home made Archives

Six Bean Hummus & Veggie Chili Recipe

September 3, 2013 by Momstart 1 Comment

I’m making a recipe for Beano as part of a compensated campaign and my opinions are my own. Now, I really didn’t want to be clique and use beans, but the procrastinator that I am, couldn’t come up with anything more creative. We were hanging out at the lake with some friends yesterday and my friend said that she made home made hummus for the first time and I thought, that’s it. That’s what I’m going to make, I’m going to make a five bean hummus recipe. Well once I got home I decided to use every type of bean that I had in my pantry to make the hummus and then I also ended up with chili too. Here’s what I did.

I used 1/2 cup of each type of bean (soaking them in water overnight first then I put them in the crock put today for 8 hours on low with 6 tablespoons of minced garlic and 1 tablespoon of salt. I also added 2 cups whole wheat pasta and 3 ounces quinoa.

Six Bean Hummus & Veggie Chili Recipe

Ingredients:

1/2 cup black eyed peas
1/2 cup black beans
1/2 cup red beans
1/2 cup pinto beans
1/2 cup kidney beans
1/2 cup lentils
2 cups whole wheat pasta
3 ounces quinoa
6 Tablespoons minced garlic (would be better with fresh garlic cloves)
2 Tablespoons salt
2 Tablespoons paprika
2 Tablespoons Cumin
1 Tablespoon Chili powder

Mexican Blend Cheese To top

Directions:

Place all ingredients in the crock pot, cover with 2 inches of water and cook on low for 8 hours

Add cheese if desired

Now since my original goal was to make the hummus I took one cup of the chili out of the pot and use it to make the hummus.

Six Bean Hummus Recipe

Ingredients:

Same as above plus
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup sunflower seeds
1 tsp. salt

Directions:

Cook as above

Let the one cup of beans cool

Place oil, seeds and beans and salt in a food processor and mix until well blended

Beano can help you with fresh healthy veggies. Beano enables you to enjoy your favorite healthy foods. It even comes in three varieties: Beano Tablets, Beano Meltaways and Beano To Go. Beano contains a natural enzyme that helps prevent gas before it starts. It works with your body’s digestion to break down complex carbohydrates found in gassy foods, making them more digestible.

Meals In A Jar Recipe Book Review

June 9, 2013 by Momstart 1 Comment

A Fantastic way to make home made gifts. Pull it off the shelf. Mix with water. Give Cook. Serve.
Is dinner an issue every night where you spend half an hour just deciding what to cook, then you have to get everything out, measure it and cook it? Well using this book can save you some of the time because once you decide just grab the pre-made jar and cook!

Or make up a whole bunch of jars and you have Christmas in the jar. I love how quick and easy the directions are, each one is as easy as preparing a box of mac and cheese. Good news is: it’s not store-bought junk, it’s your favorite dishes made from scratch. With Meals in a Jar and a little planning, you’ll have your pantry stocked with healthy, delicious ready-to-cook meals, like:
• Tomato Soup with Cheese
• Cheddar Garlic Biscuits
• Cornmeal Pancakes with Syrup
• Breakfast Burritos
• Chicken Chipotle Soup
• Carnitas
• Braised Short Ribs
• Turkey Pot Pie
• Coq Au Vin
• Rustic Fruit Pie

Meals in a Jar is packed with step-by-step instructions for natural breakfasts, lunches, dinners and desserts that allow even the most inexperienced chefs to make scrumptious, nutritious dishes. Not only are the recipes in this book perfect for carry-along camping fare, rushed weeknight dinners and meals for Dad (or even a teenager) to prepare, they can also be life-savers in times of disasters like fires, blackouts or hurricanes.

About the Author

Julie Languille is passionate about both food and preparedness. She owns a dinner planning website with thousands of recipes compiled to make dinner planning, shopping and cooking easy for families. She teaches workshops on preparedness and long term food storage and regularly hosts food packaging parties where families gather to make pre-packaged meal kits to build their own food storage as well as bless families in need. Julie lives with her husband and family on lovely Whidbey Island, in the Puget Sound near Seattle, and when not cooking loves to read, sail and kayak in the waters near her home.

Homemade Outdoor Tree Ornaments

December 22, 2010 by Momstart 2 Comments

More green ideas from Summer, Today it’s about getting in the kitchen and making something fun and useful with your kids.

