So, I've had a crafty couple of days. I decided to make my dog a belly band. It's like a diaper for a male dog to prevent pee accidents in the house. In this process I found a good use for my hubby's old socks I've been saving for years with my crafts in hopes of finding a use for them. I also discovered that the very top stretchy part made a good scrunchy for me (not for public use but good to hold my overnight braid).
Doggy Belly Band Directions (I'm not a seamstress so bare with my terminology):
1. Measure dog around his back belly area.
2. Cut old mens sport sock between toe and heel from 2 socks. Leave tubular. Put one inside the other with terry facing out. This is your absorbent area.
3. Cut poly fleece an inch wider than socks and the length of the measurement from #1 + 1 inch. Make sure the long part (the part that goes around the dog) is the strechiest (if you pull the fabric one direction with stretch, the other will not).
4. Put terry in center of fleece.
5. Wrap and pin fleece around socks and continue fold over (for beauty) along each side of fleece.
6. Add velcro (male on ones side and female on other) on each side of fleece for securing around dog. Check to make sure velcro will tighten securely as the fleece stretches.
Then, yesterday, it was our coldest day yet and the dog needed as sweater if we wanted to take him to the park. So, I used my handy extra fleece and cut a rectangular piece that was the length of the dog including head and width to fit around top and sides. I was able to wrap this so that it fit securely under his Petco "Dog 101" vest harness. It functioned well and looked like a cap. Seemed appropriate. A blue cap for our dog we call "Super Nova."
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Food for Life
I've enjoyed the yummy Gluten-free Pumpkin loaf I got fresh from my local Great Harvest Bread but I just see the carb load doubling my waistline by the minute and just don't feel it is consistent with my healthy life style as a regular option.
Well, today, I found "Food for Life's" Brown Rice Almond bread. Yummy and decent fiber/nutrient profile. I also rediscovered Sunshine Burgers. Today we had "burgers" with the new Mayo from the Amish, katchup, mustard, goat cheese, sourkrout and relish. Hit the spot. Felt nutritionally and tastily satisfied for the first time in days.
On another note, had a great time at our local homeschool nature class but unfortunately DS had the 4th grumpy afternoon in a row. He just won't nap anymore yet he really needs it. We need to figure out how we are going to adjust to this new phase while maintaining sanity.
Well, today, I found "Food for Life's" Brown Rice Almond bread. Yummy and decent fiber/nutrient profile. I also rediscovered Sunshine Burgers. Today we had "burgers" with the new Mayo from the Amish, katchup, mustard, goat cheese, sourkrout and relish. Hit the spot. Felt nutritionally and tastily satisfied for the first time in days.
On another note, had a great time at our local homeschool nature class but unfortunately DS had the 4th grumpy afternoon in a row. He just won't nap anymore yet he really needs it. We need to figure out how we are going to adjust to this new phase while maintaining sanity.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Still Gluten-Free
I've nearly gotten off the wagon over the past 2 days but I've remained gluten-free. It is requiring quite a bit of self control as I buy my son whole wheat graham crackers and my husband brings home fresh baked whole grain bread. I really miss those things and find ready made gluten-free to be sub-par on the nutrition and taste front. I'm also not seeing the dramatic change I was hoping for however I really do feel I need to stick with it longer to really determine if wheat-free will help me.
I haven't baked in a few days. I did try to start my sourdough but it smelt rotten so I tried again today. I hope all goes well. I'm itching for some good hardy bread and some sweets would be nice too. I guess I better squeeze in a new cookie recipe while I wait for my sourdough to cure, I think.
I haven't baked in a few days. I did try to start my sourdough but it smelt rotten so I tried again today. I hope all goes well. I'm itching for some good hardy bread and some sweets would be nice too. I guess I better squeeze in a new cookie recipe while I wait for my sourdough to cure, I think.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Gluten-Free Day 7
So, yesterday, I tried Ingera bread for breakfast. We dipped it in maple syrup, molasses and buckwheat honey with flax seed. I didn't feel that excited about it. The sourdough flavor of the Ingera was strong. However, my son loved it. So, today we tried it with some soft goat cheese then dipped it in our sweet syrups. Yum! I loved it but my son preferred the Ingera without cheese.
