Something Extra Digital

Here is a link to a digital magazine filled with recipes.
Something Extra Digital

There are some great recipes in here, some of which are gluten free as well as other seasonal recipes for those trying to keep healthy and in season with their eating habits.

I love to find new recipes, and see if there are things I might be willing to try.

Page 55 has Gluten Free Irish Soda Bread & Gluten-Free Chewy Cherry Coconut Cookies. Page 56 has Gluten-Free Cereal Bars and Gluten Free Chocolate Waffles. None of these seem to be very low carb but they do look tempting and delicious.

Gluten Free Irish Soda Bread
Ingredients:
1 cup brown rice flour
2/3 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup raisins
1/3 cup each: potato starch and tapioca flour
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tbsp. honey or sugar
2 tsp. xanthan gum
2 tsp. whole caraway seeds (optional)
1 tsp each: sea salt and baking powder
1/2 tsp. each: baking soda and unflavored
gelatin
1 egg, lightly beaten
Directions:
Prep: 10 minutes Cook: 50 minutes Serves: 8
1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.2. Stir together all ingredients in a large bowl; mix well with an electric mixer on low speed.
3. Transfer to a lightly floured board and knead several times; shape into a round loaf and place on baking sheet, flattening slightly. Cut an X in the top with a small sharp knife and bake for 50 minutes or until loaf sounds hollow when tapped.

Nutrition per serving: 220 calories, 3 g protein, 8 g total fat (1 g sat.), 34 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 7 g sugar, 30 mg cholesterol, 480 mg sodium, 5 points

Gluten-Free Chewy Cherry Coconut Cookies
Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1½ cups melted butter
1 tbsp. grated orange zest
2 tsp. gluten-free vanilla extract
1 egg
3 cups Pamela's Baking & Pancake Mix
1/4 tsp. salt
1½ cups dried cherries (may substitute
dried cranberries)
1½ cups unsweetened coconut flakes (in
our Natural Foods Dept.)
Directions:
Thick coconut flakes add extra texture to these cookies. By far a test kitchen favorite, we couldn’t keep the staffers away from these chewy cookies!
Prep: 15 minutes Chill: 1 hour Cook: 10 to 12 minutes Makes: 3 dozen cookies
1. Stir together sugar, butter, orange zest, vanilla and egg in a medium bowl.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients, adding a little extra baking mix if dough is too soft. Cover and refrigerate dough for 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 350°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place on prepared baking sheets and bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

Nutrition per cookie: 770 calories, 2 g protein, 11 g total fat (7.0 g sat.), 20 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 11 g sugar, 25 mg cholesterol, 170 mg sodium, 16 points

Page 25 has a Chicken and Cheese Stuffed Portabella Mushroom recipe that I am very curious to try next.

Chicken and Cheese Stuffed Portabella MushroomIngredients:
2 large portabella mushrooms, stems
removed
1 cup shredded rotisserie chicken
2/3 cup shredded Italian blend cheese
1/4 cup sliced green onion tops
2 tbsp. California Sun-Dry Sun-Dried
Tomato Spread
1 tsp. Morton and Bassett Italian Seasoning
2 tbsp. each: shredded Parmesan cheese
and panko bread crumbs
Directions:
Prep: 10 minutes Cook: 15 minutes Serves: 2

1. Preheat oven to 450°F and place mushrooms stem side up on a
baking sheet.
2. Stir together chicken, cheese, onions, sun-dried tomato spread
and seasoning and spoon into mushroom caps. Stir together
Parmesan and bread crumbs and sprinkle over mushrooms.
3. Bake for about 15 minutes or until filling
is hot and cheese is melted. Recipe may
be doubled.

Wine Suggestion:
Pair with Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough, New Zealand Bright, lively and perfect with tomato-based dishes.

Nutrition per serving: 390 calories, 30 g protein, 25 g total fat (10 g sat.), 9 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 2 g sugar, 100 mg cholesterol, 720 mg sodium, 9 points

I also wonder how this would work in smaller mushrooms and served as an appetizer.  I love other stuffed mushrooms, and think this would be a nice appetizer for a party.


The In Season veggies they highlight are:
Beets
Turnips
Parsnips
Winter Squash


Of these I have cooked and love the winter squash, but I have not yet been keen on trying the others noted here. We'll see if later on I get some of these in my Farm Fresh to You Delivery.

My box of Farm Fresh Delights

 I have a new monthly service, of organic fresh foods delivered to my door. It's from Farm Fresh To You.  I had been checking around to see other services, and most of them had pick ups at the farmers market, or a whole foods store etc.  This I happened upon by being home at the right time, and answering my my door for a young lady who was walking the neighborhood.  It was completely by chance since I usually don't open my door for people with clip boards.  She explained that they delivered, and that I could go online and change the box size, mark items that I did not want to receive etc.  This sounded good to me. I'm trying to eat more healthy, locally, organic, and in season, this would complete all of my objectives. 

