Popsicles

I love ice cream treats but the ones in the stores are full of so much junk.  Most of them I can't even eat because they have GMO wheat and soy in them.  They are also full of sugar which really isn't good for anyone.  So I have been collecting healthy recipes and will share some of them with you today.

I like popsicles because it limits me to one small serving.  If i get a bowl of ice cream, I might settle for two scoops but I am more likely to get six to eight scoops while I'm dipping up.  So making popsicles is better for me.
                                                                   

Creamy Coconut and Mixed Berry Popsicles

Recipe by: Fork Knife Swoon

Yield: 10 Popsicles

Ingredients

• 1 (15 oz) can full-fat coconut milk
• 1 tsp pure vanilla bean paste or extract
• 1/4 cup pure honey, divided
• 3/4 cup blackberries
• 3/4 cup raspberries
• I only used 2 Tablespoons of honey and I added a banana to make it more creamy. I also use my frozen raspberry, blackberry and blueberry mix to use it up and it turned out wonderfully!  I dumped it all into my blender and mixed and poured not messing with the 2 layer thing. Also note my can of coconut milk was 13.5 oz and that's what I used.

Instructions

1. Whisk together the coconut milk, vanilla and 2 Tbsp of the honey, until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
2. Blend together the berries and remaining honey, until smooth and combined. Add more honey, to taste, as necessary.
3. For a creamy pop: Stir together the coconut milk and berry puree, and divide evenly between the popsicle molds. Freeze for 30 minutes, then insert the popsicle sticks, and continue freezing for 4 hours, or until firm.
4. For a layered pop: Divide the coconut milk equally between the popsicle molds. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes, or so, then top with the berry puree. Freeze again for 30 minutes, then insert the popsicle sticks and continue freezing for 4 hours, or until firm.

Note from Laura

Use any combination of your favorite berries, adjusting the sweetness level as necessary. Remember, the sweetness will mellow once frozen.

You can substitute granulated sugar, agave or maple syrup for the honey, if you prefer.

I choose to use full-fat coconut milk in this (and most) frozen coconut recipes because it results in a creamier frozen texture that more closely mimics dairy cream. You can certainly use a lower fat-content coconut milk, but it will result in an "icier" textured pop.

To remove the popsicles, either let them sit out for 5-10 minutes until soft enough to pull out, or submerge the bottom of the popsicle mold (up to the edge of the top) in room-temperature water for 10-15 seconds, then gently pull to release.

Avocado Lime Popsicles           

Author: Healthier Steps

Ingredients

• 1 avocado
• 1 cup coconut cream
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 1 banana
• ¼ cup lime juice
• 1 lime, zested

Directions:

Cut avocado length wise, remove pit, scoop out avocado flesh using a spoon and place in a high speed blender or food processor along with  coconut cream, maple syrup, banana, lime juice and lime zest. Process until smooth, scraping down sides. Pour into  popsicle mold evenly, insert popsicle sticks and freeze for about 6 hours.

And my last one today is fudgesicles made better!  I used my natural peanut butter as that's what I had on hand.  Everytime we get bananas I take the ones that's getting ripe to fast and peel and up in half in the middle and roll in lemon juice and place them into a freezer bag.  push out the air and seal and freeze.  I use these in my green smoothies and now have them for my popsicles too.   Don't forget to add in your tablespoon of cocoa!  Yum!

Almond Butter Banana Popsicles        

Author: Delish Knowledge

Ingredients

• 4 bananas
• ¾ cup California almond butter
• ½ cup + 2 Tbsp. unsweetened California almond milk
• 1 Tbsp. maple syrup
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract
  INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place all ingredients in a blender and puree until very smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust sweetness as needed.
2. Pour the batter into 8-10 popsicle molds (will vary depending type of mold used) and freeze for at least 6 hours, until solid.
3. Enjoy! Store in a sealed container in the freezer until ready to serve.

NOTES

For chocolate version, add in 1 tbsp. cocoa powder

I hope you enjoy these healthy popsicle treats and when I get some time I will do another blog with the rest of my collection. 