Get the kids involved and make outdoor tree ornaments. During the winter months when our little woodland neighbors have a harder time finding food use a non-coated, pure cotton thread which is biodegradable but can be used by the birds in nests once the food has all been eaten. Thread popcorn, fresh or dried fruit, citrus peel, and nuts or seeds. Choose foods containing no sugars and no additives.

Another form of bird feeder can be made by taking an apple core spread in nut butter or shortening and rolled in bird seed. If you live in an area with sturdy, woody pine cones you can use that instead of an apple core.

My son helping me make string ornaments

Strings made by me and my son

Pinecone made by my son at preschool

I love these ideas, in fact, Zoe was able to make a bird feeder at a recent party she attended. One of the party activities was to make bird feeders. They had pine cones, and covered them with peanut butter. Than they tossed them in a paper bag along with birdseed and then they had bird feeders. I was surprised at how little of a mess it made. I expected there to be peanut butter and bird seed everywhere, but there wasn’t!

Thank you Summer for the great idea!

About Summer:

Summer is the President of our Local MOMS Club chapter, she is the mother of two adorable active boys, and is always thinking of ways to help others. She is a friend, a wife, and always busy as all mommies are. She is very active on Facebook, addicted to Geocaching and very interested in organic and green living.

BYOCM Bring Your Own Coffee Mug

December 17, 2010 by Momstart 2 Comments

Remember a few months ago when I shared my fresh idea at the Walmart booth at BlogHer? Well, I got my idea from My MOMS Club, one of the members was making her own coffee sleeves in craft club, so I asked my sister-in-law to make me some and she gave them to me as a Christmas gift. So since the idea originally came from MOMS Club, it’s fitting that Summer is revisiting the home made coffee sleeve idea as a green holiday tip and where you can buy one if you don’t know anyone crafty!

Big environmental changes can come in little packages; small enough to fit right into those stockings! I live in the Seattle area and there is literally a coffee shop on every corner! In stockings every years we end up giving someone (usually the grandparents) a coffee related item. On Black Friday I bought myself the “Non Paper Cup Mug” from Cost Plus World Market; this particular mug is ceramic with a silicon grip and fitted silicon lid. The mug looks like your favorite coffee shop’s cups. I like these mugs because they are REAL MUGS with a spill proof top for easy travel whether in the car or around the office. These cups are microwave and dishwasher safe – both are a bonus in my book! Think of all the paper cups, heat shields, and plastic lids you’re saving from becoming trash. Also think of all the hand washed dishes your saving yourself (bonus fact: did you know that hand washing dishes uses more water than using your dishwashing machine).

In store you can buy a single mug for about $8 and online you have to purchase a double pack for $16-$20 depending on the pattern you choose.
Though these mugs make great companions in the car, but your BFF won’t be carrying this cup in her purse since they are ceramic like at-home mugs. Never fear, in my very own purse I have the stocking stuffer solution for that too, a cloth sleeve. You can also have your kids make home made coffee sleeves for their teachers and the grandparents out of crafting scraps you may have around the house.

About Summer:

Turn Homemade Snowflakes into a Charity Event

December 6, 2010 by Momstart 2 Comments

During the snow storm that we had we were stuck inside a little bit more just because of how very cold it was. So we got out the art supplies and made snowflakes, according paper snowman and home made Christmas Trees. We had quite a bit of fun making all of these crafts. The kids were allowed to use scissors and markers and to Zoe that is a very very special day.

Now we’re using our snowflakes as a decoration in our windows by the dinner table but did you know you can do other things like donating your flakes to charity. What? Read today’s red and green eco tip for today:

Decorating for the winter can be snow much fun, no matter where you live, as long as you have the right tools. So leave the blowers off and keep the shovel parked; gear up with your scrape paper and scissors and make your own indoor blizzard. Need some help? Never fear! Check out The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp for some guidance. You can even step up your efforts by making your fun project a fundraiser for The Hole in the Wall Gang with offers camps for seriously ill children. Schools and clubs simply create as many flakes as possible and sell them for a fee. Purchasers can either take them home to decorate with or their flake can be displayed like other paper fundraisers in the stores for Children’s Hospital, Jerry’s Kids, March of Dimes, or Walk for MS. If you want to carve up some scrap paper to make a different kind of green ($$$) difference then consult the camp’s site.

So have fun with the kids and make a difference!

About Summer: