Pumpkin seeds

It is a Halloween tradition that goes way back to my childhood - the roasting of the seeds :) Here's the best recipe I've found. I hope you like it too!

1 1/2 Tbsp. margarine
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/8 tsp. garlic salt
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 cups raw, rinsed pumpkin seeds

Melt the margarine. Mix everything else together and spread out on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet so the seeds are 1 layer deep. Bake at 275 for an hour, stirring occasionally. Let cool a bit and chow down!

Perfect Pancakes - at last!!

So, I will admit, I'd given up on actually making good pancakes without a mix. And, in my mind, mixes are too expensive so I couldn't go there. In an example of how my mind twists, however, I would buy Van's frozen gluten free waffles at $2.50 for a box of 6...yeah, logic isn't my strength.. So, anyway, I finally figured out how to make real, actual, good pan cooked pancakes! And, better yet, the recipe is CHEAP! Enjoy!

1 cup rice flour (I used white - will try brown when I get some more)
3 Tbsp. tapioca flour or arrowroot powder
1/3 cup potato starch
1 packet stevia
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. xanthan gum
2 eggs
3 tbsp. canola oil
2 cups non-dairy milk
1 Tbsp. lemon juice

Mix the milk and the lemon juice together - this creates a buttermilk substitute. Mix the rest of the stuff and pour in milk. Mix until the lumps are as gone as they can get. Heat a large, well oiled skillet or griddle over medium heat. It's ready when water dances on it :) Spoon or pour batter onto the pan and cook on one side until bubbles form throughout the pancake. Flip and continue to cook until golden brown on the bottom. Repeat and repeat...and repeat...until the batter is gone.

I let these cool on a rack and freeze them for later. To reheat, just pop them in the toaster oven for 4-5 minutes (or until heated through) and serve with your favorite toppings. I made at least a double batch of these because my boys can suck down massive quantities of pancakes.

Happy eating!!

Coupons!

OK, I don't think I'm going to end up with a reality TV show or anything but I'm trying out the "extreme couponing" thing...sounds like it should be on ESPN or something. Anyway, check out this web site: thekrazycouponlady.com. You can sign up for daily e-mails and this really helped us cut some costs at Kroger this past week. My husband did the coupons thing and, while we still went over budget, we saved a bunch of money and had some high ticket items on our list this week (i.e. razors, Halloween candy, etc.). I also clipped some good ones out of Sunday's paper - I'm thinking about Sunday only delivery so I don't have to make an extra trip out to buy a paper...because who really only gets a paper when they go to the store? ;)

Happy shopping!!

2nd Grocery Trip = Also fail...really??

So, I decided to take matters into my own hands this week. OK, really, it just so happened that Jason couldn't find the time to shop this week and I couldn't take another fresh produce free day so I did the shopping. Truly, I tried! I scoured the ads from Kroger, Randall's, and HEB to determine which store would be the better place to shop based on what we needed for the week. I didn't find any coupons but most of what we buy isn't coupon material. So, I had a list chock full of fresh produce, almond milk, a few snacks (greatly pared down), and a few other things. My budget was $65 (I had gotten some things at the Evil Empire aka Wal-Mart earlier in the week that are cheaper there than anywhere). What I spent = $106. What happened?? I got my produce, it was all on sale. I opted for the less expensive options (i.e. buying romaine lettuce instead of packaged salad, buying store brand, etc.), stuck to my list...except for a good deal on soy nuts..it was a GOOD deal!...compared prices, and eliminated a lot of things from what we normally buy. Instead of getting juice boxes, I am giving the kids water at lunch. Instead of getting microwave popcorn, I buy the regular stuff and use our microwave popper. Instead of buying separate chocolate milk, I'm making chocolate syrup from agave nectar. Despite all of that, I was still over budget. Granted, only about $40 over budget but still! I did have to buy fish oil (I rocked the BOGO of the store brand), contact solution, and razor blades which accounted for about $26 of the overage but I still don't feel satisfied with that trip.

