Raising chickens is something my wife and I have wanted to do for quite some time but our current neighborhood has a no chicken policy in the covenants. We were first introduced to the idea of raising chickens by two different co-workers and friends of mine back around 2008. Both of them were raising chickens in their backyards and taught us a little about the basics of raising chickens. Our interest was heighten this summer when we visited my sister in VA. My sister’s family raises chickens in their backyard and our kids got to spend some time interacting with them. It seems like everywhere we go we bump into people raising their own chickens or selling custom chicken coops. Even Williams Sonoma sells chicken coops now! Continue reading Raising Chickens
Whole Wheat Maple Blondies with Flax
Ingredients
- 1 stick organic salted butter, melted and cooled
- 3/4 cup soft white wheat berries (or use 1 cup whole wheat flour)
- 1/4 cup organic flax seed
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 organic egg
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 4 TBSP organic maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp natural salt
- 1/2 tsp aluminum free baking soda
- 1/4 organic baking powder
- 1/4 cup of dark chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Grind the wheat into flour in your Nutrimill
- Grind the flax seed.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, flax seed, salt, baking powder, and baking soda
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg and vanilla together.
- Continue to whisk the egg mixture while adding the maple syrup and and the melted butter.
- Add the brown sugar to the wet ingredients while stirring to dissolve the sugar crystals.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix to fully incorporate.
- (Stir in chocolate chips at this time if desired)
- Spread the batter into a greased 8 or 9 inch round pie pan or Pyrex dish.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the center is firm to the touch and the edges are golden brown.
Organized Baking Station
Milling your own flour is not much more time consuming than scooping a cup out of a store bought bag of flour IF you have everything you need organized and ready to go each time you need flour for a recipe. You can learn all about milling your own grain HERE but if you would like to streamline the milling process as well as other baking activities you need to have an organized baking station first. I have tried many approaches and through trial and error I have come up with an organized baking station that works perfectly for me. It enables me to prepare bread dough for the bread machine
Milling Your Own Grain
When I tell people I mill my own grain they look at me like I’m some kind of freak that spends all day working away to produce flour for my family. The truth is that I can mill the flour I need for a recipe faster than most people can make a piece of toast and just as easily. Milling your own grain is quick, easy, and healthier for you than store bought “dead” flour. If you have never milled your own grain to prepare fresh flour before you owe it to yourself to give it a try and see for yourself just how easy it is. Continue reading Milling Your Own Grain
Square Foot Gardening in Georgia
I have been gardening for many years now but I distinctly remember my first experience gardening. I always suspected I would enjoy gardening but at that time I had no hands on experience and felt extremely intimidated. I happened across a book called Square Foot Gardening
Martin Luther – The movie, some background and the 95 Theses
globalX trip to San Salvador, El Salvador
This summer our daughter Mannah will be joining a globalX team in San Salvador, El Salvador. If you would like to learn more about her trip or donate to help support her fundraising efforts please click HERE.
globalX is North Point Ministries’ international division. Their mission is to lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ by serving the international community.
They believe when people engage in service, it leads to life change. So they created globalX trips, opportunities for people to serve together in various locations around the world. Their belief is that as people chose to serve, whether in one of their churches, in the local community, or around the world, the impact of that service will change lives—for those serving, for the people they serve, and even for those that see them choosing to give their time to help someone else.
Whole Wheat Waffles with Flax
Classic Starts (Classic Literature for Kids)
Classic literature is a foundational element of any good homeschooling regimen. However, many elementary school students are not prepared to devour the classics in their entirety. That is precisely why I was thrilled to discover the “Classic Starts” series published by Sterling Publishing Company. This is an excellent product at an excellent price. I love these books because they have exposed my children to some wonderful literature without tapping into their reading frustration levels. I highly recommend this series. Continue reading Classic Starts (Classic Literature for Kids)
Fruited Whole Wheat Tabbouleh with Goat Cheese
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
I distinctly recall the very first time I tried tabbouleh. It was in Morocco.
Okay… it was in Epcot’s Morocco. It was way back when we had only two little ones to cart around Disney. We had stopped at one of the little sidewalk restaurants for a little respite from the sun and to have a little snack. At the time I had never even heard of the word tabbouleh. The entry on the menu board piqued my interest, and I just had to sample the salad with such an unusual name. As soon as that first spoonful crossed my lips, I was instantly grateful. The bright, flavorful mixture of herbs, grains, and citrus was intriguing. What a fresh new taste!
I have had many tabbouleh variations since then, and they have all been good. However, I recently decided to create a tabbouleh that even my kids would like. This is what I came up with.
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole grain quick-cooking whole wheat bulgur
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 pound cooked chicken breast, chopped
- 1 pound pineapple, diced
- 8 oz strawberries, diced
- 1/2 cucumber, seeded, peeled, and diced
- 1 shallot, finely minced
- 1 0z. mint, cut into thin ribbons
- 1/4 cup garlic rice wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
- 2 TBSP honey
- 1 TBSP Sugar in the Raw
- 1/2 cup Goat Cheese
Instructions
- Pour boiling water over bulgur and let sit at least one hour.
- In a large bowl or serving platter l, toss the chicken, pineapple, strawberries, cucumber, shallots, and mint together.
- In a separate container, whisk the vinegar, lime juice, teriyaki sauce, honey, and sugar together until mixed well.
- Pour over bulgur mixture and stir until evenly distributed.
- Garnish with goat cheese and strawberry slices if desired.
- There you have it. Simple. Fresh. Healthy. And the kids loved it!