Blessings,

Cherlynn

Finding myself some place I never expected to be

This time of year is super busy for me.  I run constantly but last week I got sick.  It started as a pulled muscle but the next day instead of just a tender muscle I hurt every where.  I was sick, really sick.  I couldn't eat.  The only fluids I found I could keep down was tea and coke. I was running a fever and my bones ached horribly.  My belly was completely untouchable.   Finally after 4 days I gave up and made a doctor appointment.   The doctor took one look at me and sent me to the hospital ER as an outpatient.   While there he discovered I had a blood clot.  It wasn't down low in the leg like most are but right in the groin area.   Next thing I know he has me in an ambulance headed for the big city.  

Both places knew more than a virus or a blood clot was happening.   It was an adventure and now I am on a short leash with work piling up all around me.  But while at the hospital I learned something I really hadn't thought about before.   Most people in this country are totally clueless that they are not eating real food.   Genetically modified organisms/food is not real food.   Most people have no clue what GMO is or that they are eating it.   Here is a link to a nearly no basis on what GMO food is: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetically_modified_food .      

I don't like the article because they mention that this has been going on for thousands of years.   Over the years they learned how to take 2 or 3 different types of a plant and blend them together to make a new plant.  This would help a plant to over come a virus or insects but it always came from a like plant.  Peas to peas, etc.  GMO today has taken on a life of it's own.  They might be trying to find a better wheat but instead of just using other  wheat varieties they have no problems reaching beyond.  They use DNA code from completely different variety of plants and even use animal or insect DNA code.   In my book this is no longer real food.  If you can't plant a crop and save the seed for the next years crop, it isn't real food.   These plants are modified to accept their own herbicide being sprayed right on it.   The plant absorbs this but it doesn't die.   People still don't get it at this point.  What happens to the poison/herbicide that gets absorbed into the plant?    It goes into the food you eat.  So not only can't you grown another crop, you also are eating small amounts of Ready Roundup every time you eat.    Would you bake a loaf of whole wheat bread for your family dinner and then spray a little Roundup on it?  No of course not, but if you used GMO wheat that's what is happening.  Your family is eating traces of Roundup in every meal they consume.  And everyone wonders why the cancer rate is increasing.

All the waste from all these foods are ground into a powder and added to animal feeds.  So animals are being feed GMO's too.  Then there is the GMO animals, birds & fish out there too.   I learned to never eat farmed fish.  They are GMO fish.  Make sure you buy "wild caught"  to reduce the chance of GMO fish.  If they are released into the wild, they have to keep replacing them as GMO fish can't reproduce just like GMO plants can't.  

So today's blog is just to help you see what you are really eating in a new light.   This is not a good thing going on.   We should be aware of what we eat and make sure it is real food.

I hope this opens your eyes today and makes you look at your food completely differently.

Blessings,
Cherlynn Bell
brchbell@yahoo.com

Life in the country

I sure am happy to live in the country.  While it requires hard work, I know it keeps me active and feeling younger than I am.  If I didn't have the farm to take care of, I know I'd spend most of my time parted in my recliner and reading or watching TV.  When I sit around I tend to eat a lot of snacks.  Being on the run keeps my joints moving and working.  Today I worked in my garden and am reclaiming parts of it to grow crops I discovered over the years that don't grow well in raised beds. So I am removing 16 beds and stacking the cinder blocks in stacks of 10 to use in later projects.  Cinder blocks are not light so I get a good work out every week day.  I also discovered I have to move the dirt from each bed to remove the baby chicken wire and ground cover under it.  I thought it would take all summer but today I started and did two beds in a couple hours.  Yes I also moved and stacked 10 cinder blocks and weeded 2 garden beds.  Reducing down to 17 full beds and 2 small herb beds is making it so I can stay on top of the weeds as long as I tackle one or two of them every day I am working in the garden.

My husband has mentioned that the garden is a lot of work and maybe we should get rid of it.  Then I remind him why I am willing to work this hard.  #1 I enjoy working out in the garden each day.  #2 With more and more food becoming GMO I need to have a food source I can trust that won't kill me.  The last 8 years has been a learning experience for me.  At first I was told I was allergic to wheat and soy.  So I went gluten free.  My family was not happy but everyone felt better once we were off wheat.  A couple years in to this, I had a good friend who lives in California who is just as allergic as I am.  Our throats swell shut and we turn blue and we both cover epi pens with us.  Her husband took her on a business trip to Hungary.  The pastries there are to die for and that was just what she decided to do.  She went and selected the pastry she most wanted to eat and armed with her epi pen at the ready so began to eat it and was able to eat the whole thing with no reaction.  She was amazed and after 24 hours with no reaction she cheerfully ate her way through her two weeks there.  She finally found someone with good English skills who explained to her that eastern Europe has never allowed GMO foods into their countries.  They are growing the same wheat, rye, barley, etc that their ancestors grew.   So we both tried Non GMO wheat and low and behold we can both eat wonderful wheat bread again.  I am grateful to learn the problem for me is GMO foods because now it is all GMO foods including rice and squash and all the other foods they are turning into GMO foods.

