ACV - Chasing Our Colds Away

"My dad believed in two things: That Greeks should educate non Greeks about being Greek and every ailment from psoriasis to poison ivy can be cured with Windex." - My Big Fat Greek Wedding

Apple cider vinegar to me is like windex to the Greeks. Most ailments we have had, everything from small plantar warts to heartburn, I have tried to treat with apple cider vinegar. Most of the time the apple cider vinegar treatments are successful. Last week my kids all came down with the sniffles and a cough, and I knew that there was an attack on our immune systems. Within a day the congestion and coughs were totally gone.

When buying apple cider vinegar you want to make sure you are buying organic, raw, and unfiltered vinegar with the "mother" still in it. The "mother" is made up of live nutrients and good bacteria. I stick with Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar, and can find it in most grocery stores; however, you may have to ask, because some stores put it with the other types of vinegar and others put it in the health food sections. On average, I spend about $5 for 32 oz of Bragg's.

Apple cider vinegar (ACV) helps your body maintain a proper pH level, which helps to prevent and/or overcome sickness. Apple cider vinegar also has pectin (helps regulate blood pressure), malic acid (giving ACV anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal properties), acetic acid (helps metabolize starches and lower the rise in glucose after meals), and also has potassium and calcium. Historically, we have seen colds, sinus issues, and coughs disappear within 24 hours of drinking the "sick tea" (what my kids call the concoction) every few hours over a couple of days. I also try to remember to add a splash of apple cider vinegar to each glass of water I drink - especially when we are in cold and flu season.

Sick Tea Recipe

1 Tablespoon of Bragg's Apple Cider Vinagar

1 teaspoon of raw local honey (organic even better)

4 ounces of warm water

a straw

Directions:

- Place ACV in mug, measure out teaspoon of honey, pour warm water over the honey to dissolve, stir, and serve with a straw. That taste isn't too bad, but it's always fun to have races to see who can finish theirs first. ;)

Easy Broccoli Soup

Well, it has been a while. My computer crashed. Literally. My computer was on it's way out, but my puppy, Piper, finished the PC off. She lept onto the couch and my laptop crashed to the floor. It black-screened, and I said my goodbyes. So we are now shopping around for another computer, and in the meantime I have to jump on Brandon's computer whenever I get a chance.

Two-weeks-ago my menu included a broccoli soup, and a couple moms asked me how I got my kids to eat broccoli soup. I'm sorry it took me a while, but here is the recipe! This soup goes over well with my entire family, and considering it is mostly all broccoli that is shocking to me. My family likes this soup really smooth, I like it chunky, and you could also make it a texture somewhere in between.

Really Easy Broccoli Soup

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter

1 onion, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

3 cups chicken broth

8 cups broccoli florets, chopped

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups milk

ground black pepper to taste

Directions

- Melt 2 tablespoons butter in medium sized stock pot, and saute onion and celery until tender. Add broccoli and broth, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

- Pour the soup into a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway full. Hold down the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel, and carefully start the blender, using a few quick pulses to get the soup moving before leaving it on to puree. Puree in batches until smooth and pour into a clean pot. If you still want chunks of broccoli in the soup only puree 2/3 of the soup, and then mix the pureed soup in with the chunky part.

- In small saucepan, over medium-heat melt 3 tablespoons butter, stir in flour and add milk. Stir until thick and bubbly, and add to soup.

- Season with pepper, sprinkle with cheese (optional), serve, and enjoy!

Cost:

Organic Broccoli (Costco): $3

Organic Pastured Butter (Sprouts): $.50

Organic Milk: $.50

Organic Onion: $.35

Organic Celery: $.25

Homemade Broth

Total: $4.60 (about $.60/serving)

Brutally Honest Menu: Week 4

Life is busy right now. Not crazy busy, and not stressful busy. Just "different'' busy. Thanksgiving came out of no where (which I have receipts for and will post), we purchased a new (to us) vehicle, then we had our family crafting weekend, and that was followed by the beginning of Advent season.

