Honey Lavender Syrup

February 25, 2013 by Krissa 7 Comments

I love using lavender as a flavoring and any time my favorite gelato shop has a lavender flavored gelato, that’s the one I go for. On a girl’s night out recently, we (of course) ended our evening with a stop by the gelato shop and I was intrigued by the honey lavender latte advertised. It was too late at night for me to drink a latte, so I decided to try making one at home the next day.

I came up with this honey lavender syrup and have not only enjoyed it as a latte, but also in sparkling water as a fun drink in the afternoon. It couldn’t be easier to make and if you’re a lavender lover like me, you have to try it!

Honey Lavender Syrup

Ingredients:

1 cup water
1 cup honey
2 TBSP lavender buds

Directions:

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine 1 cup honey, 1 cup water, and 2 TBSP lavender buds. Stir and bring to a simmer. Watch carefully so it doesn’t boil over. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 min. Strain out lavender.

I buy my lavender from Mountain Rose Herbs, but you can also find it at your local health food store.

How to use your syrup:

Honey Lavender Latte: Combine 8 oz. espresso, 6 oz, steamed milk, and honey lavender syrup to taste.

Honey Lavender Lemonade: Combine 1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice, 1 cup honey lavender syrup and 2 cups water, and stir.

Honey Lavender Spritzer: Add a splash to sparkling water for a refreshing treat. Top off with some half and half or cream to make a honey lavender Italian soda.

Drizzle over orange slices or fresh berries for dessert.

Add to hot or iced tea to sweeten.

The possibilities are endless! Be sure to let me know if you try it. I’d love to hear what you think.

Shared at Your Green Resource.

Filed Under: In the Kitchen Tagged With: Recipes

Better Than a Box {Giveaway}

February 11, 2013 by Krissa 10 Comments

I have an awesome giveaway for you today! If you’re like me, you want to feed your family healthy, whole food, but sometimes struggle to get everyone on board. Or…you have some tried and true family favorites that use ingredients you don’t want to be using, but you just can’t give up your family’s favorite dishes.

I recently bought Katie from Kitchen Stewardship’s latest ebook, Better Than a Box and have been loving it! I recipe tested for her a while back (Chicken with Rice and Green Beans) and ever since, it’s been a family favorite. Then, on Superbowl Sunday I made the Homemade French Onion Dip from the book, which was also delicious!

I’m also excited to try the Velveeta Cheese Substitute, because that’s something I’m sure my husband will love. And I’ll definitely be making Katie’s Homemade Chicken Nuggets for my kids soon too.

Better Than a Box is not only filled with great recipes, but Katie also takes you step by step through her process of reverse engineering the recipes, so that if you have a family favorite, you can use her process and tips to make it a healthier, homemade, and just as delicious family favorite.

As soon as Better Than a Box was released, I bought myself a copy. And then shortly after, received a thank you copy from Katie for testing recipes. So…I asked her if I could giveaway my thank you copy and she said absolutely! That means one of you will have the chance to get a free copy of Better Than a Box. Not only that, but she’s also offering More Than Mundane readers a special discount code for 25% off!!!

To get 25% off Better Than a Box, just enter the code NOMUNDANEBOXES at checkout. This code is only good through 3/31/13, so make sure to get your copy before then.

Better Than a Box is just $14.95 and is filled with lots of delicious recipes, step by step instructions for reverse engineering your own recipes, printable recipe cards, and integration with Plan to Eat.

Enter to win a free copy of Better Than a Box using the Rafflecopter entry form below, or if you can’t wait, buy a copy here and don’t forget to use NOMUNDANEBOXES for 25% off through 3/31/13.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

**This post contains affiliate links which means if you make a purchase through one of my links, I’ll receive a small commission. Thanks for supporting More Than Mundane!

Shared at Healthy 2Day Wednesdays, Jill’s Home Remedies, and Your Green Resource.

BundleoftheWeek.com, 5 eBooks for $7.40!

Filed Under: In the Kitchen Tagged With: Book Reviews, Giveaway

Sparkling Apple Cider Vinegar Water

February 8, 2013 by Krissa 7 Comments

After hearing Mandi at Green Your Way and Tsh from Simple Mom share about their apple cider vinegar drinks, I had to try it out for myself. I have heard of the many health benefits of apple cider vinegar, but just couldn’t stomach it on it’s own.

