Homemade Paint - for kids

This week has been a sick week here. Poor Miss G. She has had such a runny nose. It has now moved on to a cough. Poor girl. Hopefully this is the end to the sickness for this winter season and we will have nothing but health from now on.

Since Miss G. has been home from school she decided this would be the best time to do experiments. And why not? The schools science fair is coming up so this was the perfect opportunity to do her science fair project. She was looking at how well certain items absorb water.

I showed her how water absorption worked and what happens when things get over saturated. Here is a link to a great experiment to do with the kids. With the water left over from that experiment Miss G decided she was going to add a bunch of different things to see if she could make paint. I think she was on the right track but had the proportions out of wack. Well today we remedied that. Here is how to make homemade paint.

1 cup salt
1 cup flour
1 1/3 cup water
food colouring of your choice.

This makes four generous sized amounts of paint. For more colours either make more or have smaller amounts.

I found this recipe in the description of this youtube video. Thanks youtube! Have fun painting!

Homemade Hamburger Helper

I have a bit of a confession. I love hamburger helper. Brown the meat. Open the box, add the liquid and there is dinner. I just love it. I think we all have those secret food things that we know we shouldn't eat, that are full of crazy ingredients we can't even pronounce. You know the foods I'm talking about.

Well, a few months ago I decided enough was enough. I needed to find a healthier alternative to hamburger helper. And in stepped the internet, aka google and pinterest. It is amazing the talented people you can find that help you solve your dilemmas.

This recipe is based of the one found at Farmgirl Gourmet. You can find her recipe here. I found the original to be a bit on the spicy side for my family so I modified it slightly. I think that is the great thing about finding and sharing things online. You get a great jumping off point and can tweak things to fit into your family's tastes.

So here is the recipe I use.

Homemade Hamburger Helper
1 lbish of ground beef (I always buy my meat in bulk and divide it when I get home. I am never sure exactly of the weight, but I am happy with the amount.)
2 1/2 cups milk
1 cup hot water
2 cups whole wheat pasta (you can probably use whatever kind of pasta you want. This is what I happen to have on hand. I have used macaroni, penne, the rotini. They all seem to work using the same method.)
2 tsp garlic powder
not quite 1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
not quite a full tsp of paprika
1 tsp sugar
2ish cups of grated cheese (I don't actually measure, I just guestimate. If you have an Ikea grater it is about one container full.)

I use a big pot to insure no over bubbling. Brown beef. Add everything but the cheese and stir to mix. Bring to a boil then simmer for 15 minutes. You can stir if you want to. I usually just set the timer for 15 minutes and read for a bit. Remove from heat and stir in cheese. Enjoy!

That's all there is to it. Pretty amazing. And the best part. My kids actually eat it! I know that there are some recipe sites out there that claim that their kids eat that meal. But usually, in my experience at least, they lie. I feel duped as my kids turn their noses up at it. But this recipe, they actually eat, without complaining, and usually ask for seconds!! Definitely a winner in my books.


Do you make a healthier/real food version of one of your guilty pleasures? If show please share in the comments. It would be awesome to add to the repertoire.

Crazy Cake

Has this ever happened to you? You go to make a cake and then realize you don't have enough eggs. You don't feel like going to the store to get more and you don't have flax seeds to grind to make an egg alternative. What are you going to do?

Well in steps the crazy cake. I don't know if that is the real name for it. It is just what my mother always called it because she thinks it's crazy that it works. Crazy cake doesn't need eggs. Just some baking soda and vinegar and you end up with a cake that rises and has the perfect density and is super moist. No how sometimes it is really hard to find a great moist chocolate cake. Well you need to look no further. This cake seems to be moist all every single time.

Tonight is meet the teacher night at my girls school and the school council puts on a dessert potluck. So I made this today. I am going to put a chocolate butter cream icing on it but usually I just serve it with a glob of vanilla ice cream. Delicious.

I will give you the recipe for a 9"x13" pan. I made mind in an 8" square pan but just halving the recipe.

