Euphoria Nuggets

Two weeks ago I was having my own little Instagram/Facebook party to hold myself accountable to eating a daily snack.  An afternoon snack really keeps me well nourished and staves off unnecessary snacking while prepping dinner.  I know all of this in my brain but sometimes, I don't feel like having a snack or time gets away from me so I skip it and usually regret it because I come into mealtime to hungry.  So I took a week and posted several pictures showcasing my snacks and Euphoria Nuggets were one of my snacks.  I found these wonderful treats after our Ultimate Reset in October and they are so, so good.  The nuggets were my first treat after the reset and all the flavors and sweetness were much appreciated by my taste buds.  The recipe is from the Karma Chow Cookbook, which if full of wonderful plant-based recipes.  The Euphoria Nuggets are listed in the dessert section but once you read the ingredients you will see why I think they are also a great snack.  These nuggets are a sweet treat but also packed with protein and when given the choice over a nugget or a protein bar for a snack I would pick the nugget hands down.  I hope you enjoy them as much as our family does.

Euphoria Nuggets

1 C. shelled sunflower seeds
1/3 C. pitted dates

Chop in food processor until the seeds and dates are a fine meal then add:

1/2 C. almonds
1/3 C. raw agave (I have used maple syrup as well)
3 TBS raw cacao powder (cocoa powder would work here as well but I really like the raw cacao)
pinch of salt
1 tsp. vanilla

Process till blended together then place mixture in frig. for 10 minutes.  Roll into balls and enjoy.  I keep these in the frig. or they also freeze well.  Enjoy!

Don't let the picture detour you from trying this recipe.  I know blogs are a lot about the pictures but I am a homeschooling mom with a single income and that does not afford me a lot of time or money for a camera and the necessary study to make great pictures.  I wish it was different but thanks to you all who hang in there with me even though I don't offer the wonderful eye-candy that can be found in so many other places,.

I wrote about some of our Reset experiences here, here and here.

If you want to follow along on Instagram I am tgarb6

Playdough in 5 Minutes

Our playdough spontenaity all started with this coupon that the little ladies clipped from the paper

 and ended with this oh so cute cake creation from the Play Doh Cake Makin Station.

If you have been reading here for awhile you know we like play dough.  Some mom's don't because of the teeny tiny bits that are hard to clean up but give a child a hand vac and it is no problem.

We have several Play Doh sets like the one above and the latest set to join the ranks is the Candy Cyclone, seen below.  The children love the Cyclone because it makes Play Doh gumballs.

Well seeing as how the children had a Play Doh coupon and how I was not going to drive 45 minutes to the nearest Target, we made our own.  Our recipe comes from this book:

The Busy Book is a long forgotten gem in our household but when it comes to DIY playdough it is what I reach for every time.  Here is our favorite recipe from the book and it really does take 5 minutes.  The littles love to play with the final product and the older children love to work the stove and mix the ingredients.

Combine in a saucepan and heat until warm:
1 cup water
1 TBS. vegetable oil
1/2 cup salt
1 TBS. cream of tartar
food coloring

Remove from the heat and stir in:
1 cup flour

Dump out the dough and knead until smooth.

See it is a very simple and quick recipe.

Now have fun with one of the sets I mentioned above or strike out on your own and make something like this:

Isn't that a cute face to start the week with?

I'm linking up with Living Montessori Now.

Herb Infused Chickpea Salad from The Karma Chow Ultimate Cookbook

Getting a Christmas tree is always an adventure. From getting our permit, driving the icy fire roads to finding the tree we bring home I never know what to expect.  This year we didn't have a definite day we were going to go tree hunting so when we decided to go on the spur of the moment Monday morning, I was scrambling for lunch.  Instead of the typical cheese, apples and protien bars, common lunch on the go items before our Beach Body Ultimate Reset, I made this:

Herb-Infused Chickpea Salad all ready to go on a Christmas tree hunt.

