Healthy Banana Pancakes

I had heard about these amazing two ingredient pancakes, so since I had an over ripe banana, I made them this morning. They were so so good, and Iris gobbled them up!

The basic recipe is 1 ripe banana (mashed up with a fork) and two eggs. Cook in a good fat over medium low heat (I used coconut oil). They cook up really fast. 

That's it!

I added about 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, and next time I will do a whole teaspoon because I couldn't taste it very much. Next time, I'll also add some ground flax seed and a pinch of sea salt. YUM!

A Little Less Patriotic

*Stepping onto soapbox*

I saw this title on another blog, and I thought, "What a perfect way to describe how I'm feeling!".

This is usually the season on the year where I am loud and proud about this great country that we live in, but lately I feel myself becoming more and more cynical. If you haven't picked up from earlier posts, eating cleanly is something that is VERY important to me. However, with the current political climate, this is something that is nearly impossible to do in our "free" country. So free, we are not allowed to know what all is in the food that we eat. So free, the very organizations that are supposed to monitoring the safety of our food have financial ties to the companies who are making our food less and less safe. So free, laws are being passed that exempt said companies from due process and the court systems. 

It just makes me so sad and angry all at the same time.

Did you know that in just about EVERY other industrialized country, the majority of the conventional food in American grocery stores is illegal? There's something to ponder.

It really doesn't even have to do with one particular political party or another because the current state of things was set in motion several administrations ago, and it has yet to be stopped. 

I'm tired of living in a country where big business controls the food supply.

*Stepping off soapbox*

The Simplest Way to Cook Veggies

Ok. I have found the best way to cook almost all vegetables, and it's sure (in my experience) to please a crowd. Plus, it's so so easy!!

Ready?

2TB of melted butter (the real thing - grassfed if you can)

salt

pepper

vegetable of choice

Preheat your oven to 350*. While its heating up, put your butter in the roasting pan and place it in the oven, so it melts. Once it's melted, add your veggies and  stir around so everything is coated in the yummy butter. Add salt/pepper to taste. Roast until fork tender (we like ours a little al dente)

That's it! (I told you it was easy)

I'm not kidding; every time I cook vegetables like this, I get tons of compliments and requests for recipes. The butter really bring out the richness in the flavors. See cooking doesn't have to be complicated at all! Enjoy!

Aunt Bonnie's Pound Cake

I made pound cake and whipped cream from scratch for a yummy dessert for Memorial Day. It's RJ's great aunt's recipe.

Enjoy!

2 sticks butter

6 eggs separated

1/2 pint sour cream

3 cups sifted flour

1t baking soda

1t lemon extract

1t vanilla extract

Cream butter and sugar

Add egg yolks one at a time blending afterward

Fold in sour cream, flour, baking soda, and beaten egg whites (stiff)

Add flavor extracts

Bake at 325* in a greased and floured pan for 1.5 hours.

Baby Food

Iris will be six months in a couple of weeks, and I am excited for her to try some new foods. I am planning on making as much of her baby food myself, so yesterday I got started with sweet potatoes. You can make baby food easily by steaming or baking the food, depending on what you're cooking (for example, you would bake a potato but steam broccoli), and then just pureeing in a food processor or blender. I got these adorable little jars at a baby shower and filled up all 12 for the freezer. I will be making a trip to the store soon to get some glass jars as well. 

As excited as I am for this new phase coming up, I know that right now food is about tasting and exploring. Her main nutrition source will still be what mommy has on tap, which she loves!

Farmers' Market

Yesterday was the opening day of a big farmers' market in our town. Vendors from all over the state come to sell their goods. The more I learn about food and the food industry, the more reasons I find to buy as much as I can from local farmers. We racked up on produce for the next two weeks, and I even ordered a pastured chicken, that will be ready in May. If we like it, then I will now have a local source for beef and chicken, which is so exciting. The only disappointment was RJ didn't find the pickles he was so excited about getting. Hopefully they will be there soon. Oh, and everyone ooed and ahhed over Iris, who did great in her moby!