so organic is FAR better

Monday, November 3, 2008

Yummy carcass

I am always striving to educate my children to make the proper nutritional choices. The increasing controversy regarding the hormones and genetic manipulation in the meat industry concern me. I prefer to err on the side of caution where my kids' health is concerned. As a result I have been trying to discourage their dependance on meat. Tonight at suppertime when Noah asked his daily question "What's for supper" I answered "Cow carcass". Isaac asked what that meant. Noah told him that it mant that we were having dead cow for supper. Half way through supper my darling daughter exclaimed "This dead cow is yummy". I guess I need to find a different way to turn my kids into vegetarians by choice.

Here are a few websites for your enjoyment and education.....

http://www.terigentes.com/

http://www.storyofstuff.com/

http://www.thegoodhuman.com/

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Monday, October 27, 2008

Quinoa Porridge - YUM!

As requested........



1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch coarse sea salt
1/2 cup low fat or unsweetened soy milk
1 apple, diced
1/2 cup strawberries (sliced) or blueberries
1/8 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
organic honey or agave syrup (optional)


1. Add quinoa, water, cinnamon and salt to a small pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until most of the water has been absorbed.

2. Add milk and apples. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Stir in the berries and honey. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes. Porridge will thicken during this time.

Monday, October 20, 2008

Just starting out





I was looking for a way to keep everyone up to date with all that is going on around here (not that we live terribly adventurous lives, but the kids are growing and changing so much). I thought I'd give blogging a try. Lesson #1 - I can't rotate videos the way I can rotate photos. Good to know. Anyway....here's Sydnie singing sideways