Apple cider vinegar boasts the following health benefits:

detoxes the body
aids in weight loss
helps clear sinus infections
eases sore throats
fights allergies
strengthens immune system
helps reduce heartburn

If you’re looking for a way to add apple cider vinegar to your day, drink more water, or kick your soda habit, you have to try this drink! It’s my new favorite treat and it’s super easy to make. Here’s how I make mine:

Sparkling Apple Cider Vinegar Water

Ingredients:

Sparkling Water (you can use plain water too)
Apple Cider Vinegar (make sure you get raw ACV with the “mother” in it, to get the maximum health benefits).
Liquid Stevia (I use NuNaturals Nustevia Clear Stevia)
Squeeze of lemon or lime (optional)

Instructions:

1. Fill a glass with ice and sparkling water.

2. Add 1 TBSP Apple Cider Vinegar (adjust according to taste preference)

3. Add 5-8 drops liquid Stevia (adjust according to sweetness desired)

4.You can also add in a squeeze of lemon or lime if desired.

5. Stir and enjoy!

I’ve found this drink helps me drink more water throughout the day and is a fun switch from regular water. Also, I love fizzy drinks, and this is so much better for you than drinking soda!

Shared at Jill’s Home Remedies Natural Living Link-Up, Your Green Resource, Weekend Whatever Link-Up, and Simple Lives Thursday.

**This post contains affiliate links which means if you make a purchase through one of my links, I’ll receive a small commission. Thanks for supporting More Than Mundane!

Filed Under: In the Kitchen Tagged With: Recipes

Inspiration for Eating Seasonally This Fall

November 5, 2012 by Krissa 2 Comments

Starting last Winter I began posting over at Simple Homemade about eating seasonally. And now that we’ve gone through Winter, Spring, and Summer, I’m ready for Fall!

I had originally intended to get this post out at the beginning of October, and the picture above is of an early Fall CSA box I received, but I decided to do Nester’s 31 days and this post had to wait. Nevertheless, I figured we could all use still use some Fall inspiration.

Why eat seasonally?

Eating seasonally is beneficial financially, nutritionally, and environmentally. Produce that is in season is generally more affordable, because it’s more readily available. Nature also has a way of providing the nutritional benefits we need at each specific time of year in the produce that’s in season during that particular time of year.

What’s in season during Fall?

Apples

Apples are year round but they always seem more prolific in the Fall. Choose apples that are firm and unbruised. Apples will keep fresh in the refrigerator for 2 weeks or more.

Sliced apples are a perfect snack anytime of day, and I always make lots of applesauce to have on hand for the kids during the Fall. Spoon some warm applesauce over vanilla ice cream for a delicious treat.

I’m also hoping to try some of these delicious looking apple recipes this year:

Apple and Cheddar Scones at Smitten Kitchen
Apple Pie Coffee Cake at christmas.yourway
Apple Sorbet at Good (Cheap) Eats (perfect for if your Fall is still feeling like summer!)

Pears

Just as with apples, choose pears that are firm and without bruises. Pears will ripen at room temperature and once ripe can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

I love to add pears to a green salad with walnuts and gorgonzola. Or pair slices of pear with a favorite cheese (try Trader Joe’s Creamy Toscano dusted with Cinnamon). And these Roasted Pear and Chocolate Chunk Scones look absolutely delicious!

Persimmons

The first time persimmons showed up in my CSA box, I had no idea what to do with them. I quickly discovered that persimmons that are still on the firm side are great in salads, and that persimmons that are fully ripened are great to use in baked goods. Simply scoop out the flesh from the persimmon using a spoon and mash it with a fork to use in baked goods.

Try one of these persimmon recipes this Fall:

Persimmon and Apple Salad and Persimmon, Cranberry, and Pecan Muffins at Yummy Mummy
Ginger Persimmon Bread at Joy the Baker

Cranberries

When choosing cranberries, look for firm richly colored ones, and avoid those that are pale or mushy. Cranberries can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 months. Cranberries are full of antioxidants and great for the kidneys and urinary tract. I made this Cranberry, Apple, and Walnut Cake from Keeper of the Home several times last Fall and it was always a hit.