#3 If I wasn't gardening I would be quilting all day long.  That fact alone made him happy for the garden.  Our fixed income is already stretched so my buying more and more cotton fabric, batting and all the stuff I need to use quilting.

#4 I love being outside and seeing all the wild life we enjoy here.  The beautiful birds, deer, turkey, coyotes, foxes, insects, snakes and spiders.  I see them all the time but only because I am outside where I will notice them.

#5 While I am currently removing lots of cinder blocks, I am happy we made our raised beds out of cinder blocks.  They are stacked two high and wonderful to sit on while I work in the beds.

The area I am clearing out is 52 feet by 40 feet.  I will be growing sweet corn this year with winter squash, pumpkins and melons mixed in, all growing together.  I will put in a sunflower border around it also.

Growing a garden also keeps my mind active and gives me time to think and ponder and plan things out.

My youngest daughter who got married and couple years ago is growing stuff in containers on her apartment balcony.  I sure miss having her here as she used to work out in the garden with me and was great at it.  I am glad she is putting her balcony to good use.

 Well, I guess I have rambled enough for now.  I recharge my batteries on Sunday.  I attend church and then I deck out and write letters and catch up on stuff.  Monday I am ready to do another week.

Life in the country is great!

Blessings,
Cherlynn
brchbell@yahoo.com

Driving in Today's world

More and more accidents are happening this year.  I was leaving Leavenworth headed back to the Platte City area on Hwy 92 when a car suddenly pulled out in front of me with less then a car length to go.  I thankfully was only going around 40 MPH instead of 55 to 60 MPH so when I T-Boned him no one was hurt, but both cars were very damaged.  I thankfully was able to get home in my car.  The guy that pulled out in front of me got a ticket and had to pay for the repairs.

Then a couple weeks ago two dear friends were headed to Stewartsville and then on to St Joseph when a semi truck driver struck them from behind and they were both killed.

So you need to learn to drive defensively.   Scan the road before you back and forth and check your side mirrors and rear view mirror very often.  It's not only important to drive carefully but you also need to be aware of everything around you.

When you are feeling tired while driving you need to take a break and walk around and revive yourself.  

You may not always be able to stop an accident but if you are vigilant and always know what is going on around you but you should be able to improve what might happen.  

So wake up and open your eyes and pay attention to what is going on around you.   I hope this helps you survive all that's been going on lately.

Cherlynn
brchbell@yahoo.com                          

Getting headaches to go away

I've been trying out herbal cures and found out if you take magnesium each night as you go to bed it helps you sleep better and it also stops headaches from happening.  Since I started this I haven't had a single headache or migraine.  Now you have to use some common sense also and make sure you are drinking plenty of fluids.  Getting dehydrated just invites headaches and other things.  So make sure you drink plenty of water and fluids throughout the day and take your magnesium each night and see if your headaches go away.  

Happy Easter

Aren't these little guys adorable?   Now if I can just remember to cut those hard boiled eggs the right way!   How are your Eater plans coming?

The way I clean now I don't bother Spring cleaning but with all the company I have coming in for this weekend I am going room to room this week and deep cleaning and making sure I get the ceiling creepy's cleaned off too.  I am spraying as this is the time of the year all the creep crawlers come out ready for Spring.   So far I have about half the house done.  Today I've done the utility room and will do most of the basement and the home theater.  Tomorrow I'll do the kitchen and dining room and Friday I finish up with the bathrooms and the King and Queen bedrooms.  I've been doing food prep as I've been able.  Bread was made and frozen and egg noodles made and dried and packed away.  Now I can get other things made up and set aside and by Easter it will be easy to finish up.

