Carb Free anyone!?

We all know that going on a low carb diet helps to lose weight fast but really, who wants to give up breads, pasta, cookies?  I know I don't!  But I also know that I need to limit myself.  I am determined to lose 3 babies worth of weight before I turn 30...I don't know I just feel like if I don't do it before 30 it may NEVER come off!  But I have a MAJOR sweet tooth....I love bread too. 

So I have adjusted a few things in my diet so I don't feel SO bad when I need a little extra 'comfort food'.  When I make bread I use White Whole wheat flour.  I am also substituting flax seed for a lot of the fat in my baking.
 I made chocolate chip cookies this weekend with half whole wheat and half non-bleached flour....baby steps!  I also used some of the flax seed for the fat.  They turned out great!!!  I want to 'perfect' them before I give anyone a fool proof recipe but even my husband ate them!!!

What I tried today what called Cloud Bread.  It is a virtually carb free 'bread'.  I have to say I was very sceptical about this but if you need a little bread with your salad or chicken breast this will do it!  IT WILL NOT FILL YOU UP!!  so don't just eat a bunch of this thinking it will make you full.  Eat your Fiber with it!!!  The great thing about this is that it is easy and even my kids like it. 

3 eggs , separated

3 tablespoons whole milk cottage cheese or 3 tablespoons cream cheese

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 (1 g) packet artificial sweetener

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Separate the eggs very carefully, there must be no yolk in the white.
3. In one bowl, mix together the egg yolks, the 3 T. of Cottage Cheese OR Cream Cheese and the one packet of Sweetener until smooth.  {I used cream cheese}
4. In the other bowl add 1/4 teaspoon of Cream of Tartar to the whites and beat the whites on high speed until they are fluffy and form nice peaks.
5. Very carefully fold the egg yolk mixture into the egg whites until mixed, but try and not break down the fluffiness of the egg whites too much.
6. 
   Spray two cookie sheets with Pam or other fat-free cooking spray.
7. With a large spoon, "scoop" the mixture into 10 even rounds on the sheets (about the size of the top-half of the McDonald's hamburger bun; roughly 3/4 inch thick and 4 to 5 inches across).
8. Bake on the middle rack. Here is when you have to watch them, because the cooking time the same on any two batches. It is somewhere around 1/2 hour, but it could be less or more. You just need to watch them until them become nice and golden brown (again, the color of a McDonald's bun).
9. Remove from the pans and cool on a rack or cutting board.
10. 
    While warm they are crumbly and similar to cooked meringue - but don't let this fool you! Once completely cool, seal them in a ziplock storage baggie or a tupperware over night. They will totally change their consistency, to something much more like bread - a softer texture that is nice and chewy. If you do not like softer chewy bread, then eat them as they are, nice and crisp.
11. Since the sides that were facing the pan are perfectly flat, you use these to spread things on, or make sandwiches, or even as a burger bun! The choice is up to you, and you will be quite amazed at how much like a bun these really are!

....Okay, The first batch I made did not come out 'crumbly' but I still thought they tasted fine.  I need to spray my pan a bit better next time!  Also, I don't think these will last long enough to 'change consistancy' in our house....I will have to hide them

Easter Ideas

Like most moms the weeks leading up to a holiday I like to have lots of relevant activities.  For Easter we have been doing the Resurrection Eggs.  I am doing it in 6 days so each kid can open one egg.  My 4 year old loves hearing the story of Jesus sacrifice for us!  I re-cap each day of what we have learned already and they always want to know what is going to happen next!

Another thing we did last night for dessert is yummy Resurrection rolls.  They were so delicious but what was fun was to have the kids help make them. 

{You take 8 large marshmallows (Jesus)

Dip them in melted butter (the oils)

roll them in cinnamon sugar (the spices)

wrap them in a crescent roll (the burial clothes or the tomb)

****make sure to seal them VERY well because I thought I did and the marshmallow still came out of most of them!

You dip the top of the roll in the butter and the cinnamon sugar

and then place on a baking sheet and cook at 350 for about 10 min.

When you take them out Jesus is gone!

(You can use the oven as the tomb symbolism but my kids didn't seem to understand that) }

This last thing is fun for your kids Easter baskets....Play dough carrots!

I used my favorite play dough recipe for these and I just doubled it.  It made 5 carrots.  I put the dough in sandwich bags and tied with some green ribbon!  These will be great fun for my nieces and nephews (and my kids too!)

{Just in case you want the recipe for the dough here it is:

1 cup flour

1 cup water

2 tsp cream of tarter

1/4 salt

1 TBS oil

food coloring

Mix everything together in a pan and then cook over medium heat until it forms a solid (it takes a while...keep stirring so it doesn't burn!)

When it is done take it out...kneed a little and let cool.  You end up with a nice soft dough that is oh so fun to play with!!!}

Ingredients mixed together

It starts to get lumpy

Final product!



Ranch Macaroni and cheese!

When I am having a birthday party or just looking for a way to change things up around the dinner table I turn to this old favorite Ranch Macaroni and cheese!  It is definitely a comfort food!  My kids love it and it is always a crowd pleaser!  The best part is you can make the whole batch (4 cups of dry macaroni) and freeze what you don't eat.  Gotta love a meal that you can eat and freeze some too!

Here's what you need:

{        16 oz of macaroni or 4 cups,
           1 cup milk
                1/4 cup butter
    1 envelope ranch mix
          1 tsp. garlic salt
       1 cup monetary jack
             1 cup colby cheese
   1 cup sour cream
          1/2 cup crushed saltines
              1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese }

Cook the macaroni and set aside
In a sauce pan combine milk, butter, ranch mix, salt, cheeses and sour cream.  Combine until cheese is melted.  Add to the noodles and mix.  At this time you can add the crushed saltines and mix them in or leave them on top.  I made mine ahead of time so I left them on top and then warmed it in the oven.  The Parmesan is to top it off with!! 


ENJOY!!    

My Easter Cuties

I am a BIT biased but I think these little ones are the CUTEST around!  Here they are showing off their Easter outfits. 

I made Madelyn's dress (first time making one!)  I did not use a pattern so I don't have one to share but I did base it off of a simple pillowcase dress like this ONE.

For the boys I decided to make it simple and just make bow ties!  These are SO easy to make.  I used some of the same fabric that I had in the dress (white and yellow stripe).  

{I cut two rectangles the size that I wanted the tie to be.  I put the right sides together and sewed them leaving an opening to turn it inside out.  After turning it right side out I sewed up that opening.  For the middle part I folded a piece of fabric to be the width I wanted  and made it about 3 inches long.  Then after sewing the edge I turned that right side out.  I folded it over with the seem on the on the outside.  What you are doing here is making the small loop to slide the tie through.  So sew across and trim any excess.  After truing it right side out slide it on and there you have your bow tie!  You could put a strap on it or you can do what I did and use a safety pin!} 

So these are not the best instructions but here is the one I used from Prudent Baby!