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Chia + A Recipe For Sugar Free Creamy Chia Cup

by Teniel Moore {Raw Foods Contributor}
I love chia seeds. Do you?
Not only are these tiny seeds full or protein, omega 3 and loaded with vitamins minerals and antioxidants, they are also extremely versatile and a great staple in my cupboard always.
 
Here are a few of the things I do with my chia seeds:
 
~I add it to bread mixes
~I make raw chia crackers
~I use it as an egg replacement in my cooking
~I make chia cereal
~I add it to smoothies
~I grind them and add to raw goodie balls
 
But today I want to share with you my latest flavour combination and addiction.

Sugar Free Creamy Chia Cup
 
Ingredients:

1 – 2 Tablespoons of chia seeds
9 or more Tablespoons of almond milk  (add more if needed as the seeds swell)
1 Tsp of raw maca powder
1 Tsp of unhulled tahini
1 Tsp of sprouted crunchy buckwheat (optional)
1 Tsp of cacao nibs
dash of cinnamon
few drops of stevia to taste
 
Get yourself a pretty cup or bowl and mix all these ingredients together. Keep stirring well so that all the chia seeds get mixed around and the tahini and stevia gets evenly distributed throughout.
 
Set in the fridge for at least 10 minutes. If it needs more liquid simply add more almond milk and stir again. This is a great recipe to make up the night before and can be a very sustainable breakfast on the go. 
 
Before serving you can add some more cacao nibs, buckwheat cinnamon & tahini purely to make it look pretty. Grab a spoon and enjoy.

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My son loves his chia seeds with grated apple and raw honey or blueberries and mango. He sometimes takes it to kindergarten for his lunch. Any chia cereal combination makes a great portable snack.
 
I hope you enjoy making this fast simple and nutrient dense snack just as much as I do.

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HOME/ Organizing/ RECIPES/ Sides

How To Bake Acorn Squash

I just love when I start to see squash at our local farmers market.  Squash is an easy and inexpensive way to get nutrients into the body.  They are a great source of iron, riboflavin, and vitamins A & C.  Choose a squash feels heavy for its size and has a hard, deep colored rind.
Rinse the squash, then cut in half with a sharp knife.  Scoop out the seeds and stringy stuff.  

Take a minute to delight in the beauty of acorn squash.  I love the scalloped edge and the beautiful orange color. So pretty!

Find a baking pan and fill it with water to about 1/4″ deep

Lay the acorn squash cut side down in the pan.  Bake at 350 for about an hour or until soft.
At this point, you can dress the squash with whatever your heart desires.  I like to fill the cavity with butter, brown sugar (or maple syrup) a sprinkle of cinnamon and salt.  

I then put it back into the oven for a few minutes until the butter melts.   I just love eating squash like this.  It almost feels like I’m eating dessert!  The sweet maple syrup or brown sugar along with the salty butter and sprinkle of salt is so, SO good.

Simple Baked Acorn Squash
1 acorn squash
2 tbsp brown sugar or maple syrup
2 tbsp butter
dash of cinnamon
pinch of salt
Cut acorn squash in half.  Scoop out seeds and stringy stuff.  Fill  a baking pan with water to about 1/4″ depth.  Place acorn squash cut side down into pan.  Bake 350 degrees for about an hour or until soft.
Fill each cavity with 1 tbsp brown sugar or maple syrup, 1 tbsp butter, and a sprinkle of cinnamon and salt.  Place back into the oven until butter is melted.
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How do you like to eat your acorn squash?

Cancer Journey/ FUN/DIY/ HEALTH/ HOME/ Homemade Gifts/ Organizing

A By-The- Bed Basket –A Great Gift Idea For Someone Who Is Sick

The last two weeks I have spent lots of time in bed.  I am healing from reconstruction surgery, and due to some complications, the healing time is taking longer than I expected.

Honestly, I sure don’t mind some chill time, especially now that I am just sore, and not in pain.  I am one that loves my quiet time, and I really love my bedroom and bed, so really it is fine to have to rest a bit.

One thing that has made my time in bed enjoyable is this handy dandy basket.  I have kept everything I need close by in it.

 

The basket has evolved over the last 2 weeks. It started out pretty empty, put together by my thoughtful 10-year-old Avery right after my first surgery.  She gathered the things she saw all over my bed and put them in a basket all pretty.  You can see what she did in the pic below.

She put my purple binder with hospital discharge instructions in it.  My lip balm, my glasses, the TV remote, my Nook, my devotional, pain meds, body butter and a jar of pens.  She even added a little snack.

Over the last couple of weeks, I have added to it, as you can see. Between this basket, my phone,  TV, laptop, my favorite water bottle, my fuzzy blanket & this basket, I have been set!  My requests for help from my family to bring me things that I need have been minimal.

 

{My sweet friend polished my toes for me.  I’ve been so very spoiled!}

I’m thinking I may keep my basket around even after I’m healed. It is just handy and convenient, and I love spending time in my room and bed.

 This would also make a GREAT gift for someone who is sick or is going to have surgery or is just laid up for whatever reason.  

