Pizza: Traditional Taste, Nontraditional {low carb or gluten free} Crusts

Have you ever fallen in love with something that isn't good for you? Yes, I'm talking about food here. No, not chocolate. In fact, I don't feel bad at all about my love of rich, dark chocolate. That's good for me {you know: because of the iron, antioxidant properties, and how it increases endorphins and serotonin} ... There is research to prove it! Actually, I'm referring to my love of pizza. 

Unfortunately, when working to drop a few {or twenty some} pounds, I had to let go of my love for the fat and carbohydrate collision that is pizza. No, I didn't stop eating pizza. Yes, I found some alternative crust options. I understand that you may be skeptical at first, but please give me {and the following recipes} a chance. I was skeptical too, but I've found some pizza crusts that are low carb or gluten free and really tasty. Really!

Since school has started, our family has gotten into the habit of having pizza and movie night on Fridays. It's a great night for food, cuddles, and family time. But, it's not fun to smell delicious pizza and see your family eating said pizza without joining them.  So, here are my five favorite recipes for tasty crust alternatives...

So Simple Snacks: Five Ingredients or Less

Whether you are at home or on the go, having a low-key or a busy day, I have found that it's a good idea to keep healthy snacks around.  What has really surprised me though is how easy it is to do this.  Today I am sharing three of my favorite simple snacks... because you really can throw something together with not much time and a handful of ingredients.

I hope that this post will be helpful, giving you both recipes that you will use and inspiration to come up with your own simple snacks.  What are some favorite snacks you could throw together with five ingredients or less?

My boys still love what we call apple sandwiches.  It's a simple snack we started a few years ago.  The "sandwich" is made when you core and slice apples {cutting horizontally}.  Imagine a peanut butter sandwich with apple slices instead of bread.  Of course, my boys eat theirs "open face" so they can load on more peanut butter.  They also often add a few dark chocolate chips.

This always seemed like a healthy enough snack to me.  Recently though I realized, while great for growing boys, this snack maybe had a little too much peanut butter {okay fat} combined with the natural sugar of the apple slices for this mama.  I was thrilled when I realized how delicious peanut butter dip was with apples.  Okay, I probably knew it would be delicious, but I was a little intimidated at first by 0% Greek Yogurt.

Decadent Chocolate Desserts

I can't remember how long it's been since my mother gave me the magnet stating "CHOCOLATE ~ not just for breakfast anymore."  It was a perfect gift, because I do love all things chocolate! 

Yes, I love chocolate any time of the day.  My boys love chocolate too.  Their favorite breakfast is pancakes with mini chocolate chips.  I know some people will argue that milk chocolate is best, but I am a dark chocolate lover.  Today I challenge you to try a decadent chocolate dessert and see if you disagree.  And please, just because I say "dessert," don't feel like you can't eat these recipes any time of the day that you desire.

Baking Fall Treats: All Things Pumpkin

This last month I have been trying new pumpkin recipes, and I'm thrilled to say I have found a few new favorites. Did I mention they are all so very delicious?! 

I'm curious which will be your new favorite: pumpkin applesauce muffins, pumpkin and chocolate pudding parfait, or pumpkin pie cheesecake.

Baking Fall Treats: Healthier Apple Desserts

Last Fall, I came home with bushels of apples.  I was thrilled to explore making all things apples: Apple Crisp, French Apple Squares, Caramel Apples, Apple Cake, Applesauce, Apple Butter, & Apple Pie with my first ever homemade crust.  This Fall, I decided to attempt another first: adapting a recipe for Trim Healthy Mama eating.  I don't know why I thought it would be so hard to adjust fat and substitute for sugar, because it was much easier than I had anticipated!  You don't have to be eating the THM way though to enjoy the following "healthified" apple recipes.

A big thank you to my family, my friend Donna, and the ladies at Zumba for being my taste testers! 

Cutting Through Clutter: Organizing Recipes

While I'm less than thrilled about packing sack lunches again, I have been excited about trying new recipes lately {both from Pinterest and from pages torn out of magazines and thrown in a drawer}.  Often I've found it difficult to find a specific recipe when I need it though.  So I thought I'd share with you how I organized all the recipes I want to try and the recipes we've come to love. 