Butternut Squash

Butternut Squash is full of wonderful nutrients and will stay fresh for several months in a cool, dry place. Look for a butternut squash that is heavy for its size and has dull or matte skin. Here are some delicious looking recipes featuring butternut squash:

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup at Simple Bites
Paleo Butternut Squash Lasagna at Health-Bent
Roasted Butternut Squash and Black Bean Enchiladas at Yummy Mummy

Pumpkin

Pumpkin recipes abound at this time of year. I love using pumpkin in baked treats, but am also trying to incorporate it in other ways this Fall. Here are some pumpkin recipes I’m looking forward to trying this year:

Pumpkin Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting at Kitchen Simplicity
Pumpkin Fettuccine Alfredo at Cookie + Kate
Pumpkin and Feta Muffins at 101 Cookbooks

Broccoli

Broccoli is one of my favorites, and one of the few vegetables I can actually get my daughter to eat. We call them “little trees,” maybe that helps! One of the great things about broccoli is that it has tons of Vitamin C. In fact, it has more Vitamin C than an orange, making it a great food for the Fall and Winter when increasing your Vitamin C can help keep colds and the flu at bay as well as help speed recovery time. Try one of these broccoli recipes:

Broccoli Crunch at 101 Cookbooks
Broccoli and Bow Ties from Barefoot Contessa
Broccoli and Potato Nuggets at Joy the Baker

If you’re on Pinterest, be sure to check out my Seasonal Eating for Fall board for more inspiration.

What are your favorite recipes using Fall produce? Share some in the comments!

Shared at Your Green Resource and these other amazing link-ups:

Filed Under: In the Kitchen Tagged With: Recipes

Honey!

August 22, 2012 by Krissa 2 Comments

Today I’m over at Simple Homemade sharing all about the wonders of raw honey. From the post:

One of the things I always keep well stocked in my home is raw honey. Of course I use honey all the time in the kitchen, but I’ve also found many other uses for honey in our home.

That’s why, when the local U-pick blueberry farm opened up this Spring and I remembered enjoying the couple of containers of honey I had picked up the year before (and run out of far too soon,) I decided to stock up. A good price on local, raw honey? I’m in!

The girls at the counter seemed surprised by my request for so much honey and asked me what in the world I used all the honey for, and all I could think was, “Everything! What don’t I use it for?” I couldn’t understand why it wasn’t completely normal to be buying so much honey!

Read more about my love for honey and all the things you can use honey for in my post over at Simple Homemade today.

Filed Under: Health and Home, In the Kitchen Tagged With: Simple Homemade

How I’m Using My CSA Box {Week of 8.1-8.8}

August 1, 2012 by Krissa 6 Comments

This week’s box was filled with many of the same things I’ve been finding in my box all summer: corn, tomatoes, lettuce, basil, green beans, summer squash, peaches, plums, and melon. Along with some things I haven’t seen for awhile like: beets, potatoes, and avocados!

I also added on a 20 pound box of peaches! So one of my main goals is figuring out how to use all of them when they ripen all at once! In the past, I’ve ended up freezing a bunch of them for use later in the year and I imagine I’ll do that again, but I also plan to have lots of peach filled goodness for the next couple weeks.

My recent plan has been to do my meal planning for the week after I pick up my CSA box on Wednesday mornings so I can plan my meals around what comes in the box. I like how it’s working for me. So here’s the plan for this week:

Tonight (Wednesday 8/1): Baked Pesto Chicken and Grilled Corn (Using: Corn)
Friday 8/3: Chicken with Rice and Green Beans (Using: Green Beans)
Saturday 8/4: Summertime Peach and Chicken Salad (Using: Lettuce, Peaches)–Recipe can be found here: Fresh: Nourishing Salads for all Seasons.
Sunday 8/5: Zucchini, Black Bean and Rice Skillet (Using: Summer Squash)
Monday 8/6: Gingery Chicken with Peaches with Roasted Potatoes (Using: Peaches, Potatoes)

And for the rest of the Bounty:

Avocados: A favorite lunch for my kids is avocado toast so I imagine that’s how the avocados will be used. But I also know I will have some leftover corn, so I might be tempted to make this Grilled Corn Avocado Salad, which will use up some of the basil as well.

