Wordless Wednesday–Beautiful Nebraska Sunrise

 

Just happened to wake up to see this beautiful sunrise last weekend. <3!

Plum Preserves–Easy, fresh and natural!

 

This might actually be the easiest recipe in the world!

Plum Preserves

Here's what I used:

• 6 starting to get overripe plums purchased from nearby Fontanelle Fruit Orchard in Nickerson, NE.  Pitted, but leave skins on.
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 c. Brown Rice Syrup (could use Raw Honey as well)

Combine these items into a saucepan, bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer for about 40-60 minutes covered,  stirring and checking occasionally.

Allow it to cool and transfer preserves directly onto a toasted English Muffin slathered with real butter!  

Devour immediately.  

Enjoy!

This recipe can be experimented with in so many ways with different sweeteners, fruits or spices.  I love that there is no added sugar or preservatives.  Just fresh, natural ingredients.  Of course, you could more than triple this recipe when you have a large amount of fruit to preserve and it would be perfect for canning!

Also shared on Traditional Tuesdays and Real Food Wednesdays.

Nutrition Lessons Learned from Kids

 

Most of the time I think I am the all-knowing nutrition guru in this household, but here are a few lessons to be learned from my kids:

1.) “Can I be full?” 

I’m not sure as adults, we always are good about asking ourselves.  This, of course, is my 4 year old’s way of asking to be excused, but I noticed if I ask myself this, even if I haven’t had much to eat, the answer is usually yes.  I’m not into the uncomfortable gorging thing.  Things can be re-heated, shared or taken home, and most certainly almost never go to waste!

2.) I will always say no to veggies, feed them to me anyway.

I am probably an oddity, but put a plate of veggies in front of me and I will most likely choose them over anything else.  But, what I have learned from my kids is that they will almost always say no when asked.  But, when served and put in front of them, they will happily eat them.  All of the marketing and fun things they see with regard to other foods are simply that, so when they say no, I imagine they are thinking veggies are pretty boring.

3.) Self-regulation/Listen to your body

Both of my kids will self-regulate.  They’ll slow themselves down on dairy, grains or sugary drinks or snacks.  I ask them to listen to their body when it comes to other functions and they apply it here.  If I’ve got heartburn or a queasy tummy, I listen to my body and back away from things that I don’t need more of.

4.) Food should be fun

Things that are fun to eat or unusual new experiences are fun.  Working on something and pulling it out of the oven or having it turn out just perfect, makes it taste that much better for grown ups and kids alike.  Not only does it make for more fun when they are helping in the kitchen, but finding different ways to eat things or fun tools to use, new combinations and trying new things in general, makes it fun.  I still like to eat about anything with chopsticks and it makes it that much more fun!  We shouldn’t overly obsess, though, we just need to nourish our bodies and that is it.

Please share what you’ve learned from your child/ren!

I wrote and shared this post on Mamavation Mondays!

Feeling a bit Inspired…

 

This week, I participated in Unite NE, an event that brought together 80 of Nebraska’s finest minds ages 20-44 into one room for about 48 hours and it was quite an experience.  Of course, I am sincerely humbled and honored to have been a part of it.  I left there completely energized and inspired!  We had all taken a survey prior to the conference regarding challenges, unique points and suggestions for the state’s future.  This gave us some working points on what we wanted to take from the conference and work on. 

We were fortunate enough to have Joe Gerstadt as our facilitator.  (Click on his name and watch his video, to get a little taste.)   Joe took us through a process called Decision Accelerator.  Any other geeks out there ever participate in Future Problem Solvers in Middle School and Junior High?  It felt reminiscent of that, an adult version if you will.  It was uncomfortable, some people even got angry, some might have even fallen love! (No, not really, but became friends at the very least.)  It was amazing to be part of a dialogue about issues that most people I know aren’t talking about.  And they certainly aren’t talking about making things happen or don’t know how they can.  I’m excited to continue my writing journey with a whole new portfolio of projects that I’ll be working on. 

And I’m excited to be working with these new partners on something I feel like I am really “doing something” not just floating around doing philanthropy and enjoying it.  I mean really doing something positive and making an impact for the future of this great state where I live.

