Review: 100 Days of Real Food Cookbook

You guys- I am LOVIN' this new book out from Lisa Leake's over at 100 Days of Real Food.

Now, normally I don't go all Lady Gaga over cookbooks.  I like them and all but find that 95% of the recipes are just too much.  I mean seriously- I'm never going to feed my family gazpacho and oysters, hell- I don't even know where to buy oysters.  And if your cookbook does not have a picture for every single recipe, I'm simply not interested.  Seriously- I need to see what this food is going to look like before I even consider adding it to my list of dishes to try!  But this one- this one is the rockstar of cookbooks.


Let me tell you why-

• It's not just a cookbook.  That's right!  The entire first section is an easy to understand guide in helping you navigate healthier eating.  For those of us in the know, it's a great reminder.  For those of you wanting to learn and make better choices, it's like the Bible of healthy eating.
• There's pictures for every recipe.  No joke- every single one.  I don't know about you, but if I'm going to be trying out a new dish, it's helpful to see it before hand.  Otherwise, how do I know if it's worth my time?  Am I right?
• I would actually eat 90% of the dishes.  Do you ever browse a cookbook and think- "who would eat that?!?"  ME!  The answer is me!
• The husband and kiddo would actually eat many of the recipes too.  Yay!  My picky eaters would happily scarf down this family friendly food.
• The ingredients are simple and easy to find.  Sometimes cooking healthy, organic foods means you find yourself completing a scavenger hunt for things that no one has ever heard of.  But these meals- totally do-able!
• Lots of variety and plenty of vegetarian entrees.  As flexitarians that eat meat just a few times per month, it can be super hard to find a good cookbook that includes plenty of simple and yummy vegetarian dishes.  This one totally hits the mark.  And bonus- many of the meat entrees can easily be converted to vegetarian or vegan.
• No sugar added.  Unless you've been living under a rock, you know that Americans are consuming upwards of 150 pounds of sugar per year.  Holy Buckets!  My family is currently watching our sugar intake and I love that many of these recipes include natural sugars like honey or maple syrup.
• So easy- even a child could make it.  Seriously, these recipes are hands down some of the easiest to make.  So for those of you who are kitchen challenged, trust me when I say- you got this.

I'm enjoying this cookbook SO much, that I'll probably be buying it.  Say what?!?  I know...I know...I never spend money on books unless I'm in love.  Because let's face it, I can read everything I want to for free through my local library- so why pay good money for something I can get for nothing?  But this one?  Yeah- this one is worth it.  And before you start thinking I've been paid for this review- I have not.  I checked out this book from my library, stuck post it notes all over this baby and now I'm pretty sure I need it sitting on my bookshelf permanently.

Highly recommend!

Want to read more about this great cookbook?  Click this link here to visit Lisa's website with a page dedicated to her new cookbook, lots of photos and a table of contents.  LOVE IT!

Mommy Bloggers Unite!

You've heard me talk about my desire to inspire and encourage others, right?  But where does the Homeschooled Housewife find her encouragement?  Ooohh....I'm so glad you asked!  Today I will be sharing with you my top 10 favorite fellow Mommy bloggers.  Some are all about laughs (please excuse the foul language) while some of them provide encouragement for marriage, some focus on our food and then others are just plain awesome all around.

Someday, I hope to be on a list somewhere of someone's favorite Mommy bloggers.  Only time will tell...

Top 10 of my personal favorites, in no particular order.

1. Jen Hatmaker- Not only is she hilarious but her husband is a motorcycle riding pastor.  Seriously- does it get any better then this?!?
2. Time Warp Wife- All about a Christ centered marriage with focus on house and home and your role as a wife.
3. 100 Days of Real Food- What started out as a pledge for her family, turned into a lifestyle.  If you want to get the processed foods OUT- this is the woman to help you!
4. Lady GooGoo Gaga- She is not your normal Mom.  Laugh out loud, bust a gut FUNNY!  Beware of the foul language.
5. Diary of a Mom- Every single time she posts on Facebook, I cry.  It's that good.  Amazing writing from a Mom who provides inspiration not only to those with autistic kids but to all Moms.
6. The Busy Mom- Encouragement for the busy homeschooling Mom.
7. Happy Wives Club- Changing the tone of marriage one couple at a time and proving that happily ever after does exist!
8. Baby Sideburns- Bringing you the shits and giggles of motherhood and everything in between.  Don't forget to check out her tiger pants!  
9. Club 31 Women- A safe place for women who have a passion for husband, home and family. 
10. Thrifty NW Mom- Helping us save money, one penny at a time.  Tips, coupons, recipes, travel- it's all here! 