Or, we could end up using the leftover corn with the potatoes on Saturday morning to make this Sweet Corn Hash.

Peaches, Plums, Melon: We’ll end up eating most of this fruit throughout the week–my daughter eats fruit like crazy!

20 pound box of Peaches: As I mentioned, I’m sure I will be freezing some of these peaches for using later in the year in smoothies and other dishes, but I also have dreams of making at least a couple of these delicious looking peach recipes:

Peaches and Plums with Sesame Crumble :: Shutterbean
Peach Salsa :: Good Cheap Eats (this post is full of ideas for peaches)
Peach Brulee :: Joy the Baker
Peach Frozen Yogurt :: the Kitchn
Summer Fruit Quesadillas :: The Curvy Carrot

As always, if you’re looking for more inspiration for using your summer produce, check out my Summer Food board on Pinterest.

Shared at Your Green Resource, Modern Alternative Kitchen, Frugally Sustainable, This Chick Cooks and This Flourishing Life.

Filed Under: In the Kitchen Tagged With: CSA, Meal Plans, Recipes

How I’m Using My CSA Box {Week of 7.18-7.25}

July 18, 2012 by Krissa 3 Comments

I’m loving the summer produce that I’m getting in my Abundant Harvest Organics CSA box each week. This is my favorite time of year to be a part of a CSA. This week my box was filled with corn, lettuce, radishes, green beans, tomatoes, basil, zucchini, bell pepper, cantelope, nectarines, and pluots.

Basil and Corn: The first thing I did was make some pesto with the basil. I’m marinating chicken in some of the pesto and tonight we’ll grill that along with the corn. So dinner tonight is pasta with pesto and grilled chicken and grilled corn on the cob on the side.

Green Beans-I’ll use the green beans to make Chicken and Rice with Green Beans (similar to this recipe). I just can’t get enough of this dish!

Lettuce and Tomatoes-We’ll enjoy these in a salad sometime this week.

Zucchini-I’m thinking about making this Spicy Zucchini Frittata, and maybe adding in some of the green bell pepper.

Bell Pepper-We have been making herbed eggs with cream cheese (similar to this recipe,) and hash browns for a special breakfast treat on the weekends and we love adding diced bell pepper to our hash browns.

Radishes-This is where I’m at a loss…I’ve never been a fan of radishes, but I want to give them a try. Any ideas for me? Maybe I’ll try roasting them?

Cantelope, Nectarines and Pluots-We will most likely just enjoy all these delicious fruits as snacks throughout the day. I never got to make the Plum Upside-Down Cake with the pluots last week because they disappeared too fast!

But I did make these delicious Peach Raspberry Crisps in Mason Jars with the peaches. So if you have some fresh summer peaches on hand, I definitely recommend these.

How are you enjoying all this amazing summer produce?

Be sure to visit Your Green Resource for more green ideas and resources.

Filed Under: In the Kitchen Tagged With: CSA, Recipes

Ice Cream Fun with Kids

July 17, 2012 by Krissa 1 Comment

Since July is National Ice Cream Month, I thought it would be the perfect time and opportunity for the kids to learn about ice cream and of course, make and enjoy lots of ice cream too!

I shared my super simple, creamy vanilla ice cream recipe (which I make in my ice cream maker,) earlier this week, but I thought the kids would have fun making some ice cream in a bag. Before we did that though, we read a couple books all about ice cream:

Ice Cream by Elisha Cooper. This book describes the process of ice cream being made, starting with the cows in the field all the way through the factory and into stores and ice cream shops. It has lots of information but presents it in an interesting way and was probably my favorite out of the two.

Ice Cream: The Full Scoop by Gail Gibbons. This book described some of the history of ice cream as well as how ice cream is made in the factory and makes its way to us. There are colorful pictures and also lots of good information.

**UPDATE: Another fun ice cream book!

Should I Share My Ice Cream? (An Elephant and Piggie Book) by Mo Willems. My daughter loves the Elephant and Piggie books, and this one was perfect for our ice cream theme and had a sweet message about sharing as well. I definitely recommend this book, especially if you’re a fan of Mo Willems’ other books.