Also, this morning, I had some more of my Ricey Oat Biscuits I made the other day. They are pretty good but very crumbly and dry. I'm thinking I'll try modifying them next time and maybe cook them a little less. I'm learning how tricky it can be to tell when non-wheat bread products are cooked. The rice/oat bread doesn't brown like wheat.
In addition, I started my sourdough last night. It will cure for a few days and then I'll try making my first Gluten-free Sourdough Bread (actually the first sourdough I've ever made).
In other news, we had a productive homeschooling day today spending the morning at home. DS did his bow practice for violin (although I forgot to do my practicing today). We did several pages in a Kinder workbook on matching and dot-to-dot ABCs. My boy just loves workbooks and it has been way too long since he and I pulled one out. He reminded me the other day when he pulled one out himself and got dad to help him with color matching. We followed our workbook time with a couple books and an early nap. After nap time, I'm hoping to head to the library (my boy's been asking all morning), tidy the house, finish laundry, practice violin and then make leftover turkey and veggies with rice. Maybe I should be napping right now too...
Also, this morning, I had some more of my Ricey Oat Biscuits I made the other day. They are pretty good but very crumbly and dry. I'm thinking I'll try modifying them next time and maybe cook them a little less. I'm learning how tricky it can be to tell when non-wheat bread products are cooked. The rice/oat bread doesn't brown like wheat.
In addition, I started my sourdough last night. It will cure for a few days and then I'll try making my first Gluten-free Sourdough Bread (actually the first sourdough I've ever made).
In other news, we had a productive homeschooling day today spending the morning at home. DS did his bow practice for violin (although I forgot to do my practicing today). We did several pages in a Kinder workbook on matching and dot-to-dot ABCs. My boy just loves workbooks and it has been way too long since he and I pulled one out. He reminded me the other day when he pulled one out himself and got dad to help him with color matching. We followed our workbook time with a couple books and an early nap. After nap time, I'm hoping to head to the library (my boy's been asking all morning), tidy the house, finish laundry, practice violin and then make leftover turkey and veggies with rice. Maybe I should be napping right now too...
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Another Gluten-free Day
Today we did some running around and decided to go by Z-Pizza. Previously, I had gotten the whole wheat crust but today, gluten-free was in order. I tried their California pizza with gluten-free crust. It was dairy so I took my handy enzymes (I just started eating dairy again after giving up soy although right now I'm trying to go without soy, gluten or dairy to repair my insides). Well, I have to say the gluten-free crust left much to be desired. I think part of the problem was that it was made to try and simulate white bread which I'm not a fan of anyway. I also didn't like how sweet or dry it was. The whole combo also left my tummy a bit annoyed with me. I'll be experimenting with my own gluten-free crust soon I think.
Later this afternoon, I decided to go to the nearby Ethiopian bakery/market, Mena Market at 6222 Rolling Rd, Springfield, VA. I was happy to find that they had genuine Injera, an Ethiopian bread made of teff flour. Teff is a gluten-free and highly nutritious ancient grain. They had both Injera made with just teff, as well as some with white flour so be aware if you decide to get some. It is very common in the US for Injera to be made with a combination of teff and white flour.
I think I can get use to this bread. It tasted like sourdough but it was flat like a pancake. Had some with hummus this evening and plan to try it out with maple syrup for breakfast tomorrow. I was considering making my own "Authentic Ingera," however, it takes days. Just picking it up a couple miles from home sound more appealing to me. We will see. I do plan to get some teff either way to incorporate into other recipes. Can't wait.
Later this afternoon, I decided to go to the nearby Ethiopian bakery/market, Mena Market at 6222 Rolling Rd, Springfield, VA. I was happy to find that they had genuine Injera, an Ethiopian bread made of teff flour. Teff is a gluten-free and highly nutritious ancient grain. They had both Injera made with just teff, as well as some with white flour so be aware if you decide to get some. It is very common in the US for Injera to be made with a combination of teff and white flour.
I think I can get use to this bread. It tasted like sourdough but it was flat like a pancake. Had some with hummus this evening and plan to try it out with maple syrup for breakfast tomorrow. I was considering making my own "Authentic Ingera," however, it takes days. Just picking it up a couple miles from home sound more appealing to me. We will see. I do plan to get some teff either way to incorporate into other recipes. Can't wait.
