Because I am a clean eating enthusiast and an unapologetic foodie, I am constantly on the prowl for spectacular cuisine that doesn’t break my clean eating boundaries. My goodness, did I find a treasure when I discovered True Food Kitchen in the Buckhead area of Atlanta! This place develops its menus on the research and recipes of nutritionist Andrew Weil, M.D. The goal is to nourish with anti-inflammatory meals that taste amazing at the same time. Like I have been telling my friends, clean eating does not have to be boring – and True Food Kitchen proves that! There’s something for every palate including Continue reading True Food Kitchen: Too Amazing Not to Share
All posts by Bethany Berg
Making Chicken Stock is Easier Than You Think
Have you ever tasted a soup with a depth of flavor that you just can’t explain? Did it have an indescribable richness that you would love to duplicate? Chances are the chef of that soup utilized a secret trick that has become less common ever since boxed and canned broths have become prevalent at the market. Most likely the cook has an important but old-fashioned weapon in his or her arsenal – chicken stock made from scratch. While the sound of this might initially seem too overwhelming or involved, I can assure you that making chicken stock is easier than you think. I dare you to try it just once and you likely won’t be buying boxed chicken broth again. It does take some planning ahead, but it is SO WORTH IT! Not only is homemade stock delicious, it is incredibly nutritious as well. Continue reading Making Chicken Stock is Easier Than You Think
Farmhouse Dream Kitchen
As many of you know from our “Designing Kitchen and Cabinet Layouts” post, our whole house was designed around Bethany’s dream kitchen. While we made every effort to save money on other areas of the house, we were much less frugal when it came to the kitchen. Because we are so thrilled with both the aesthetic and functional results, I wanted to take the time to share pictures and explain in detail why Bethany loves her dream kitchen design so much!
This kitchen design is not one that happened by accident. Bethany slaved over the design for many months and mocked up every version and every detail using Home Designer Architectural software. Here is a screenshot Bethany took using the software and then what the kitchen looks like now in real life:
Best Brown Sugar Muffins
After playing with ingredients and ratios, I think I have come up with the best brown sugar muffins ever! These are so quick to throw together, and the result is a moist treat that is yummy any time of the day. I have scaled this to make 24 muffins at one time so that we can eat twelve immediately and freeze twelve for later. You won’t be disappointed with this recipe!
Paper Pizza Prank – Your kids will love this!
Let me set up the story first and then I’ll explain the pizza prank. Back when we only had three kids we used to frequently do homemade pizza nights. We would spread out the dough and pizza sauce and then divide the pizza into sections using cheese for lines. Continue reading Paper Pizza Prank – Your kids will love this!
Communicating Chore Expectations
I know I can’t be the only parent who has ever dealt with the following situation. It’s Saturday morning and it’s time for everyone to do their weekly chores. You give the orders and you proceed to attend to your own weekly duties. You march full steam ahead, hopeful that each child has their zone under control. Periodically, a child will come to you to inform you that they are done with their responsibilities. You smile to yourself because you know that you are well on your way to an orderly house and fun times as a family. When you finish with your tasks you breathe a sigh of relief and you start to tour your clean home.
Only … it’s NOT clean!
Inspections of each zone reveal atrocities overlooked by each child. Missed dusty surfaces. Half-cleaned toilets. Neglected mirrors. Toys under beds. Crumbs in the corners. Sticky drinks rings on the counters. Perhaps a stray napkin or two.
How could the kids POSSIBLY think this is CLEAN?!?!?
I used to get angry at this scenario. Week after week I would have this experience. Same show, different episode. I was so frustrated with what I perceived as laziness and indifference to a job well done.
One day it occurred to me that the kids did not have a clear picture of what my expectations are. I was looking at their attempts with perfectionist adult eyes. From their point of view, they DID do their job and often seemed confused over my dissatisfaction. Continue reading Communicating Chore Expectations
Curried Tuna Salad
This curried tuna salad is the perfect combination of sweet, sour, and salty! It has just the right amount of crunch and sass. We love to serve it on whole wheat bread with arugula and tomato slices. It is also lovely served along side a fresh bowl of orange slices or fruit salad. Perfect for a luncheon or baby shower! Continue reading Curried Tuna Salad
Lemon Garlic Kale Salad
Think your kids won’t eat kale? This super easy Lemon Garlic Kale Salad is a snap to throw together, and has quickly become a family favorite! This is one salad that benefits from allowing the dressing to soak in a little. The olive oil actually helps the nutrients from the kale to be more bioavailable. Use organic lemons and organic kale for a worry-free treat that you won’t soon forget. I can’t keep this one stocked at my house, folks! It is gone as quickly as it is made. If you think your children won’t like kale, this is a perfect recipe to try. My kids couldn’t be convinced to eat kale until they tasted this. Now I have a 17-year-old daughter who can be found sporting an “I LOVE KALE” t-shirt. And this is the recipe that made her a convert! Continue reading Lemon Garlic Kale Salad
The Ultimate Dad – A Father’s Day Tribute
If you have gone to the movies or watched television in the last decade or so, you may have noticed a disheartening trend in the way the modern day dad is portrayed. Often the father figure is subtly (or not so subtly) represented as detached, aloof, clueless, lazy, disorganized, selfish, clueless, foolish,absent, and uninvolved. I don’t know what kind of men the rest of you are dealing with out there, but I am grateful that the father of our six children is a stark contrast to the above stereotypes. He is the polar opposite of all of those things and more. I couldn’t have asked for a better dad for our kids and I am eternally appreciative of the father and husband he is to us. I wanted to take this opportunity to tell him thank you for all of the big and little things he does for us daily. Continue reading The Ultimate Dad – A Father’s Day Tribute
Lemon Chicken Quinoa Soup
This Lemon Chicken Quinoa Soup is light, bright, and deliciously satisfying. Loaded with both flavor and nutrition, you can’t go wrong with this one! Our children rarely all like the same meal, but they all give this one an enthusiastic thumbs-up! Start with an organic, pasture-raised chicken and home-made stock. You will be setting yourself up for an incredibly wholesome meal, minus the bad stuff that usually comes with chicken soups. Who really needs MSG in their soup anyway? The tumeric is what gives this dish it’s beautiful yellow color. The addition of quinoa gives a hearty and nutritional bonus. This is truly a delicious, satisfying meal! Continue reading Lemon Chicken Quinoa Soup