It was pretty quick and simple to make ice cream in a bag, and I was actually surprised at how well it worked. I would definitely recommend making this outside though, because the bag flings water all over the place as you shake it.

I would also recommend wrapping the bag in kitchen towels or wearing gloves, because it gets cold!

And if you have younger ice cream makers, be prepared to do some of the shaking yourself! It took us only about 15 minutes though, and we got some yummy ice cream out of it and had some fun!

I’m still on the look out for some more fun children’s books about ice cream to read this month, so let me know if you know of any!

**This post contains affiliate links which means if you make a purchase through one of my links, I’ll receive a small commission. Thanks for supporting More Than Mundane!

Shared on No Time for Flashcards.

Filed Under: In the Kitchen, Time to Read Tagged With: Children's Books

It’s National Ice Cream Day!…and my simple, creamy Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe

July 15, 2012 by Krissa 10 Comments

Today is National Ice Cream Day and what better way to celebrate than making some delicious homemade ice cream! Making ice cream is one of my favorite summertime treats to make and this is my go to Vanilla Ice Cream recipe.

Not only does it only take a couple minutes to mix up before pouring it in the ice cream maker, but it uses maple syrup as the sweetener instead of sugar, which I love.

Steps to making Simple, Creamy Vanilla Ice Cream
(see below for printable recipe)

I use a 4 cup pyrex liquid measuring cup to mix up my ingredients, which makes it easy to pour into the ice cream machine as well.

Start by adding 1 cup of whole milk.

Next, add two cups of heavy cream.

Then add 1/2-3/4 cup maple syrup. I use a 1/2 cup plus a little bit more.

Next add 1-2 tsp. vanilla. You could also scrape some vanilla bean in for some extra vanilla flavoring.

Finally, add a pinch of salt.

It will be separated out, so give it a good stir.
Then chill it in the refrigerator for an hour or more.
Add it to your ice cream maker and mix according to manufacturer’s instructions. Mine usually takes 25-30 minutes.

Serve your ice cream as soon as it’s done mixing. You can also freeze any that you don’t finish. So easy and delicious!

Simple, Creamy Vanilla Ice Cream
Adapted from Nourishing Traditions

Makes approximately 1 quart.
Serves: 6

Ingredients:

1 cup whole milk

2 cups heavy cream

1/2-3/4 cup maple syrup

1-2 t. vanilla

pinch of salt

Directions:

Mix ingredients together. Chill in refrigerator for an hour or more. Add to ice cream maker per manufacturer’s instructions.

Notes: You can add 3 egg yolks (beaten) to increase the creaminess, or use all cream, but I find this recipe is plenty creamy without them. I have tried using less cream and more milk and it’s resulted in icy ice cream, so I don’t recommend decreasing the cream at all.

For more ice cream recipes, check out my Ice Cream board on Pinterest.

Do you make homemade ice cream? What’s your favorite favor to make?

**This post contains affiliate links which means if you make a purchase through one of my links, I’ll receive a small commission. Thanks for supporting More Than Mundane!

Shared at Frugally Sustainable, Simply Natural Saturdays, and Your Green Resource.

Filed Under: In the Kitchen Tagged With: Recipes

How I’m Using My CSA Box {Week of 7.11-7.18}

July 11, 2012 by Krissa Leave a Comment

This week we got all kinds of summer deliciousness in our CSA box from Abundant Harvest Organics:

Corn
Zucchini and Summer Squash
Green Beans
Lettuce
Tomatoes
Rosemary
Pluots (hybrid of a plum and apricot)
Peaches
Watermelon

Corn and Rosemary: Corn is best eaten as soon after it’s harvested as possible, so tonight we’ll be grilling the corn, along with using the rosemary for Grilled Rosemary Buttermilk Chicken.

Zucchini and Tomatoes: For the zucchini and tomatoes, I’m planning on making one of my favorites, Sausage Zucchini Bake. There was also a handful of cherry tomatoes in our box, but Charlotte ate those right up already as a mid-morning snack!

Watermelon: We usually have no problem polishing off a watermelon once it’s cut up, but if I don’t think we’ll eat it all before it goes bad, I’ll freeze some and save it for Watermelon Milkshakes (recipe adapted from Foodess.com):