Life: Thoughts after a week on Paleo

Ok, so after one week on Paleo, I figured it's about time for an update.  To catch up those who aren't following, Kevin and I are trying to go Paleo for 30 days.  We have a Paleo guide/ cook book.  It has a 30 day meal plan for any dietary needs.  We picked the 30 day meal plan for digestive health.  We started on Sunday the 12th after we got back from Mexico.

After the first day, Kevin noticed more differences than I did.  But both of us felt a little bit better.  Honestly though, there haven't been too many significant changes (probably because these diet changes aren't too different from what we were already eating). My completion seems slightly better but I don't really feel any more energized.  I do however miss chocolate.

So, after a week, Kevin and I started discussing what changes would be permanent.  The reality for us is that paleo is pretty strict and not always conducive to our life style.  It's hard being out and about and still eating.  It is also difficult since on Tuesday nights our Small Group has dinner together and Wednesday nights we have dinner with our community group.  And since most people don't really read the ingredients list in their food (and you kind of sound like a tool when you  ask), this becomes challenging.  And we aren't really ready to be the people that bring food every where.  The other issue is that as much as I love cooking, I am not a fan of cooking 2-3 meals per day.  We are both in agreement that cereal makes mornings much easier.  And I am not a huge fan of no nights off from cooking.

I have also been having some stomach issues that makes me think I might be allergic to something in our new diet... I mean... lifestyle.  Most likely I think it is eggs but I am not sure. Time will tell, but something is making me feel nauseous after eating every now and again.

So for a more permanent solution, Kevin and I have decided that our best decision is probably going to be to go mostly paleo and continue in our regular pattern of slowly evolving our diet to eating better over time.  Once this 30 days is up, we are planning to allow organic cereal back into our mornings and to be more lenient in our "cheating" to the tune of about once a day, though trying not to make it a whole meal, just a portion. We are hoping that over time, just as it has already happened, foods that make us feel bad get omitted.  It's not that we don't think Paleo is a good choice, we just aren't in a place to fully commit.

But most importantly, we are planning on doing an allergy test and optimal nutrition evaluation.  We want to make sure we cut out any foods we are allergic to, and adding back things we are missing.  We think it is probably the best start to actually changing our diet to meet our health needs.

On another note, this is one of my new favorite desserts.
I call it...

Orange Dreamsicle Sorbet


Ingredients:
10 peaches (approx)
1/2 cup Orange Juice
1 teaspoon vanilla (shout out to +Jordan Wiley for the idea)
2 teaspoons of honey (optional)

Directions: Blend in a food processor (I use my nutri-bullet).  Freeze or eat immediately.  Approx 1 serving.  (Note: The goal with Paleo is to avoid processed and refined foods.  Try to stay as natural as possible with your ingredients if you are trying to maintain Paleo too!)

Recipes: Orange Chicken

Sorry, no pictures :-)
Ingredients

Sauce:
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons orange juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
 
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
 
Chicken:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
Directions

Pour 1 1/2 cups water, orange juice, lemon juice, rice vinegar, and soy sauce into a saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Stir in the orange zest, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, chopped onion, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat, and cool 10 to 15 minutes.
Place the chicken pieces into a resealable plastic bag. When contents of saucepan have cooled, pour 1 cup of sauce into bag. Reserve the remaining sauce. Seal the bag, and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
In another resealable plastic bag, mix the flour, salt, and pepper. Add the marinated chicken pieces, seal the bag, and shake to coat.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place chicken into the skillet, and brown on both sides. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels, and cover with aluminum foil.
Wipe out the skillet, and add the sauce. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Mix together the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water; stir into the sauce. Reduce heat to medium low, add the chicken pieces, and simmer, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Wife: Preparing for Deployment (Part 5) Orange Chicken

Canned Orange Chicken Mix:

Ingredients

Sauce:
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons orange juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
 
Directions

Pour 1 1/2 cups water, orange juice, lemon juice, rice vinegar, and soy sauce into a saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Stir in the orange zest, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, chopped onion, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil. (I also like to add chopped broccoli and water chestnuts to mine)

Mix together the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water; stir into the sauce. Reduce heat to medium low, and simmer, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.


