Author: arthurized

Packing Shoe Boxes for Operation Christmas Child – Boys 10 – 14

August 26, 2020gifts, , , , , , 1 Comment

Last year I learned that Operation Christmas Child receives the fewest number of boxes for boys 2-4 and 10-14. It’s got to be pretty upsetting for both the recipient and the distribution team to run out of boxes for a specific group. We’ve decided to focus our future efforts on the 10-14 year old boys category. That doesn’t mean we won’t ever pack for other groups, we just want to improve the collection stats for older boys. Here’s what we’re packing this year:

School Supplies: Composition book, pencils, double pencil sharpener, large eraser and full sized scissors. I like the scissors because they work for a lefty or righty and are practical for other uses in addition to school work. See the tiny fishing kit below.

Something to wear: 2 pairs of socks, 2 boxer briefs, a shirt and sunglasses.
In early August, Walmart marks down summer clothing and we were able to find sporty tees and nice button up shirts for $3 each. The performance fabric shirts are great because they are practical for any climate and take up less room in the box.

Hygiene Items: Washcloth, bar of soap, shower comb and toothbrush with cover. I like the shower combs because they are very sturdy and work for any hair type.

Fun Stuff: Building kits, sticky catch game and a tic-tac-toe game made by our sweet nieces. The game board is a drawstring eyeglasses bag from the Dollar Tree with the grid drawn on using a Sharpie marker. The game pieces are decorator’s pebbles. We include an extra pebble of each color in case one gets lost. The wordless instructions were found online and we printed them four to a page.

Practical Gifts: Bungee cord, drawstring backpack, cup, bowl and utility spork, the little box holds a tiny fishing kit.

The fishing kit contains one bobber, four hooks, two sinkers and approximately twenty-five feet of fishing line. We included a sketch showing how to assemble the line on a wooden stick.

Nest as much as possible. In the interest of not shipping air, we like to pack those nooks and crannies full.

Once I’ve figured out how everything fits into the box, I snap pictures of each layer for reference. This is especially helpful when I have breaks between packing the boxes.

Tuck a Christmas card, your picture and a note of encouragement into your shoe box. Let the child know that you love them, and are praying for them. Include your address or email if you like; sometimes the recipient or their parents will write to you!

So that’s what we’re sending to big guys this year. I hope this post is helpful for shopping and packing inspiration.

Happy shoe box packing!

Links to other posts about OCC:
https://arthurizedhome.com/tag/shoe-box-gift/
https://arthurizedhome.com/2019/09/27/packing-a-shoe-box-for-operation-christmas-child-what-fits-inside-the-box/
https://arthurizedhome.com/2020/08/19/packing-a-shoe-box-for-operation-christmas-child-boys-5-9/

This post is not sponsored. I only share charities that I personally support, and I hope you will consider supporting them too.

Copyright 2019-2020 © Arthurized Home – All Rights Reserved. This post is the original content of Arthurized Home. If you’re reading this on another site, it’s unArthurized.

Real Food Menu for Week of 8.24.2020

August 24, 2020weekly menus, , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Well, here is the sum total of my weekend’s work. 😉 I ventured out into yesterday afternoon’s rain and harvested a metric crapton of basil, which turned into three batches of this pesto for the freezer. Mine is a little dark because I combined both genovese and purple basil. I ran out of walnuts so I threw a few pecans into the mix. It’s a tasty little number.

Here is our menu for the week:

Mark’s Breakfast:
Mediterranean Cauliflower Rice Quiche – We left the feta out and sprinkled black olives on half of the quiche. And seriously, how cute is this plate our nephew painted when he was four?!
https://cleanfoodcrush.com/mediterranean-cauliflower-rice-quiche/

Mark’s Lunch:
Greek Chicken and Rice Bowls – One word: Yum! Great for meal prep, because all of the ingredients keep well in the fridge up to four days.
https://cleanfoodcrush.com/greek-chicken-rice-bowls/

Lemony Cucumber and Tomato Tuna Salad – A perennial favorite. I still haven’t converted Mark to Team Avocado, so we sub English cucumbers for the avocado.
https://cleanfoodcrush.com/eat-clean-lemony-avocado-tuna-salad/