Not much has been normal in our lives, and I do best with a routine. When schedules get mixed up, we change environments, and different people are in and out, I don't know what to do with myself. Last Tuesday I only made my Turkey Day menu, and this Tuesday I was lost in craft-land. This means I have been throwing together meals, have been to the grocery store a few blocks away three times this week, and I have that "sick-of-food" feeling.

This is what this last week of meals have looked like:

Friday - Monday (a bit of a blur)

Breakfasts: Pumpkin pie oatmeal, donuts (Yes, donuts!!! They are a Thanksgiving morning tradition) and egg casserole

Lunches: Variations of Thanksgiving (sandwiches, turkey with different sides, etc)

Dinner: Usually still full from a large lunch, but would have warmed up dishes, and I made turkey soup on Sunday.

Tuesday (emerged from a tryptophan coma)

Breakfast: Oatmeal with pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, slivered almonds, and honey

Lunch: Omelettes

Dinner: Last of our Thanksgiving leftovers

Wednesday

Breakfast: "Eggs in a hole" and bananas

Lunch: Almond butter and jelly sprouted sandwiches with raw milk and apples

Dinner: Chicken sausage and butternut squash soup (from freezer)

Thursday

Breakfast: "Eggs in a hole" and bananas

Lunch: Roasted Red Pepper Soup and apples

Dinner: Frozen Pizzas

Friday..... TBD

Thanksgiving week(end) is not the norm, and for our family I am not willing to change the exceptions that we all enjoy. However, now is where our routine can be lost. Processed convenience foods become appealing, because I see all of the other seasonal fun I could be having. Like most people, I can get lost in the excitement of the holidays, and daily excuse myself from the responsibilities of taking care of my health during Christmas, but this year I want to fight that tendency in myself.

We eat very healthy most of the time, but we are not super-humans without cravings and missing a love for most sugary things. My husband and I know how much better we feel when we are eating healthy, and that is our motivation to stay on track. By having a menu it makes our goal much easier, and that is how I avoid the frustration and more relaxed diet we have happening right now.

So, tomorrow is a new day, and it's not too late in the week to make a plan. Back on track. Back to nourishing our bodies well.

How are you all doing during the holidays so far?

Good Clean Fun - Pt. 2

Remembering to put things away, close cabinet doors (and drawers), and screw lids on are a few of my many weaknesses. Being the day dreamer that I am, my thoughts often wander to all of the fun I could be having if I did not have to clean. Over the last couple of years I have found a system that works for me, so things are definitely improving, but I am not naturally a tidy person. A couple weeks I gave some practical ideas about how to get your house in order, and now I hope to share how to make it fun (or at least enjoyable).

1. Play Upbeat Music

Put on music you know motivates and will make you move! Do not be afraid to be ridiculous. Your kids will have so much fun with you as you sing into the broom, tap on the counters, bang pots and pans, and belt out "Respect" by Aretha Franklin.....

2. Make it into a Game

- Have a race to see who can get their tasks done the fastest.
- Turn matching socks into “Go Fish” Have one person hold up a sock they have and see who has the most. The person with the most pairs at the end wins.
- Take note of the most often left out items around your house. Make a scavenger item list, and cross out items as they are found AND put away. Person with the most amount of items crossed out at the end wins.
- “Skate” (in socks) for dust bunnies.

3. Listen to an Audio Book

Cleaning doesn’t take a whole lot of thought, and something I have done in the past to make the time more productive is listen to an audio book. Christian Audio has a different free download each month, and Amazon has many audio books available.

4. Develop Spiritual Disciplines

Another option is to use the time of cleaning for spiritual disciplines. If you struggle with making time to pray or meditate, cleaning could give you a perfect opportunity. A while ago my pastor shared the story of Brother Lawrence’s assignment to kitchen duty, which he, like most of us, had an aversion to. However, Brother Lawrence was determined “ to do everything there for the love of GOD, and with prayer, upon all occasions, for His grace to do his work well, he had found everything easy, during the fifteen years that he had been employed there.” He prayed for the people who ate off the dishes he had to wash, and counted it his joy. Since hearing this story I have written things to pray for on the top of my rubber gloves, and hung quotes and scriptures on the insides of my cabinets so I can read them as I get my tasks done.