Put in jars with about 1/2 inch of headspace. Can in boiling water for about 30 minutes.


For preparing: Cubed 2-3 chicken breasts and cook in a pan. (you can dip in flour and fry cubed pieces). Add sauce after the chicken is fully cooked. Serve on rice.

Wife: Preparing for Deployment (Part 4) Sweet and Sour Chicken

Ingredients:
2 zucchini
1 can of sliced water chestnuts
1 can of bamboo shoots
1/2 cup small mushrooms (optional)
1/2 cup Smucker's® Apricot Low Sugar Preserves
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon powdered ginger
2 teaspoons soy sauce, or to taste
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Directions:

Cook zucchini, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots and mushrooms in a pan. In a separate bowl, mix preserves, cider vinegar, garlic salt, ginger, soy sauce and crushed red pepper. (I normally double this mixture, but I like mine extra saucy!)

After the vegetables are cooked, add the sauce mixture. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.

Put in jars with about 1/2 inch of headspace. Can in boiling water for about 30 minutes.

For preparing: Cubed 2-3 chicken breasts and cook in a pan. Add sauce after the chicken is fully cooked. Serve on rice.

Wife: Preparing for Deployment (Part 3) The art of canning

Ok, so canning isn't that difficult if you are to scared to try.  I started out with a quick canning kit that I bought at Bed, Bath and Beyond.  It came with a few jars, a plastic basket and a small recipe book (that I never used).  And it cost less than $15.  I soon bought a lot more jars and eventually bought a new canning pot that holds 7 quart sized jars with a basket inside.

My new big pot!

The first step is always the same, wash and sanitize both of the jars and lids.

Step two is cooking the food on the stove.  Whether it is vegetables or fruits, you want to cook it before putting it in the jars.   Also, if you are canning fruit, you are going to need to also make a syrup.  You don't want to leave any air in the jars... which leads us to the next step...

Step three is to fill the jars.  You want to use a spoon to push the food around in the jars and release the air bubbles.  You also want to leave various amount of head space.  Head space is the amount of empty space that should be left to the top of the jar.  As a rule of thumb, leave 1 inch for low acid foods, vegetables and meats.  Leave 1/2 inch of space for high acid foods, fruits, tomatoes, pickles and relishes.  And leave about 1/4 of space for juices, jams or jellies.

Step four is to wipe the rim well.  You want to make sure that the top is going to be able to be sealed.  Then place the top on and screw it down (tight, but not too tight).

Step 5 is to place the jars in a pot of water.  It is best to have a basket that keeps the jars from touching the bottom of the pans.  You also want about an inch of water over the jars.  Cook over medium high heat.  For precooked foods, cook from 25-30 minutes  and 30-40 minutes for raw foods.  (I usually aim for 30-40 always, just in case).

Step 6 is remove from heat.  When you press on the top of the lids while in the pan (with a spoon or utensil), the lid shouldn't press down.  You want it to be under pressure.  As the cans cool, the top should be sucked down.  It may take a while for the food to cool enough, but it should happen on its own.  If for some reason it doesn't seal, and the food has come down to room temperature, you may need to try again.  Repeat steps 4-6.  (And just a note, I have had a jar that I thought wouldn't seal because all of the others that were the same food and from the same batch did.  I decided to try leaving it over night to see if it would seal and it did.  It just needed to come down to room temperature).  

Wife: Preparing for Deployment (Part 2) Chili Mix

So here is a great recipe for canning...

Ingredients:
2- 14.5 oz of Hunt's Petite Diced Tomatoes
1/2 small yellow onion
2 jalapenos
4 cloves of garlic
4 tablespoons of chili powder
2 tablespoons of garlic powder
1 tablespoon of onion powder
1 teaspoon of black pepper
1 teaspoon of salt

Directions:

Finely chop onion, jalapenos and garlic.  Cook on the stove with a small amount of oil or water.  Add 2 cans of tomatoes and spices.  Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.  Fill mixture into 2 quart sized jars, leaving 1/2 inch of space at the top.  (If your mixture leaves more space, you can add/ mix in some water).  Can for 40 min to store.