Crazy Cake
In a big bowl mix
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder

Make 3 holes into the mixture.
Hole #1 put in 1 tbsp white vinegar
Hole #2 put in 2 tsp  vanilla
Hole #3 put in 2/3 cup oil (I used canola)

Pour 2 cups of water over top and stir vigorously until it is mixed well.

Pour into greased pan and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Sometimes I don't bother with the holes and just dump all the liquid in at once. It seems to still work. I don't know why my mom had us make holes. Maybe it was to make it more fun?

Strawberry Jam

This past Saturday I had the most productive Saturday ever. It was amazing how things just seemed to work out that my family and I were able to accomplish what we set out do do. We went to the farmers market, took things to donate at the secondhand store and even got free pizza for lunch! I capped the day off by making three batches of strawberry jam. I did it once the kids were in bed. It was a bit of a late night, but it is much easier to do canning when they are not underfoot.

fresh Ontario strawberries getting ready to become jam

I made jam for the first time last year. It was so nice to have jars ready as gifts, and we didn't have to buy any jam. I had made a years supply! It was so nice in the middle of our cold winter to open up a new jar of jam and get a faint whiff of June. It was so yummy and sweet.

one out of many freshly made jars of strawberry jam

The nice thing about jam is that it is fairly easy to make, yet when you give it so someone they are always impressed. All you have to do is buy the box of pectin and follow the recipe. If you follow it exactly, your jam should work out. I love it when my jam bubbles and gels. I then like using my canning tongs to put my jars in the big canner and then taking them out again. There is no more satisfying sound then the little pop of you lids forming a vacuum seal. Music to my ears.

I think this year I might try my hand at making relish. My mom has the best yellow relish recipe. I usually steal a jar or two of it from her cupboards when we go to visit. I think it is time to stop my thievery and make my own.

While jam and relish may be simple things to make, I get so much pleasure in knowing that I made this for my family and friends. When you put work into something and it helps others, you can't help but feel good. I love seeing my jars lined up and I think to myself wow, look what I accomplished today. Creating, whether it is preserves, or knitted dishclothes, or bread, or a tidy room, makes you feel great. It is nice to create and look on your works and feel a sense of happiness and accomplishment.

What are you going to create today, this week, this month, this year? Are there any canning foods that you enjoy making?

Talent Auction

It is amazing the different talents people have. Each person is so unique with their abilities. My sister can play the song "The Rose" on the piano, right hand doing the chords, the melody being played by her nose. "The Rose" with her nose, that's pretty amazing if I do say so myself.

When we think of talents often we think of things that we have created. Dishcloths that we knit, aprons we sew, paintings we paint, chairs we build and so much more. These talents are great and amazing, but, they are not the only ones. Some people have a talent of just being able to relax and stay calm. Some people have the talent at being able to clean up messes that kids make (I'm thinking bodily ones but don't want to go into too much detail, you know what I mean). Some people are talented at discovering the community in which they live and all the cool niche things to do. Others are good at smelling out good deals. These are talents that people don't often think about.

Last week the ladies at my church had a talent auction. It had to be something that people could take home that night so it made us think outside the box. While a lot of items were things that we created, there were some that were outside the box. Some one brought a relaxation kit, with tips/things that could be used to relax. Another person brought their favourite bodywash that helped their skin feel great. Some one brought books that they liked to read. Some of the more traditional talents were knitted dishcloths, homemade jam, caramel-chocolate covered apples, paintings, plants from people's garden, homemade bread, a homemade library bag. It was neat to see what people were interested in.

This is what I brought

Talent auctions are a great way to share your talent without seeming too boastful. When we have talents we should be using them to help others. This auction did that. Some people make great bread, some don't, the talent auction gave people a chance to figure out who was good at a talent they wanted help with and at a later date perhaps ask that person for help in developing that talent.