I hear about these people who are "extreme couponers" and wonder if that is even a possibility for a family like ours who is on a special diet. I've googled a few sites but haven't actually printed anything yet. It seems like I've always bought store brand of what we can buy and fresh everything else - can coupons even help me? Maybe...I guess that will be the next step...you know, in all my spare time...;)

A Word about Language and Motor Skills

So, back in the later days of my pregnancy with Lambert, I read the book, Real Boys by William Pollack, PhD. One of the things that stuck with me was when he wrote that boys communicate their feelings better when engaged in some sort of gross motor activity. If my memory serves me, it was something like "if you want to get your boys to talk to you, go outside and shoot hoops" or something along those lines. Well, lo and behold, 7 years later, I have found that is, indeed, true for my Lambert. I like to run. It's my stress relief time, my kick ass time, my prayer time, and my mental/emotional processing time. Typically, this works better if I go alone. However, whenever Lambert seeks out my company, I pay attention and take when I can get. So, the first time he asked if he could go with me on my run, I was interested to see how that would shake out. He rode his bike and I tried to keep up with him. It was amazing. The words that flowed from his mouth about his day, what he did, who he talked to, who he played with, how he felt - all the things that are so difficult for him to express because of his ASD just poured out of him like it was natural. I ran faster than I ever have just to make sure I didn't miss a word. Who knew that best selling book might have some pearls of wisdom?? I can't speak to how this works with neurotypical boys but for my son with Autism, it's pure genius. Now, when Lambert wants to accompany me, I know I'll be in for not only a good workout but an actual conversation with my son. It only happens on the road so I'd better be fast...and leave the i-pod at home :)

Green Eggs and Ham

My Lambert adores Dr. Seuss. My Maxwell hates vegetables. So, here's what I came up with to try to make veggies fun and tie in literacy...SUCH a teacher...;)

6 eggs
1/2 10 oz bag of frozen chopped broccoli
4 oz of cubed ham
sprinkle of garlic salt
olive oil

Saute chopped broccoli in olive oil. Beat eggs with a whisk while the broccoli is cooking. Sprinkle eggs with garlic salt to taste. Once the broccoli is crisp tender, add eggs and ham. Stir continually until eggs are scrambled and firm. Voila - green eggs and ham!

Enjoy!

First Grocery Trip = Epic Fail

Ack! I made a teeny, tiny list. I was determined. I planned meals based on what I had. I gave my husband $30 in cash and confidently told him to "put any leftover cash into our money jar". So, yeah, anyway, I got a text at work that afternoon saying "$96. Call me." Ack! What happened?? My text in return started with those words "Ack! What happened? Did u freestyle??" So, what happened? Did my once frugal husband go grocery shopping hungry? Was he bodysnatched by some nuveau riche spendthrift? OK, so neither of these things. This incident was one more example of what the movie people like to call "failure to communicate". I was filled with righteous energy, ready to take control of our budget, finally on board with our Dave Ramseyian mode of spending. Jason, bless his heart, was trying to be helpful. He saw a lot of things he knows we usually buy and assumed I forgot to put them on the list - so he got them. So, heed this as a warning to anyone attempting to slash a grocery budget - TALK to the person who does the shopping ahead of time! Sounds simple, I know, but this is a step we married couples often forget. I know for myself, in the entirety of my 14 years of marriage, I still assume Jason can read my mind. Mind you, he has never done anything to remotely suggest he could do it in the first place but here I am, clinging to the notion that he just MUST know what is going on in there...really...really? OK, so, lesson learned. I think we've got the "just the list, nothing but the list" rule cemented between the two of us. Now, let's see what happens next week when we also introduce shopping at a new store and coupons...stay tuned!

GF/CF Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (from Bob's Red Mill)

This is the best oatmeal cookie recipe ever, according to my husband. He is a non-gf/cf eater, a cookie lover, and not an oatmeal cookie fan. Therefore, you know these are great!

1 1/2 C gluten free flour (I use 1 C sorghum or brown rice and 1/2 C tapioca flour)
3 C gluten free rolled oats
1 C Earth's Balance margarine
1 1/2 C evaporated cane juice
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 large eggs (or flax gel*)
1 tsp. xanthan gum
1 C raisins

Mix it all together and bake in tbsp. size cookies at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Yummy!!

flax gel: Mix 3 tbsp. hot water with 1 tbsp. ground flaxseed for each egg the recipe calls for. Let this mixture set for about 5-10 minutes until it gels. Use as an egg substitute in your favorite baking recipes!

Slow Cooker Lentil and Ham Soup

It's a rainy day and the weather is cooling....and I have a pantry/fridge full of stuff that would make great soup. Remember that stock I made yesterday? Well, it's a great day to use it! This recipe mainly came from allrecipes.com. I find a lot of great recipes on that site for my crock pot and often modify the ones that don't fit my diet with great success.