Easy Grilled Chicken Thighs – New! Level up everyday chicken with this delicious marinade. We substituted low-sodium, gluten free tamari for the soy sauce.
https://cookinglsl.com/easy-grilled-chicken-thighs/

Thai Veggie Noodle Salad – Double or triple the recipe if serving a crowd. Don’t save it for leftovers, it’s best eaten fresh!
https://cleanfoodcrush.com/thai-veggie-noodle-salad-clean-eating/

Baked Teriyaki Salmon – New! This preservative free sauce tastes just like restaurant teriyaki. We used low sodium tamari and Bob’s Red Mill gluten free flour to thicken.
https://healthyfitnessmeals.com/baked-teriyaki-salmon/

Snack:
Along with the usual watermelon, popcorn, apples, bananas and oranges, we’re snacking on black bean hummus with cucumber slices. I love Ina’s hummus and sometimes substitute black beans for the chickpeas in this recipe. Cucumber slices make low-calorie, low-carb ‘crackers’ for dips and spreads.
https://barefootcontessa.com/recipes/hummus

Treat:
Chocolate Dipped Strawberries – We’re keeping it simple this week with fresh strawberries dipped in melted Lily’s dark chocolate chips. I add about a teaspoon of coconut oil to 1/2 cup chocolate chips while melting them in a double boiler. If you don’t have a double boiler, simply boil about an inch of water in a saucepan underneath a tempered glass bowl. Make sure that the boiling water does not touch the bowl above. Dip the strawberries and sprinkle with unsweetened coconut if desired.

I hope your week is off to a great start!

Disclosure: In addition to occasional sponsored posts, Arthurized Home uses clickable affiliate links. That means that I may receive a small commission from sales at no extra charge to you. As always, my opinion is 100% my own, and I only recommend things that I truly love or use myself. Thank you for patronizing the brands that support Arthurized Home!

Copyright 2019-2021 © Arthurized Home – All Rights Reserved. This post is the original content of Arthurized Home. If you’re reading this on another site, it’s unArthurized.

Packing a Shoe Box for Operation Christmas Child – Boys 5 – 9

August 19, 2020gifts, , , , , 2 Comments

With school supplies on sale in the stores, it’s time to ramp up packing shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child. Here’s a peek at what’s inside the boxes we’re packing for 5-9 year old boys.

School Supplies: Composition book, student scissors, double pencil sharpener, pencils, erasers and colored pencils
School supplies are key. In some areas, children can only attend school if they provide their own supplies; a price of admission too high for many.

Something new to wear: Shirt, shorts, two pairs of underwear and socks
For boys in this age category I buy size 8 pants and shirts. Bonus points for elastic waistbands.

Hygiene supplies: Washcloth, bar of soap, toothbrush with cover and a comb
Can you imagine having to share your toothbrush or washcloth with several other people? I can’t either. This is a reality for many children in orphanages.

Toys/Wow Item: Jump rope, block type building kit and mesh bag, water bottle and Young Simba. Because even nine year old boys need a stuffed friend for sharing all their secrets.

So that tiny blocks don’t fall out of the mesh bag opening, I removed the manufacturer’s plastic bag and placed the pieces in a quart sized zipper bag.

A note about packaging: Many of the shoe box destinations do not have the infrastructure to handle trash. The packaging we ship becomes a burden for the receiver. Having said that, I did leave the colored pencils in the box for storage when they’re not in use.

I like to roll and rubber band soft goods to fit them into the box. Those rubber bands could be useful to the recipient, or just ammo for an epic rubber band battle!

When packing multiple like boxes, I snap pictures of each layer of the first box so that each box is not a new puzzle. I placed the package of colored pencils flat in the bottom of the box, then began the first full layer above. Sharpened pencils are positioned away from clothing, to avoid unwanted markings during shipment!

In the interest of not shipping air, I rolled and stuffed the socks and one pair of underwear into the water bottle.

Last layer! Position the notebook along the upper edge of the box and gently bend it over as you snap the lid on. My husband says the box is not full until you have to “Sit on it, to get the lid on it!” LOL! Rubber bands hold the lid in place until the box is inspected and taped shut at the processing center.

