My girls are old enough now that they can cook a meal once a week on their own. My oldest decided that she wanted to make spinach and artichoke stuffed shells. I didn't look too closely at the recipe, but she did get it from a vegan website. Anyway, when I announced that we were going dairy-free I got a message from an earthly angel and friend. Her family has been dairy-free for about a year now. She was so willing and happy to share some of her favorite dairy-free recipes. One of these recipes was a Spinach and Artichoke dip. Oh. My. Gosh! This stuff was AMAZING! I didn't feel like buying MORE pasta because we already have so much so, my daughter and I decided that she was going to do a spinach and artichoke pasta bake. SO. VERY. YUMMY! Here's the recipe she used, and BELIEVE me when I say that you NEVER would know there was no cheese:
Spinach and Artichoke Dip
3/4 C raw cashews, unsoaked
1-2 medium-large cloves garlic, sliced or quartered
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp dry mustard
pepper to taste
3/4 C plain unsweetened nondairy milk (she used cashew milk)
2 1/2-3 T fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 C frozen artichoke hearts, partially thawed
2 C spinach leaves, loosley packed
Preheat oven to 425
In a blender, add cashews, garlic, salt, mustard, pepper, milk and lemon juice. Blend until very smooth. Add the artichokes and spinach and just pulse through; do not fully blend in order to keep some chunky texture. Transfer to an ovenproof baking dish and bake for 17-20 minutes, until lightly golden on top.
What my daughter did was cook the pasta so it was a little undercooked. Then she tossed the warm pasta with the dip and baked it according to the directions in the recipe. She served it with warm marinara for extra sauciness. My 6 year old son, probably the PICKIEST eater on this Earth had 2 helpings! I say that is a success. It really was quite wonderful, and we didn't miss the dairy at all.
Enjoy!
Monday, January 29, 2018
Sunday, January 28, 2018
One Week Back
When people find out that we have gone dairy-free, the typical responses are, "I don't think I could ever do that!", and "That has got to be hard!". Well, actually it hasn't been that hard at all. There was one meal this week where I missed the cheese, but it wasn't that big of a deal. We actually have been using nut milks for a while now (since I first started this journey almost 4 years ago) and that, I think, has made it easier on us. Our 2 and 6 year old boys actually prefer the nut milk over the cows milk and that makes it a TON easier.
Today marks the end of the first week back. Yes, I did weigh this morning and I logged it in my weight tracker. I was able to unload all the food we had that contained dairy and it felt amazing! It was like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. It was such a relief, especially knowing that it went to people who could use it instead of us throwing it away.
Today I decided that I was going to read all my past blog posts. It was a bit of an eye opener for me and it was good. I am so glad that I started this blog and that I've started to blog again. I was able to remember things that I had completely forgotten about. I love that I shared things and was so open with my experiences. The post that REALLY stood out to me today was my "Conversion" post from November of 2014. Especially how, in order to make a difference, we need to be completely converted to the idea of how and what we are going to change. My girls went ice skating this weekend with our church youth group. As a treat they had hot chocolate and donuts to offer the kids. My girls kindly declined the offers and I was SO very proud of them for doing this. I knew that they were going to have these treats there so, before the girls left we broke out some fresh berries and this dessert hummus I found at the store. Yes, it sounds weird, but it was actually quite tasty. As I was reading my "Conversion" post I hoped that my girls would get to the point where THEY notice a difference in themselves so that they could be converted to a healthier way of living. They are older now and I leave the decision making up to them, but I truly want them to notice for themselves the changes that will be happening. I feel as though they are committed to the changes we are making.
I wish that I had been able to do better while I was pregnant with our 4th. Pregnancy is tough. And I'm sorry that I wasn't able to make it back as soon after, BUT I'm glad that we are here now. I'm so grateful for the experiences that I've had this last week with making new changes in our eating habits. My eyes have been opened to a new world and I am SO excited to start exploring more into this world of nondairy. Who's with me?!
Today marks the end of the first week back. Yes, I did weigh this morning and I logged it in my weight tracker. I was able to unload all the food we had that contained dairy and it felt amazing! It was like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. It was such a relief, especially knowing that it went to people who could use it instead of us throwing it away.
