March Favorites

I'm so glad Spring is here. My house is cleaner, we are spending more time outside, I've gotten my first "Spring pedicure"... good times, friends, good times.

March was a fun month. Here are my favorite posts:

Favorite Recipe Post- Apple Almond Oatmeal::perfect for chilly Spring mornings

Favorite Product Post- Kitchen Canisters::keep the kitchen looking good and keep baking supplies handy

Favorite Kid Post- Sneaky Orange Smoothie Pops::I hope my kids will share these with me

Enjoy the last day of March! I hope, wherever you are, you can open the windows and let in a little fresh Spring air.

Sneaky Orange Smoothie Pops

Dare I say that spring has arrived? As I'm typing this, I'm looking out on my back patio and the spring swallows have arrived to start scouting out my back porch for the perfect spot to build their nest. Thankfully for me, my husband already has plans to stop this nonsense this afternoon after work.

I must confess- I'm deathly afraid of birds. A couple years ago we had a robin nest right next to our back door and the mama loved to dive bomb me every time I tried to leave my house. I finally resorted to parking my car in the front until the birds left the nest, and vowed that I'd do whatever I needed to do to keep them away the next year! Last year swallows tried to nest on our porch and we put a stop to that pretty quickly. Did you know that PAM makes a great bird deterrent? :)

When I was little, every spring the swallows would build a nest on the front porch light of my parent's house. Again, I was dive bombed any time I came or went.... and obviously scarred for life.

Anyway, this morning I whipped up this yummy orange smoothie pop recipe for the kids. I hide butternut squash and carrots in this one... and they love it!

Why squash and carrots? They both provide a ton of antioxidants and fiber! They also are both packed full with B vitamins- specifically B6, which is great for bone health and for keeping the nervous and immune system healthy. Squash also had a good amount of potassium, which is super important to bone health.

These really are tasty... you might want to hide one in the back of the freezer for yourself.

Sneaky Orange Smoothie Pops
makes approximately 8 pops

1 C. unsweetened coconut milk
1 C. orange juice
1 small butternut squash, cooked
1/2 c. cooked carrots
1/2 banana
1/2 c. frozen peach slices
1/2 c. frozen pineapple

Combine all ingredients together in high-speed blender.
Pour into popsicle molds, freeze, and enjoy!

Enjoy, friends!

Serve Successful Family Dinners

Having dinner together as a family is one of the most important things you can do. There are all sorts of studies showing the benefits of family dinner time. It improves your family's health- mentally, emotionally, and physically. Kids are less likely to be overweight, kids develop better vocabulary, parents are more in touch with their kids, all family members are happier... the list goes on and on!

It seems like dinner time used to be a priority. Nowadays, there are lot of competing activities. Sports, work, clubs, schedules... lots of things try to steal time away from dinner. Even if you can only sit down as a family 3 times a week- it is SO WORTH IT. Even if you didn't make dinner at home: drive thru and bring it home to the table; go into the restaurant and sit down to eat- it is SO WORTH IT.

I cannot stress enough how important this practice is to the health of your family.

In our house, we make it a priority to sit down together 6 nights a week. This doesn't mean I cook 6 nights a week. We might be having leftovers or takeout, but we sit down at the same time and everyone eats their meal together. Here are some of my tips for making family meal time a success:

1. Don't talk about food. Seems odd since you're eating, but this is a great time to talk about anything. Why bother discussing how fluffy the potatoes are? You will actually eat slower and eat less (aka: not overeat) if you are carrying on interesting not-food-related conversation.
2. Eat "family style". 4 out of the 6 nights we sit down together, I put all the food out on the table. This way no one has to get up for seconds, but it also encourages picky eaters to try new things because they are exposed to the foods more often.
3. Turn off technology. It only takes 20-30 minutes to eat a meal. Everyone can go without cell phones, tvs, tablets, and anything else that distracts from the conversation. This is a time to connect with family, not with wifi.
4. Don't get up until everyone is finished eating. Sometimes this is hard with kids who eat really slow. But, for the most part, everyone should be feeling full and finished eating after 20-30 minutes. Stay at the table and enjoy the company. Stick around, it sends the message that you really are interested in your family and not just going through the motions.