Tuck a Christmas card, your picture and a note of encouragement into your shoe box. Let the child know that you love them, and are praying for them. Include your address or email if you like; sometimes the recipient or their parents will write to you!

So that’s what we’re sending to little guys this year. I hope this post is helpful to you for shopping and packing inspiration.

Happy shoe box packing!

Links to other posts about OCC:
https://arthurizedhome.com/tag/shoe-box-gift/
https://arthurizedhome.com/2019/09/27/packing-a-shoe-box-for-operation-christmas-child-what-fits-inside-the-box/

This post is not sponsored. I only endorse charities that I personally support, and I hope you will consider supporting them too.

Copyright 2019-2020 © Arthurized Home – All Rights Reserved. This post is the original content of Arthurized Home. If you’re reading this on another site, it’s unArthurized.

Real Food Menu for Week of 8.17.2020

August 17, 2020weekly menus, , , , , , Leave a comment

Having to stay mostly indoors this cool and rainy weekend, gave me time to work on sorting supplies, packing shoe boxes and making a shopping list for filler items. I’m excited to share that with you over the next few weeks.

If you’re a new reader, welcome and thank you for taking time out of your day to read here! My menus are always gluten-free, mostly real food. We define that as ‘food made in nature and not in a factory’. We’re not perfectionists, so we shoot for an average of at least 90% real food with a few 10% foods thrown in there.

We’re still pounding through all the veggies from Pa Kettle’s garden, and I couldn’t be happier about that! Here is this week’s menu:

Mark’s Breakfast:
Chocolate Pecan Sweet Potato Breakfast Cookies – Yum! These little fiber-packed goodies make the easiest grab-and-go breakfast.
https://www.eatingbirdfood.com/sweet-potato-breakfast-cookies/

Mark’s Lunch:
Mason Jar Spinach Salad – Even though he’s a fun guy (heh), Mark doesn’t love ‘shrooms. We’ll just leave those out. We use Sir Kensington’s mayo and substitute stevia sweetener for the sugar in the dressing. Instead of spooning the dressing into the bottom of the jar, I store each portion in a tiny container.
https://www.theseasonedmom.com/wprm_print/57058

Dinner:
Garlic Butter Pasta – New! We’re loving lentil and chickpea pastas. They seem to hold their shape well, and don’t get gummy like brown rice pastas. Sprinkle a little nutritional yeast on top of this hearty dish, if you like.
https://elavegan.com/garlic-butter-pasta/

Layered Salad – Here’s a throwback salad for you. This is a once in a while dish due to that mayonnaise based dressing. For the dressing, we like Kroger natural sour cream with just three ingredients: cultured cream, skim milk and enzymes. When it’s just the two of us, we divide this recipe in half. Add the dressing just before serving.
https://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/layered-salad/

Broccoli and Red Cabbage Salad with Tangy Peanut Butter Dressing – This salad is crunchy and flavorful, with just a bit of tartness from the cranberries. Dress this salad just before serving. Leftover dressing is delicious served over plain, shredded cabbage.
https://cleanfoodcrush.com/broccoli-red-cabbage-salad-tangy-pb-dressing/

Kale Salad with Blueberry Vinaigrette – New! Mark went just a little crazy for this blueberry dressing! The recipe does not specify what to massage into the kale. Do you just massage it dry? I drizzled a little olive oil, and then massaged the kale. Just before serving, I tossed the salad with half the dressing. Then I topped it with the pecans and feta along with the rest of the dressing.
http://veggingattheshore.com/2015/06/kale-salad-with-blueberry-vinaigrette/

Snacks:
Hummus and cucumber slices, watermelon, popcorn, dried fruit and nuts. Rinse, repeat.

Treat:
Vanilla Coconut Flour Paleo Cupcakes – A sweet treat for Mark; these are surprisingly light and fluffy! I use Simple Mills frosting to minimize sugar. The recipe says it yields eight cupcakes, but I get nine standard size cakes out of a single batch. I decrease the coconut oil to 1/4 cup as well. Store these in the fridge, because they contain no preservatives.
https://www.healthextremist.com/vanilla-paleo-cupcakes-recipe/

Have a fantastic week, everyone!

