Roasted Cauliflower Curry Soup

This is my very own recipe...Of course i've made up my own recipes before but this is the first time i've posted a complete original on my blog. You are going to love this too, so healthy and delicious.

Roasted Cauliflower Curry Soup

1-2 Head Cauliflower, chopped into pieces (a little bigger than bite sized)
1 Yellow Onion, diced
2 C. Chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 C. Water
1 t. Chili pepper flakes
1 T. Paprika
2 T. Curry powder
salt and pepper to taste

In oven, roast the Cauliflower drizzled with olive oil and salt and pepper on 375 until it starts to get brown, stirring every once in a while

In pot, saute onion in olive oil, when they are soft add the roasted Cauliflower and stir. Add spices

When it is all mix together well, add the broth and water. Simmer on med-low until the Cauliflower is very soft and then mash with a potato masher or use the hand blender to mash and thicken.


This was very tasty I must say. It's got a hint of spicy but not enough for those spicy haters out there to hate :)

Popcorn cake and other discoveries

 

Last night I had a girls dinner and movie night at my house. I decided to try something that looked like so much fun to make and it turned out great. I made a popcorn cake, for those of you who have never heard of such a thing you should try it. It's like rice krispy's except using popcorn.

The options are probably endless...last night it was peanut M&M's, dark chocolate M&M's and pretzels. But I had visions of lucky charms, cocoa pebbles, fruit loops, Etc... you could even make it slightly more healthy and go for dried fruit like craizens, dried prunes and chocolate covered peanuts. Oh man, so many options.

Popcorn Cake:

6 C. popped popcorn (I popped it myself on the stove...to be health concience use GMO free corn)
Make sure you don't have any un-popped kernels in there :)

2 C. M&M's any kind you would like (I found that the Peanut kind stood up better and didn't melt as quickly)

1 1/2 C. Broken Pretzels (not crushed)

mix all of that together

1 stick melted butter
1 bag (16oz) mini marshmallows

melt together and then let cool for a little while so the chocolate doesn't melt

Add your popcorn mixture and press into a prepared pan (I sprayed mine with a little oil spray to make sure it didn't stick)

Also to make it look cool I used a bunt pan or you can use an angel food pan. that's what makes it look like a cake.

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I discovered something in my yard this spring! Want to know what it is?

Two rose bushes... aren't they beautiful?

   

It makes me think about it regarding our own lives. That sometimes you don't always know what is hiding in you until the dead things are made alive in Christ and we can see the beauty that we never knew existed within our own hearts.

And now for the final discovery--------------

I decided that I love MCM otherwise known as Mid Century Modern furniture. I've been doing a little research and realized that everybody loves it and I never knew that I could be so caught up in the new 'fad'. I don't want to always like what everybody else likes but I just can't help it this time. I just love that scandinavian, danish modern look that it popular right now.

I want to paint every single thing white, floor to ceiling. I keep looking on Craigslist hoping to find some treasure that somebody else doesn't know is expensive and is selling for pennies.
I did score some pretty awesome bedroom furniture that I found for $250 for three pieces. I'm not sure just how 'MCM' they are but they are pretty cool in my book and I love them.

 

Busy Baking Bee

I've been cooking up a storm lately and sadly it's been so buys that I've completely forgotten to take pictures, plus I'm just not used to taking pictures of everything I make anyway.

For those of you that follow my Pinterest also and know me, you are probably wondering why I'm pinning all this gluten free and super healthy stuff. Well it's not because I have a diet problem or I need a cure. I just think that taking away 'some' bready type things and making our diet more full of vegetables and other healthy things is good. We definattly still eat everything probably more than we need to but I'm trying hard to make meals during the week that are healthy and full of nutrition.
I also like making my own stuff so anything that everyone else buys at the store intrigues me to make from scratch. I'll let you know how all of it goes when I actually get around to making some of it.

So far I have tried the Coconut Flour Waffles and let me tell you they are pretty good. They really only have a slight difference in texture and flavor, if nobody knew they would think there was something different but not be able to place their finger on it.

I've also been using the bread in 5 minuets recipe with great results and wonderful taste.
So far from just the dough that you keep in the fridge i've made 1 crusty baguette, 1 batch of rosemary Cresent rolls and 2 batches of Cinnemon rolls (amazing) Most all of that was just thing weekend which because of being busy with Easter stuff I completely forgot to take pictures of all the goodness.

More on all that to come and I promise I will get pictures. I just need to get into the habit of taking them.

Win the lottery? Naaaa

I was watching the news this weekend about the lottery and all the people that bought a ticket even if they never had played before, even my husband went out and bought 7 tickets. We joked about what it would be like to win and what we would do with the money. Of course we would buy different cars and a bigger house and give money to our family and to missionaries. 

