Strawberry Milkshakes...

With fresh strawberries galore, I thought I would make a Strawberry milkshake for my husband on our stay-at-home-date-night. Now, I must admit I automatically thought I wouldn't like it (hence I didn't make one for myself!) because I had childhood memories of "strawberry FLAVORED milkshakes or ice cream" and thought it would taste fake and overly sweet--- but my oh my, was I pleasantly surprised---- the real thing tastes SO different.... it was delicious, give it a go for yourself!

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh strawberries (you can use frozen if you must)

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup vanilla ice cream

3-4 ice cubes

** 1 TBSP honey (if it's not sweet enough, but mine was perfect without!)

Directions:

Dump it all into your blender or Vitamix, give it a whirl, and enjoy! My husband thought it would be fun to top with whip cream... but he'd probably like to top a lot of things with it! And don't overestimate the delish and timeless dessert of a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a drizzle of chocolate and freshly sliced strawberries- that's a real crowd pleaser as well!

Love Bananas?? Cut your strawberries down to 1/2 cup and add 1/2 a banana! Get Creative!!!

Strawberry Short Cake from Scratch...

We have had a ton or ripe, juicy, delicious strawberries around here (thanks to my husband who farms next to the best strawberry grower in town!!!) so we have been making many-a-dish (or dessert!) with our fresh strawberries!!!! Here's a recipe for old fashion shortcake, we served it at a shower, it's prefect for guests and makes about 12-16 cakes which you can leave whole or slice in half.... here's what to do.

Ingredients for Short Bread:

3 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup white sugar

3 tsp. baking powder

1 cup butter

2/3 cup heavy cream

Ingredients for Whipping Cream:

1/2 pint heavy cream

3 TBSP powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

**Don't forget your fresh strawberries!!!

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, and baking powder- stir well. Then add your heavy cream and your cold butter (not melted) you are going to cut your butter into the batter with a knife. Keep mixing and cutting your batter until you feel like it's well combined (you are still going to see nuggets of butter in there, they will melt together with the rest of the dough when you kneed it). I used a plastic thin cutting board, sprinkled with a little flour and turned my dough out onto it. Kneed your dough for about 2-3 minutes, this is where you will really see if coming together. With a large spoon, scoop dollops of dough onto a cookie sheet and bake for 15- 20 minutes until the edges are golden. Immediately after taking them out, remove them from a baking sheet (so they stop cooking) and place them on a rack or wax paper, sprinkling the tops of them with a pinch of sugar.

Next make your whipping cream in a chilled bowl, beat all ingredients together until your whipping cream begins to peak. Cover and chill until serving.

And last, slice up your strawberries. Mine were super sweet so I didn't add any sugar, but I pre-cut them so they could marinate in their own juice for a while. If yours aren't really sweet, add a spoonful of sugar, stir, cover and refrigerate until serving. Unfortunately I totally spaced and forgot to capture a picture of the finished product, but it looked similar to this to give you an idea!

I'm baaaaaaaaack!

OK folks, sorry about the serious delay in posting recipes.... I realize I have been M.I.A. for the last few months- but I have good reason. I have been eating things lately that most normal people wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole... things like lemon yogurt, pickles, bean burritos, apples, and eggs, tons of eggs... because this is how I eat when I am pregnant. I have the worst morning/all day sickness again with this baby (#2)--- I don't even want to cook, I don't want to eat, I don't even want to think about food--- which doesn't go well with trying to keep up with a blog centered all around food! But I am entering into week 15 and hoping the sickness is coming to an end (with my daughter is tapered off around week 16.... maybe one more week to go!!!!) So here are a few little things I have managed to make in the past 3 months.... just little recipes & ideas until I get my cooking apron back out during the week :)

Homemade Waffles

Ingredients:

2 eggs

2 cups flour

1 3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup oil

1 TBSP sugar

4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. salt

Directions: Super simple, pour everything into a bowl, whisk until all the clumps are gone, and pour into a HOT (and oiled/sprayed) waffle iron. Serve with a side of fresh fruit, maple syrup, or caramelized apples (recipe coming soon!) ** Made about 10 waffles in my grill (which you can freeze or refrigerate and toast for later!)

What is your dreaming? Is it influence with your health?