I’m proud that we are agriculture, the Cornhuskers and the home to Omaha Steaks, ConAgra, and the Omaha Oracle.  But, I doubt many of you have been offered the opportunity to be wowed by Nebraska.  I intend to fix that by shining a spotlight right on it and blowing your mind.  That’s right.  So, follow along to spite me if you will.

---

The little girl who never stopped asking, “Why?!” (ahem, Me) still asks it.  I’m glad that in spite of many of my life’s hurdles and barriers, I have not lost that luster through it all.  I’m able to enjoy the beautiful flow of life (a very learned skill) and all that it throws my way, so when opportunities like these occur, I can embrace them and run with them.

Stemming from this week’s experience, I thought about all the work that I do.  Paid and unpaid.  What I choose to get involved with and why.  It comes down to passion and a feeling that I am being called to do something. 

If I am passionate about something, it’s exciting and enjoyable even if it’s hard and frustrating.  It is still fun to me.  Even if someone else looks at it and voices to me how much it must suck, how much I’m going to fail, how much they don’t see it ever working in my wildest dreams, it doesn’t take away my joy and zest.  (Besides, you can’t let joy stealers have that kind of power, they are negative for their own reasons.) 

Passion is the fuel that drives inspiration and energy.  And I consider why I haven’t allowed myself to gravitate towards more work that embraces that philosophy.

I’m learning to not believe in coincidences much anymore in my ripe, old 30’s, but love that this was the first quote I ran into today:

“If you’re not enjoying the journey, you probably won’t enjoy the destination.” ~Joe Tye

More from rural Nebraska later.  My kitchen missed me and I must go stoke my grass-fed beef spare ribs that are slow-roasting as I write.  I think they need a slathering of my new BBQ sauce.

In the meantime, please share what inspires you!

Rhubarb BBQ Sauce

I was inspired to create my own version of this recipe when I stumbled across Local Kitchen’s recipe for a Rhubarb BBQ Sauce and Free Coconut Recipes’ recipe for Homemade Fresh Tomato Ketchup, which, amazingly, is sugar free!

This recipe is a wonderful way to use rhubarb away from the desserts, pies and bars – which, I can’t deny, I would never turn down.

I feel pretty cool right now, because it turned out so freaking great! It will be perfect for grilling and roasting, but thick and savory enough to be used as a dipping sauce. Creating it with all natural ingredients and only brown sugar, is a bonus! The taste is unique and extremely flavorful.

Adding just a bit of oil to this recipe made it closer to the viscosity of Italian sauces using olive oil. I used Virgin Coconut Oil which lent to the sweetness of the fruits in this recipe without tasting “coco-nutty.”

Here’s how it turned out:

Rhubarb Barbecue Sauce
INGREDIENTS

• 3 lbs rhubarb, trimmed and sliced into 1/4-inch slices
• 1 medium red onion (size of a baseball), diced (about 3/4 cup)
• 2 cups raisins, chopped or run through food processor
• 2 cups brown sugar
• ½ c raw honey – Could use 3/4 c raw honey & omit syrup, but this is what I had.
• ¼ c brown rice syrup
• 3/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp cloves
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp Himalayan salt
• 2-3 cloves garlic, ran through garlic press
• 2 T Virgin Coconut Oil
• 1 tsp all seasons salt

METHODS

1. If canning, prepare canner, jars and lids.
2. Combine all ingredients in a medium stockpot. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Lower heat and boil gently, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thickened, about 30-45 minutes. Once the fruit has softened enough to crush easily (about 20 minutes), blend the sauce with an immersion blender, or by transferring to a blender or food processor.
3. When sauce has reached desired thickness (leave it a little thinner than you want, as it will thicken on cooling), taste and adjust seasonings. Note: original recipe called for no garlic, but a habanero, so feel free to adjust the heat!
4. Ladle hot sauce into jars and allow to cool completely before labeling and storing.

Yields about about 4 pints. I didn’t can mine, as I intend to share right away, so I will refrigerate. When using from the fridge, please let set at room temperature about 15-20 minutes and stir before using.

Bonus: Receive a Free Book which includes 85 kitchen-tested recipes using Virgin Coconut Oil, when you click on any of the ingredient links and make a purchase! And I receive a reward for referring you!

Also shared on Real Food Wednesdays

Simple Summer Supper

For a quiet pre-4th of July evening, I prepared something I didn’t consider too fancy or too difficult for a night in. I just had wholesome in mind and the simpleness ended up being almost elegant.