But I find everyday how rich I am. Most people would say that is crazy talk, but I know that I have all that I need. 
I have a wonderful husband that is thoughtful and kind, a beautiful little boy, a 1400sq ft home, 2 paid off cars that run great, parents, grandparents and inlaws that are wonderful, my husband has a job that enables me to stay at home and raise our kids, enough money to buy organic and whole foods and for us to buy fun things, heating and air, love and happiness. The list could go on... and even the things I complain about, like my too small kitchen and all the things needed to be done to the house and I want to do this and go there and buy that, I have to stop and tell myself that I have more than so many people in this world, and that I live like a king compared to other countries, and so many people do not have love or joy in their home, but discord and fighting. 

I've realized that It's the simple things that we should learn the be thankful for. 
To make my own stuff and cook from scratch, there is something so rewarding and joyful about doing it yourself that the premade "do nothing" can't give you. 


It's the process and the journey that should be delightful not the end, because when the end comes then it's over and you are on to another journey, so we should always be thankful for the journey and enjoy the ride and look around us and be thankful for all the many many things we have that we take for granted. 

Turkey sausage Tostada's

This recipe makes as many or as little as you want:

Small corn tortilla's

Ground turkey sausage (I made my own with ground turkey and a sausage seasoning from Penzy's)

baby spinach

shredded Mozzarella cheese

sour cream

salsa

First I got my corn tortilla's crunchy. I put mine in a cast iron skillet with a little oil

until bubbly and then let sit until crunchy, you could also do it in the over but I don't think they get crunchy. Of course you could also just buy already made tostada's but then you wouldn't be able to use them for anything else (I use mine for enchilada's also)

Top your tortilla's with 

cheese 

turkey sausage

spinach

a little more cheese

salsa

sour cream

If you want it extra spicy  you could add hot sauce also.

Getting rid of toxic things

I tried something different last week and I absolutely love it.
My mom told me about something she found on Pinterest (gotta love Pinterest)
using Milk of Magnesia in place of deodorant. I know this sounds really crazy but I thought I'd give it a try since my mom liked it.

Let me tell you that its awesome! Of course it won't take away the sweating, only very bad anti-perspirent does that, but it takes away the smell. IT DOES! I've used it for almost a week now and no smell at all, even yesterday when I was sweating cause it was so hot in the house.
Bonus..It's only $1.78 if you get the off brand, which is really the same anyway.
All you need is the Milk of Magnesia that is found in the isle of your grocery or pharmacy for constipation and a small spray bottle and ta dah.

Now I'm a very skeptical person about some things until I try it myself, but as I researched it I found out that Milk of Magnesia is an inorganic compound that is perfectly safe to use, it is mildly alkaline, bacteria cannot live in alkaline which is why it works so well as a deoderant. 

I found out you can also use it as a help for cankor sores and dandruff. Here is a link if you want to learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnesium_hydroxide. If you read the reviews on using it as deoderant, I have not found one person that says it doesn't work. 

Oh yeah another bonus is that you will always have a travel sized deodorant!

Salsa Meatloaf and Swiss Chard Saute

The other day I made a wonderful meal.
Wait for it.......Salsa Meatloaf with Avocado Aioli and Swiss Chard Saute.
Doesn't sound all that wonderful until you eat it.

Forgive the picture, I was halfway through my meal when I remembered that I wanted to post this recipe. Yikes it looks bad and the color is not good for the avocado Aioli but trust me, it was good and everybody (sister in law and friend) included liked it.

Salsa Meatloaf with Avocado Aioli:

1 1/2 lbs Ground Beef

to that add:

1 C. Breadcrumbs (with Parmesan cheese and salt added to it) add as much Parm. Cheese as you like.

1/2 C. Salsa

1 T. Cajun Seasoning

1 t. salt (more sprinkled on top of finished loaf

Form into loaf pan and bake 350 for 45 min.

Avocado Aioli:

In food processor add 1/4 C. chopped onion and process until minced; add:

2 Avocado's 

1 t. lemon juice

1 T. Apple Cider Vinegar

1/3 C. Sour Cream

salt and pepper to taste

Puree until smooth

When the Meatloaf is done spread the aioli on top of the meatloaf or serve it on the side for dipping.

Swiss Chard and Shiitake mushroom saute

Saute:

1/2 Onion in 1 T. Butter and a 2 T olive oil

When the onions are almost soft add:

1 C. Shiitake Mushrooms

Saute those until soft

Add 1 Bunch of Swiss Chard and cook until the Greens are wilted.

Add salt and pepper to taste