Disclosure: In addition to occasional sponsored posts, Arthurized Home uses clickable affiliate links. That means that I may receive a small commission from sales at no extra charge to you. As always, my opinion is 100% my own, and I only recommend things that I truly love or use myself. Thank you for patronizing the brands that support Arthurized Home!

Copyright 2019-2021 © Arthurized Home – All Rights Reserved. This post is the original content of Arthurized Home. If you’re reading this on another site, it’s unArthurized.

Real Food Menu for Week of 8.10.2020

August 10, 2020weekly menus, , , , , , , Leave a comment

We like to fix new recipes a time or two before recommending them on the blog. Often, they become instant favorites, or at least something we really enjoy and would make again. On the rare occasion we don’t care for one, we scrap it and move on. We hit on one recently and boy, is it a doozy! Like throw out the entire dish, bad. The combo of radish and garlic completely overwhelmed the apple and cucumber. Maybe I’ll try it again without the garlic? Nah. Sample if you’re brave:
https://cleanfoodcrush.com/crisp-creamy-cucumber-apple-salad/

Here are the keeper dishes that made the cut:

Breakfast for Mark:

Tomato and Cheese Pie

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

Adapted from the Supermarket Diet Cookbook. This dish could be called Tomato Basil Pie because the ricotta and parmesan take a back seat to the fresh flavors of the other basil and tomato. Served warm or at room temperature, this pie makes a nice breakfast or brunch side dish.

Ingredients

  • 15 oz. ricotta cheese
  • 4 large eggs
  • ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • ½ tsp. salt, plus additional for sprinkling
  • 1/8 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper, plus additional for sprinkling
  • 1/4 c. milk (I use almond or unsweetened coconut milk)
  • 1 T. cornstarch or arrowroot powder
  • 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves, chopped
  • 1 lb. ripe tomatoes (3 medium) thinly sliced

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, with whisk or fork, beat ricotta, eggs, parmesan, salt and pepper until blended.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch or arrowroot powder with milk until blended; whisk into cheese mixture. Stir in basil. Pour mixture into 9 inch glass or ceramic pie plate.
  3. Arrange tomato slices on top, overlapping if necessary. Sprinkle tomatoes with salt and pepper.
  4. Bake pie until lightly browned around edge and center is puffed, 30-35 minutes.
    5. Cut into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy! http://www.arthurizedhome.com

Mark’s Lunch:
Chop Chop Fresh Veggie Salad – Crunchy and delicious! Minus the olives and feta, because a certain someone still doesn’t care for them. *ahem*
https://cleanfoodcrush.com/chop-chop/

Dinner:

Carb Buster Breakfast – We never tire of breakfast for dinner. Protein and veggie-packed, this simple dinner is savory and satisfying.
https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a11666/carb-buster-breakfast/

Tuscan Chicken with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Creamy Garlic Sauce – Delish!
https://www.savorytooth.com/sun-dried-tomato-chicken/

Watermelon, Cucumber and Feta Salad – New! Simple, light and refreshing; perfect for using up garden produce these hot, summer days. That combination of cucumber, mint and lime is amazing!
https://cleanfoodcrush.com/watermelon-cucumber-feta-salad/

Mustard Glazed Baked Chicken Thighs – A favorite dinner; this one is kid-friendly (the mustard flavor is subtle) and quick to prepare.
https://unsophisticook.com/baked-chicken-thighs/

Snack:
Cannellini Lemon Dip – New! My thirteen year old niece pronounced this dip “really good” and then scolded my sister for taking “her” dip. Ha ha! I guess it’s a keeper too. I couldn’t find preserved lemon locally so I ordered it online. If possible, use a product with no preservatives or added sugars. Look for three ingredients: lemons, water and sea salt.
https://www.simplemills.com/Recipes/Cannellini-Lemon-Dip.aspx

Treat:
No Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip – This is one of those 10% treats. Minus the chocolate chips, this recipe is processed sugar-free. We use stevia sweetened chocolate chips. Hubs eats his with gluten free cookies, I’m having mine with apple slices. Gluten free pretzels are a tasty dipper as well.
https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2011/09/27/new-recipe-sugar-free-cookie-dough-dip/

Have a great new week, everyone!