Gluten-free, Dairy-free and Soy-Free Thanksgiving, Oh my!
Alright, so haven't been keeping up with my blog. Maybe I'll do better this time. I'd like to use my blog for a little while to share my adventures in experimenting with Gluten-free eating and cooking.
I officially went gluten-free on Tuesday per my doctors recommendations. I have lots of congestion and stomach issues and even after eliminating dairy and soy they weren't solved. Although no gluten issues were shown in the celiacs panel I did a few months ago, we agreed that there could still be a sensitivity that is weakening my system and that has caused damage to my intestines. After weeks of resisting saying I'll wait until after the holidays, I decided Tuesday just to take the plunge because I was tired of my issues and hoped I could resolve them once and for all.
I had a gluten-free, dairy-free and soy-free Thanksgiving thanks to all the gluten-free recipes online. We had my grandmothers wonderful cornbread stuffing using Karina's Gluten-free Cornbread sans the chilies and cinnamon. I also reduced the sugar down to 1/8 c as I don't like much sweet especially for stuffing and I could have just eaten the cornbread alone. Yum! I then used the Five Minute Pumpkin Pie Recipe I've been using for a few years except with almond milk and with Karina's Almond Pie Crust. I was very satisfied with both the pumpkin filling and the pie crust but wasn't completely happy with the pairing. I found that the almond crust overpowered the pumpkin. I look forward to trying another crust for Christmas and also coming up with something else to use the almond crust for, cheesecake maybe (oh, yea, I'm avoiding dairy). I also made the crust too thick I think although I'm not sure if it could have been avoided, the almond crust grew after baking.
Our menu also included:
- my hubby's smoked turkey (he's the king of smoked meat, took hours but worth it)
- green beans with garlic and olive oil
- sweet potatoes in orange juice, molassas and maple syrup
- mashed potatoes with olive oil and garlic
- fresh cranberry sauce
I'm very happy with our results and want to assure everyone that you can have a gluten-free, diary-free and soy-free Thanksgiving that is simply delicious.
I officially went gluten-free on Tuesday per my doctors recommendations. I have lots of congestion and stomach issues and even after eliminating dairy and soy they weren't solved. Although no gluten issues were shown in the celiacs panel I did a few months ago, we agreed that there could still be a sensitivity that is weakening my system and that has caused damage to my intestines. After weeks of resisting saying I'll wait until after the holidays, I decided Tuesday just to take the plunge because I was tired of my issues and hoped I could resolve them once and for all.
I had a gluten-free, dairy-free and soy-free Thanksgiving thanks to all the gluten-free recipes online. We had my grandmothers wonderful cornbread stuffing using Karina's Gluten-free Cornbread sans the chilies and cinnamon. I also reduced the sugar down to 1/8 c as I don't like much sweet especially for stuffing and I could have just eaten the cornbread alone. Yum! I then used the Five Minute Pumpkin Pie Recipe I've been using for a few years except with almond milk and with Karina's Almond Pie Crust. I was very satisfied with both the pumpkin filling and the pie crust but wasn't completely happy with the pairing. I found that the almond crust overpowered the pumpkin. I look forward to trying another crust for Christmas and also coming up with something else to use the almond crust for, cheesecake maybe (oh, yea, I'm avoiding dairy). I also made the crust too thick I think although I'm not sure if it could have been avoided, the almond crust grew after baking.
Our menu also included:
- my hubby's smoked turkey (he's the king of smoked meat, took hours but worth it)
- green beans with garlic and olive oil
- sweet potatoes in orange juice, molassas and maple syrup
- mashed potatoes with olive oil and garlic
- fresh cranberry sauce
I'm very happy with our results and want to assure everyone that you can have a gluten-free, diary-free and soy-free Thanksgiving that is simply delicious.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Reading, Reading, Reading!
Haven't been online much this week. We've been in reading mode. DS can't get enough of it and neither can I. Can't help but wonder if DS will be reading soon. He follows the text with his finger and pretends to read. He's also recognizing certain words/sounds.
I finished "Nurtured by Love" by Shinchi Suzuki as part of my preparations for us to start formal violin classes in the fall (we took a six week intro group class where DS learned proper positions and rhythms with games and music). I think this book is a must read for anyone that has or will ever have a small child regardless of plans for enrolling them in Suzuki Violin or Music education. Very encouraging and assuring that all our children have the capacity to be "noble human beings." Also learned, most people completely misunderstand what Suzuki Music Education is all about.