Today I decided that I was going to read all my past blog posts. It was a bit of an eye opener for me and it was good. I am so glad that I started this blog and that I've started to blog again. I was able to remember things that I had completely forgotten about. I love that I shared things and was so open with my experiences. The post that REALLY stood out to me today was my "Conversion" post from November of 2014. Especially how, in order to make a difference, we need to be completely converted to the idea of how and what we are going to change. My girls went ice skating this weekend with our church youth group. As a treat they had hot chocolate and donuts to offer the kids. My girls kindly declined the offers and I was SO very proud of them for doing this. I knew that they were going to have these treats there so, before the girls left we broke out some fresh berries and this dessert hummus I found at the store. Yes, it sounds weird, but it was actually quite tasty. As I was reading my "Conversion" post I hoped that my girls would get to the point where THEY notice a difference in themselves so that they could be converted to a healthier way of living. They are older now and I leave the decision making up to them, but I truly want them to notice for themselves the changes that will be happening. I feel as though they are committed to the changes we are making.
I wish that I had been able to do better while I was pregnant with our 4th. Pregnancy is tough. And I'm sorry that I wasn't able to make it back as soon after, BUT I'm glad that we are here now. I'm so grateful for the experiences that I've had this last week with making new changes in our eating habits. My eyes have been opened to a new world and I am SO excited to start exploring more into this world of nondairy. Who's with me?!
Cheese-less Pizza
We have renamed cheese-less pizza to "Bruschetta Pizza". This is what we had for dinner the other night. It turned out pretty amazing thanks to some awesome olive oil blends, a sun-dried tomato pesto that was dairy-free (thank you Costco!), and an incredible recipe for a spread that really helped us NOT miss cheese. All the kids liked it which was a MIRACLE in and of itself. So far this dairy-free thing isn't so bad!
I made sourdough pizza crust and used different "sauces" on them. One pizza I used the sun-dried tomato pesto, another I used just sun-dried tomatoes that were bottled in olive oil (I used that oil for flavor), a Mediterranean blend olive oil that I get from a local oil shop called Drizzle and Dip, and this amazing veggie spread that was so creamy we really didn't miss the cheese. Here is the recipe:
Mashed White Beans and Vegetables
2 T olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1 celery stalk, sliced
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
I clove garlic, minced
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks (I didn't have any Yukon Gold potatoes so I used red potatoes and it was still yummy.)
1 1/2 C canned white beans, drained and rinsed
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Heat olive oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion, celery, and carrot until onion is translucent. About 6-8 minutes. Add garlic and stir until fragrant. Add potatoes and beans and enough water to cover mixture. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork. About 8-10 minutes. Drain, reserving liquid. Either mash or puree vegetables, using reserved liquid to adjust the consistency. Season with salt and pepper, drizzle with more olive oil, and serve.
This makes a lot of spread. I had the idea of maybe using it instead of cheese for panini's. The recipe suggests using it as a bed for garlicky broccoli rabe, or slow-roasted tomatoes witch would also be delicious. Enjoy!!
I made sourdough pizza crust and used different "sauces" on them. One pizza I used the sun-dried tomato pesto, another I used just sun-dried tomatoes that were bottled in olive oil (I used that oil for flavor), a Mediterranean blend olive oil that I get from a local oil shop called Drizzle and Dip, and this amazing veggie spread that was so creamy we really didn't miss the cheese. Here is the recipe:
Mashed White Beans and Vegetables
2 T olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1 celery stalk, sliced
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
I clove garlic, minced
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks (I didn't have any Yukon Gold potatoes so I used red potatoes and it was still yummy.)
1 1/2 C canned white beans, drained and rinsed
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Heat olive oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion, celery, and carrot until onion is translucent. About 6-8 minutes. Add garlic and stir until fragrant. Add potatoes and beans and enough water to cover mixture. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork. About 8-10 minutes. Drain, reserving liquid. Either mash or puree vegetables, using reserved liquid to adjust the consistency. Season with salt and pepper, drizzle with more olive oil, and serve.
This makes a lot of spread. I had the idea of maybe using it instead of cheese for panini's. The recipe suggests using it as a bed for garlicky broccoli rabe, or slow-roasted tomatoes witch would also be delicious. Enjoy!!