Family dinners are my favorite time of the day. I can hear all about what my kids are thinking and doing. Everyone slows down and sits semi-still. It's so enjoyable, I wouldn't trade it for anything!

What's your favorite thing about eating as a family? We'd love to hear from you!

The Importance of Quality Cookware

**This is not a sponsored post. Just a few of my favorite things and the reasons why I love them, all opinions are my own.

Jess and I talk a lot about cooking and baking for our families. This is something we both enjoy. I think that one of the reasons we enjoy it is because we have been cooking and baking long enough that we have gotten to be good at it. Neither one of us is about to open a restaurant or anything, but when it comes to cooking for our families, we got this.

We each have our stories of failure. Forgetting ingredients, burning things beyond recognition, things happen.

Luckily, those mishaps don't happen to as often as they used too. In college, I'm pretty sure my roommates though I was delusional when I told them I could make dinner. If it wasn't spaghetti, there was a good chance it wasn't as good as I promised it would be. Part of the problem was likely my cooking novice. But I'd also like to believe that the biggest issue was the equipment I was working with. A poor college kid looking for a cheap apartment doesn't care about the quality of the appliances. A poor college kid also cannot afford Le Creuset. Thus, a poor college kid is more likely to mess up dinner. Good logic, right?

Nowadays, there are certain things I will splurge on. I don't have a lot of expensive cookware, but there are a few select pieces that I have justified, and some have been gifted to me. The quality of the cookware makes a huge difference in the quality of the meals I make.

Le Creuset French Oven

I am very fortunate to have relatives who understand my love language. I got my Le Creuset french oven for my birthday. What a difference enamel coating makes! This is a piece of cookware that I use for everything from spaghetti sauce, to taco meant, to soup and chili. It's really versatile.

How is improves your cooking

Even heating (you'll see this over and over again). It is important to have cookware that spreads the heat evenly over the bottom of the pan. With a french oven, the heat is also evenly distributed around the sides keeping sauces and soups evenly cooked. If you don't have even heating, you won't have even cooking- spots of your ground beef will brown faster than others, this leads to undercooking or burning.

Another great thing about this is that the enamel coating let's you use any ingredient- even acidic tomatoes- without ruining the finish or having to worry about things sticking to the pan.

It's also pretty enough to go from stove top to table top- always a good thing!

Pampered Chef Stoneware

I have a couple of pieces of Pampered Chef Stoneware. I love them all. They aren't too expensive either. This rectangle baker is one of my go-to pieces. I bake chicken, veggies, meatloaf, and just about anything else in this.

How it improves your cooking

Even heating, again- very important!

Stoneware is also non-stick, this is great for making sure things don't burn in the oven (as long as you don't leave them in there too long). A well seasoned piece of stoneware is pretty much black as it darkens with every use. As you can see, the top edges of mine are getting close to that point. The more "seasoned" the less you have to worry about sticking.

Because stoneware is slightly porous, there is the opportunity for well seasoned stoneware to give dishes a deeper flavor. Every time you use stoneware it just gets better.

Lodge Cast Iron Skillet

This is not an expensive piece of cookware, it is a necessity. Mine never leaves my stovetop because, chances are, if I am cooking dinner, I am using my cast iron skillet. Well, unless I'm making something with tomatoes- don't use tomato anything in cast iron.

How is improves your cooking

Even heaitng. Enough said.

Jess mentioned using cast iron to help boost your iron absorption. Always a good thing.

Cast iron is just so versatile. If you are a beginner and want to improve your cooking, buy a cast iron skillet and keep it seasoned. You'll notice a difference.

Stainless Steel Stock Pot

I received this gem as a wedding gift. Seven and a half years later and I'm still grateful for it! It holds a lot, or a little, boils, steams, stews, simmers... you get the point. It's a great piece. There is a nested cook-in strainer for pasta and potatoes as well as a steaming basket. So many uses for one stock pot. It's awesome. {since mine is over 7 years old, I can't find the exact product, but here's a similar one from the same company)

How is improves your cooking

Can you boil water? If yes, then you can cook a lot with this pot! If no, this is a great pot to learn the basics.

