Author: Mary | Just Take A Bite

June 16, 2013

Meal Plans Week of 6-16-13

Happy Father’s Day!!! I’m so grateful for my father, my father-in-law, my grandfathers and of course my amazing husband!

Happy Father’s Day!!

This will kind of be a week of celebration for us. We are celebrating Father’s Day today as a family. And over the weekend we get to see almost all of our family for my brother-in-law’s wedding. Rebecca gets to be a flower girl for the first time. She is so excited. We’ll also celebrate Father’s Day with both dads and my niece’s 2nd birthday while we’re there.

Last week we had fun with cheerleading camp, time at the library, playing outside and homemade ice cream treats. This week I have an appointment with my psychologist. We’ll make our weekly trip to the farmer’s market. We’re starting to see strawberries. Soon we’ll stock up (maybe go picking?) so we can get a bunch in the freezer. We have milk pick up and co-op pick up. And we’ll be getting ready for wedding stuff.

Mommy-daughter date – painting our toe nails for the first time.

I need to make more bars for myself, scones for a new breakfast item, maybe more gummies for the kids (if our order of gelatin arrives) and food for the weekend. Our festivities won’t have much gluten free food, so I’ll have to be sure I’ve got easy stuff for Rebecca and me to eat/to bring along.

I’m still plugging along with my healing. I’m trying to take naps most days and get to bed on time. I’m not worrying too much about food, just eating what sounds good and what I know my body tolerates well. I have been learning just how much anxiety impacts my adrenal function. I can tell when I have a cortisol spike. It gives me a burst of energy and it takes over what my body is really feeling. Any pain or upset stomach goes away as the adrenaline kicks in. I want to go, go, go because I’ve got energy. Even though that’s not what I need. The feelings are a short term thing. Then I come crashing down and have to work harder to recover. So I’m working on keeping anxiety to a minimum.

On to the menu. We’re running low on meat in the freezer. So it’s getting tougher to plan meals. I need to do some shopping soon to stock up. Maybe next week. What’s on your menu?
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S (bake amaranth bars, FD, church, prep smoothies) D3
B – yogurt, granola (J), pancakes (A/R), gm yogurt, amaranth bar (M)
L – beef stroganoff, corn, applesauce
D – grilled hot dogs, seasoned french fries, peas

M (bake scones, Dr. V.) D4
B – smoothie, scones (J/A), squash, scone (M), granola w/ milk (R)
D – (prep ahead) – cp rice and beans w/ cheese, sour cream, avocado

T (FM, soak flour) D1
B – yogurt, granola, banana (J/R/A), duck egg, TBD (M)
D – cheesy chicken, broccoli and rice

W (make rice bars, milk, make gummies, co-op, pack) D2
B – smoothie, scone (J/A), TBD, rice bar (M), granola w/ milk (R)
D – ham, scalloped potatoes, beans

Th (pack/prep food) D3
B – pancakes w/ strawberry topping (J), gm yogurt, bar (M), toast w/ ab (R/A)
D – (Justin out to eat) – Rebecca’s Restaurant – grilled ham and cheese, peas, milkshakes

F (pack/prep food, prep cake stuff, rehearsal) D4
B – egg puffs, toast, strawberries (J), squash, scone, yogurt (M) TBD (R/A)
D – rehearsal

S (wedding) D1
B – (Justin out to eat) – yogurt, bar (M), muffin, raisins (A), strawberries, granola bar (R)
L – (Justin out to eat) – hot dogs, olives, grapes (R/A), grilled cheese, squash (M)
D – wedding

June 11, 2013

Soaked Gluten Free Oatmeal Muffins

Soaked gluten free oatmeal muffins make a simple, nutritious and delicious breakfast or compliment to a warm bowl of soup. Soak the flour one day. Bake the muffins the next. Easy.

Almost every single morning the first word out of my son’s mouth is “munin.” He is on a muffin kick! So I try to keep muffins on hand.

Today I made a gluten free version of some oatmeal muffins I’ve made many times before.