Disclosure: In addition to occasional sponsored posts, Arthurized Home uses clickable affiliate links. That means that I may receive a small commission from sales at no extra charge to you. As always, my opinion is 100% my own, and I only recommend things that I truly love or use myself. Thank you for patronizing the brands that support Arthurized Home!

Copyright 2019-2021 © Arthurized Home – All Rights Reserved. This post is the original content of Arthurized Home. If you’re reading this on another site, it’s unArthurized.

Real Food Menu for Week of 8.3.2020

August 3, 2020Food, meal prep, , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Is there some sort of turkey shortage going on? We’ve been looking for turkey cutlets for weeks with no luck. The meat department manager at one of our Kroger stores told us they “discontinued” them. What? So strange. Anyway, I’ve been wanting to try the new turkey dish below, so in the absence of turkey cutlets, we used chicken breasts.

Mark’s Breakfast:
Cinnamon Roll Noatmeal – Here’s an old friend! Back when I was doing keto (hello, 2019!) we had this for breakfast quite regularly. I add 3/4 tsp. of cinnamon and a smidgen of nutmeg (’cause it’s my favorite spice and I add it to nearly everything!) to the dry noatmeal mix from here…
https://www.healthysweeteats.com/my-favorite-noatmeal-aka-low-carb-oat-free-porridge-the-basic-recipe-and-6-variations/
Make it a little extra special with this cinnamon roll drizzle:
https://www.wholesomeyum.com/easy-low-carb-keto-oatmeal-recipe/

Mark’s Lunch:
Keto Cobb Salad – We like to grill a few chicken breasts on Sunday evening to have on hand for quick lunch prep.
https://www.ketoconnect.net/keto-salad/
Mark likes this with Pioneer Woman’s dressing from the layered salad.
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/layered-salad-2308495

Dinner:

Garlic and Herb Turkey Cutlets – New! Savory and delicious! Perfect for using those fresh garden herbs. If you can’t find turkey cutlets, butterflied chicken breasts work just as well. Give this one a little time to marinate before cooking.
https://cleanfoodcrush.com/garlic-herb-turkey-cutlets/

Greek Salad – We never tire of this refreshing salad, especially when the tomatoes and cukes are rolling in from the garden.
https://www.spendwithpennies.com/greek-salad/

Baked Salmon with Lemon Butter – The fastest entree you’ll ever throw together. You can have this in the oven in five minutes, tops! I didn’t bother to make the side of lemon butter. Serve with a nice salad or veggie.
https://www.dietdoctor.com/recipes/keto-baked-salmon-lemon-butter/servings/2

Strawberry Chicken Salad – Don’t let the garlic in the dressing scare you away; you won’t get dragon breath. For the creamiest dressing, try to use your avocado during the fifteen minute sweet spot between unripe and rotten! 🙂
https://cleanfoodcrush.com/clean-eating-strawberry-chicken-salad/

Snack:
Avocado, Raspberry and Crumbled Cheese Toast – New! I love a good avocado toast, and this one makes a perfect breakfast, snack or light lunch.
https://cleanfoodcrush.com/avocado-raspberry-cheese-toast/

A lil’ sweet treat for Mark:
Keto Lava Cakes – Yep. It is a theme. Top these babies with fresh raspberries leftover from the avocado toast above, and sprinkle with a zhoosh of powdered Swerve.
https://kirbiecravings.com/keto-lava-cake/

I hope your week goes smoothly and you’re able to find (or order) everything you need from the store!

Disclosure: In addition to occasional sponsored posts, Arthurized Home uses clickable affiliate links. That means that I may receive a small commission from sales at no extra charge to you. As always, my opinion is 100% my own, and I only recommend things that I truly love or use myself. Thank you for patronizing the brands that support Arthurized Home!

Copyright 2019-2021 © Arthurized Home – All Rights Reserved. This post is the original content of Arthurized Home. If you’re reading this on another site, it’s unArthurized.