Getting ready for the auction I was able to start to develop new talents of my own. I made the label using an online photo editor . I had done a little bit with the editor before, mostly putting on the watermark on my latest blog photos, but I am nowhere near a pro. But, it was fun figuring it out and I look forward to playing around with it more. I was also able to give people my blog url. Once again, I am nowhere near a pro blogger, but it is something I am enjoying doing, finding my voice and finding out what I want to say.

We did not use money to buy with. At the beginning of the event each person was given a questionnaire to fill out. The questionnaire had yes or no questions and points associated with them. After you answered all the questions you tallied up your points and that is what you had to work with. You could do something similar for your own auction or you could always make it a fundraising event for a charity if you wanted to use real money.

It doesn't have to be a church group who does this. You could get your friends or neighbours together and have a talent auction. It is exciting to get a chance to get others better and see what they like doing and are proud of. It is fun to share and it is fun to be inspired.

What talents would you take to a talent auction? What new talents are you beginning to develop?

Mushroom Fajitas. Yumyum!

As I plan out my menus I try to have meals where meat isn't the main item, or is not the biggest portion. Don't get me wrong, when I find out that they have discovered a way we can be healthy and get all our nutrients by being a carnivore, I am there. (To me nothing is better than a steak that still has a whisper of a moo.) But, that hasn't happened yet, and so I am all for being an omnivore to the max. Not only is being minimal with meat healthy for our bodies, it is healthy for our wallets too.

The other day I wanted fajitas but chicken and beef were both not on sale, but mushrooms were. I decided that I would use them instead of chicken. And my kids didn't even notice that much of a difference. The child who will try anything ate three helpings. The child who says everything I make is disgusting, well she said the same thing with these. So that means, to me at least, this is a winning recipe.

Oh, the mushrooms. Those fungi of the forest... or the manure pile... they are pretty awesome. In this recipe I used plain old white mushrooms. In the past I have used portebello. Portebello mushrooms have a nice meaty texture. You could use them as a hamburger substitute even. For this recipe you can really use whatever mushrooms you want.

So here it is.

2 tbsp canola oil
200g of mushrooms (I bought a big package that was like 450g and I think I used about half. Basically use as many as you want)
1 medium sized onion
1 pepper (I usually use red or orange or yellow peppers. I don't like the taste of green peppers when they are cooked and the colour of the other peppers give a nice pop.)
2/3 cup water
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp garlic powder (or one clove fresh)

Put canola oil in a large skillet and put on medium heat. Slice up the mushrooms, onion, and pepper and then add to mixture. Cook until onions are done and the peppers are starting to get soft, but are still a bit crunchy. Add seasonings and water. Stir and simmer until water is basically evaporated.

Serve on a tortilla wrap (This one is store bought. I have making my own on my bucket list.) top with sour cream, avacado, cheese, salsa, tomatoes, lettuce, whatever you want really. Enjoy!

As a variation, this time I added some shredded carrot to it. It was really good. I think I might do it from now on!

mmmm... Pizza

this is chicken pesto pizza. yummers!

I love pizza. It is so yummy. It is so versatile. It is so customizable. It can be so different depending on how it is made.

We have our favourite pizza shops. We are lucky to have one just down the street from us who makes really good pizza. Nothing is worse than pizza that has such a hard crust that it cuts the roof of your mouth. Or has no flavour. The bad thing with getting pizza no matter whether from a pizza shop or frozen at your store is that is has added grease, added preservatives and who knows what else in it. These days I have been making my own pizza and man is it yummy. Yes, my 5 year old keeps wanting pizza from the store. But, I'm sure she will turn it around. I mean, it's homemade, using my own two hands. Now if that doesn't deserve some rounds of applause, I don't know what will.

Here is the recipe for my homemade whole wheat pizza dough.

about 2-1/2 cups whole wheat flour (If you want a softer dough you can change it for all-purpose flour or a mixture of the two. I usually just use whole wheat flour.)
1 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp sugar
2-1/4 tsp yeast
3 tbsp olive oil
1 cup very warm water

In a large bowl stir 1 cup of the flour, the sea salt, sugar and yeast. Then add the olive oil and the water. Stir together. Add enough flour so the mixture isn't sticking to your hands and knead the dough. Add the flour a little at a time. You can always add more if needed but you can't take it out again. You don't want an over floured dough. I knead it right in the bowl. Knead until the dough is springy and then let it rest for 30 minutes.