Directions for use:

Add 2 pounds of cooked ground beef and 2 jars of your preferred beans (I like pinto beans in my chili) with one jar of chili mix.  I like to cook mine on low heat in a crock pot for 8 hours, but it can also be cooked on a stove top by bringing the mixture to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer.

With some melted cheese!

Wife: Preparing for Deployment (Part 1)

So, as I am preparing to leave for Afghanistan in less than a month, there are many things that bog down my mind.  There are the regular thoughts about how life will be down-range, and wondering if the time will go by fast. But probably my biggest question is "How am I going to be a good wife when I am in Afghanistan?"  "How do I not feel like I am single when I am living on my own?" and "How do I make my husband feel like he has a wife that loves him from the other side of the world?"

The answer to this question isn't singular.  The first answer is prayer.  I am slowly learning that the best way to love my husband, is to spend time each day praying for him.  Though I will be able to call him frequently, I am already realizing that no matter how much we talk it will never be enough.  I can't talk to him about everything in the time we will have, so the best way to love him, is to pray that God will take care of him and comfort him every moment I am not there.  The joy and peace that brings unity is only going to come from God.

The second answer is to spend time each day dedicated to thinking about my husband and reveling in the man who stole my heart.  It's about taking the time to remember who my husband is and all he's done for me.  I am sure some of the moments in my life I will revisit often include the day he proposed, our wedding day, the trips we have taken and the things we have done together.  Spending time remembering the wonderful things my husband has done for me is going to help remind me not only why I fell in love with him, but also why I will always love him.

The third answer is doing a bible study or marital study together.  Hopefully it will not only strengthen our marriage, but also give us something in common.  That way not only will we always have something to talk about, but we can be connected by something even when we can't talk.

And the fourth answer I have come up with is the reason for why this blog is Part 1.  I recently was inspired to make Kevin as many meals as I could before I go. This all started on Sunday afternoon.  I had recently started canning my own salsas, which Kevin has loved.  I gave a jar to my Dad for Christmas and on Sunday, he was telling us that he didn't have tomatoes to make chili, so he added what was left of my jar of salsa and that it turned out really well.  So I started thinking that instead of just salsa, I could can a chili mix.  I added all of the spices, tomato, onion, and peppers.  So now all my husband has to do is brown a pound of hamburger, a can of beans and a can of chili mix.  He can make it in a crockpot or on the stove.  So it is really simple, and he can still have a homemade meal.  (For the record, my husband is a terrible cook :-) )  Plus, I already made a pot of chili to make sure the mix is good and it turned out great!

But of course, that got me thinking of other recipes I could do this with where Kevin just has to cook some meat and add a mix or sauce.  And the more that I thought about it, the more I realized the implications.  I could make a bunch of pre-made meals so that meals that take longer to cook won't take as long.  Or when I eventually I become pregnant, I could pre-make some of my favorite meals so I need to worry about cooking after the baby comes.  Life will only get busier, so pre-making meals just keeps sounding better and better.

So, again, there will be multiple parts to this blog that will include recipes that I try and enjoy, as well as at least one post of how you can do your own canning at home easily!

Recipes: Cinnamon Muffins

Here is a great breakfast recipe.  It's really simple and I pretty much just made it up.  

Ingredients list:

2 medium eggs.
3 cups of flour.
1 cup of milk.
1 cup of sugar.
10 tablespoons of butter.
3 teaspoons of baking powder.
1 teaspoon of salt.
1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg.
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon.

Topping:
1 cup of melted butter.
1 cup of sugar blended with 1 tablespoon of cinnamon.

Instructions:

Grease 12 three-inch muffin pan cups.

Cream together the butter and the sugar. Beat in the eggs, salt, nutmeg and baking powder. Stir in the flour and milk alternately until mixture is just combined.