This is a great base recipe. You can add any kind of fruit, nut, etc. to change the flavor. Today’s recipe included cranberries and chocolate chips. Cinnamon raisin is always good too.

These muffins are gluten free and soaked to make them easier to digest. They can also be dairy free if you use lemon juice + water for soaking.
If you’re looking for a new breakfast treat try these muffins.

Soaked Gluten Free Oatmeal Muffins
makes 12 muffins

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup buttermilk OR yogurt OR kefir OR 2 Tbsp. lemon juice + water to equal 1 cup
2/3 cup white rice flour
1/3 cup amaranth flour
1 egg
4 Tbsp. coconut oil (melted butter would work too)
1/3 – 1/2 cup brown cane sugar, sucanat or coconut sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon (optional)
1/2 – 1 cup add-ins (raisins, nuts, seeds, fresh fruit, dried fruit, chocolate chips)

Mix oats, flour and soaking liquid. Cover and let sit 7 -24 hours.

Heat oven to 400. Mix the remaining ingredients into the oat mixture (I use a hand mixer for this to work out any lumps).

Fill muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake for 18-20 min.

June 10, 2013

Soaked Gluten Free Brownies (dairy free, egg free, nut free)

When I bake I don’t always use precise measurements. Sometimes I don’t feel like getting measuring cups dirty and I just eyeball some of the ingredients. That’s how I came up with this recipe for brownies. I wasn’t trying to make brownies. But when they came out of the oven soft, chewy and chocolately I had to make a second batch to see if I could recreate them.

And I did. The best part about these brownies? They are easy on your tummy and very allergen friendly. No gluten. No eggs. No dairy. No nuts. And they taste amazing!

These are very easy to make. The brownie batter comes together in minutes. You can make a big batch and keep a stash in the freezer. But they don’t usually last long enough for me to put any away. I eat most of them myself 🙂

Have you had your brownie fix today? Give these a try. You won’t be disappointed.

Soaked Gluten Free Brownies

makes 8″ or 9″ square pan

1 1/2 cups amaranth flour*

1/2 cup tapioca flour*

1/4 cup organic cocoa powder*

1 Tbsp. lemon juice* + water to equal 1/3 cup

1/3 cup coconut oil*

1/3 cup + 3 Tbsp. honey

3 Tbsp. cane sugar, sucanat or coconut sugar*

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. sea salt*

1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

1/3 cup mini chocolate chips* (optional)

Combine the flours, cocoa powder, coconut oil and water/lemon juice. Cover and let sit 7-24 hours.

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8″ or 9″ square baking pan.

Add the remaining ingredients (except the chocolate chips) to the soaked mixture. Mix well (I use a hand mixer for this to get any lumps worked out). Stir in the chocolate chips.

Spread in the prepared pan. Bake 20 – 25 minutes.

Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Cut into squares. Store the brownies in the refrigerator to keep them fresh. They will keep well for a long time in the freezer.

*These are affiliate links. It will not change the cost for you if you buy through the link, but I will get a small commission. It helps me earn a small amount to keep putting in the time and effort to do what I do 🙂

June 9, 2013

Meal Plans Week of 6-9-13

Rah, rah, rah…it’s cheerleading week! Rebecca has cheerleading camp all week. I’m excited for her 🙂 This week will be a bit busier than last week. Father’s Day is almost here…ummm…time to shop. We also have our weekly trip to the farmer’s market, a trip to the grocery store, and I have a MomBreak steering team meeting (first one!).

I have quite a few kitchen projects on the agenda this week. I need to use the rhubarb I bought last week. I’m thinking I’ll probably do a crisp with it. I need to make a batch of soaked rice bars and coconut flour scones. I need to make some breakfast baked good. And I need to bake the cake for my BIL’s wedding. I could also try making veggie broth and coconut milk if time allows.

I tried to take it pretty easy last week. I took a nap almost every day. I was in the sun as much as possible. And I went to bed on time every night. My neighbors must think I’m lazy and just lounge in the sun all day 😛 But I really am doing hard work trying to heal my body. And it seems to be helping. My body temp has been in the 98’s all week!!! Yes, my weight is higher than it’s been in about 9 years (excluding pregnancy). But that’s life. I spent lots of time playing and reading with my kids. And we went to a baseball game last night. I’m doing my best to stay focused on what matters and being healthy.