Here is our Easter 2016 menu:

Easter Dinner Menu

Ham

Beefy Noodles

Assorted Rolls

Asparagus Cashew Rice Pilaf

Creamy Brussels Sprouts

Twice Baked Potatoes

Easter Peeps

Orange Jello Salad

Ambrosia

Classic Waldorf Salad

Key Lime Pie

Chocolate Cheesecake

Punch

Ice water

I always do two meat dishes so everyone is happy.  I made the twice baked potatoes up a few weeks ago with cream cheese added to them.  Any time you want to freeze potatoes you must add cream cheese to them or you end up with a soggy mess when they are reheated.  I made them the way I normally do but added in a block of cream cheese too.  Who doesn't love cream cheese!  I froze them over night and then bagged them into freezer bags.  All ready for Easter.  Friday I will make the jello salad and Ambrosia.  Saturday I will make the desserts and Then on Easter I just need to toss the beef cubes into the crock pot and the ham into the roaster and make up the veggies the hour before.   I have lots of help so not worried about anything.  

I totally forgot about those Easter peeps!  If you have farm fresh eggs making Deviled eggs is like Mission Impossible!  If you steam your eggs for 22 minutes and then put them into ice water you can peel them.  I took a safe course by buying a dozen store bought eggs last week but tried this today and it really worked!  So if you have your own fresh eggs fear not but you really need to steam them in a pan with a tight fitting lid.  A colander raised up with water under it works very well.  Just make sure you have enough water so it doesn't boil dry but doesn't soak the eggs.  

Here is a video link to help make your Easter special: Hallelujah

Have a blessed holiday with your family!

Cherlynn

Getting my house in order

Ok I have never once been accused of being a great homemaker.  A good cook or good gardener or good quilter or great teacher but well my house has always been a mess.  I could even leave the dishes unwashed for a few days until we were completely out of everything and I had to take matters in hand.

A few years ago I found Sheri Graham's web site.  She had several kids and home schooled and seemed to do all I did but she did it better.  She was organized.  I've tried ever plan that came down the pike but nothing ever took for me.  Until I found This part in her web site:
http://sherigraham.com/homemaking/cleaning-calendar

She divided up her home into short 15 minute to half hour cleaning projects and through out the year everything gets clean.  I worked with it and made many changes and this year I added in two cleaning sessions most days to get everything in my home upstairs and down thoroughly clean twice a year.

I don't bother doing a big spring clean any more.  The way I am doing my sessions I can now be accused of being an awesome house cleaner.  We put our home up for sell a couple months ago and both real estate agents commented that they had never seen a house so clean before.  So I guess I have finally arrived.

I used Sherri's suggestions to start but then changed it to meet my own needs.  I have 4 set in stone weekly chores:  Monday I Dust, clean mop boards and vacuum.  Mondays and Fridays I do the same thing upstairs and downstairs.  Wednesdays I clean the Laundry room upstairs.  Thursday I wipe down the cabinet fronts in the kitchen, scrub the counter tops completely and get the walls in between and then I mop really good.  Friday's I clean each of the bathrooms, change the towels out, replace TP, and I take out the trash in the whole house.   Tuesdays and Saturdays are my extra chore days.  I do things like Clean high in each room, clean pictures, clean the book shelves, pull out furniture and clean well, clean ceiling fans, clean the candle holders throughout the house, clean light fixtures and knick knacks, clean out cabinets, and the list goes on.    

This is the first year I have added in the basement just simply because until this year we could hardly get around down there.  We finally got it cleaned out and got it carpeted and it looks really nice now.  I am moving slowly but these couple of months have already made a big difference.  I reorganized the big storeroom and each of the bedrooms down there.  I am currently working on the exercise/tool room.  2 more days and it will be done and then I can start on that huge wall of books. I can't wait to clean those book shelves!  The first time I cleaned the book shelves up stairs  I was shocked at how dirty all the books were!  It took a long time to clean them so I only got a shelf or two done each session.  Now that they are clean and I do them twice a year I can do a whole section of books as all the need a a fast dusting or little wipe down. The books downstairs are a mess.  I've been dusting them each week but I know its going to be a big chore to get them done but can't wait to clean and organize them all.    

I have discovered over time that I do not need to wash the mop boards every week so my plan this year breaks each floor into zones so that all the mop boards get cleaned well once a month.  The thing is I can do my short to the point chore each day without killing myself and while things might get a little cluttered, its a very clean house so no scrambling when someone comes to visit.

I stopped printing out her calendar pages this year.  I am using a regular calendar like they give out at banks and other businesses.  I can list my daily chores on it and keep it handy to mark off as I get done.  Sherri has lots of other helps on her site so please go explore and see if you find anything that helps you!

Blessings,
Cherlynn
brchbell@yahoo.com