Roll out the dough onto your cookie sheet. Bake in a preheated oven of 425 for 10 minutes and then decorate. Put back in the oven until the cheese is nice and gooey. And voila homemade pizza.

You can use a pizza stone if you would like, but I prefer to use a cookie sheet. I don't care if my pizza is round and would rather not go through the hassle of trying to make beautifully circular pizza.

If you are using all-purpose flour you may need a bit more. I find when I am using 100% whole wheat flour I don't need to use as much of it.

I hope you enjoy making some homemade pizza this week! What are your favourite pizza toppings?

Yummy Felafels

I love flavourful foods. I love complex tastes making love to my taste buds. These felafels do that for me. combined with an awesome tzatziki sauce and yammo, you have yourself one yummy dinner.

Ingredients 
1 can chickpeas
1 small onion
3 slices of bread (if using homemade bread you'll have to experiment with it a little)
4-6 cloves of garlic (I have been using 1/2 tsp of garlic powder lately)
2 tsp cumin
2 tbsp dried parsley (you can use fresh, just adjust the amount)

In a food processor puree chickpeas, onion, bread and garlic. I usually do one ingredient at a time and then put it in a bowl. You don't need it to be completely smooth like peanut butter but you definitely want it to be fine.

Mix the processed ingredients and the remaining ingredients in a bowl.

Make mixture into 1" balls

Put in a 450 degree oven for 20 minutes.

The felafels will be crispy on the outside and still soft in the middle. And did I mention oh so yummy!

I used to serve them in pitas with lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber. The kids had a hard time with it as their pita's would rip or the filling would fall out. Now I serve it over couscous that has been flavoured with garlic powder and cumin. Even my husband likes that better, and I do to. You can even eat them by themselves just as a snack. Healthy and a flavourful punch. That is a winning combination.

Liquid Laundry Soap

Last Friday my husband was at a leadership training. The kids were all asleep. I had the night to myself. So, what should I do? Why, make Laundry Soap of course.

Laundry Soap was one of the first things that I learned how to make when deciding to live more simply and hopefully frugally. You can make a powder, but I prefer the liquid as our front load machine has a liquid soap dispenser.

There are only three ingredients needed when making laundry soap.

• Borax
• Washing Soda
• Pure Soap

If you are making a powder you just mix those ingredients together and you are done. If you are making the liquid you need one more ingredient. Water. That's it. Pretty simple and pretty cost effective. There is some upfront cost, as you have to buy the box of borax and washing soda and the bars of soap, but they will last you a long time. I finished making my third batch of detergent and I still have enough soap left to make one more batch and enough Borax and Washing Soda to make many more after that. 

I found the idea for this detergent from the down to earth blog by Rhonda Hetzel. If you have not been to her blog yet you must go. She is my simple life guru. She keeps me motivated and always gives me something to think about. Her blog is my treat everyday.

So what do you need to do.

1. You will need to grate up your soap using the fine grater option. You will need to have 1 cup (About 1/2 the bar). I used sunlight laundry bar soap. It smells lemony while grating but the finished liquid does not have a lemony smell. You can also use ivory or any other kind of pure soap.

2. Measure out the rest of your ingredients. You will need 1/2 cup washing soda and 1/2 cup borax.

Now when i was researching how to make laundry soap, one of the most common questions I cam across was where do you buy washing soda? The answers that were given were not helpful to me. As when I went to the stores where they said it was I could not find it. But now I will let you in on the secret of where to find washing soda, at least in Canada, and I'm talking anywhere in Canada. (If you are outside of Canada, sorry can't help. But keep the faith, I'm sure you can find it too.) Home Hardware! Honestly is there anything that that store doesn't carry? I go to the Home Hardware in St. Jacobs and they had washing soda in their laundry aisle. Now not all Home Hardware's carry all the products available to Home Hardware Dealers. But they will order any product in for you. So if your local Home Hardware doesn't carry washing soda, ask them to order it in. They will be happy to oblige. They are all about customer service. So now you will always be able to have washing soda. No matter where you live. Home Hardware is in every small town and large city I can think of. You can also get Borax at Home Hardware too, but you can also easily get it at your local grocery store in the laundry aisle.

 3. Put all ingredients into a largish pot and add 1L or so of water. Heat up mixture until all ingredients are dissolved. To get them all dissolved you will get your mixture to almost boiling. Don't let it get to a real boil as it will totally boil over. While this will help get your stove top nice and clean, the soap mixture will get everywhere, and I mean everywhere. This does not make for a fun clean up job. Trust me I know from experience.

4. Once everything is dissolved pour into a 10L bucket and fill it up with water. Give it a good stir and voila. Laundry Liquid. You can now divy it up into containers and get ready to do some laundry. I use some old pop bottles we have lying around. When filling your containers leave some head space as you will want to give it a shake before using the detergent. Some day I will put them in pretty glass containers, but for now this is what I have, and they work.

Some websites that I have seen say to let it sit in the bucket overnight. I have never done this but I will give it a try next time I need to make it, which won't be for a few months.

To use the liquid I add between 1/4 to 1/3 of a cup per load. The detergent does not sud up so it is safe to use in HE washers, though if you are warranty conscious you might want to see if that will void your warranty or not. I have used this laundry soap for over a year now and I find it gets my clothes clean, it is cheap, and it is like doing a fun chemistry experiment every time you make it. You will save money by making your own detergent.

This detergent does not have an smell. If having a detergent smell great is important to you you can add some essential oils. They don't serve a purpose except for smelling good.

So have fun making homemade laundry detergent. It is a little thing but it makes you feel pretty cool!

Vinegar, you are awesome!

Over the holidays my normal chore routine did not happen. There were way more fun things to do then clean a bathtub or toilet bowl. This week I had my work cut out for me. As I was cleaning the bathroom it reminded me how awesome vinegar is. I use vinegar to clean just about everything. It is so amazing, things get so clean, and there are no harsh chemicals on my surfaces.

I know there are different recipes that others make when using vinegar as a cleaner but, I prefer to keep it simple. I get a spray bottle and do a 1:1 ratio of water and vinegar. Voila, done. I use this cleaner for my bathroom surfaces, I use it as my floor cleaner. I use it on my counters in the kitchen. I basically use it on anything. Even the mirrors.

For my toilet I pour in some vinegar. (I used to measure a cup, now I just pour until I think I have enough.) then I sprinkle in some baking soda. A minor eruption occurs as I scrub, but man does that toilet ever look sparkling.

I know that the initial smell can make your home smell like a pickling plant, but the smell soon dissipates and leaves your home surprisingly odor free. In fact a bowl full of vinegar set out is a great deodorizer.

Vinegar is acidic so you shouldn't use it on any marble surfaces or other types of material that reacts with acid. If in doubt test on a small area of the surface you want to clean, just to make sure there will be no adverse affects.

I like using vinegar because I know that there are no chemicals left on the surfaces that my kids are going to be touching. As well, I don't have to worry about them getting into my cleaners because it is just vinegar. If they drank that, well they wouldn't want to drink it again. I love the taste of vinegar, but not straight up.

Not only is using vinegar a great substitute for other dangerous household chemicals, it is good on the pocket book too. I can buy 4 litres for $1.99, sometimes even less. Once I dilute it I can have 8 litres of cleaning product, that cleans everything, for $1.99. That is awesome.

I am always pleasantly amazed when I find a new use for vinegar. It is definitely an all-rounder, something that can be used for anything. From fries, to toilets. Amazing. How do you use vinegar? Are their any other green cleaners that you have in your cleaning arsenal?

