Okay, I'm such a terrible blogger!!

Yes, I admit it. I am a terrible blogger.  I just can't seem to find the time to keep up with all the things I want to do each day.  Having two teen boys, two part-time jobs doesn't help either.  So I'm sorry!  I'm going to try to better this summer.

So before Easter I was on a hunt for "clean' Easter candy.  Have you ever been to this online store?

http://www.naturalcandystore.com/

Lots of great choices!!! And not an artificial color in the whole place!  Their prices are a bit high, but you are paying for a premium product, so to me it's worth it.  Especially when it's just for a holiday. Jelly beans, chocolate eggs, it's all there.  Not every product is completely clean, but ALL are better choices than what we can buy in the store.

Happy shopping!
Kathy

Love this blog!

I was cleaning out my bookmarks today and I totally forgot about this blog I found a long time ago.  It's called An Organic Wife and Cristina has some really great, basic recipes to replace some of the horrible processed versions.

She even has a recipe to replace Velveeta. OMG!

In the immediate future, I will be making my own powdered sugar. So easy!

Happy Eating!
Kathy

Welcome Spring!

Tomorrow is the first day of spring and boy I hope that means the cold weather will be gone!  As I type, I'm sipping an extra cup of coffee - one more than my acid reflux allows - as I am freezing!! It is so cold.  My New Jersey winter has given us more snow that I'd like to ever see in one season again; we've lost spring break from school, and we will have some tired stressed out kids come June.

But with spring approaching other things start appearing too...wish it was colorful flowers.  But alas, it's colorful candy as Easter season takes over the stores.  All those artificial colors and flavors calling my kids...jelly beans, marshmallow Peeps, spring colored chocolate eggs...need I say more?  Sigh.

St. Patrick's Day was easy; I have veggie-based food coloring that made everything green; I brined my own brisket for corned beef.  And breakfast, a substitute for Lucky Charms: Mallow Oats not perfect, but better. And the kids don't feel like they are missing out.

I am going to work hard trying to find substitutes for my kids this season.  I hate to deprive them of things they love, and they understand that their overall health is more important than that squishy, soft, sugary purple bunny, but they are teenagers after all, and peep pressure almost always wins out.

So let's see what I an find!!

Happy Eating!
Kathy

P.S.  Rita's Ices gives away free cups on the first day of spring each year.  I contacted them and they have two flavors free of artificial colors and flavors; Alex's Lemonade and chocolate custard, in case you wanted a free treat. :)

Happy snow day!!

Well I had planned on going to Costco today to do all my pre-Christmas shopping.  The things you can buy now, and put either in the freezer or set aside until you need them.  Around here it is so busy in the stores the week before Christmas, I'd prefer to not have to fight my way to the butcher section.

Mother Nature had other plans for me.

So here we are, stuck home for a snow day.  My 14 year old son & I decided to have some bonding time by searching for cookie recipes on Pinterest.  If you have not joined yet, what are you waiting for?? Be forewarned, it is addicting.

We had an enjoyable time picking out new cookie recipes and decided which old recipes to skip this year.  We only have a gathering of 10 people, so I don't need a LOT of desserts.  I decided this year to do a small cookie assortment, skip the heavy pies or cakes, this way we could pick as the evening goes on,  We're making a mulled wine to serve after lunch, to smell up the house nice and festive.

If you want to follow me on Pinterest, I am KathIsMath - click on my name to find my page.  Some of my recipes are under Christmas 2013; others are in my cookbook and not online.

If you are interested in my Christmas fun last year, search back by clicking the labels below the post; I had a lot of fun celebrating "The Twelves Treats of Christmas."  I'm off to re-write my shopping list with the new ingredients I need.

Happy Eating!
Kathy

Post Thanksgiving Yumminess

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving, Thanksgivukkah, or how ever you spent the day.  Our meal was delicious, and very filling.

We spent the day at my sister-in-law's house.  Alas, as hard as I tried I could not get good photos of most of our meal.  Hard when it's not your place.  I wanted a pic of my herb infused olive oil & artisan bread from my bread maker, but it was not displayed in a form pleasing to the camera.  Again, hard when it's not your house.  I should have done it at home before I left.

But I can share some of my desserts; again, not nicely displayed but in their travelling containers.

 Pecan pie rugelah 

Sugar cookies in seasonal shapes.  Only veggie based colors used. 

Apple pie!! 

My hubby made this yummy veggie turkey for an appetizer!

Now...time to plan Christmas!

Happy Eating!

Kathy

Clean Thanksgiving Meal

So what's on your table this year?

I am going to my lovely sister in law's house, so most of my meal will be out of my control.  How to handle that? Luckily my clean eating is not a secret to them, and in the recent past my sister in law has started cleaning up what and how they eat.  But they still have a long way to go...and...she works full-time.  So what will that mean for me? A yummy meal with family.  And a no thank you to most of the leftovers.

My contribution to the feast are the appetizers and the desserts.  Nice healthy, clean appetizers and desserts.

Did I mention that my sister in law's husband is Jewish?  In case you haven't heard, the first night of Hanukkah is also Thanksgiving.  So we are blending the two traditions for a unique meal this year.

Being raised Christian, I don't know too much about Hanukkah traditions, so I hit the internet to see what traditional foods are served for the holiday, so I could plan something fun.  I found out it's all about oil and cheese.  Deep fried foods, especially.  Well...my gallbladder does not agree with fried foods in general. Soooooooo...a challenge was to be had here!!

I've got some ideas, working on ways to clean them up.  Come back tomorrow to see what I came up with!!

Happy Eating,
Kathy

Avoiding Toxic Chemicals in your Thanksgiving Feast

This was shared with me today; am curious about what they say about rice.  I use organic brown rice on a regular basis...must research this more!!

http://healthychild.org/10-ways-to-avoid-toxic-chemicals-in-your-thanksgiving-feast/

Happy Eating!
Kathy