Fill muffin cups to the top.

Bake at 350F oven for about twenty minutes.

Allow to cool for a few minutes.

With each muffin, dip in the melted butter.

Roll each muffin in the cinnamon sugar blend.
(I always double dip them until I am out of cinnamon & sugar!!!)

*Makes approx. 2 dozen!

Recipes: Sweet and Sour Chicken

Served on Rice

• 1/2 cup Smucker's® Apricot Low Sugar Preserves
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon powdered ginger
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce, or to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1/2 cup small mushrooms
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in 1-inch pieces
• 1 (6 oz.) package frozen pea pods, thawed
• Hot cooked rice (optional)

PREPARATION DIRECTIONS:

Sauce

1. STIR preserves, vinegar, garlic salt, ginger, soy sauce, and crushed red pepper in small bowl until well blended. Set aside.
2. HEAT oil in wok or large skillet until hot. Stir-fry zucchini and mushrooms over medium-high heat until zucchini is crisp-tender. Transfer mixture to a platter.
3. ADD butter to wok; cook chicken until tender, stirring often. Add pea pods and cooked zucchini and mushrooms; stir gently until heated, 3 to 5 minutes

Ingredients Combined

4. POUR apricot sauce over chicken and vegetables; toss gently to mix well and heat through. Serve with rice, if desired.

Recipes: Great Chocolate Chip Cookies

This one is one of my favorites.  This is one of the few recipes I have found that turn out both slightly crunchy and chewy and moist (this is because of the mixture of white and brown sugars).  Be careful though, there is a lot of butter and are thus, very fattening but totally addictive.

Ingredients 

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons hot water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to batter along with salt. Stir in flour, chocolate chips. At this point, I suggest you taste test some. (In my opinion, you should always taste test your food. It will help you know if you are doing it right, and help you identify if you've forgotten an ingredient... which I have done before)
3. Drop by tablespoon sized spoonfuls onto ungreased pans.
4. Bake for about 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are nicely browned.

Makes about 40- 50 cookies (depending on how much batter you eat ;-P)

Recipes: Easy Taco Dip

So this recipe, I pretty much made up on the fly.  It takes some time, but the amount of work required is minimal.

Ingredients:
1.5-2lbs Hamburger
2 packets of your favorite taco seasoning
2/3-3/4 c. water
1 Tbs garlic powder (I love garlic powder!)
1 jar your favorite salsa
1 can of diced tomatoes
20 oz cubed Velveeta
1 jalapeno
Tortilla chips

Directions:

Begin browning hamburger meat.

In a crockpot, add tomatoes, Velveeta, salsa (i prefer medium) and jalapeno.

Brown and strain hamburger.  Mix in taco seasoning and garlic powder and add water (use more or less based on amount of meat).  Bring to a simmer and add meat to crockpot.  Mix well.  Leave crock pot on low for a couple of hours at least until the cheese melts.  The amount of time it will take is based on how warm your crokpot it and how frequently you stir it.  But if you give it 1-2 hours by itself, it will be ready to serve!  

*If you don't like hot foods, you can get a mild salsa, mild taco seasoning, and no jalapeno

Recipes: Easy Peach Cobbler

This is a great one and always a hit! And just in time for peach season...

Instructions:
Prepare 3-4 cups of fresh/ frozen or canned fruit.  Drain frozen and canned. Just make sure the bottom of your 9-10" pie pan is covered but not overflowing. 

1c. flour                          
1c. sugar
1 t. baking powder
1 egg  well beaten
Mix all this together with a fork.  It will be lumpy and partly dry. 

Dump over you fruit and level slightly with your fork.

Melt 1 stick of butter and pour over crumbs.

Now get a hand full of brown sugar and sprinkle on top.
 
Bake at 350 for about 30-40 minutes (when I use lots of fruit and a 10" pan, it can take as long as an hour). 
 
 The time can vary greatly depending on the amount of fruit. 
 The crumbs should be browned on top.

