Project 365 - Day 31 (Good morning!)

"Big Red" is the sheriff around these parts...

My Birthday Wish... #BlogDare

My Birthday is still a long ways off... no, I am not fishing for anything in particular.

Writing with the Blog Dare prompts has been fun. I haven't hit every day... not all topics inspired me to blog about. I really only try to post something worthwhile. Okay, even my musings should be slightly interesting. Or, so I hope. Today's prompt really got me thinking. Now I know what I want for my Birthday this year!

My birthday wish is simple. Completely impossible, but simple anyway.

I want to do nothing.

There, I said it.

Now, I could just "do nothing" any old day of the week, but there are consequences. And I am not a fan of consequences.

I wake up in the morning and rush to diaper, dress and referee the quarrels between my children. Then downstairs we make breakfast, then snacks, then I clean. Cleaning and chores are interrupted by more refereeing, disciplining and entertaining. Which leads to food preparation and more cleaning.

Usually by 4pm my children are waking up from nap and I wonder what happened to my day as I get started on dinner. Then the evening slips away as I clean, clear and do more entertaining.

In the past when I have attempted those "do nothing" days (aka I was sick), the family doesn't understand and still needs me to referee, discipline and entertain them. The chores go un-done and the cleaning piles up.

So in order for me to have my birthday wish, no strings attached, it would require my family to do the unthinkable... they would need to play on their own, get along, feed themselves and pitch in.

Now, is that so much to ask for my birthday?

#Mamavation Monday - I Agreed to...What?

I love a good challenge...

But, what did I sign up for? ...more on that later...

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Tonight is the Mamavation Mom Campaign 11 Twitter Party All. It begins the journey for the lucky ladies voted to be the next round to go through the 7 week boot camp. I was there, I put in my time and am happy to be supporting the next round of gals go for it.


Where: #Mamavation (use the hashtag on twitter)
When: 5-7 pm PST
Go to Mamavation to RSVP for fun prizes.

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So for Week 1 I plan to be a good girl. Okay, a really good girl. ...don't laugh. I actually will have a little help with it as I workout with the Mamavation Moms.

Yes, that is the "what was I thinking" moment.

I have to admit that this body has put a little more on and the ups and downs of my scale have not inspired confidence in me. I already have the meal plans that Alysa made for me during my Mamavation Mom campaign, and I plan to work with that for this week's eats. But what I really need to do is lace up my tennis shoes and get moving.

Watch on twitter as past MM's tweet their support and sweat with the current gals. I even plan on restarting my nightly journals. This girl needs some accountability. Be sure to check out what the new Mamavation Moms are up to in their nightly journals. Comment love is so important!

Tomorrow I hope you join in, tennis shoes on, water bottle in hand to start out Week 1 like champions! You CAN do it!

Project 365 - Day 30 (Can't Sleep!)

With that outside, sleep was just too difficult to pull off!

Cooking with my Kids & Keeping it Healthy! #BensBeginners

2012 my biggest New Year's Resolution was to ban all the unnecessary foods, the junk, the sugar the dyes and additives. We are cooking up a storm and trying to keep it real and healthy.

Now, living on a farm tends to make this a little easier. That doesn't mean I'm not concerned about raising my children to be good cooks and good eaters though. One trick that has worked well has been to get my kids involved in the kitchen.

My son is so excited to don his apron and get out his own "kid friendly" utensils.

Even with this enthusiasm Winter is the toughest time of year to cook healthy meals for our family. Our own produce is out of season and the shorter days have me running for old comfort foods. Since those are generally laden with cream and calories, I have to search for alternatives. Good wholesome grains, like rice, have been my staples.

Here is a list of things to get you started cooking healthy with your kids:

1. Stock up on Staples - Having basic pantry essentials makes even last minute dinner drama easier. I don't like down the street from our grocery store, so it helps to be prepared. I try to keep things organized so even my son can help locate the ingredients on my list. I keep dried goods, beans, rice, and other grains on hand at all times. They also last longer and can help to stretch tight monthly budgets.