Real Food Menu for Week of 7.27.2020

July 27, 2020Food, , , , , , , , Leave a comment

It’s time to start planting our zone 7a fall garden. We jumped the gun just a little and planted carrots, peas and cucumbers last night. Our tomatoes in the herb garden are coming along nicely. Something (rabbit? groundhog?) has nipped off the tops of the tomato plants in the veggie garden, so I need to leave a little cayenne surprise out there.

Garden cukes and tomatoes are finally rolling in here in Virginia! In this week’s menu, there are two new recipes to use those up, plus my favorite way to cook fresh or frozen vegetables.

Mark’s Breakfast:
Sausage Breakfast Scramble – Here’s a bowl of savory, comfort food for breakfast. We make the Italian version; omitting the salt and using just one half cup of cheese. But, if you like two cups, toss it in there! I don’t judge.
https://www.southyourmouth.com/2016/07/sausage-breakfast-scramble-low-carb.html

Mark’s Lunch:
Turkey Bacon Swiss on Lettuce Buns. Not so much a recipe, but a sandwich idea. My sandwich is based on the one linked below with a few substitutions. Slice the lettuce cheeks thinly, they don’t compress like bread. These are best assembled just before serving.
https://cleanfoodcrush.com/turkey-blt-sandwich-lettuce-bun-recipe/

Dinner:

Quick Cucumber Tomato Za’atar Salad with Honey-Citrus Dressing – New Recipe! Mark loves this one and has already requested it again for next week. It’s super tasty, but the instructions are a little confusing. The olive oil mentioned in step 3 is not in the ingredients list, with no measurement given. Because we wanted a large salad, we doubled the entire recipe and used 1/4 cup olive oil in the dressing.
https://www.easycookingwithmolly.com/2018/03/quick-cucumber-tomato-zaatar-salad/

Balsamic Chicken with Onions – Simple, but flavorful. We like this one with brown rice and broccoli. Whether fresh, or frozen, we don’t steam veggies. Place them in a large cast iron skillet with the fat of your choice (coconut oil, olive oil, butter) and saute until tender crisp. Season with salt and pepper and serve.
https://www.5dollardinners.com/balsamic-chicken-with-onions/

Salmon in Roasted Pepper Sauce – Looks (and tastes) fancy, but so easy to prepare. This one comes together quickly enough for a weeknight dinner.
https://cooktoria.com/salmon-in-roasted-pepper-sauce/

Creamy Greek Pasta Salad – New Recipe! Mark rated this one a 9; he said he could deal with the feta, but not kalamata olives! We use lentil or chickpea pasta because it is less gummy than brown rice pasta. This large salad would be perfect for potlucks or family gatherings.
https://girlheartfood.com/greek-pasta-salad-gluten-free-vegetarian/

Snacks:
Ants on a Log, (Remember these from your childhood? I’ve got some celery singing it’s swan song in the fridge.) Watermelon, Popcorn, Grapes and Bananas.

Treat:
Coconut Milk Panna Cotta – This recipe is tried and true. If you’re unfamiliar, panna cotta is an ultra-smooth Italian pudding made with gelatin and cream. The coconut milk stands in for cream in this dairy-free version.
https://deliciouslyorganic.net/coconut-panna-cotta-dairy-free-gaps-paleo-grain-free/
Topped with Strawberry Chia Jam – I use less honey than the recipe calls for. Adjust to your taste.
https://cleanfoodcrush.com/chia-seed-strawberry-jam-clean-eating/

I hope your week is off to a great start!

Disclosure: In addition to occasional sponsored posts, Arthurized Home uses clickable affiliate links. That means that I may receive a small commission from sales at no extra charge to you. As always, my opinion is 100% my own, and I only recommend things that I truly love or use myself. Thank you for patronizing the brands that support Arthurized Home!

Copyright 2019-2021 © Arthurized Home – All Rights Reserved. This post is the original content of Arthurized Home. If you’re reading this on another site, it’s unArthurized.