 
***A couple of suggestions for this one. I like using 8 souffle cups instead of a pie pan. If you use a pie pan and try to serve the dish warm, your cobbler will loose its shape and get all runny. The souffle cups make for perfect portion size and you can put a scoop of vanilla ice cream right on top and it will melt into the dessert. (Souffle cups can easily be bought at Bed, Bath and Beyond).

Second suggestion is just make sure the bottom of the pan is covered in fruit, but not layered in it. Especially if you use canned fruit. Otherwise the mixture will bubble over and create a big mess in your oven.

If you use canned fruit, buy the light syrup variety and rinse the peaches after straining makes for less of a mess.

A dash of cinnamon in the mix makes this so good!***

Recipes: Homemade Apple Pie

One of the things I knew I would do with this blog is post recipes.  I am pretty well known for being a good cook and I am especially gifted with desserts... probably because I have such a big sweet tooth.  In our house, I am the one that does the cooking.... mostly because this is one skill my husband doesn't have and I am a picky eater.  I would rather go hungry than eat something I don't like (which is a real problem for me and having to eat Army food).  Anyway, I am not one of those women that demands that my husband cooks and then complain because he makes something I don't like.  So we have a deal, I cook and then I don't complain.  If I want a certain type of food, then that's what I make.  (My husband has gotten pretty handy with the grill though, I must say).  

So, since I always cook, I have accumulated a lot of recipes.  And I am pretty good at tailoring them to my own tastes. I am sure this will be the first recipe of many...

This is my favorite homemade apple pie recipe.  I am not great at making it pretty, but my husband and neighbors were very happy with the results.

IngredientsPastry:

• 2 1/2 cup(s) All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) Salt
• 10 tablespoon(s) Cold Butter Or Margarine, cut up
• 6 tablespoon(s) Vegetable Shortening
• 6 1/2 tablespoon(s) Ice Water

Apple Filling:

• 2/3 cup(s) Sugar
• 1/3 cup(s) Cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) Ground Cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) Nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) Salt
• 3 1/2 pound(s) Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, And/Or Braeburn Apples, each peeled, cored, and cut into 16 wedges
• 1 tablespoon(s) Fresh Lemon Juice
• 2 tablespoon(s) Butter Or Margarine, cut up
• 1 large Egg White, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon(s) Sugar

---

Directions

1. To prepare pastry: In food processor with knife blade attached, blend flour and salt. Add butter and shortening, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle in ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing after each addition, until large moist crumbs just begin to form.
2. Shape dough into 2 balls, 1 slightly larger. Flatten each into a disk; wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes or overnight. (If chilled overnight, let stand 30 minutes at room temperature before rolling.)
3. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place cookie sheet on rack in lower third of preheating oven to bake pie on later. To prepare apple filling: In large bowl, combine sugar with cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add apples and lemon juice, and toss to coat evenly.
4. On lightly floured surface, with floured rolling pin, roll larger disk of dough into 12-inch round. Ease dough into 9 1/2-inch deep-dish glass or ceramic pie plate. Gently press dough against bottom and up side of plate without stretching. Trim dough edge, leaving 1-inch overhang; reserve trimmings. Spoon apple mixture into pie crust; dot with butter.
5. Roll remaining disk for top crust into 12-inch round. Center round over filling in bottom crust. Trim pastry edge, leaving 1-inch overhang; reserve trimmings. Fold overhang under; bring up over pie-plate rim and pinch to form stand-up edge, then make decorative edge. Brush crust with some egg white. Reroll trimmings. With knife or cookie cutters, cut out apple and/or leaf shapes; arrange on pie. Cut short slashes in round to allow steam to escape during baking. Brush cutouts with egg white, then sprinkle crust and cutouts with sugar.
6. Bake pie 1 hour 10 minutes or until apples are tender when pierced with knife through slits in crust. To prevent over-browning, cover pie loosely with tent of foil after 40 minutes. Cool pie on wire rack 3 hours to serve warm. Or cool completely to serve later.