When cooking pasta or potatoes it's important to have a lot of water. These starchy foods absorb a lot of water while cooking so it's important to have way more water than food. Using a pot of this size allows you to have a good water to starch ratio.

This is also a great pot for simmering soups, stews or chilis over low heat for an hour or so. It holds heat well so you can keep the burner on a lower setting and even though you will need to stir, your food can simmer slowly for a bit without burning or going cold.

These are a few of my favorite things. I love them all, and I love the dishes I'm able to make for my family with them.

What's your favorite piece of cookware?

Boost your Iron Absorption and Intake!

Ok, so, my entire life I've struggled with my iron being "borderline"- meaning, the cut off for normal is 12.0 and my levels are 12.0. Or, they're 11.2, but it's so close to normal that they don't recommend treatment- which is really annoying. ;)

What I've recently come to find out, while working with my doctor, is that I have a low ferritin level. Ferritin basically binds to iron so your body can store it. My body doesn't store iron very well, which means I have to really pay attention to the foods I eat and be sure I'm taking in a certain amount of iron-rich foods every day. I tried iron supplements, but they were sooooo hard on my stomach. It wasn't fun. 

Ok, so how can we boost our body's ability to absorb all this iron we're trying to take in?

First, we have to understand the two types of iron:

Heme: heme iron comes from animal sources and is most easily absorbed by your body. Think beef, pork, and lamb. 

Nonheme: nonheme iron comes from plant sources like veggies, legumes, and cereals. Your body can't absorb this type of iron as easily. Spinach, black beans, cheerios, etc. 

Pair iron-rich veggies, legumes, and cereals with Vitamin C:  When I eat my spinach egg white omelette for breakfast, I always pair it with an orange or a glass of OJ. That way I know my body is able to absorb the iron from the spinach. 

Pair iron-rich veggies, legumes, and cereals with iron-rich meats: Slice some steak and throw it over a bed of spinach and other veggies. The meat will actually help your body absorb the iron from the spinach! Or, make this yummy turkey black bean chili, but use grass-fed ground beef instead. 

Avoid coffee or tea at meal time: I know, I know. I love a good cup of coffee with my breakfast, too! But, these yummy drinks contain polyphenols that inhibit your body's ability to absorb iron. Bummer, I know. I still enjoy my coffee- but I might do so after I finish a meal. 

Avoid calcium: This inhibits iron absorption, too. 

Cook with Cast Iron: Such a simple way to get some extra iron! Some foods will actually absorb some of the iron from the skillet while they're cooking. 

Have you or do you struggle with low iron? What has worked best for you? 

New Look

Jess and I are SO excited about the new look for the blog that went live TODAY! 

We have been working with Brielle at 3 Eleven Design the past couple of weeks and we couldn't be happier with the result. 

Brielle was so wonderful to work with! Check our her etsy shop here.

Scroll down, look around, take in the fun! That's what we are doing today :-)

How does my garden grow? {Part 2: Seeds}

If you live in a warmer growing zone, now is a great time to start seeds! See how I've been researching and making my garden plans here.

Last year, I tried my hand at growing from seeds. I'll be honest- my success rate was about 50%. This year, I have learned from my mistakes. Here's how I planted seeds this weekend:

Supplies: 

Organic seed starting mix

Seed pots (the ones pictured here can be planted along with the plant that grows=no waste!)

A scoop (mine is a 1/4 cup scoop)

Seeds (I chose to grown green beans and carrots this year)

A spray bottle

A cookie sheet

Place the seed cups on the cookie sheet. This will make it easier to move them later.

Using the scoop, fill the seed cups with the seed starting mix.

Make holes for the seeds- refer to the back of the seed packet for how deep the seeds need to be planted.

Place 1 seed per hole for larger seeds (like green beans) and a few per hole for smaller seeds (like carrots) *this helps to make sure your little seeds don't get washed away and increases the likelihood that at least one will sprout*

Cover the seeds with the seed starter mix.

Next, you will need to water well. You want to soak the soil, but not drown the seeds.