Can’t have baseball without hot dogs…so we brought our own organic grass-fed dogs on gluten free buns…shhh, don’t tell 😉

Here is the weekly menu. I had a hard time coming up with meals this week. I think it’s time to do some browsing and find new recipes to try. I’m getting bored with our usual meals.

“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.” Ephesians 3:17 – 18
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S (church, make rhubarb pie or crisp, prep smoothies) D4
B – yogurt, granola (J/R/A), yogurt, amaranth bar, squash (M)
L – cp sweet and sour meatballs over rice, beans
D – grill burgers, chips, broccoli

M (bake muffins, CC, soak flour, FD shopping) D1
B – smoothie, muffins (J/R/A), fried duck egg over beets (M)
D – cp roast chicken, potatoes, carrots

T (make rice bars, CC, FM) D2
B – yogurt, granola (J/R/A), blueberries, cheese, rice bar (M)
D – cp pork chops, rice, peas

W (CC, Meijer) D3
B – smoothie, muffins (J/R/A), gm yogurt, amaranth bar, pumpkin (M)
D – fried perch or baked white fish, chips, broccoli

Th (make scones, CC, ST) D4
B – egg puff, toast (J), yogurt, squash, scone (M), toast w/ pb (R/A)
D – (early/easy clean up) – tuna noodle casserole, corn

F (make ice cream treats, CC, clean) D1
B – granola w/ milk, strawberries (J), fried duck egg, mushrooms (M), gf golden grahams w/ milk (R/A)
D – gf pancakes, roasted brussels sprouts and cauliflower, applesauce

S (bake cake) D2
B – pancakes (J/R/A), snap peas, cheese, rice bar (M)
D – grilled steak, carrots, baked potatoes

June 5, 2013

Gluten Free Cornbread

Almost every time I make chili I make cornbread to go with it. I have no idea why. They just seem like a good match to me. I love any salty/sweet combinations. Chili was on our menu last week, so I had to come up with a gluten free cornbread recipe.

I mostly used the same recipe I always do but modified it slightly to make it gluten free.

I made muffins this time. But it works just as well to make a full pan of cornbread.

These are very simple to make. Put the ingredients in the bowl, mix with a spoon, pour and bake.

You end up with slightly sweet, delicious cornbread. This is a great match for soup or stew. Or it works well for breakfast topped with honey or maple syrup.

Gluten Free Cornbread

makes 12 muffins or a 9″ round bread

1 cup organic cornmeal

1/2 cup white rice flour

1/4 cup amaranth flour

1/4 cup tapioca flour

2/3 cup organic cane sugar, sucanat or coconut sugar

1 tsp. sea salt

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 egg

1 cup milk (or milk substitute)

1/3 cup melted butter or coconut oil

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9″ round cake pan or line a muffin tin with paper cups.

Combine the dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients and stir until combined.

Pour into prepared pan or muffin cups.

Bake 20 – 30 minutes (less for muffins, more for bread), until golden and baked through.

Serve with butter, honey, syrup or jam.

June 3, 2013

Soaked Gluten Free Waffles

Soaked gluten free waffles make a great Saturday morning breakfast or fun weeknight dinner.

My daughter requested waffles the other day. So I added them to our menu.

No problem. I’ve made gluten free waffles before.

But this time I decided to try soaking them to make them easier to digest.

Soaked gluten free waffles are so good!! The version I made looked a little dark because of the teff flour. But they were delicious – especially covered in homemade strawberry topping.

These soaked gluten free waffles come together in minutes. Just soak the flour the day before. Then beat some egg whites, mix and pour in your waffle maker.

Use your favorite toppings like butter, real maple syrup, honey or fresh fruit to make soaked gluten free waffles a real treat.

These soaked gluten free waffles are now a staple in our Friday night breakfast for dinner rotation. Once you try them you’ll want to add them to your menu regularly as well!