Suzuki devised his program for teaching small children to play the violin after a father came to him with his 4 year old child and asked Suzuki to teach him. He had never taught a child that young and pondered how. He then realized that all children in Japan learn Japanese despite the fact that it is an extremely complex language. He then taught the boy (successfully) approaching it like you would teach a child his mother-tongue, constant repetition in a non-forced way. The other unique thing he did was first teach the parent. The parent and child would come in for lessons but the child wouldn't realize this. He would just watch his parent learn how to play on a small violin. No one would force the violin on the young child. He would inevitably ask to play too. At this point the mother would hand him the violin with the understanding that it would be hard work and take lots of practice to learn how to play. Never did he condone coercing small children to play. He didn't feel this was good or effective for small children. He also, later, extended this to other aspect of education. His goal was never to create great musicians but to create "noble human beings" and setting them up to meet there full potential. Isn't that what we all want? Beautiful!
I was also excited at the end of this week to receive the Enki Foundations Manual. Enki is a homeschool curriculum like no other. There is a lot of fucus on nature and multiculturalism. It is not a cookie cutter curriculum but easily adaptible while providing the tools and information the parents need. The creator pulls in ideas from Waldorf, Montessori, The United Nations International School, as well as Western education, and more. It is really looking like a good fit for us. I'm looking for something to help us create rhythm (that is part of Enki's focus) and create a life long learner. In addition, I find that nature is an important aspect in our lives as well as tolorance and connections with people from all over the world with varied beliefs. Enki is one of the few homeschooling curriculums out there that is not Christian centered. The method is complex and takes lots of time to absorb but seems well worth it. I can't even begin to give a clear picture of what Enki is all about in a few words but you can of course get a bigger taste at their website: http://www.enkieducation.org/. I'll post more as I learn more. I'm probably only about 1/6 of the way through the foundations manual.
I finished "Nurtured by Love" by Shinchi Suzuki as part of my preparations for us to start formal violin classes in the fall (we took a six week intro group class where DS learned proper positions and rhythms with games and music). I think this book is a must read for anyone that has or will ever have a small child regardless of plans for enrolling them in Suzuki Violin or Music education. Very encouraging and assuring that all our children have the capacity to be "noble human beings." Also learned, most people completely misunderstand what Suzuki Music Education is all about.
Suzuki devised his program for teaching small children to play the violin after a father came to him with his 4 year old child and asked Suzuki to teach him. He had never taught a child that young and pondered how. He then realized that all children in Japan learn Japanese despite the fact that it is an extremely complex language. He then taught the boy (successfully) approaching it like you would teach a child his mother-tongue, constant repetition in a non-forced way. The other unique thing he did was first teach the parent. The parent and child would come in for lessons but the child wouldn't realize this. He would just watch his parent learn how to play on a small violin. No one would force the violin on the young child. He would inevitably ask to play too. At this point the mother would hand him the violin with the understanding that it would be hard work and take lots of practice to learn how to play. Never did he condone coercing small children to play. He didn't feel this was good or effective for small children. He also, later, extended this to other aspect of education. His goal was never to create great musicians but to create "noble human beings" and setting them up to meet there full potential. Isn't that what we all want? Beautiful!
I was also excited at the end of this week to receive the Enki Foundations Manual. Enki is a homeschool curriculum like no other. There is a lot of fucus on nature and multiculturalism. It is not a cookie cutter curriculum but easily adaptible while providing the tools and information the parents need. The creator pulls in ideas from Waldorf, Montessori, The United Nations International School, as well as Western education, and more. It is really looking like a good fit for us. I'm looking for something to help us create rhythm (that is part of Enki's focus) and create a life long learner. In addition, I find that nature is an important aspect in our lives as well as tolorance and connections with people from all over the world with varied beliefs. Enki is one of the few homeschooling curriculums out there that is not Christian centered. The method is complex and takes lots of time to absorb but seems well worth it. I can't even begin to give a clear picture of what Enki is all about in a few words but you can of course get a bigger taste at their website: http://www.enkieducation.org/. I'll post more as I learn more. I'm probably only about 1/6 of the way through the foundations manual.
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