Life, Gluten Free

Valentine Hearts with Tissue Paper Squares

Imagine you are found a pack of 5,000 tissue paper squares. You have no idea why you would buy this, yet you feel inclined to.. especially at a discounted price $1.49.

You buy it and then later, you find a craft that requires tissue paper squares. Now you feel crafty and proactive.

And now you have these fun hearts to give to friends and hang around the house:

Valentines Hearts with Tissue Paper Squares

Supplies:

tissue paper squares

card board

scissors

glue stick

ribbon

hot glue gun

Directions:

Trace a heart onto cardboard and cut out with scissors

Lightly crumple tissue paper squares and apply to heart with glue stick

When done, flip over and hot glue a ribbon to hang

Let's Go Bowling

We went bowling!

There were toddler bowling shoes.

There were high-fives.

There may have been some tears.

There may also have been some gutter-balls, however that is only hypothetical.

There were challenges....

And there were people dressed in construction gear....

That's me. I managed to knock down all but three balls, wearing gloves, a construction hat, belt and goggles partially sprayed painted black.

It was a fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity. We all went home winners!

Baked Sausage and Brown Rice

One of my favorite things to do is cook for my husband - and my family in general. I really like to know how much they enjoy the food, especially since I believe our food choices are healthy ones. So, I feel like I am nourishing their souls and their bodies all at the same time.

When my husband and I decided to make dinner for friends  and bring it over to them on Christmas Eve, I knew I wanted to make something comforting and something savory. Our friends were having a difficult time with things and we just wanted to extend our hand and let them know that we care.

I searched the internet and decided to adapt a recipe for baked sausage and rice.

Here's how I did it.

Baked Sausage and Brown Rice

Ingredients:

2 cups (dry) short-grain organic brown rice

2 tablespoons coconut oil

2 bunches scallions

4 cups of water or stock

3 franks organic beef sausage

2 cups organic cheese (we used mozarella)

salt to taste

Serving size: 2-4, great if served with a baked potato and salad

Preparation:

Melt coconut oil in a large pot

Add chopped scallions and begin to saute

Sprinkle in some sea salt

Rinse brown rice and add to pot after scallions are nearly sauteed

Stir will and add 4 cups of water or stock

Bring to boil, turn down to a simmer and cover with lid

After rice is cooked, transfer to an oven safe glass baking dish

Add more sea salt to taste

Stir in chopped sausage

Top with shredded cheese

Place in oven at 350 for about 20 minutes, until cheese is melted and slightly browned

Variations:

The pictures are not of the full recipe, it makes more than what is pictured in the dish. I often make the full recipe and then put some rice aside in a container before adding the sausage and cheese. Also, in this "photo shoot" I had added some chopped tomato on top. I've also thrown in some spinach with the scallions. This recipe is easily adaptable and versitile.

Vote for my recipe!

I submitted my Coconut Cake recipe to Everyday Health's Gluten-Free Recipe Challenge.

How can you vote for me?

Well, you do have to first sign-up for an account here.

After that, you can visit my recipe post here on the everyday health web site and "vote" by leaving a comment! (To clarify: you would be commenting on my post here, not on my blog).

The message board and other gluten-free recipe entries can be found here.

I know it can be tricky when you don't want to sign-up for an account, but if you would like to support my recipe and don't mind signing up for an account - I would appreciate the "vote" Thanks! :)

Details:

·  The three entries with the most comments will be judged by our gluten-free gurus.

·  Based on the judges scoring, one winner will receive the grand prize: a 32GB iPad loaded with the popular gluten-free apps as well as the Everyday Health App, the Everyday Health Snack App, and more.

·  Contest ends Monday, January 31^st, 2011 for entries and comments.

·  Three finalists will be announced and notified by Wednesday, February 3^rd, 2011.

·  The final winner will be announced and notified by Friday, February 18^th, 2011.

Seriously.........

I would love to win an iPad. We have an iPod touch and it's been a lot of fun. We've downloaded countless educational apps for our daughter (most of which are free). I don't believe in putting your child's education in the hands of a machine, but I do believe it can be a tool - especially when you are sitting down with your child and experiencing it with them.

A Very Yeti Calendar

Meet our new friend. He's a yeti.

As soon as I saw this free printable at How About Orange, I put some cardstock into the printer and printed him out.