I have found that a garden sprayer gives you greater control over how much water you are putting in (especially if kiddos are helping) and the pressure is gentle enough that it won't displace your seeds.

Now it's time to place the seeds in a warm, safe place. The cookie sheet is great to keep the seed pots on for easy moving. 

I recommend placing the seeds on top of your dryer. It's a warm, out-of-the-way environment.

I also cover my seeds with plastic wrap for added protection.

Keep the garden sprayer close by and water the seeds everyday or every other day- just enough to keep the soil moist.

With seeds, it's not about getting sunlight, it's about keeping them warm and watered so they can sprout.

Once you start to see the sprouts, then you will need to move the seed pots outside.

Even after seeds have sprouted, it's best to wait until they are a little larger to transplant them. Sprouts and plants need warmth, water, and sunlight!

I went ahead and bought a few plants while I was at the store. I won't plant these for a couple more weeks so I am using a cookie sheet again to keep them together. This way I can easily move them to the garage if there is a chance it will freeze overnight.

How about this for a little St. Paddy's Day green? 

Stay tuned for more gardening very soon!

Skinny Taco Dip

My siblings and I recently had surprise party for our parents 31st anniversary. It was a murder mystery party, which they knew was happening, but what they didn't know was that some of their friends were going to be part of it as well! They were definitely surprised and we all had a great time with lots of laughs... and tons of FOOD.

The theme of the murder mystery we chose took place on a cruise ship. If you've ever been on a cruise, you know cruise ships are notorious for their buffets. My personal favorite is the midnight buffet, but you didn't hear that. What happens on the cruise ship, stays on the cruise ship. Err... my hips. Until I get home and exercise my butt off. I digress...

Point is, we had a few different buffet areas for the party and lots of food. My brother and sister-in-law brought taco dip- who doesn't loooooove taco dip?! It's something I normally don't make unless I'm going to a special get-together with family or friends because, well, let's face it- I would do some serious damage to a pan of taco dip.

Up until recently, I've always used cream and cheese and sour cream for my base mix. In an effort to make myself feel less guilty, I substituted greek yogurt for the sour cream. I also added in my favorite refried beans. I'm actually a pretty picky eater, so my toppings are limited, but I bet this would be yummy with fresh salsa, black olives, avocado, and tomatoes!

Skinny Taco Dip 

Ingredients
1 C. homemade refried beans (my favorite recipe is HERE)
4 oz. softened cream cheese
3/4 C. plain greek yogurt
1 tbsp. homemade taco seasoning (recipe HERE)
1 C. romaine lettuce, chopped
1/2 C. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 C. red onion, diced

Directions

1. Combine cream cheese, greek yogurt, and taco seasoning in a small bowl. Mix well.
2. Spread an even layer of beans in an 8x8 casserole dish.
3. Spread cream cheese mixture over the bean layer.
4. Add your toppings and dig in!

Springy Posts

The "spring ahead" time change always signals to me that the season is about to change. It might not be time to put away the coats yet, but it is time to think about putting away the coats. Close enough...

Since it's still a little chilly here, I have been dreaming about all the things I need to do in the Spring time. Here's a nice little list for you:

1. Spring Cleaning. It's a good feeling to really deep clean your house, open the windows and let in fresh air and sunlight. Here's how we do it- clean&lean spring cleaning.
2. Iced Mocha. I'm ready to ice down my mocha in the morning! Here's how I make my warm weather morning pick-me-up.
   
3. Closet Clean Out. This is a two fold Spring "must-do". For starters, it's time to get ready for kiddos' Spring wardrobe needs, here's a handy checklist. It's also the perfect time to re-group your closet too- closet clean out feels so good. 
4. Easter Baskets. It won't be long before it's time to hide eggs and fill baskets. Here's our fun and candy free suggestions to help you have a healthier holiday!
5. Bright and Colorful. Let's decorate! Put up the winter and break out the Spring decor. Jess is going to be doing another Spring wreath tutorial in a few days, but here's the wreath she did last year- so cute!

My Favorite Kitchen Canisters

I know how simple it sounds, but canisters make me happy. 

If you combine my love for baking with my love for containers, you can see how kitchen canisters would be one of my favorite things. That's not strange, right?