Special shout out to The Food Babe, while she's not a Mommy, she is an awesome source of inspiration for me.  This is my go to blog for living a natural lifestyle, tips on how to reduce the chemicals in our everyday products and food inspiration!

Wow!  That's a pretty awesome list!  And I hope that it can provide you with some inspiration and encouragement just as it does for me.  I love supporting fellow Moms!

Yogurt Berry Smoothie

Of all the smoothies I make, this is my #1, most favorite of all!

Super simple and healthy and so easy an 8 year old could make it.  Now if only I could actually get him to MAKE it....

My son drinks this at least once per week and my husband loves them too!  Whenever I whip up a blender full, I will always pour the remaining smoothie mix into my awesome Ice Pop Molds.  For those dying to know- yes, these are the EXACT same ones I use at home. I got the idea from 100 days of Real Food and I'm SO glad I did!

So here it is, my recipe for the easiest smoothie ever!

Yogurt Berry Smoothie

1 cup frozen berries

3/4 cup milk

1 cup plain or vanilla yogurt

2 tsp chia seeds

Sometimes I will throw in a little Kale and hope that the kiddo doesn't notice.  To which he always does!  Other times I will drizzle in a little local organic honey- but not too much!  Also- you can experiment with the milk and yogurt amounts.  Some like a thicker smoothie while others prefer something more "liquidy".  Ha!  Is that even a real word?!?

But seriously- how easy is this?!?  Just dump all the ingredients into your blender & away you go!  This recipe will make enough for two smoothies, so don't forget to double or triple if you need more!

Frozen Berries work best!

You can also use one kind of berries to make a single flavor smoothie.  Raspberry Smoothies, Blueberry Smoothies (BTW-kale taste GREAT with blueberries!), Strawberry Smoothies- seriously, anything goes here!

I usually make a Mixed Berry Smoothie using these tasty frozen berries from Trader Joes.  My son is not a fan of blueberries but they are SO good for you!  So this is an easy way for me to sneak them into his diet.  SSSHHH- don't tell!

Want to check out my other Smoothies?

• The PERFECT Strawberry Banana Smoothie
• Green Smoothie

A Week of Real Food for a Busy Mom

I have a few food inspirations.  Food Babe and 100 Days of Real Food are my go-to websites for healthy, vegetarian foods and for all the latest food related information.  I highly recommend you check them out.  With that being said- holy moly who has time for all that!  Seriously, I just don't have the time to make my tortillas from scratch or prepare seaweed wrapped "sandwiches" for lunch.

My reality is that I need to make 3 meals per day for my family.  I also need to have a few "on the go" breakfasts for my husband since he sometimes has to leave super early in the morning.  In addition, I pack him a lunch every day and he prefers things that are easy to eat while driving.  I know...I know...Unfortunately he does not have access to a microwave or a fridge, so this severely limits what I can pack him for lunch.  I also work from home, homeschool and shuttle my child around to various events and activities.  I do not have an unlimited amount of time to spend in my kitchen day in and day out.  I cook healthy, mainly vegetarian meals from scratch.  I prefer whole foods and try not to use prepackaged or processed foods.  

I'm sure you can all relate.  You want to feed your family healthy meals but you lack the time or the energy.  So what exactly does a typical week's worth of meals look like for a busy household?  How do you prep and cook healthy meals from scratch in the "real world"?  I have set up a few guidelines for myself that I think you may find helpful.

Here's my guidelines:

1.  Prep as much as you can ahead of time.
2.  Use your crockpot when you know you won't have time to make dinner.
3.  Eat your leftovers.
4.  Make a double batch and freeze half for another week.
5.  Use the weekend to bake.
6.  One pot dishes are your best friend.
7.  Eat real food.

