Cleaning our Air

Spider plant

Red-edged dracaena (on left)
Warneck dracaena (in front)

 

Golden pothos (Scindapsus aures)

Sansevieria (in back), Variegated Spider plant (front)

We've got a basement full of succulents (for the winter), but didn't have a single houseplant in our main living spaces. I love sharing our home with air purifying plants, and having them brightening up our rooms and adding some more green to our home. I chose plants that I like the look of, which aren't toxic to pets or children if someone ends up gnawing on a fallen leaf. It was a perfect activity for a snowy winter day, and the kids had a great time re-potting and finding homes for them all. 
More info on detoxifying your indoor air with houseplants here, here, here, and here.

Quinoa Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

I've been organizing the freezer, and found the quinoa flakes. I enjoy making hot cereal with them, but had forgotten about them since the kids didn't like any of the recipes I'd tried them in. I saw this recipe on the back of the quinoa box (Ancient Quinoa Harvest), and thought I'd give it a shot. It's the first time the kids have eaten quinoa and liked it!

Crispy Quinoa Cookies

1/2 Cup Local Honey
1/3 cup Organic Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Soy-free Earth Balance
1/2 Cup Organic Peanut Butter
1/2 tsp Organic Vanilla Extract
1 cup Organic Rice Flour
3/4 cup Organic Quinoa Flakes
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup Organic Nuts (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Beat honey, brown sugar, butter or substitute, peanut butter, and vanilla in a medium bowl till creamy. Combine rice flour, Quinoa flakes, baking soda & salt in small bowl. Add dry to wet mixture and beat until well blended. If desired add nuts.

Drop by rounded teaspoons about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute before removing from cookie sheet.

Yields about 3 dozen (small) cookies

My changes:
I added 1/4 cup of Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips, and used slightly more peanut butter (I rounded the 1/2 cup). I didn't add nuts this time.

Taco/Chili Seasoning Recipe

1Tbsp each:
cumin
garlic powder
smoked paprika
oregano

2tsp chili powder
1tsp sea salt
1tsp raw sugar
2Tbsp dehydrated powdered tomato

Everything goes into a jar, then give it a shake. I use this for tacos and in chili. It's got a little spice, but not so much that the kids can't take it.

And, here's what I made with it tonight...

Turkey and black bean chili over Tinkyada gf spirals with daiya jack and sliced avocado. The kids needed to have theirs un-assembled, and mostly ate plain noodles. The bigs liked it lots just the way it's pictured.

Chia!

Spiced Chocolate Chia Pudding (⬅ Click for recipe!)

I found this recipe the other day, and have been waiting to make a new batch of coconut milk so that I could try it out. Since the girl has been having trouble eating most proteins lately, I've been looking for creative ways to get some extra into our meals. I didn't calculate the nutritional information for this recipe yet, but between the chia and cashews, it should be a good addition to a meal. I think it's got a great texture, and tastes great! I'm excited to see what the kids think about it tomorrow.
 
UPDATE:
The boy loves it, but it fills him up fast. The girl says she likes it, but will usually only try a small spoonful or two before deciding she's full. The mister and I like it a lot, and I'm thinking about trying another batch and sticking it into the freezer in ice cube trays, then tossing it into the Vitamix. I think it would be perfect for an ice cream-ish treat.

Smoothie and a Sandwich

Favorite smoothie (plus blueberries) in progress

-Favorite smoothie
-Wellshire turkey and Mindful Mayo on Rudi's GF bread
-Tiny container of raisins
-Falafel chips