 This salad is one of many delicious recipes from The Karma Chow Ultimate Cookbook. Karma Chow is a vegan/plant based guide filled with wonderful breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert ideas.  I had heard of Melissa's book and once hubs and I completed Beach Body's Ultimate Reset I was glad to have it for our new way of eating.

So here's the recipe:

mix the following in a bowl:
2 15 oz. can of chickpeas (I make my own in the crockpot)
1/4 c. sliced sundried tomatoes
 1 small red onion (I used green onion instead)
4 garlic cloves
1 celery stalk
1 can artichokes hearts

toss with the the following Herbed Lemon Dressing ( I like to make my dressings in a jar for easy shaking or in the blender.)

2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbs. chopped rosemary
salt and pepper

Hubs and I liked this salad so much that I have made it twice already.

So you want to see our tree, right?  Oh, but wait, first the children:

 And here is the humongo tree in our tiny little truck:

And now our tree all decorated:

Yes, I know many would say you cannot call that thing a Christmas tree, it's a full blown tree.  As hubs says " we have the space so why not use it."

Little Ladies in the Kitchen

The kitchen is the most used space in our home.   Our garage, mudroom and outside doors are all in this space.  I spend many hours in this room making meals, cleaning, planning, baking, listening to music, reading and blogging. I at times have actually wished the kitchen was carpeted because I am on my feet so much in this space. We are self procalaimed foodies, wanting our food to look good, taste good and be nutritionally valuable.  I just recently told hubs that if we ever build a house again I want 2 pantries; one for the food and one for the countertop appliances, dishes and decorative seasonal items.  I can dream, right?  Summer has not slowed us down in our baking and cooking endevors.  Here is a look at what the children or shall I say little ladies have been cooking up:

E made this Wizard of Oz inspired cake for her Keeper's club. I was so happy how it turned out, especially the yellow brick road.  We didn't agree on how the road should be iced ( I had to let go) and her idea worked wonderfully.  The road looked like individual pavers.

The little ladies and I made our version of Antipasto Kabobs inspired by our Pinterest Good Eats Board

K skewering cheese.

E rolling and skewering meat.

.E made these cookies for her birthday party.  I again had to let go because we disagreed on the decorating but they turned out cute.  E has a style all her own and it is personal growth for me to allow her to express it.

The cookies are cute but isn't she beautiful?

And finally, we made these pretzels for lunch.  This recipe and several other pretzel recipes are on our Good Eats Board.

My current interest in finding more plant-based/meatless meals.  I started a new No Meat Board last week.  there is not much pinned yet so let me know if you have any great recipe sites that fit this catagory.

What have you been cooking up?

Today is Montessori Monday and I'm linking up!

Playdough Fun!

Playdough seems to be a mixed bag, some moms love it and some can't stand the stuff.  Here at the Middle of Somewhere we love our playdough.  Whether store bought or homemade playdough is an often used toy at our house.  Playdough is also an often used tool to answer the question "What do I do with my littles while the others are doing lessons?  This is what I came downstairs to one day during lessons.

K using her Playdough Magic Swirl Ice Cream Shoppe.

Playdough as a head covering.

Playdough as a window cling.

 All of this play lead to us making playdough.  Here is our favorite recipe found in the Toddler's Busy Book

1 cup water
1 tbs. vegetable oil
1/2 cup salt
1 tbs. cream of tatar
food coloring
1 cup flour

Combine first 5 ingredients in saucepan and heat until warm.  Remove from heat and add flour until well combined.  Dump out dough and kneed until smooth, sometimes I have had to add more flour.  I store our dough in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.

measuring cream of tartar into the saucepan

mixing her dough

We have a few other playdough tools we enjoy:
 Melissa and Doug's Shape Model and Mold set
Playdough Cars 2 Mold and Go Speedway
Playdough Cake Making Station

So once the fun was over and the mess was surveyed K washed the windows and vacumed the floor.  So don't worry about the mess because when the fun is over the practical life work begins.

I'm linking up with Montessori Monday and the Preschool Corner.

Greek Pizza

I have read over and over on money saving blogs that one way of cutting grocery costs is to make favorite meals at home instead of eating them out.  Pizza is one of our favorite meals and it is always a treat when it is on the menu.  This pizza is loaded with chicken, feta and olives.  I have not heard of any other children eating and asking for chunks of feta over and over, so this pizza is a winner in our house.  Now, just to keep the children from stealing  all the olives to put on their fingers before I can cut them for the pizza.

Greek Pizza with Chicken, Feta and Olives

Recipe courtesy Robin Miller, 2007

Ingredients

• 1 pound fresh or frozen pizza or bread dough, thawed according to package directions
• 1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
• 2 teaspoons garlic flakes
• 2 cooked chicken breast halves, diced (about 2 cups)
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 cup sliced pitted kalamata olives
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 recipe Cherry Tomato Salad, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Roll dough out into a large rectangle and transfer to a large baking sheet. Top dough with mozzarella cheese, to within 1/2-inch of the edges and then sprinkle garlic flakes all over cheese. Top with chicken, mushrooms and olives. Sprinkle feta cheese over top and then sprinkle oregano over everything. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until crust is golden brown and cheese melts.

I usually use regular olives and no mushrooms but I'm sure it would be yummie if you included those two ingredients.

When we make pizza at our house we make homemade dough, it does require a bit of planning ahead but it is easier than you think, healthy and yummie. I tried a lot of recipes before settling on this one by Tyler Florence.

Pizza Dough

Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence

Ingredients

• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cups 00 flour, plus more for dusting

Directions

In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the yeast, sugar, and warm water; stir gently to dissolve. Let the mixture stand until the yeast comes alive and starts to foam, about 5 to 10 minutes.
Turn the mixer on low and add the salt and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the flour, a little at a time, mixing at the lowest speed until all the flour has been incorporated. When the dough starts to come together, increase the speed to medium; stop the machine periodically to scrape the dough off the hook. Get a feel for the dough by squeezing a small amount together: if it's crumbly, add more water; if it's sticky, add more flour - 1 tablespoon at a time. Mix until the dough gathers into a ball, this should take about 5 minutes.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and fold it over itself a few times; kneading until it's smooth and elastic. Form the dough into a round and place in a lightly oiled bowl, turn it over to coat. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let it rise in a warm spot (i.e. over a gas pilot light) until doubled in size, about 1 hour. This is a good time to stick a pizza stone in the oven and preheat them to 500 degrees F.
Once the dough is domed and spongy, turn it out onto a lightly floured counter. Roll and stretch the dough into a cylinder and divide into 3 equal pieces. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes so it will be easier to roll out.
Roll or pat out a piece of dough into a 12 inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Dust a pizza paddle with flour and slide it under the pizza dough. Brush the crust with a thin layer of olive oil, and top with your favorite flavors. Slide the pizza onto the hot stone in the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the crust is golden and crisp. Repeat with the remaining dough.
 

Roast Chicken

I can finally do it, all because of this recipe. I can successfully roast a chicken. Make it with or without the sauce and I even altered the recipe and stuffed the bird with all citrus and rosemary. I am so happy because it comes out moist and yummy for dinner and leftovers. Stock up on whole chickens when they are on sale for $.99-$69 a pound. Save the carcass and make stock a day or 2 after to store in the freezer ( I store mine in 2 cup quantities) or use right away in a soup recipe. What makes this recipe work is the cooking temperature and time along with the tying up of the legs. Go on give it a try, even if you have never roasted a bird successfully before, I bet you can do it now.

Engagement Roast Chicken
Ina Garten

* 1 (4 to 5 pound) roasting chicken
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 2 lemons
* 1 whole head garlic, cut in 1/2 crosswise
* Good olive oil
* 2 Spanish onions, peeled and thickly sliced
* 1/2 cup dry white wine
* 1/2 cup chicken stock, preferably homemade
* 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Remove and discard the chicken giblets. Pat the outside dry. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Cut the lemons in quarters, place 2 quarters in the chicken along with the garlic and reserve the rest of the lemons. Brush the outside of the chicken with olive oil and sprinkle the chicken liberally with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Place the chicken in a small (11 by 14-inch) roasting pan. (If the pan is too large, the onions will burn.) Place the reserved lemons and the sliced onions in a large bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Pour the mixture around the chicken in the pan.

Roast the chicken for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and a thigh. Remove the chicken to a platter, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 10 minutes while you prepare the sauce, leaving the lemons and onions in the pan.

Place the pan on top of the stove and turn the heat to medium-high. Add the wine and stir with a wooden spoon to scrape up the brown bits. Add the stock and sprinkle on the flour, stirring constantly for a minute, until the sauce thickens. Add any juices that collect under the chicken. Carve the chicken onto a platter and serve with the lemons, onions, and warm sauce.

Lasanga Soup

I found a new money saving grocery blog called $5 dinners and gave one of the recipes a try. The family loved it: Ayden said "this is the best soup I have ever had" and Jay ate 3 helpings, yes, you read that right, 3 helpings. This soup was quick and easy on a night when I did not want to cook.

I used ground turkey and macaroni noodles with a little parmesan and the next time I make it I will add finely chopped carrots to get the veg. in the pot.

Lasagna Soup

1 onion finely diced $.80
1 teaspoon olive oil $.05
2 cloves garlic finely minced $.06
choice of meat (ground beef, Italian sausage, meatballs…) $2.00
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cups jarred spaghetti sauce $.37
4 cups chicken (or vegetable or beef) stock $1.00
2 bay leaves $.03
8 oz pasta (Rotini, Fusilli, Campanelle,Corkscrew) $.50
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
shredded Mozzarella cheese $.50

In a large Dutch oven, heat oil to medium heat and saute onion until golden. Add garlic and warm through about 1 minute before adding your choice of meat. Brown the meat, remove any extra fat. Add oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, spaghetti sauce, chicken stock and bay leaves. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes. Add pasta and increase heat to bring to a boil and cook for recommended time on pasta box for “al dente”. Discard bay leaves and adjust seasonings by adding salt & pepper. Stir in fresh parsley and serve with a sprinkling of shredded Mozzarella cheese.

Yummy, goodness. The house smelled so wonderful when this was cooking and we were not disappointed. The pork just fell apart and the carrots were perfectly cooked. I love this recipe because, although initially time consuming, it uses such normal ingredients that we typically have on hand. I am thinking about trying this sometime with a chuck roast, as I have never successfully cooked a pot roast and think it would be a great meal as well. Try it and let me know what you think.

Succulent Braised Pork

Recipe courtesy Melissa d'Arabian

Show: Ten Dollar Dinners with Melissa d'Arabian Episode: Beyond Pork and Beans

Ingredients

• 2 pounds pork shoulder, cut into 6 large chunks
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 1/2 cups beef stock or broth
• 1 bunch parsley stems, tied with string
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup water

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Pat the pork dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.

In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat, and working in batches brown the meat on all sides until a golden crust forms. Transfer the pork to a plate. To the pan add the onion, celery, and carrot and sweat until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and sweat another 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 3 minutes to cook off the raw flavor and caramelize it. Sprinkle with the flour and cook another 2 minutes to cook off its raw flavor. Whisk in the wine and reduce it by half. Return the pork to the Dutch oven, then stir in the beef stock, parsley stems, and bay leaves. Add the water if liquid does not come up to the top of the pork. Do not cover the pork with liquid. Cover the pan and place it in the oven to braise until the meat is fork tender, about 3 hours. Taste and season with more salt and pepper, if needed. Transfer to a serving platter and serve.

Banana Mini Muffins

The other morning E and I wanted to bake some muffins. E decided she wanted banana muffins and a recipe by Giada(her favorite food network chef), so this is what we baked. We did not make the frosting and I added a bit of wheat germ for good measure and they were so tasty. When the muffins came out of the oven I just wanted to try one and before I knew it I had eaten four. I had to laugh because as I looked at the pans I noticed someone else had gotten to them first (J) and couldn't hold himself back either--so yes the muffins were that delicious--enjoy!