These all seem fairly easy but I will give you an example of what a typical week's worth of meals looks like at my house.

Monday- 

Dinner:  I put Quinoa & Black Bean Chili in my crockpot.  I had a busy work day and William had soccer practice.  So that means we wouldn't be getting home until after 6:30pm.  And when we did get home, dinner was done.  

Lunch: Applegate Farms turkey sandwiches on Dave's Killer Bread.  Roast Beef for the husband.  Organic veggie chips & fresh fruit.

Snacks: fresh fruit, popcorn

Breakfast: Hashbrowns, turkey sausage and fresh fruit

Tuesday-

Dinner: Steak Night!  I had put the steak in a ziploc baggie to marinate on Sunday night.  So all I needed to do was take the bag out & fire up the grill.  I also boiled some potatoes and cooked some corn on the cob.  All pretty simple.

Lunch: Turkey sandwiches, Roast Beef for the husband.  Veggie chips & fresh fruit.

Snacks: apples & cheese slices

Breakfast: Hashbrowns, turkey sausage & fresh fruit

Wednesday- 

Dinner: Quinoa & Black Bean Chili leftovers from Monday night.  William had soccer practice again so I planned ahead of time on Monday and made a double batch.

Lunch: Leftover potatoes from Tuesday's dinner w/salad.  Husband had a Newman's Own frozen pizza that I had cooked, cooled & cut up for him.  These are seriously super yummy!

Snacks: fresh fruit, sunflower seeds

Breakfast: Breakfast sandwiches for the husband w/cheese & turkey sausage.  Oatmeal w/frozen organic berries for me & the kiddo.  The husband is not a fan of oatmeal.

Thursday- 

Dinner: Veggie Fajitas.  I prepped these in the AM, cut all the veggies & put in a ziploc baggie to marinate.  When it was dinner time, I simply pulled out the bag & cooked them in a fry pan on the stove.  I opened a couple cans of black beans to serve them with.  Easy, filling & healthy.

Lunch: Turkey sandwiches & Roast Beef for the husband. Veggie chips & fresh fruit.

Snacks: popcorn, yogurt

Breakfast: Chocolate Muffins from the freezer- hubbie had to leave for work early, so I just took one straight out of the freezer & popped in his lunch bag.  I also made him a Green Smoothie to drink on his morning drive. The kiddo & I had toast w/avocado.

Friday-

Dinner: Tomato & Lentil Stew from the freezer.  I usually make a double batch of something during the week & put in my freezer for another night.  I typically pull something out of my freezer one night per week.  Especially on Fridays when I've had a long week and the last thing I want to do is cook!

Lunch: Grilled Cheese with fresh fruit.

Snacks: cut up carrots & apple slices

Breakfast: Chocolate Muffin from the freezer for the husband & Green Smoothie.  Fruit & yogurt parfaits for me and the kiddo.

Saturday- 

Dinner: Out.  We went to our favorite Italian restaurant, yum!

Lunch: Leftover Veggie Fajitas from Thursday nights dinner.  The kiddo had vegetarian refried beans and tortillas.

Snacks: cheese slices & Late July brand crackers

Breakfast: Toast w/avocado.  The husband slept in & woke up in time for lunch.

Sunday- 

Dinner: Parmesan & Spinach Orzo, salad and roasted veggies.  I made extra for lunches during the week.  I also usually have more time on Sundays so enjoy making a more elaborate meal.  I also baked some blueberry muffins and froze half for breakfasts another week.

Lunch: Leftover Tomato & Lentil Stew from Friday night's dinner.

Snacks: fresh fruit & sunflower seeds

Breakfast: Pancakes with real maple syrup and turkey bacon.  Whenever I make pancakes, I always make a triple batch and freeze some for easy, weekday breakfasts.

So there you have it, a fairly typical week at my house.  We just so happened to have a bit more meat this week because our favorite lunch meat, Applegate, was on sale at the grocery store.  We normally just eat leftovers for lunches.  All the meals were quick, healthy, well balanced and fairly inexpensive to make.  And with a little pre-planning and prep time, I was able to feed my family all week long with minimal stress and time on my part.  Sweet!