#Pancakes - From Scratch! #Recipe

On my Facebook page in January, I solicited the feedback of several pages to share their favorite 'made-from-scratch' pancake recipe. I welcomed all recipes that fit my criteria and I shared that I would pick the best one to make for my family. The criteria: Nothing from a box, no corn syrup, no refined sugars, and no artificial sweeteners or dyes. 

I chose Cooking and Kids' recipe - as follows. See my changes in parentheses. 

2 eggs lightly beaten
1/4 cup oil (organic, cold-pressed coconut oil)
1/2 T real vanilla
1/4 cup sugar (organic coconut sugar)
1/2 tsp of baking powder
1/2 tsp + a pinch of baking soda (added the pinch to make them more fluffy)
1/2 tsp cinnamon (I added this)
3/4 cup flour (organic whole wheat)
1/2 cup milk (organic buttermilk, 1/2 T of lemon juice in 1/2 cup of milk, let sit for 5 min)
2 T water (used to thin out the batter to your liking)

Add the coconut oil (melt if solid) to the lightly beaten eggs then vanilla. Add sugar. Mix well. In separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon then mix it well into the eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar. Slowly add the milk until the right consistency. I used nearly the 1/2 cup. Add water as necessary.

Cook on low to medium heat. Serve with fresh berries or real maple syrup. 

I like the addition of the cinnamon. I think you can jazz these up with other spices like nutmeg. I thought I was eating a sweet bread. The addition of the syrup was just to 'wet' them but you could eat them alone or if you leave out the pinch of baking soda, they could serve well as a crepe. Add your own jam or organic variety or a nut butter of your choice! 

Buon Appetito!!

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Thank you very much for your generosity in helping to offset the costs of website upkeep, so that I can keep sharing wellness resources with my community and beyond.

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Grateful help - #Juicing

[This is a post that was scheduled and bumped several times. Information is solid but it's overdue to be shared.]

I am grateful that my son shows enthusiasm for helping me in the kitchen and around the home. At the beginning of August [2012], I started juicing again. Nothing really changed other than moving to a new climate. I eat my Juice Plus+ daily and because of these two factors - new environment and the adage: 'you are what you eat,' I've been wanting to get back into juicing. [I had taken a several month break from juicing.]

If you would like to learn more about how Juice Plus+ is made, please visit their YouTube channel and watch a 2 minute video. You'll be pleased to find out that we juice raw fruits and veggies including pulp and seeds/ stems, etc.  Basically what I'm doing when I juice at home! 

I own a Breville juicer that I purchased probably 8 years ago. It's easy to set up, requires very little food preparation and it's easy to clean up. Those are important features to look for. 

On this particular day, we juiced apples and carrots but we have many other favorites that you can check out on my Facebook page, Convey Awareness, under my Notes. 

On average, I juice every other day and on alternate days, I make a green smoothie. In a 3 day span that I had juiced, I learned that I had spent $11 for two people for only 4 fruits/veggies! 

The cost to juice:

1 Watermelon (49 cents a pound): $3

1 Cantaloupe (99 cents each) and water cress ($2): $3

9 Apples and 6 carrots: $5

Total = $11 divided for two people over three days 
                                  = $1.80 per day per person for 4 fruits/veggies

The cost of Juice Plus+ for 15 fruits, veggies is $1.50 a day!

This brings me to the fact that juicing is beneficial to your health and if you simply want to get more nutrients from whole foods, Juice Plus+ is an option that will provide a variety of produce daily!  

We are subscribers to a farm-share (like a CSA) so we get an abundance of produce and I simply cannot help myself when I'm in the produce aisle of any grocery store! I won't let produce go to waste - I will juice them! We do not compost (yet) so very little goes into the trash. Plus depending on what you've juiced, you can turn the pulp into the base for a veggie burger. 

If you're interested in learning more about how you can bridge the gap and eat a variety of fruits and vegetables for yourself and family, please leave a comment. I will contact you privately. 

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Choose, eat, and live well! =)

Cleaning Your Vitamix Naturally!

As an owner and daily user of the Vitamix 5200, I find that the simple dish soap with water tends to add build up or gunk to the inside of the container over the course of several washes plus hard water doesn't help! So, I've come up with a cleaning solution and it's all natural. 

After blending, rinse the container in hot water. The way they suggest is to fill the container to the half way point with hot water and add 2 drops of dish soap. Turn it on variable low to 10 then kick it up to variable high and run it for 30 seconds. This way does work but an extra deep, natural cleaning step may be needed after awhile. 

BEFORE:

Some grit, water stains, and gunk.

Or, you may skip the dish soap cleaning option. Always rinse your Vitamix out with hot water first. Then add the following to the rinsed container:

1. 1/3 cup of white distilled vinegar.
2. 3 tablespoons of 3% hydrogen peroxide.
3. 1/4 cup of baking soda. 

After bubbling slows, add hot water to the half way point. Turn it on variable low to 10 then kick it up to variable high and run it for 30 seconds. Empty and rinse one last time in hot water. Dry. 

DURING:

Baking Soda, Vinegar, Hydrogen Peroxide & HOT water.

AFTER:

"Almost" new looking! 

I do receive a small commission from Amazon.com if you purchase anything through their site using one of the links above (read my full advertising disclosure here). 

Thank you very much for your generosity in helping to offset the costs of website upkeep, so that I can keep sharing wellness resources with my community and beyond.

Subscribe to my blog here to never miss a post.
Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Download my free eGuide when you subscribe to my monthly newsletters for free.

Choose, eat, and live well! =)