4 cups stock
1 cup water
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup dried lentils
1 cup chopped celery (I was out - used the last of my celery in the stock :)
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cups cooked diced ham
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried tarragon (recipe called for basil but I'm out so I substituted)
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste

Throw it all together and slow cook on high for 4-5 hours. I plan to serve this over rice to disguise it a casserole for my soup hater in the family. Oh, and I have one with the stomach virus today so it might be just rice for him today anyway. We'll see, that child loves his soup so he just might rally :)

Halloween Spaghetti

Here's a little something I whipped up with ingredients found tucked away in the freezer and pantry. Let me preface this by saying that my kids are not fans of squash so the spin doctor had to be in high gear to sell this to them in the first place. However, I had this lonely box of frozen pureed squash in the freezer that needed to go in quest for using the things we have on hand. And, come to find out, I'm the only person in this house that likes pureed butternut squash...imagine that...But, a little creative trickery and nobody knew the sauce was orange because of the dreaded squash.

2 bags of black rice soba noodles (found them at HEB...was intrigued)
1 box of frozen pureed winter squash
1 small onion
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 cup of almond milk (more if needed)
1 lb. ground italian chicken sausage or 1 lb. ground turkey
2 tbsp. olive oil

Put salted water on to boil for noodles. Saute onions in olive oil until transparent and add garlic. Then, brown the meat with the onion and garlic. Add thawed squash and stir until mixed. Add milk until about the consistency of thick tomato sauce. Salt and pepper to taste and keep on warm until noodles are finished. Add noodles to boiling water and cook for 4-5 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Serve orange colored sauce on black colored noodles and, voila, Halloween spaghetti!

I'll come clean, Mommy spin doctor got the kids to eat the spaghetti but they both said they wouldn't like to have it again. I used the sausage and their chief complaint was that it was too spicy. Therefore, if you have kids that don't like spice, use the turkey and it might go over better. My husband and I loved it, though :) He's a squash hater as well so, hey, that's one convert, right??

Stock on the Cheap

Buying organic chicken broth has been a big expense in our budget. It's the only stuff that I can guarantee is gluten free and has ingredients I can pronounce so that's what I buy. Until tonight. I made my own vegetable stock with some wilting stuff in my produce drawer that I might have otherwise thrown out. I'll freeze it and use it as my new base for soups and casseroles. Yay!

Homemade Vegetable Stock

1 large onion - peeled and cut into quarters
1 large bag of baby carrots that were slimy when I got them (I HATE that!)
1/2 bunch of organic celery, 1/2 wilted
*any other vegetables that are in questionable shape in your crisper
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. salt (OK, I used more because I'm not a low sodium kind of girl)
12 cups of water

Throw it all in the crock pot and cook on high for 4-5 hours. Strain and store in 2 cup measurements for easy use. Congratulate yourself for using all those vegetables that you bought in good faith but didn't actually eat in time.

Take THAT bill!

Declaration of WAR!

OK, this is it. My son was sick on Monday so I stayed home with him. Usually, my husband does the grocery shopping on Mondays since he works from home that day. This week, however, he was having minor surgery on his toe. So, I stayed home to watch Max and when my husband got home, I volunteered to do the grocery shopping. Let me preface this by saying that I have recently taken a new job. I love my job and am so much happier than I was at my last job. However, that happiness came at the cost of about $15000 a year in income -yep, that's a lot. So, there I was on Monday, mightily clinging to my high budget mindset, heading off to the grocery store. I picked up this, I picked up that, I stuck to my list....pretty much...and about lost my breakfast in the checkout line. $193.00. Yes, $193.00 for a WEEK'S worth of groceries (not including meat because that comes from a co-op). For a family of 4. I wish I could say that was anomalous but my I got a big glass of "I told you so!" when I got home. My eyes hath been opened...and it's freaking scary out there! Back when I stayed at home, before we started all this gluten free, casein free, corn free, blah blah blah free diet, I cut coupons, I planned meals, I kept a cooler in my trunk and shopped the ads at several grocery stores with a baby Lambert in tow. I spent $75/week to feed our little family of 3 (including diapers and formula). I know eating gf/cf is more expensive...but does it really have to be THAT much more expensive?? I don't think so. Therefore, I have hereby declared WAR on my GROCERY BILL!!!! That is the LAST time I spend $193 at a grocery store without having to strap food to the roof and cram it into every available space in my old car. No more, I say, no more.

So, here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to cut that sucker in 1/2. I know that is feasible. I canceled my Amazon subscriptions and we're going on a grocery buying fast. I know I have enough food to feed us for the next three weeks so we should just have to re-purchase milk and fresh produce. We just stocked the freezer with meat from our co-op so we're good on meat for the next 2 months. I'll be posting cheap recipes and tips and tricks as I learn them. My husband made a deal with me. If I succeed, we will finally get a new bed to replace our 16 year old back breaker. I'm in. Let's go!!!