Banana Muffins with Mascarpone Cream Frosting

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients

Muffins:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 4 ripe bananas, peeled and coarsely mashed

Frosting:

• 3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/3 cup mascarpone cheese, room temperature
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Directions

Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl to blend. Beat the sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl to blend. Stir in the banana. Add the dry ingredients and stir just until blended.

Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups. Bake the muffins on the middle rack until the tops are golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out with no crumbs attached, about 25 minutes. Transfer the muffins to a rack and cool slightly. The muffins may be eaten warm or cooled completely and frosted.

To frost the cupcakes: Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the mascarpone cheese and then beat in the honey. Spread the frosting over the muffins. Sprinkle with the walnuts.

"Nutella Cookies"

On Christmas morning I found a jar of Nutella in my stocking. Nutella is a wonderful chocolate hazelnut spread that makes the driest graham cracker taste like a decadent dessert. But better than a cracker is a cookie. I stumbled upon this recipe from the Food Network show Everyday Italian and it is yummie. Giada calls the recipe hazelnut biscotti but we just call them Nutella cookies. We omit the hazelnuts and ad 3/4 cup chocolate chips. Enjoy!



Got Nutella?

Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup chocolate hazelnut spread (recommended: Nutella)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In another medium bowl combine the butter, chocolate hazelnut spread, sugar, and brown sugar. Using an electric mixer, cream the ingredients together, about 4 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth, about 1 minute. Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, stir in the flour mixture until just combined. Add the hazelnuts and stir until just combined.

Using a tablespoon measure, spoon out the cookie dough onto a cookie sheet, spacing the mounds about 4 inches apart. Use the tines of a fork to flatten the cookie dough. Bake until lightly golden around the edges, about 10 to 12 minutes. Use a metal spatula to transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let cool.

Spice Playdough

Perfect for the season. Now I have heard many complaints from moms about playdough messes but our children love it,we always get at least an hour of play-time out of it. This dough was a combination of my favorite recipe and one I found earlier this week. The smell is fabulous and the texture soft. When we cleaned up, I put the dough in the fridge until next time. ENJOY!

1 c. water
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1/2 c. salt
1 Tbs. cream of tartar

Combine these ingredients in a saucepan and heat until warm.
Take the pan off the stove and add:

1 c. flour
1/4 c. cinnamon
1 Tbs. nutmeg
1 tsp. ginger

Mix all together and then dump out and kneed until smooth.


My children love to get out placemats and all the playdough tools and create away. A made a dinosaur, E and K used cookie cutters and made Christmas ornaments out of cookie cutters to give to friends.

Carrot Broccoli Salad

Sorry, I won't be offering a pretty measured out recipie but try it according to your own ratios and you will probably enjoy it.

Mix:
Shredded carrots (I use my food processor for this and the broccoli)
shredded broccoli
dried cranberries
toasted pecans (put them in a dry skillet and toast until browned, watch them because they burn easily)
top with as much or as little dressing as you like

Dressing:
Mix 3/4c. olive oil
1/4c. white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. chopped garlic
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper



It is yummy and a great way to eat some raw veggies--enjoy!

EDIT: Jay added Picture

Playdough & Tot School

Playdough whether homemade or store bought is always a wonderful entertainer at our house. This recipie comes out very well and the smell reminds me of my own preschool days.

This recipie is from Trish Kuffner's book the Toddler's Busy Book

1 cup water
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1/2 cup salt
1 Tbs. cream of Tartar
Food Coloring
1cup flour

Combine water, oil, salt, cream of tartar and food coloring in a saucepan and heat until warm. remove from heat and add flour. Stir then knead until smooth. Playdough will store for 6 months in the refrigerator.

(Click on the Pictures to see them BIG, then click Back in Browser to return to Blog)



Kensley cutting a circle.



Ayden made Wall-E, of course.


Emry always likes to make cookies.



Our 2 year old creates.