From disorganized chaos, where I can't find anything, to a place for everything! Yes, that photo on the left is from last Christmas.  No, that is not a long time ago and it's not really a big pile, considering that those recipes are the last quarter of a stack that I've been going through over the last two years.  Note to self: Stop tearing recipes out of magazines... We have enough!  So, from a high cupboard stuffed full of cookbooks and a drawer filled up with recipes came the inspiration to use a new, easily accessible cupboard to store all of our favorite recipes.  Yes, all the printed recipes and magazine sheets fit nicely into the two binders on the left of the bottom shelf.  There is something to be said about being able to find what you need when you need it!  I think that's typically my motivation behind organizing: make it work well & look good.

Fall Traditions

There are so many things that I love about Fall !  The crisp, cool air means I can keep out my capris and sandals, but I also get to bring out the sweaters and hoodies.  Of course, it's the perfect time of year for a backyard fire.  The air smells of cookouts and campfires and of crisp leaves under foot.  And the house smells of apples and cinnamon.

I love baking every month of the year, but there is something about buying apples and picking pumpkins that makes me a little more ambitious.  In October I look forward to sharing some new pumpkin recipes with you.  While I'm not freezing bushels of apples like last year, we have already been filling our freezer with bags of apples.  I'm also excited to share a variation of my traditional apple crisp that's healthier but still sooo delicious.

There would be no apple desserts without the apples though.  Last year we started a new tradition of visiting Wisconsin apple orchards.  We were joined this year and last by a number of family members from the Midwest.  The drive this morning was especially beautiful as the fog burned off while we drove through the hills.

Organizing Time: Weekly Meal Planning

Credits: #1, #2, #3, #4

This year I've been doing weekly meal planning, and I'm writing today to tell you it's well worth the effort!

So, why bother with meal planning?  It saves money and it saves time.  I'd say that is a win, win!

Our family saves money because we plan meals based on what's in season and on sale.  Also, planning ahead means we get all the food we need in one trip to the grocery store, instead of shopping multiple times a week.  Well, sometimes I go to a few stores on my errand day, depending on who has the best deals.  But, I have a list and stick to it.  

Not only does it save time to be prepared when I'm out running errands, but it saves time each night to know what we are making for meals and to know we have all the necessary ingredients.  I don't miss the talks a half an hour before supper is supposed to be ready, when everyone is hungry, and we're trying to decide who wants to eat what only to find out we don't have what we need anyway!

Everyone will have their own preference as too how much they want to plan ahead.  Simply do a Pinterest search for "weekly meal plan" to find a wide variety of meal planning methods, menus, and free printables.  I have included some of my favorites at left.  {Click the number below in the "Credits" caption to link to the website for each form.}

Of course, I couldn't just decide right away which form would fit our family... It was a process.  I have seen a variety of ideas similar to #1 and just love them.  Talk about cute and practical! {Some of them even listed the recipe or ingredients on the back of each meal card.}  But, I had to be honest about whether I would actually take the time to get this system all together... Not at this stage in our busy life.  Many people prefer a simple sheet with one column on the left for daily supper ideas and one column on the right for a grocery list {see #2}.  I did know that I wanted to plan for more than just supper, at least some days of the week.  I liked the design of #3 {because it's pretty} and it serves the purpose just described, but I think you could also use it to list more than one meal for each day down the right column.  In the end though, I figured that we would need something more like #4.  I did use this format for a little while.

So Simple Dessert: Chocolate Soufflé

My favorite dessert that is oh so easy... Really!

Baking Fall Treats: Bushels of Apples

What's the best way to celebrate the start of Fall?  Well, until this year I may have answered differently, but now I must say it's with all things apples!

Why so much excitement about apples?  Well, last year Iowa didn't have many, but this year my parents' neighbor's trees were very bountiful!  And this weekend starts all the apple fun, because my mom was awesome enough to bring us up a bunch of yummy Iowa apples.