What is your dream if you’re success? If I success in making money, I am dreaming on having Cadillac Escalade. It is a courageous and luxurious car right? Since birth of the first Escalade in 1999, General Motors provided a luxury Sport Utility Vehicle through their popular Cadillac model. The 2003 Cadillac Escalade came a long way from the basic model, successfully competing against rivals in the German and Japanese SUV market. When considering the purchase of an SUV, you will find three different choices that were introduced in the 2003 Cadillac Escalade. Each model possesses an appeal that usually attracts a certain type of customer. There is the standard Escalade Wagon option, as well as the Escalade EXT Pick Up Truck. One of the more expensive choices is the Escalade ESV, which features a lengthy base.

Look at that picture, there is a good car looking right? Can you imagine if that car completed with appropriate car accessories? Yes, you will stun. With appropriate luxurious Cadillac Escalade accessories, this car will look more luxurious, extravagant, courageous, elegant and also powerful. Today's Cadillac Escalade offers more than just incredible off road ability, as it also is one of the most luxurious full-size SUV's on the market, truly making it unmatched in amenities and ruggedness.

Don’t worry about buying appropriate car accessories for your dreamed Cadillac Escalade. There are lots of online store that sell appropriate accessories for Cadillac Escalade. There is Carid.com for example. There are lots of car accessories stored out there including Cadillac Escalade accessories. It is simple ways in buying car accessories at Carid.com. Just visit their website, looking around and choose what you need.

Calcium in a Vegan Diet

One question asked by people when becoming Vegan is, will they get enough calcium without supplementation? Yes they will, as calcium is found in most veggies, fruit, nuts, cereals and seeds. Plus the fact that plant protein does not cause calcium loss from bones, unlike animal protein. Research has shown that people who live in countries where the diet is typically plant based have little osteoporosis, even when calcium intake is lower than that in dairy consuming countries. 

Calcium is not only required for bone health it is necessary for the teeth, blood clotting, metabolising iron, the transmission of nerve impulses, the regulation of the heart's rhythm and it alleviates insomnia. It is a major mineral in our bodies and is approximately 2% of our body weight. 

Some examples calcium content of plant food :

1 tablespoon blackstrap molasses 200mg

1 cup broccoli 170mg

1 med baked potato 26mg

1 cup cubed acorn squash 90mg

1 med avocado 30mg

1 cup cubed papaya 50mg

6 dry figs 100mg

1/2 cup golden raisins 43mg

1 cup boiled white beans 150mg

2 tablespoons almonds  50mg

2 tablespoons Brazil nuts 80mg

2 tablespoons sesame seeds 170mg

1 cup quinoa 80mg

1 cup hummus 120mg

1 glass Alpro Soya Milk  240mg

8oz soy yogurt 150 to 300mg

Daily allowances (RDA's) vary by country but basically they state under 8 years - 200 to 800mg, 9 to 12 years 800 - 100mg, 13 to adult 1200mg, adult 1000mg, seniors 1200mg,  Which with a balanced Vegan diet is easily achievable. Vitamin D either obtained by sitting in the sunshine for around half an hour per day or by supplementation will aid with absorption and use of calcium. If you feel the need to take calcium supplementation note that it is best taken in the evening before bed. Note that other causes of calcium loss from the body, other than animal protein, are high sodium intake, caffeine, and smoking. Some medications also affect calcium absorption and calcium loss so check with the pharmacist when filling a script.

On the other side of the coin, the well-known author and supporter of the raw-Vegan lifestyle, David Wolfe  states "Calcium does not build bones. This is one of the biggest misconceptions ever." He believes that silicon and magnesium are the keys to increasing bone density and we should stop taking calcium and start taking them to increase our bone density.  Read  Use Tips from David Wolfe to Increase Bone Density. and decide for yourself. 

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Toasted Quinoa Salad

From Chet Day   by Karen Railey        

3/4 cup uncooked quinoa

1 cup diced carrots

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

1/4 cup minced parsley or cilantro

2 sliced green onions

juice of 1 lemon and 1 lime (or 1 - 2 tablespoons of each)

1-1/2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce

2 cloves minced or pressed garlic

1 teaspoon chili sauce (tobasco) (or use a pinch of cayenne, a few red pepper flakes, etc.)

Rinse quinoa and drain. Put in a pot and dry toast until a few grains begin to pop. Add 1-1/2 cups of water, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and let cool. Mix carrot, red pepper, parsley and green onion in large bowl. Add cold quinoa and toss to combine, Whisk together lemon and lime juices, tamari, garlic and chili sauce. Pour over salad and combine well. Chill until serving time. This recipe can be fun. Try throwing in a few fresh raw peas, some fresh raw corn, fresh sliced raw green beans, etc.

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