Are you in the mood for a satisfying breakfast (or dinner!)? Try some soaked gluten free waffles.

Soaked Gluten Free Waffles

makes about 4 waffles

1/2 cup white rice flour (or sorghum)
1/3 cup tapioca flour
1/4 cup teff flour (or brown rice, buckwheat or amaranth)

1/2 cup total soaking liquid: buttermilk OR kefir OR yogurt OR 1 Tbsp. lemon juice + water to equal 1/2 cup

1 egg, separated

1/2 tsp. cream of tartar (not essential, but helps the egg whites stiffen)
1/2 cup smooth, unsweetened applesauce
1 Tbsp. organic cane sugar, sucanat or coconut sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. sea salt

Combine the flours and soaking liquid. Cover and let soak for 7-24 hours.

Heat and grease a waffle iron.
In a medium bowl beat the egg white and cream of tartar until stiff peaks form.
Add the remaining ingredients to the soaked flour and beat (I like to use a hand mixer for this) until well combined (about 2 minutes).
Fold in the egg white.
Pour batter onto the waffle iron and allow to fully cook. You can keep the cooked waffles on a cooling rack on a baking sheet in the oven on low heat until all of the waffles are done.
Serve with real maple syrup, honey, homemade powdered sugar or fruit topping.
Store leftovers in a seal container in the refrigerator or freezer.

*To reheat wrap the waffles in a damp paper towel. Heat at 350 degrees in an oven or toaster oven for 5 – 8 minutes, until warmed.

June 2, 2013

Meal Plans Week of 6-2-13

It’s the first full week of June. That means time to enjoy summer vacation. It looks like we’ll have some cooler weather this week. So no water fun. But hopefully it will be dry so we can at least get outside.

Come on mom, I’m hungry!

We really don’t have a lot going on this week. Which means I get to have lots of play time with my kids 🙂 I’ll probably make a trip to the health food store. And Rebecca has a doctor appointment. We might go to a baseball game on Saturday if the weather is nice since we couldn’t go last week.

This is the first week our local farmer’s market is open. The kids and I are looking forward to starting our weekly walks there.

Memorial Day s’mores

No big updates on myself. I’m slowly learning to let go of control and just let things be. I’m not stressing about what I’m eating. I don’t obsess over the things I “can’t” eat. I’m just thankful for the healthy, nourishing food I can eat…and trying to enjoy it. I’m trying not to think too much about size/looks. I’m focusing on doing things I enjoy (like baking, crafts, writing, walking, reading, etc.) and spending time with my family. My kids are so much happier when I’m less anxious/less stressed. I had another morning with Rebecca this week when I was sitting down with her for breakfast and she just looked at me with a big grin and sparkle in her eye. And she said “I’m happy.” It makes every ounce of struggle I’m going through worth it. I want to continue this trend.

I haven’t thought too much about kitchen projects this week yet. I didn’t have time for ice cream treats last week, so I might try those. We are almost out of granola. I might do some other breakfast baked good. I need to figure out what to do with our homemade marshmallows. So maybe I’ll come up with some kind of treat with those. And we’ll see what produce we get at the farmer’s market to use.

I’m looking forward to a relaxing, fun week. Here’s what’s on the menu. What are you eating this week?
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S (church) D1
B -donut, banana (J), beets, gm yogurt w/ amaranth bar (M), string cheese, strawberries (R/A)
L – leftover chili and cornbread
D – leftover pizza or hot dogs

M (sewing) D2
B – yogurt, gf breakfast cookies (J/R/A), snap peas, cheese, rice bar (M)
D – ham noodle bake, peas, applesauce

T (make granola, FM) D3
B – granola w/ milk fruit (J/R/A), pumpkin, gm yogurt, amaranth bar (M)
D – salmon cakes, beans, rice

W (bake lemon poppyseed muffins, HH) D4
B – muffins, fruit (J/R/A), squash, beef, scone (M)
D – meatloaf or meatballs, baked potatoes, broccoli

Th (skim cream, boil eggs, make gummies, Dr. M.) D1
B – hb egg, toast (J), sauteed broccoli, fried duck egg (M), baked good, gummies (R/A)
D – chicken parmesan over noodles, corn