I've been on the look out for a canister set recently because I might have shattered one of my old canisters leaving me with an incomplete set. 

This is no easy task. Apparently I'm picky about kitchen canisters- who knew? I thought that finding big glass canisters would be easy but I was wrong. Most plain glass canisters out there are small and can't hold a whole bag of flour. Not ok. 

We don't have The Container Store where I live (so sad) so anytime I pass one- like on a recent trip to Dallas- I stop in and have a look around.

I'm so excited about the canisters I found! I bought glass canisters (or hermetic jars, tomato-tomato?) with air tight lids. These two features are especially important because I live in a humid climate. 

I have 4 canisters: 2 large ones for whole wheat and AP flour; a medium size for sugar; and a smaller size for brown sugar. I also bought a 1/2 cup metal scoop so I can easily measure my flour, sugar, and brown sugar.

I am still debating on adding chalk labels. I really like the clean look they have now. 

These babies have become one of my favorite things in my kitchen. I'm really happy with them. 

Thank goodness for The Container Store!

Happy Friday, friends. 

Apple Almond Oatmeal

Growing up, I rarely ate breakfast. When I did, it was usually just some cereal and I was out the door. Well, once I was old enough that I made my own decision about breakfast. Now I can't function without eating something in the morning! Boy, how times have changed.

One of my go-to breakfasts is this simple apple almond oatmeal. It comes together quick and is super easy- you probably have all of these ingredients in your pantry right now!

It's super easy to make this your own- not a fan of almonds? Swap it out for another nut like walnuts. Add more apple. Omit the cinnamon. Add nutmeg. Switch it up each time until you find that perfect combination.

Two things about this recipe: First, it's important to have a good tasting apple. Super sweet and juicy apples can be tough to find this time of year, so just be sure the one you're using tastes good. It can really make or break this recipe. Second, the amount of water called for in this recipe will produce a thicker oatmeal. Just add 1 cup of water instead of 3/4 if you like your oats a thinner.

Apple Almond Oatmeal
serves 1

Ingredients
1/2 C. old-fashioned oats (not quick oats. you can also use gluten-free oats)
1/2 of a small apple, cut into chunks
1 tbsp. sliced almonds
1 tbsp. pure maple syrup
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
dash of salt
3/4 C. water

Directions
Combine all ingredients in a 2 cup microwave safe bowl or mug.
Microwave for 2 minutes, or until oatmeal is the right consistency for your taste.

Sprinkle with a little brown sugar, if you're feeling sweet! Enjoy!

One year ago...

One year ago my BFF and I started this blog. Our blogiversary snuck up on us- it doesn't seem like a whole year has gone by.

We are so grateful for every page view, every reader, every friend we have made this year.

We are looking forward to another year of blogging together, getting to know our readers more, and having all sorts of fun.

Thank you for all of your support and for taking a few minutes out of your busy days to spend some time with us. We so appreciate you!!

Lynns & Jess

How will my garden grow? Part 1: Inspiration

I have been researching container gardening. Last year I tried a few herbs and some strawberries in a couple of containers and had great success so I'm confident I can expand my efforts this year.

Once again, Pinterest proves to be a great source of inspiration. 

This is not a sponsored post. All picture sources are sited below the picture.

Tomatoes are on my list this year. I like these tips from squidoo.com. Last year I planted Marigolds with my veggies and they burned up- I'm hoping this year the tomatoes can give them a little shade.

I love the idea to use troughs, this pinner uploaded this pic directly. Here's a link to her board. Last year I used a big galvanized bucket and I loved how it looked. Form and function. Yes!

I'm loving this handy dandy chart from thegardencentral.com. 

Here's a list of veggies and herbs I'm planning in growing this year:

Tomatoes

Carrots

Green bell peppers

Lettuce

Broccoli

Zucchini

Strawberries

Basil

Mint

Cilantro

I will be starting seeds in the next couple of weeks! I plan to have 2 galvanized troughs and 2 large galvanized buckets once I transplant outside. I won't grow everything from seeds but it is a great teachable moment for the kids to see, I am excited to get my kiddos involved.

Look for more gardening progress to hit the blog soon!