2. Let the Kids Help Shop - Our son comes along when I do the grocery shopping. Sometimes he stops and asks about exotic fruits or new vegetables he isn't familiar with. I can't do it on every shopping trip, but I do try to look for recipes to incorporate some of these new items on upcoming menus. This helps me keep our menu seasonal and take advantage on sales of squash or dark leafy greens during Winter. Variety is important and fun for all of us.

3. Appropriate Sizes & Knives  - Early on I knew I wanted my kids in the kitchen cooking with me. The biggest obstacles for small hands are the utensils and tools. I don't want a 5-year old wielding one of my sharp Henckel knives, but I was able to find him a set with nylon plastic knives that were not as dangerous. The grips are age and coordination appropriate and I am not worried about him ruining my good tools or hurting himself.

4. Prepare & Present - My son, like all kids, has some food hang-ups. I can usually minimize these if he is invested in the food we eat. Getting his hands on the food and watching it transform into dinner is a powerful thing. He is so proud to help present the food to his Daddy after work. "Look Daddy, I made this" is commonly heard in our house.

5. Explore New Flavors Together - To keep food fun and exciting, take a trip around the world for your recipes or spices. We are big fans of the citrus flavoring Ponsu, often used in Japan, to liven up our veggies or stir fry. We also enjoy trying new pizza toppings or new mix-ins for our steamed rice. Explore new flavors and textures together as a family.

Of course remember to have fun. This is time to spend with your children and give them real life skills they can use for their entire lives. It is time to connect and interact creating something important, your food!

As an added incentive for cooking up a storm tonight with your kids, Uncle Ben's has launched an exciting new national contest called Ben's Beginners.

You could win $20,000 along with a $50,000 grant towards a cafeteria makover for your child's school and an appearance on The Rachel Ray Show.

Who is eligible? 

• Parents with children ages 5-12
• Submit a 2-3 minute video

See full contest details on Ben's Beginners on Facebook

Here is our family's favorite meal using rice! Our poached eggs with sauteed chard over rice is not only simple and healthy, but it is also quick to make.

About Uncle Ben’s

Uncle Ben’s®, the number one rice brand in America, is proud to offer a wide range of rice dishes with flavors and textures that will help bring more to your meals, both for convenient side dishes and savory main courses. Uncle Ben’s® offers a wide variety of white, whole grain brown, and flavored rices in cook times ranging from 30 minutes to 90 seconds, as well as rice for food service operations such as restaurants, schools and hospitals. The first mass-produced parboiled rice, Uncle Ben’s® is the top-selling branded rice in the United States and products can be found in more than 100 countries worldwide. Uncle Ben’s® Brand products are manufactured by Mars Food NA, part of Mars, Incorporated. For more information, visit www.UncleBens.com. 

More info on Uncle Ben’s: http://www.unclebens.com/

Uncle Ben’s on Facebook

Check out recipe ideas from Uncle Ben’s.

*Disclaimer - I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Uncle Ben’s blogging program, for 6,000 My SocialMoms Rewards Points. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Project 365 - Day 28 (No More Work)

Project 365 - Day 27 (Engrish)

This is posted on the farm's tractor near the radiator. Check out #5...

...don't ya just hate the brazing sun?

Nutrisystem Wk 9 & 10 - Finding my Groove in the #NSNation

I read somewhere it takes 21 days to create a new habit, but honestly it seems to take me longer. Change is hard, but having a plan and support to help has put me at ease. As a part of the Nutrisystem Blogger Program I have been steadily losing the excess weight. I definitely have a long way to go, but I am on my way.

This week in our hurry, we ate out more often. I tried salads and veggies, etc. I have to say that with as horrible as I felt afterward, it is a testament to how much my eating habits have changed. It doesn't seem to matter if I just order a simple broiled chicken salad. The following day I usually feel like the stay-puff marshmallow man. Yuck!!