5. Catch-Up With a Friend

Call a friend, and talk as you clean. I find I get so much done as I am chatting on the phone!

6. Use Some Smell Good

Light a candle or use essential oils. As a scent fills up my home, it makes me want to straighten and clean. My favorite motivating oils right now are Lemongrass, Orange and Clove.

7. Make it a Learning Experience

Sorting spices, silverware, toys, laundry, and other household items can be a great way to learn colors, counting, and fine motor skills.

8. Have Rewards - for You and Your Children

We haven't started giving an allowance to our kids yet, but we have found rewarding them with computer time is a great way to get them excited to help. I have also known parents to hide small treats (snacks, stickers, etc) in places they know their kids will find them while cleaning. Collect any change you may find to put towards a pedicure fund for yourself, or at least a new nail polish.

9. Focus on the Benefits

Have a hard time convincing yourself to actually start cleaning? Think about all of the fun you could be having if you did not have a messy house looming over your head! When my house gets out-of-control (and it does happen ever couple of weeks), it feels like such a burden and drags me down which is no fun at all. Once the cleaning is done, the big benefit is being able to enjoy the clean, fresh smelling house.

10. Whistle While You Work

If you can't whistle, smile. Sometimes I just have to tell myself that cleaning does not have to be miserable. Choosing to have a good attitude can make all the difference.

Besides a visit from your mother-in-law, what things have you found to motivate you to clean?

A Christmas Reminder

The holidays are in full swing! I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving, and were able to spend time with family and friends remembering the blessings, trials, and joys over the last year. Thank you to all of my friends and readers for your encouragement, proof reads, feedback, and ideas over the last month. In my attempt to keep God and my family first, I did not post during Thanksgiving weekend, but plan to post until December 23rd.

Like many people, I begin to stress out around Christmas. Though we have many Christ centered traditions, we still can get distracted from what is important by the commercialism all around us. I enjoy giving gifts, but also like for them to have meaning, and doing this on a budget can be overwhelming.

Friday morning I woke up, jumped online to check out sales, and immediately got caught up in the holiday shopping frenzy. My husband quickly became my (unappreciated at the time) voice of reason, and reminded me of our intention to follow through with our idea to support the Advent Conspiracy this year.

Pinterest has been an inspiration over the last few months, and has made making gifts so much easier and more fun! This year my family and I spent the weekend after Thanksgiving creating some wonderful gifts, drinking chai, and watching Christmas movies. Over the weekend we all took turns saying how fun it was to be crafting and spending time together, and I thought it was far better than playing bumper carts and standing in long lines. (I would love to share what was made; however, some of the recipients are also readers!)

My prayer for myself, my family, and my friends this year is that we would remember that Christmas is holy. May we all slow down this season, celebrate that True Love that was born in a stable, and enjoy the blessings and people we have all around us. A few years ago I stumbled upon a post by Rocks in My Dryer that has obviously stuck with me:

"Mom," he asked, "is Christmas stressful?"

I looked at him quizzically.

"I mean," he continued, in a classic example of pre-adolescent understatement, "you've just seemed a little tense lately. Is Christmas stressful for you?"

I took a deep breath, a breath I should've taken about a month ago.

No, I told him. Christmas is not stressful. Christmas is holy. People are stressful. I am stressful. I take what is lovely and, whether by accident or design, I cover it with expectations and selfishness and over-committment and who knows what else. What is lovely gets lost.

Well, not really. It's never lost. Maybe my line of vision gets skewed. Maybe my hurried heart falters. But what is lovely and precious and staggering about this most holy time? It's still there. He is still there. In the manger. In the heavens. In my fickle heart.

Definitely gives me something to think about, how about you?