Here is what I keep in mine:

1. Bath & Body Works Lemon Lip Balm–my all time fav.

2. Bath & Body Works Lemon Room Spray–this smells so fresh and clean.

3. A wonderful, encouraging book by author Danea Horn called Chronic Resilience–10 Sanity-Saving Strategies for Women Coping With the Stress of Illness.  Buy this book as a gift for yourself or your friends if it applies.  It is a wonderful book.

4. Trader Joes Coconut Body Butter–another one of my all time favs.  This has been so soothing to my skin after removing tape and bandages.  I.V. fluid from surgery also makes my hands swell and feel dry, so this cream brought relief.

5. Dark Chocolate.  My sister-in-law knew I loved these Dark Chocolate Pomegranate Seeds from Trader Joes and brought them to me with some groceries last week.  Best gift!

6. Alba Hawaiian Lip Gloss–For when you want to feel a bit girly.  The smell of this takes me to the tropics, which was needed when I was in pain!

7. Magazines-a sweet friend, Kashoan from Krafty Kash left these on my porch last week.  Another great gift!

8. A notebook

9. My Scripture Devotion journible.

10. My Nook.  3 Books I have loved is  The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom, Sweeping Up Glass by Carolyn Wall, and now I am reading The Homecoming of Samuel Lake by Jenny Wingfield.

11. A jar of pens, scissors, nail files, & thermometer.  Avery had to make sure her duct tape rose pen was in there.

12. My prescription meds

13. Advil/Tylenol

14. Deodorant

15. My Vita-Strips — I believe these are a key to my healing well.

Another hint is to move furniture if you need to.  I moved this little end table right up alongside my bed so I don’t have to reach.  It has flowers from my sister-in-law on it, a candle to make it cozy in here, and usually, my water bottle is on it.

Here is the water bottle I use.  Lemon is very cleansing and detoxing.  Perfect for someone who is sick.

Cheers to everyone feeling better, or at least feeling loved and comforted while they are down.

 

FUN/DIY/ HOME/ Homemaking/ Organizing/ Simplifying

Organizing My Pantry & Some Tips For a Efficient & Simple Kitchen

New Nostalgia's organized pantry
 

Now that the kids are back in school, I am eager to continue on in my series of Minimalizing Our Home.  I can’t tell you what a difference it has made in the areas I have already organized/minimalized. It has been so very easy to keep those areas clean and tidy.  It motivates me to get busy and continue on in my mission of embracing the slow life.  Part of living life to the fullest is eliminating that which takes up precious time, and for our family, that means anything excess that I would have to deal with.  
Everything we bring into our home will need attention, whether it needs to be put away continuously, dusted or cleaned, or simply sitting there taking precious space in our home.  Because of this, I have become very thoughtful about what is worthy of my time and attention, and have enjoyed getting rid of anything that does not fit in that category…hence my minimalizing series!
Before and After organizing a large pantry
Back to the pantry, it is a space that really is important to keep tidy.  In my pursuit of health, I need to know what I have available to feed my family, and make sure it is accessible so we will actually eat it or I will actually bake with it.  
I love mason jars for this very reason.  With a glance I can see what we have and how much of it we have.  My kitchen is plastic free for the most part.  I don’t trust what is in plastics, and mason jars are just so cute and easy for me to store and use.  I keep all the lids in one big bowl, and the empty jars on one shelf.  The small jars can stack which really helps with storage.  I love not having nasty, stained plastic containers and lids of every color and size.  I love the simplicity of mason jar lids.  One bowl, very accessible.
Basket and spices

As you can see, I use mason jars to store my dried goods.  They are great for rice, nuts, seeds, coconut, & nutritional yeast.  I also love using a lazy susan in my pantry for the few things that come in their own resealable bag.  I also keep my peanut butter there, which I use every day so it needs to be in an easy- to- grab place.

The basket holds all my tea.  I like that I can quickly grab it and have everything I need for tea.

Under my tea basket are my place mats.  Again, easy to see and grab when needed.

Shelf for foil and wax paper
This little shelf works great for storing my foil & wax paper, etc.  I keep my extra boxes of tea underneath.

Using containers for certain foods

I like using containers to corral certain foods.  I have 2 white tubs on this shelf.  One is for pasta, the other is our snack bucket.  I keep bagels and bread in between the white tubs and the brown wooden tub holds all our nuts.  See the wooden clothes pin sticking out of that wooden box?  This is another way I simplify my kitchen.  I keep a large mason jar full of wooden clips and use them as chip clips.  I like that they are all the same neutral color, and it gets rid of bright colored- plastic chip clips that are all sizes and hard to store.

Salad spinner and rice cooker

This shelf holds some of my larger items.  My salad spinner, rice cooker and large salad bowl.   I keep clipped bags of chips in that large wooden bowl.  I also keep our cereal and oatmeal on this shelf.

The very top shelf holds any paper products we have, and I have put hooks up to hang our mop, broom, dust pan, mop bucket (in corner, not seen) and a plastic bag dispenser.  The wire basket holds my hand blender and potatoes when I buy them.  I have a large lazy susan for small appliances up top.