This weekend we are headed up for a ski weekend and young farmer's get-together. I will be away from home, but that doesn't mean I am out of luck! Now I really appreciate the bars and pantry meals available through Nutrisystem. I have already packed a selection of meal bars, oatmeal, red beans and rice, etc. I am also really excited that I get to burn off some major calories playing with my family in the snow. I hope to get some cross-country pics posted when I return.

I was excited to see the scale moving down 2.4 lbs! That puts me at 8.1 lbs in 10 weeks. My goal this week is to see if some extra time with my treadmill and Zumba can bring me to over 10 lbs total loss next week. So wish me luck.

Want to lose weight and get healthy on Nutrisystem? 
Join today by calling 1-888-853-4689 or 

by visiting http://www.nutrisystem.com/nsblog

*Disclaimer - Nutrisystem is providing me with 4 months of their program as part of the Nutrisystem Nation Blogger Program in exchange for writing about my experiences. All opinions and experiences are my own, your results may vary.

Fun with Food Friday - French Bread Rolls

This week's recipe is courtesy of Mama Chocolate's reader Leah P.

French Bread Rolls - makes 16 rolls

You Will Need:

• 1 1/2 c. warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 1 Tbsp. active dry yeast
• 2 Tbsp. white sugar
• 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 tsp. salt
• 4 c. bread flour

Combine the water, yeast, and sugar. Let stand and proof for about 10 minutes.

To the yeast mixture, add the oil, salt, and 2 cups flour. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough has pulled away from the sides of the bowl. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.

 Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat. Cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

Deflate the dough, and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 16 equal pieces, and roll into balls. Place on lightly greased baking sheets at least 2 inches apart. Cover the rolls with a damp cloth, and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown. Enjoy!

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This was a great recipe! Simple, quick and the ingredients are always in my kitchen at the ready. My husband seemed very happy. He is a big fan of fresh rolls and never turns them down. Since it made a whopping 16 beautiful rolls, we will be making mini sandwiches out of them for the weekend.

This was my first time participating in Fun with Food Friday and I hope Johanna has me back! You can see some of the other recipes at Mamachocolate.com and copingwithfrugality.com with a Honey Orange Carrots recipe.

"F" is for Food & Friday (1/27) #PinItFriday

Pinterest is everywhere! Just this week I had two sponsors I work with asking me about my Pinterest reach. Yes, more stats to show influence with. So, let's get to the food already...

Are you pining? I would love to check out your boards and see what you have been up to. Leave your info so I can swing by. Check out my boards HERE.  Let me know if you need an invite, too.

In honor of pinning my life away this past week, I linked up with 5 Minutes for Mom's Pin It Friday and  Finding Joy in My Kitchen's Favorite Friday Finds. Come link up and check out the other ideas. This edition (as usual) is delicous! I can't wait to try out of few of these recipes in the coming week.

Starting with Granola,

Source: domesticreflections.blogspot.com via Andrea on Pinterest

Yes, I must be the last person who hasn't tried making their own granola. It usually isn't something we eat, but my husband added it to the shopping list last week and I said, "I can make that!" So this week I must try it and make it better than boxed. I don't think it will be too bad.

How about these chips?

Source: marthastewart.com via Andrea on Pinterest

I made kale chips, and loved them so these are bound to be fun. It is the season still for root vegetables so I have to give it a try. I think we still have some beets left in the fields.

What about a big bowl of worms?

Source: instructables.com via Andrea on Pinterest

I think this is the best bowl of Jell-o worms I have seen. I can't wait to try these with my own little baby birds. My daughter said, "gross" and my son was all excited,  we will see.

Yum! I missed out on making this when it was the Daring Baker's recipe... but I really want to try it. The little bakery near my apartment in Japan used to make it and it was quite a treat.

Source: passionateaboutbaking.com via Andrea on Pinterest

And despite the cold, I am really wanting these Lemon Rosemary Popsicles.

Source: blogs.babble.com via Andrea on Pinterest

 Enjoy and happy pinning this week!