F (make ic treats, soak flour) D2
B – granola w/ milk (J/R/A), watermelon, cheese, rice bar (M)
D – scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, peas, watermelon

S (make amaranth bars, baseball game) D3
B – eggs, bacon, toast (J/R/A), gm yogurt, amaranth bar, pumpkin (M)
D – at game / pack food

June 1, 2013

Goals Of The Month – June 2013

It’s June! It’s summer time. It’s time to take it easy, enjoy the fresh air and sunshine and just play. Sounds like a plan for relaxing and healing to me 🙂 We do have a family wedding/weekend away and a family birthday party. But no other big plans this month. Here are my goals.

1. Writing – Brainstorm topics for the RFH Sept/Oct issue and write my GRNL article.

2. Photography – Keep doing what I’m doing and have fun with photo editing. Do some reading in my photography book if time allows.

3. Healing – This month my focus is on getting at least 7 hours of sleep EVERY night…and hopefully more some nights. I am also trying to reduce stress. Now that our usual activities are done we can take it easy and just have fun.

I want to be in the sun every day if possible (unless it’s rainy all day).

I might try a new/stronger Betaine supplement to help with digestion/stomach acid.

4. Homemade Food – I am gradually working on stocking my pantry with homemade goodies.

Our local farmer’s market starts this month. Which means times to preserve food!

5. Relationships – We will have lots of family time this month with my BIL’s wedding and my niece’s birthday. I also have to come up with a Mommy-daughter date.

6. Rebecca – This month I’m going to focus on reducing anxiety for her and keeping her diet free of anything artificial. She is going to do a cheerleading camp. And we will be doing some hands-on fun learning.

7. Crafts – No big plans here. Just enjoy crafting with Rebecca. If time allows I can browse pinterest for ideas for Christmas gifts. I might also do some odds and ends sewing.

8. Cakes – I will be making a small wedding cake for my BIL (just a “topper” for the bride and groom).

9. Declutter – Sort toys and clothes as time allows.

10. Acceptance – Continue to work on accepting my body, especially as it changes during healing.

11. Service – start to help with nursery cmt soon.

May 31, 2013

End of Month Recap – May 2013

So sad to see my Mother’s May come to an end 😛 Overall it’s been a good month. We spent a lot of time outside. We finished our regular activities. And I’ve been working on my health. I’ve also learned that my time spent taking care of myself doesn’t have to end here. I should ALWAYS focus on my own needs so that I am able to better meet the needs of my family. Here is how it went.

1. Writing – I wrote articles for Real Food and Health and Grand Rapids Natural Living. I also did quite a bit of writing on my blog.

2. Photography – I’m having fun with photo editing.

3. Healing – I continue to push myself to make progress (despite my anxieties). Most nights I get at least 7 hours of sleep (I know I should get even more, but that is a HUGE improvement for me…baby steps). I try to spend some time in the sun each day (as long as it’s not raining). I continue to stretch each day. I took a hula hoop class. I continue to rotate my foods for the most part, but I also don’t stress over it. I did add yogurt back into my diet. So far I think I’m doing ok with it. I only have it once every 4 days at the most. I’m doing my best to be ok with weight gain and focusing on nourishing my body. I have read The Nourished Metabolism twice now. Here is my review of it. This is a process that could take a while. I’m working on it bit by bit.

4. Homemade Food – I am working on replacing all packaged foods in my cupboard. So far so good.

5. Relationships – Rebecca and I went dress shopping. Justin and I got to go out for dinner with some church friends.

6. Rebecca – I have not yet tried gluten again with Rebecca. But I have realized that the biggest culprit food-wise is anything artificial (dyes, colors, etc.) or added (“natural” flavors, etc.). So avoiding any kind of packaged food is key (hence goal #4 :). Whether or not properly prepared baked goods at home made with wheat would be ok is still TBD.