Real Food Menu for Week of 7.20.2020

July 20, 2020Food, , , , , , Leave a comment

When we bought our house 17 years ago, we had nine cherry trees on our land. We met our neighbor, Granny Iris when she came over to ask permission to pick some cherries. She said it was an annual tradition with the prior owners. She and her late husband would back their truck up under the trees and stand in the bed to pick cherries. Because there is a ten acre field between our properties, I asked how she knew the cherries were ripe. She replied “I wait for the birds to start dropping cherry pits in my driveway”. LOL!

Anyway, it’s cherry season in Virginia and I’m happy to sample a new carrot cherry salad recipe this week:

Breakfast for Mark:
Paleo Lemon Blueberry Scones – An old favorite. Scones are great for grab and go breakfasts, or to savor over coffee if you’ve got time in the a.m.
https://cookeatpaleo.com/paleo-lemon-blueberry-scones/

Mark’s Lunch:
Cheeseburger Salad – All the flavors of cheeseburgers, without the drive-thru.
https://cleanfoodcrush.com/cheeseburger-salad-bowls-healthy-recipe/

Dinners:

Grilled Chicken Caesar Wraps – New Recipe! Prepare the dressing ahead to let the flavors meld. The next time we make this, we’ll thinly slice the grilled chicken to make these less messy to eat!
https://cleanfoodcrush.com/grilled-chicken-caesar-wraps-clean-eating/

Israeli Chopped Salad – New Recipe! We used a combination of fresh mint and dill in this garden fresh salad.
https://cleanfoodcrush.com/israeli-chopped-salad/

Cumulus Spiced Eggs – Dinners that come together in minutes, mean more time for evening gardening. This one is simple and flavorful.
https://thestonesoup.com/blog/2012/07/24/the-5-most-common-dinner-mistakes-and-how-to-avoid-them/


Simple Carrot Cherry Salad – New Recipe!
UPDATE: I found the salad needs double the tahini and lemon juice. It was a little dry as leftovers.

I found a maroon and orange salad for all you Hokie fans! Now I just need one in navy and orange. Ha ha! This one is a split decision, as Mark doesn’t care for tahini. He said “I love the carrots and the cherries.” Pretty sure he was just being polite. Check it out and tell me what you think.
http://veggingattheshore.com/2016/06/simple-carrot-cherry-salad/

Snacks:
Watermelon, cherries, strawberries and raspberries. We’re sticking with fresh fruit this week. It’s too hot for anything else.

Treat:
Pina Colada Green Smoothie – If fresh fruit doesn’t do the trick, we’ve got a few of these packets ready to pop into the blender.
https://cleanfoodcrush.com/pina-colada-smoothies/

Have a wonderful week, everyone!

Disclosure: In addition to occasional sponsored posts, Arthurized Home uses clickable affiliate links. That means that I may receive a small commission from sales at no extra charge to you. As always, my opinion is 100% my own, and I only recommend things that I truly love or use myself. Thank you for patronizing the brands that support Arthurized Home!

Copyright 2019-2021 © Arthurized Home – All Rights Reserved. This post is the original content of Arthurized Home. If you’re reading this on another site, it’s unArthurized.

Real Food Menu for Week of 7.13.2020

July 13, 2020Food, , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Since I’ve been on the Mediterranean diet, I’ve been in a bit of a fruit and nuts rut where snacks are concerned. I’ve recently found za’atar spice, and this one is a game-changer! I want to sprinkle this Middle Eastern seasoning onto nearly everything. Delicious on fish and chicken, it would be equally at home in place of Italian seasoning in salads and savory side dishes. (Say that three times fast!) I found za’atar locally at Kroger. See how we’re seasoning and snacking with it below.

Breakfast:
PBJ Overnight Oats – An old standby, and perfect for hot (already!) summer mornings.
https://cleanfoodcrush.com/clean-eating-pb-j-overnight-oats/

Lunch:
Convert Kale Salad – We mixed up a double batch of this favorite salad for Mark to enjoy at lunch. It’s been so hot here that a cool plate of salad and a sliver of watermelon are all he really wants mid-day.
http://belated-bloomer.blogspot.com/

Dinner:

Marinated Three Bean Salad – New Recipe! – Here’s a Mediterranean twist on the traditional three bean salad. If the dressing is too tart for your liking, add a touch of honey. Just a teaspoon should do.
https://cleanfoodcrush.com/marinated-3-bean-salad/