Thanks to Curiosity Group for offering him up for grabs. To print yours out for free, simply go to Curiosity Calendar.

It comes with really easy instructions and after you print it out, all you need is scissors and glue.

A scoring tool or knife is optional, though we did use a knife to trim some areas more closely.

My daughter's favorite part is the saying, which she has had me say so many times that I've gotten it memorized......

There once was a cat-loving Yeti,

Whose favorite dish was spaghetti,

'Til he went to nantucket

And looked in a bucket

And saw ice cream topped with confetti.

Other free 2011 Calendar Printables:

Journal of Home Education

Color it Yourself Calendar

Write-in Doodle 2011

Waldorf Window Stars

Kite paper. Traditionally used in the Netherlands, this waxy paper is similar to tissue paper, but durable and easy to work with.

I found a tutorial on GardenMama for Waldorf Window Stars and they were so lovely, I knew I needed to make some! Luckily, I found an entire roll of kite paper at a local natural kids store. We made one large star and one smaller star so far, leaving us with a bunch of paper left over.

A friend is going to loan us a book on making different types of window stars, so hopefully I will post again with different options.

What you need:

Kite paper (purchase a roll of kite paper or some places also sell pre-cut squares)

Paper cutter

Glue

...and a husband who is an expert cutter to cut them into precise squares for you *OR* do it yourself.

Since my husband volunteered was forced to cut them, he first precisely cut (using a paper cutter) 8 squares, size 8 inches. With that we made a really large star (pictured above).

Next, he cut the same dimensions and then we folded it and cut them in half to make 8 smaller squares which made this:

I plan to also make even smaller ones and send them as gifts.

How to make waldorf window stars:

Lay out a square piece of kite paper, flat

Fold it in half, horizontally

Fold it in half again, vertically

Unfold and note the creases on the paper.

Begin to fold along those lines to form triangles:

It will look like this when you are done folding:

Next, fold the left half along the center line to create a sharp point at the top:

Repeat on the right side:

Flip over and when you have all your 8 pieces folded, begin to glue together:

I found a glue stick works well.

When you have completed your star, apply some double-sided tape or glue to the window and secure your star. 

Take it into the New Year

One thing that I need to work on is learning how to value myself more. I think it's something that a large handful of people have trouble with, too. Learning to value yourself is simply an act of love for yourself, to learn how to appreciate how wonderful you are.

That's one thing that I am working on in the New Year. I deserve good health, I deserve to overcome my challenges with TMD and I deserve to enjoy food again.

Remember that there is always hope and often when it seems like there isn't, is when there is more hope than you could possibly imagine.

If you are in pain, know that there will be a time when you aren't.

If you are having health challenges, believe that they will soon pass and imagine yourself as healthy as you want to be.

If you are having difficulities figuring out what to do, know that your path will be shown to you.

If you are discouraged, believe that there is a way to overcome anything as long as you have faith and someone to hold your hand through times that are tough.

Believe there is always a way, and there will be.

Remember that you are worth it, do things for yourself just because you deserve it.

Now, take a minute to think about why you are worth it.

I'll start.

I think of myself as a mom, a wife and someone who believes that love, family and friendship are three things to always take with you in life.

I know that I am worth it because I love my family with every aspect of my being. My daughter is amazing and I make every effort to let her know that.

I make sure she eats well, I manage her allergies and I encourage her to know that there is absolutely nothing wrong with her just because she has food allergies. It's just a bump in the road and nothing that will knock you down unless you let it.

I am a good wife, I love my husband more than words could possibly express. Who knew that, in English 101 in college, that I would meet the man who would later be an awesome husband to me and an outstanding father to our daughter.

I deserve a pat on the back because I've been through a lot with my daughter having severe food allergies and I've done all that I can to support her, nourish her and learn how to navigate that road to the best of my ability. And it's okay for me to acknowledge that and value myself.

I am a good mom, a good wife and a good person.

I am blessed and I know it and I take that with me in my thoughts throughout the day.

I know that a day doesn't have to be perfect for it to be a good one.

As long as I am surrounded by those who I care about, my day is blessed already.

Being proud of who you are, acknowledging that you are awesome just because, is not a bad thing.

I  think along the way, we've forgotten how to value ourselves.

It's time to take that back.

You are worth it - Take it into the new year.