This week's Medium box included:

4 Fuji Apples
3 Anjou Pears
2lbs Minneola Tangelos
1 Bunch red Chard
1 head Green Savoy Cabbage
.5lb Trumpet Mushrooms
1 Bunch Carrots
1 head butter lettuce
1 lb yellow onion
1 lb red onion

The really good news, besides the fact that these were delivered and organic, was that they included two recipes that I will be using for some of the items I have never cooked or eaten before.

One for the red chard, and one to include the Trumpet Mushrooms.  I've taken a look at the rest of the ingredient list and those are flavors I enjoy, so I will use those recipes rather than look for some through Cooking Light.  I will have to plan something to use the cabbage with though, so that will take some thought.

I have decided not to make any changes to my boxes until I have tried all the new things that they will be sending out.  If after I try it, I don't like it then I will mark it as something I do not want.  But I am trying to add variety into my meals and into our diets.

I have planned to post the recipes and the pictures of them after I have made and eaten these new vegetables.  I will try to be honest, and open about the new things that I try.  But for now I'll just have to let you know that the tangelos were very good.  So, now I just need to get over this cold/flu thing and get my exercise routine going again.

By the way, if you choose to sign up with this company, please let them know that Dawn Black referred you. For the rest of you who are not in this region, there are other farms across the country and I'm sure that you can find some that will deliver to your home or office as well.  I'm all for trying new things, I hope that you are as well.

Christmas Eve celebration

fire going in the fireplace

Present under the tree

ornaments properly hung on the tree

New dinner napkins

table set for a feast

All the usual suspects in one group shot

I know I'm a bit late in posting these pictures, but our computer got a virus, and so I did not have access to these for a while.  We have a new computer now, thank you to my father-in-law, and hopefully our laptop will be functioning again soon.

We all have our family traditions, some we keep and pass down, some we inherit from our new families, some we all create together.  Our tradition of Christmas Eve dinner at our place, and Christmas day at my sister-in-laws place, these are fun new traditions that I look forward to each year.

The presents change, people grow, but the love of family remains.

Wordless Wednessday - sponge bath for puppies

New Years Resolutions and a new fitness routine

Wailana Figure 8 Fitness Ring Kit

I'm sure that everyone is already hammering out their New Years resolutions, exercise more, eat less, diet, loose so many pounds, etc.  I'm not one for making big changes like that, throwing out plastic and switching to glass is one thing, but to do an upheaval of my habits overnight...let's be realistic.  I know better than to think that I will keep up with a major new plan, so I will make small simple changes.  Something like: I will continue my healthy eating and continue to try new healthy foods.  I will incorporate a new fitness routine to add some spark back into exercising.  I will try making my own aluminum free deodorant when my current one runs out.  These are small steps toward my goal of being healthy, and I'm pretty sure I can continue with them through out the year.  I could also try to add another 10 minute routine to my workouts, but I will be gentle on myself if that one doesn't stick as well as i would hope.  I had already started to walk around the parking lot when I take my breaks, that started last year. I've done well except when it rains or I'm not feeling well in general.  So maybe adding a 10 minute routine at the beginning or ending of my day will be something I can stick with.

What resolutions have you made for yourself? Are these massive plans? Are they for health, or for family, etc.  I know some people should resolve to make more time for their family, and yet this one would be as difficult for them as my saying I was going to train for a marathon.  Small steps are good, they are the things that become habits, and become a part of what you do, instead of some massive overhaul. 

I've been cleaning out closets, and old Christmas decorations that I am no longer using.  This is the best time to toss them, as I have just been cleaning up the things I've used.  It feels good to refresh these things and donate the things that I no longer use, but are still good enough for others to appreciate.

Now, about the exercise routine. I have had this in the past, but lost it somehow.  I found it again while shopping at Marshalls, the price is much better there than online.  I liked it, and yoga and pilates are good for those of us with PCOS, and just people in general.  There is something about being centered and balanced that helps us develop more than just our flexibility and strength.  I thought that this was a beginning to intermediate work out, it does a lot of core exercises, and my stomach is in need of that attention.  It is not a cardio routine, but a matt routine focusing on strength.  The setting is beautiful, and it is relaxing even if the movements are strenuous.  Now I will have something newish to work out with in my new work out clothes I got for Christmas. 

Here are some helpful ways of getting past your worries of starting yoga or even pilates. 
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