Middle Eastern Chicken Kebabs – Oh my word! Sprinkle some za’atar on these babies! When we’re cooking for a crowd, we use bamboo skewers, but when it’s just the two of us, we use stainless.
https://mythreeseasons.com/middle-eastern-chicken-kebabs/
Basic Tahini Sauce
https://mythreeseasons.com/tahini-dressing/

Grilled Peach Quinoa Salad with Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette – New Recipe! The unusual flavor combos in this dish surprised us. I never would have paired peaches and kalamata olives together, but it works beautifully! Make a little extra dressing; it might just become a new favorite.
https://cleanfoodcrush.com/healthy-grilled-peach-quinoa-salad/

Bowl of Doom – The name sounds ominous, but this dish is filled with all good things. Use whatever ground meat you have on hand, or go meatless for a vegetarian option. Packed with protein, it’s delicious any time of the day.
https://thedefineddish.com/bowl-of-doom-sweet-potato-and-bison-breakfast-hash/

Snacks:
Watermelon, Cucumber slices with hummus, Za’atar Snack – New! Take dipping bread in olive oil one step further with this flavorful snack. There’s no real recipe here, just dip crusty bread in good olive oil and then lightly dip in za’atar spice and eat.

Treat:
Avocado, Coconut and Sweet Potato Brownies – New Recipe – This one is a bit of a swing and a miss, but I thought I would share it anyway. While the flavor was good, the texture was just a bit…off. These remind me of that time I made a batch of fudge that just never quite set up. YMMV.
https://www.healthy-holistic-living.com/delicious-avocado-coconut-sweet-potato-brownies/

If you’re looking for something closer to a conventional brownie, give these a whirl:

Double Dark Chocolate Brownies: We like Lily’s chocolate chips in this recipe. They’re becoming easier to find now, even Walmart carries them in the baking aisle.
https://cleanfoodcrush.com/clean-eating-double-dark-chocolate-brownies/

Have a great week, everyone!

Disclosure: In addition to occasional sponsored posts, Arthurized Home uses clickable affiliate links. That means that I may receive a small commission from sales at no extra charge to you. As always, my opinion is 100% my own, and I only recommend things that I truly love or use myself. Thank you for patronizing the brands that support Arthurized Home!

Copyright 2019-2021 © Arthurized Home – All Rights Reserved. This post is the original content of Arthurized Home. If you’re reading this on another site, it’s unArthurized.

Gardening Journal – Seed Saving with Pa Kettle

July 9, 2020garden, , , , , 2 Comments

Friday night we brought dinner to my father-in-law (whom I affectionately call Pa Kettle) and after dinner we took a stroll in his garden. This stroll is a nightly routine and better entertainment than most comedy clubs. The kale has gone to seed, so he showed me how he dries the seeds for planting in the fall. His process is quite simple.

Break a stem off from the kale plant and strip the seed pods from it. Be sure to swing your open pocket knife around and gesture wildly while telling stories. Ideally, no one should lose an eyeball while collecting seeds, but as he says “you just don’t never know about things”.

Place the pods in a paper bag (best for breathability) and close the bag. Hang the bag in a cool, dry place until the pods become brown and papery. If you don’t have a cool, dry place for seed saving, just hang them in the dark, damp garage. This method has worked for him for decades.

Gently break the pods open to release the seeds. The seeds should be dark in color. When opening the pods, compete to see who gets the most. Winner gets bragging rights until next season. Your seeds are ready for planting.

This method works for most any “salad” seeds. Pa Kettle also saves cress seeds using this approach.

Cress seed pods

Now, go walk around the garden and admire everything else that is growing.

Disclosure: In addition to occasional sponsored posts, Arthurized Home uses clickable affiliate links. That means that I may receive a small commission from sales at no extra charge to you. As always, my opinion is 100% my own, and I only recommend things that I truly love or use myself. Thank you for patronizing the brands that support Arthurized Home!

Copyright 2019-2021 © Arthurized Home – All Rights Reserved. This post is the original content of Arthurized Home. If you’re reading this on another site, it’s unArthurized.