Christmas Is Here!

 Well, I can say without a shadow of a doubt the Christmas season is truly upon us. Last week was a whirlwind of ballet recitals, skating parties, and a kindergarten Christmas serenade. It was not definitely not a slowdown type of week, but it was fun!

On Friday my sister came over and taught me how to make homemade caramels. They are going to be gifts for my daughters' teachers. Man are they yummy. I think I will have to make another batch this weekend. Delectable. The recipe came from the Betty Crocker's Big Red Cookbook. You can also get the recipe here. Even though the recipe says to cut them in 1" squares, I would not make them that big. They are so rich, smaller is better.

My oldest daughter and I then wrapped them up in foil. I hope the teachers like them.

 On Saturday we got a steady falling of snow. In the morning I braved going out to run a few errands. I would say over the course of the day we got about a foot of snow! It meant a lot of shoveling, but I don't mind that. I like shoveling the snow. It is a full body workout. It is also nice and methodical, walking back and forth and throwing the snow on an ever increasing pile. My kids love climbing the snow mountains. Their winter games are so much fun.

 Sunday was spent getting ready for my middle daughter's Christmas Craft Day! She wanted a play date with a few of her friends. So I decided, why not a craft morning and treat day. All the crafts were really kid friendly and the treats were yummy. A big shout out goes to pinterest for some of the craft ideas. I tweaked them slightly, but it was great fun. The kids had a blast and the other moms had a great time too. It was a check for the awesome mom list. We need those every once and a while.

 Of course now my older daughter wants a craft day with her friends. I think I will want until after Christmas and then figure something out. It is hard having multiple kids, and making sure that they each get to do something fun. Of course they never remember all the great things they get to do when they see their sibling doing something fun. It can be frustrating, but I love them and we will work things out. Do any of you have ways that you keep both kids happy and feeling the love?

 Here are some pictures of the treat table. I made the flower arrangement myself at a church activity. It looks pretty nice for a first attempt if I do say so myself. The pine is real and smells heavenly! Also, here is a view from my wintry backyard.

Have a very Merry Christmas next week. Enjoy this time with family and friends! I will see you Boxing Day!

Homemade Granola Bars

I know this is not a normal posting day but I had two people in the past 24 hours ask me about home made granola bars. So, I figured that it was sign to do a post about it.

As part of my crusade to create a more simple life I have come to the conclusion that I need to make more things instead of buying them. One of those things are granola bars.

Ah yes, the granola bar. The thing you grab in the morning as a quick breakfast as you run out the door or get lunches ready for children, or you are making everyone else's breakfast. A lot of the store bought ones are dry, too sweet, or full of ingredients I don't know how to pronounce. They also cost a bunch. I knew I had to make  my own. That way I could stretch my dollars and provide something for my family that was healthier and not so full of unpronounceable ingredients.

So I turned to the glorious internet to solve my problem and I found this recipe. This was a great base but there were somethings I wanted to change, so I did. I was able to tweak it to meet my families needs and likes. This is such a versatile recipe. If there is something you don't like, leave it out, if you want to add something go ahead.

So the following is my family's version that I love. And, most importantly, my husband and children love. I hope you love it too. The only negative about this recipe is that it is so yummy you will want to eat the whole pan! (But is that really bad?)

In a large bowl combine
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup whole wheat flour (all-purpose is fine)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup flax seeds
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup chocolate chips (it is a heaping cup full)
2 Tbsp raw sunflower seeds
2 Tbsp raw pumpkin seeds (I sometimes leave the seeds out, my four year old is not always partial to them)
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp sea salt (I usually just measure it in my 1 tsp measuring spoon and have just a bit less than full.)

In a smaller bowl combine
1/3 cup melted unsalted butter
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 banana mashed
1 egg, well beaten
2 tsp vanilla

Mix the wet and dry ingredients together until mixture is moist throughout. Put into a greased 9"x13" pan and bake in a 350F preheated oven for 24 minutes. These freeze well, though we usually go through the pan before freezing them would be necessary.