Thursday, January 25, 2018
Dairy-free
One of the BIGGEST changes that we, as a family, are doing this go round is going dairy-free for a little while. This is a HUGE change in our lives and it didn't sit very well with a couple people at first. It is going to be a big adjustment, but I have faith that we, as a family, can do it TOGETHER. Some health concerns came up that led us to this decision and we are feeling really good that this is the direction we need to take.
So, here I start my first dairy-free post!!!
My husbands birthday was this weekend and, being the primary cook and baker in the family, I asked him what kind of "treat" he wanted for his birthday. We had already made the decision that we were going-dairy free so the search for recipes ensued. For Christmas he gave me a sourdough starter. I've been having a LOT of fun with this. I LOVE sourdough. The family LOVES sourdough. Back BEFORE we had decided to go dairy-free I searched for sourdough recipes to use my discard in. In my search I came across chocolate cake. And wouldn't you know it, there is a dairy-free sourdough chocolate cake recipe. We just HAD to try it out. It was AMAZING. Here is the recipe:
For the sponge:
1 cup ripe sourdough starter
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour, freshly milled
1 cup coconut milk, canned
Mix the starter, flour, and the milk together in a bowl, cover, and leave at a room temp for approx 6 hours. Warning, this does NOT have a pleasant aroma, but it made EXCELLENT cake.
For the Cake:
1 cup coconut oil
1 1/4 cups coconut sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
6 oz unsweetened baking chocolate, melted
1 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
Add eggs, sugar, oil and melted chocolate together in a bowl and mix well. Stir in salt, vanilla and baking soda. Add to the soured flour. Pour into oiled 9x13 pan. Bake in preheated 350° oven for 30-35 minutes. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
For the Frosting:
1 cup canned coconut cream (I stirred the cream, but I don't think you're supposed to. It still turned out yummy though, just runny)
1/2 cup coconut sugar
3 oz unsweetened baking chocolate, melted
1 tsp vanilla
Using a hand mixer, start by mixing up the coconut creme with the melted chocolate on low, add the sugar and vanilla and mix well. Frost completely cooled cake.
Every one of us LOVED this cake. Give it a try!! I got the recipe from:
http://thehomesteadinghippy.com
So, here I start my first dairy-free post!!!
My husbands birthday was this weekend and, being the primary cook and baker in the family, I asked him what kind of "treat" he wanted for his birthday. We had already made the decision that we were going-dairy free so the search for recipes ensued. For Christmas he gave me a sourdough starter. I've been having a LOT of fun with this. I LOVE sourdough. The family LOVES sourdough. Back BEFORE we had decided to go dairy-free I searched for sourdough recipes to use my discard in. In my search I came across chocolate cake. And wouldn't you know it, there is a dairy-free sourdough chocolate cake recipe. We just HAD to try it out. It was AMAZING. Here is the recipe:
For the sponge:
1 cup ripe sourdough starter
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour, freshly milled
1 cup coconut milk, canned
Mix the starter, flour, and the milk together in a bowl, cover, and leave at a room temp for approx 6 hours. Warning, this does NOT have a pleasant aroma, but it made EXCELLENT cake.
For the Cake:
1 cup coconut oil
1 1/4 cups coconut sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
6 oz unsweetened baking chocolate, melted
1 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
Add eggs, sugar, oil and melted chocolate together in a bowl and mix well. Stir in salt, vanilla and baking soda. Add to the soured flour. Pour into oiled 9x13 pan. Bake in preheated 350° oven for 30-35 minutes. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
For the Frosting:
1 cup canned coconut cream (I stirred the cream, but I don't think you're supposed to. It still turned out yummy though, just runny)
1/2 cup coconut sugar
3 oz unsweetened baking chocolate, melted
1 tsp vanilla
Using a hand mixer, start by mixing up the coconut creme with the melted chocolate on low, add the sugar and vanilla and mix well. Frost completely cooled cake.
Every one of us LOVED this cake. Give it a try!! I got the recipe from:
http://thehomesteadinghippy.com
Tuesday, January 23, 2018
Unrealistic Expectations
I have this unrealistic expectation. I start making changes and I somehow expect that there is going to be a noticeable difference the next day. I weighed myself the day before I started to eat more healthy again. The day after I started eating better I weighed again and the scale gave me a VERY generous 6 pound boost in the WRONG direction. Stupid scale. Duh me.