7. Crafts – Rebecca and I had a fun craft time together this week. We need to do that more often…which means I need to come up with more crafts for myself…pinterest here I come 😛

8. Cakes – I made a fun car cake for Abram’s birthday.

9. Declutter – I think the kids wanted May to be clutter month 😛

10. Acceptance – A big work in progress.

MAY 2013 LINKS

Here are some great reads for the month:

Wonder what the soy lecithin sludge is in your food? Girl Meets Nourishment will tell you.

This coconut pear crisp from The Skinny Pear sounds delicious!

I just might have to try this method for spring cleaning my house. A Joyful Mother makes it sound pretty doable in just 3 hours!

I’m always wondering how to get a good fish oil supplement since I have a hard time with fermented cod liver oil. Fooduciary explains what to look for.

I usually just compost my broccoli stalks. I think I might start using them for broth or to eat now. Thanks to Healy Real Food Vegetarian for this list of what to do with them.

Here is some neat information about tooth decay and what to do about it from Culinary Tidbits.

Here is a great summary of why you might want to go gluten free from Food That Grows. It’s the reason my daughter and I are gluten free right now.

I am seriously going to have to try making cultured butter with sour cream! I have tried so many times to make butter from cream and failed. Maybe I can get this method from Oh Lardy to work!

Our kids take 2-4 baths a week. This post from Growing Up Herbal about how often to bathe your child and how often to use soap is very informative. I might start cutting back on soap/shampoo for my kids, especially since my son has really dry skin patches.

I need to make this coconut oil body butter from The Nourished Life for the whole family.
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And links to my own articles if you missed any of them:

The Nourished Metabolism – Review

Marshmallows, S’mores Ice Cream, Sea Salt Caramel Ice Cream and Instant Ice Cream…With a Secret Ingredient

Too Afraid to Get Healthy Part 1

Too Afraid to Get Healthy Part 2

What To Do With Leftover Muffins…Make Bread Pudding

Gluten Free Yellow Cake with Vanilla Buttercream

Gluten Free Goldfish and Cheese-It Crackers

Gluten Free Pancakes

Soaked Gluten Free Breakfast Cookies

Goals of the Month – May 2013

May 28, 2013

The Nourished Metabolism

I’ve been meaning to get to this post for a while. Last month I got a copy of The Nourished Metabolism, an e-book by Elizabeth Walling. And I immediately wanted to tell everyone about it. But I’ve been busy reading it, re-reading it and doing my own health updates (Part 1, Part 2) that were spurred on by the book.

I’m finally getting around to it…with only a few days to spare to get a copy for 35% off!! Sorry about the late review. But even if you miss the May 31 deadline I think it’s worth every penny at full price.

Here are the topics Elizabeth covers:

You’ll learn why sleep is so, so, so important…a lesson I’ve learned the hard way.

You’ll learn why you might need to add salt to your diet and drink less water. More salt and less water alone made a huge difference for me in raising my body temperature and even helping with digestion.

You’ll learn why sugar is not evil…in fact you need some.

You’ll learn about listening to your body instead of a diet or routine that someone else prescribes. No vegetarian. No paleo. No low carb. No high fat. Just do what works for your body.

The first time I opened the book I went through the whole thing…in one sitting. I could not put it down.

I could go on and on and on about how great this book is. But I will let it speak for itself. Do yourself a favor and order a copy today.

Until May 31 you can get it at 35% off and get a FREE copy of Elizabeth’s e-booklet: Emotional Eating Myths and Solutions.

Do you struggle with:

Low body temperature
Mood swings
Inability to handle stress
Dry skin, dandruff, brittle nails, psoriasis, eczema
Poor digestion, constipation, diarrhea, allergies
Erratic sleep patterns, insomnia, trouble falling or staying asleep
Exhausting, alternating between wired and tired
Blood sugar crashes,
PMS, irregular menstrual cycles, low sex drive and other signs of hormonal imbalance

You probably have a stressed metabolism. Start nourishing yours today to start feeling great!! Order a copy of The Nourished Metabolism today.

I know this review is kind of short, but hopefully it’s to the point. And I wanted to be sure I got this up before the sale ends.

No problem. I’ve made gluten free waffles before.

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