Tips

• put ripe or over ripe bananas in the freezer. You can put them straight in, no need to wrap them. The peel will turn brown, so don't worry. When you are ready to use them just set them on the counter to thaw, in a pinch you can thaw them in the microwave. The banana will turn squishy and will be easier to mash. It eliminates waste and helps you always have bananas on hand for recipes.
• If you don't want to use bananas you can substitute applesauce. I use 1/2 cup of applesauce. I prefer to use the banana because the granola bars seem more moist, but sometimes I forget to buy bananas and replenish my freezer supply.
• The original recipe called for honey. I prefer to use maple syrup. You can exchange maple syrup for honey in any recipe using a ration of 1:1. I buy my maple syrup in 4L bottles from the mennonites who live around Waterloo. If you can't find a bulk supplier in your location, you can use the honey or another type of liquid sweetener, you may just have to play with the amounts.
• If you buy bulk maple syrup you can store it in the freezer with no ill effects. I usually have two 4L bottles in my freezer at any given time and then I use them to refill the bottle I keep in the refrigerator for day to day use.

Tacos With A Twist

I love tacos. I could probably eat tacos every other day and be satisfied with life. Well, maybe that would be going overboard, but I love them. I love the spice of the meat, not too spicy, enough flavour and warmth to be delightful. The crunch of a taco shell is music to my ears.

Unfortunately taco shells have fats and lots of carbs, and not low glycemic carbs. This is usually not a big deal. When I was pregnant with kiddie number three I developed gestational diabetes. I was put on a low glycemic diet, which totally helped keep my sugar levels under control, but it meant I was on a very restrictive diet (at least restrictive to me). No taco shells. Oh the horror!

That's when I discovered brown rice. I made a taco salad mixed with brown rice. Super yummy and good for my sugar levels. Even though my body is back to normal, well, my blood sugars are at least, I still make it. Right now I don't have the organization for starting the brown rice early, so I have been using Uncle Ben's microwave brown rice. 90 seconds and done. I know it is not ideal but as established before, times and seasons!

So try brown rice next time you are planning tacos. It is nutritious and delicious. A perfect combination.

Here is the recipe for my Taco Meat seasoning.

1lb or so hamburger, browned
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 clove garlic minced or 1/8 tsp garlic powder (or to taste)
2/3 cup water

Mix all together in a pan. Let mixture come to a boil. Then, simmer until water is mostly evaporated.

The Totally Amazing Versatile White Sauce

I love to cook for my family. I like coming up with cool dishes and seeing what they think. In my head my family raves about the amazing meal I slaved over. In reality my husband falls more in love with me because of my impressive culinary skills, while my kids say ewwww!!!! yuck!!!! (I have since taught them to say, "Thanks Mom. What an interesting flavour." For if one says they don't like it then they all don't like it.)

One rule I have when I cook weekday dinners is that it needs to be relatively simple and has to be done within half an hour. With going out to get the kids back from school and then if I have book club or my husband needs to go out to do something or if it is girl guide night, I don't have time to be cooking a meal that will take me an hour to make. (Unless it is the crock pot or something cooked in the oven. Turn on, walk away? Yes please!) That is what I love about this white sauce. It is versatile, it doesn't take long to make and it is yummers.

This is the white sauce:
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a small pan.
Add 2 tablespoons of flour stir together until smooth and somewhat bubbly
then pour in 1 cup of milk stir constantly until it boils for one minute. It will thicken up.
Some people may wish to add salt and pepper to taste.

With this base you can make any kind of a creamy sauce you would like. Want to have a cheese fondue, add a cup or so of shredded cheese. Want a creamy curry sauce, use a tablespoon of curry powder for one of the tablespoons of flour. Add dill and pour over salmon and then bake, so yummy. Add parmesan cheese and you have alfredo sauce. So far, these are what I have come up with. The only limit is your imagination!