How awesome would it be if you could just wake up the next morning and be done. No more fat. No more struggling to walk up the stairs. (Just a side note, after we found out I was pregnant 3 years ago we decided to move to a bigger house. We have about 3x's as many stairs as our old place and we are about 1,000 feet higher in elevation. It takes a lot out of me to get up the stairs.) No more sore knees. You look in the mirror and you feel GREAT!! On the other hand, isn't that what a journey is all about? The road getting to the end? Think about it. Even though it would be AWESOME to be done just overnight, we forget that, if that were the case, we would be robbing ourselves of the blessings and the lessons we would learn on our path to the end. These last 3 years and the months and years even before that have been such a learning experience for me. Now I'm excited to start learning even more! I've learned so much about myself and the people I love. I haven't realized the example they have been to me throughout my life. I watch as my now 2 year old eats, but stops when he isn't hungry anymore (unlike his siblings). Why am I not doing that?
Remember back a lifetime ago I posted the "rules" to the WOW way of eating? The SECOND rule is to not overeat. You stop eating when you are not longer hungry. I admitted it back then and I admit it NOW. It is THE hardest rule for me. Curse the old ways of "You better finish everything on the plate or I'll give you what for" kind of days. I am trying very hard NOT to pass that one down. It needs to be abolished. Every time I eat I need to repeat over and over in my head that I need to stop eating when I am no longer hungry. Pregnancy and nursing kinda' kicked that one to the curb so now I need to "re-train" myself to not to overeat. I can start by looking to my 2 year old as an example.
I need to NOT have unrealistic expectations. This weight didn't get there over night. It's not going away overnight either.
How awesome would it be if you could just wake up the next morning and be done. No more fat. No more struggling to walk up the stairs. (Just a side note, after we found out I was pregnant 3 years ago we decided to move to a bigger house. We have about 3x's as many stairs as our old place and we are about 1,000 feet higher in elevation. It takes a lot out of me to get up the stairs.) No more sore knees. You look in the mirror and you feel GREAT!! On the other hand, isn't that what a journey is all about? The road getting to the end? Think about it. Even though it would be AWESOME to be done just overnight, we forget that, if that were the case, we would be robbing ourselves of the blessings and the lessons we would learn on our path to the end. These last 3 years and the months and years even before that have been such a learning experience for me. Now I'm excited to start learning even more! I've learned so much about myself and the people I love. I haven't realized the example they have been to me throughout my life. I watch as my now 2 year old eats, but stops when he isn't hungry anymore (unlike his siblings). Why am I not doing that?
Remember back a lifetime ago I posted the "rules" to the WOW way of eating? The SECOND rule is to not overeat. You stop eating when you are not longer hungry. I admitted it back then and I admit it NOW. It is THE hardest rule for me. Curse the old ways of "You better finish everything on the plate or I'll give you what for" kind of days. I am trying very hard NOT to pass that one down. It needs to be abolished. Every time I eat I need to repeat over and over in my head that I need to stop eating when I am no longer hungry. Pregnancy and nursing kinda' kicked that one to the curb so now I need to "re-train" myself to not to overeat. I can start by looking to my 2 year old as an example.
I need to NOT have unrealistic expectations. This weight didn't get there over night. It's not going away overnight either.
Monday, January 22, 2018
I'm Back
It has been almost 3 years now since we found out I was pregnant with our 4th, and the last post I wrote on this blog. Since having him I have tried very hard to get back to eating more closely to how we ate before. I've struggled. I've struggled HARD. I have my weaknesses, but everybody does. This is just a reminder that I am NOT immune. Nobody is.
Recent health issues that have come up with those in our household have kind of "kick started" me into starting this journey again. I am grateful for this. Even though these are trials that others are going through, including me, I am grateful for these trials. I learn from my trials. I wouldn't be the person I am today with out them.
So, here I am. I am back and I plan on seeing this journey through. Here we go again. TO THE END!!!
p.s. I've updated my weight tracker as well.
Recent health issues that have come up with those in our household have kind of "kick started" me into starting this journey again. I am grateful for this. Even though these are trials that others are going through, including me, I am grateful for these trials. I learn from my trials. I wouldn't be the person I am today with out them.
So, here I am. I am back and I plan on seeing this journey through. Here we go again. TO THE END!!!
p.s. I've updated my weight tracker as well.
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