Organized pantry with trash can and mops
We recently invested in a larger trash bin with a swivel lid.  It works SO much better than this one in the picture.
Door to kitchen containing a hanging shelf
This door is in our kitchen right next to our pantry.  It leads to the garage and to our downstairs.  Our kitchen does not have much storage space, and our pantry is small, so I bought this over-the-door organizer about a year ago.  I keep hand towels & dish clothes in the bottom rack, as we only have 2 drawers in our kitchen…yep…I said 2!  I will share with you in an upcoming kitchen post how I deal with that!  Kids straws (Momma uses glass!) and our daily vitamins in the rack above that. Coffee & coffee filters on the next shelf. Above that are ingredients that I use often in my baking…baking powder, baking soda, salt & cocoa powder.  I usually keep vanilla there, too.  And again, extra tea boxes!  I love tea!
White organized kitchen and sink
While we are on the subject of baking, it is really helpful to be super purposeful about where to keep  ingredients if you want baking to be a “piece of cake” so to speak. I keep my flours and sugars out on the counter, then just need to turn around and grab the rest of my dry ingredients from the door organizer in the pic above.  My measuring cups and spoons are all right there.  Having everything so accessible has made a BIG difference in my motivation to be more purposeful in whipping up healthy foods for my family.  It makes me WANT to bake.
Recap of tips:
~Use mason jars–they are good for environment, they replace stained plastic, are see-through, and use the same lids which can be stored in one area and simplifies the kitchen.
~Use wooden clothesline clips as chip clips.  They are cute, small, and can fit in a mason jar for storage. Get rid of those big, multi-colored plastic chip clips!
~Use hooks to get your mop, broom and feather duster off the floor.  I have added more hooks against the pantry wall that is hidden for my girls lunch boxes.  Hooks are great for using vertical space.
~Use a holder to corral plastic bags.  This frees up a drawer or shelf/cupboard.
~Keep things that you use often front and center.  Be thoughtful and purposeful about where you place each thing.  This keeps your kitchen running efficiently and simplifies the baking/cooking process.
~Keep like with like.  Pasta together, nuts together, cereal together, vitamins together, snacks together, small appliances together….I really should put all my boxes of tea together…seeing them separate in the pics above is now driving me crazy!
~If you are low in drawer space, get creative with storage.  Use racks for foil, etc.  Use baskets for dish towels/dish cloths.
For More Minimalizing/Simplifying Posts:

Got any more kitchen tips for me?

Are any of these tips helpful for you or “jive” with you?

Cancer Journey/ DIY/Crafts/ FUN/DIY/ HEALTH/ HOME/ Organizing

DIY Art Bags

Back to school supplies

Creating is something I have always encouraged in our home, even when my girls were little wee ones. We have always made sure paper and colors are available for them to use whenever they want. As they have gotten older, I have worked hard to make sure they have access to age-appropriate supplies, so that they can create whatever their art brains desire.

We have rolling carts with labeled drawers upstairs where we keep all their craft supplies, and use them a lot, but I also wanted to have basic supplies handy on our main floor that they could just grab and start creating with!
IMG_6293
My solution was to make them each their own little school supply art bag. I shopped for these at the beginning of the school year when all the supplies were super cheap. I found the bag at Wal-mart in the craft supply section. All of the bags are black, but I made them distinct with certain supplies that were all the same color (my youngest daughter likes blue so her scissors, pencil sharpener and pencil erasers are all blue.) This is how they tell which bag is theirs.
IMG_6294
I keep the bags in a very central location (our dining room) right by the table, not only because they are in view and the girls will use them more if they see them, but also so I can make sure they take good care of their bags and put them away properly.  Our table is also where they do their homework so the bags are very handy for that!  I am pretty strict about keeping them in the dining room to use at the table.  I only allow them in the car for  trips that are longer than an hour.
Before, we had supplies on all 3 levels of our home and showing up in places where they didn’t belong! I grew weary of questions like “Mom, where’s my little scissors?” and “Mom, where’s the tape?” Now that they are in one area it has worked so well.  They know right where they are, and find them daily, sitting on a shelf waiting for little creative hands to grab and use them!
Update:
I originally wrote this post when my girls were 6, 9 & 10.  They are now 10, 12 & 14.  Now that they are older, we are down to one bag.  I’m all about simplifying, and it was overkill to have 3 bags now that they are older because they are rarely doing art at the same time.  If they do, they are old enough to share, and in the car we have ipods that keep them busy so the art bag is easily shared there, too.

 

Emotional Health/ FAMILY/ HOME/ Organizing/ Parenting/ Simplifying

Morning Routine For a Work at Home Mom

I’m a huge fan of Amy’s daily routine posts, and because of that have wanted to share my own morning routine with you all. It’s just me and the kiddo right now, and I’m very lucky that she’s so helpful in the mornings and understands the importance of getting everything ready to go!

6:00: Both alarms go off: mine in my room, and kiddo’s in hers.
6:01: I use the toilet and then go to the kitchen to drink a full glass of water. I read about this in French Women Don’t Get Fat. Not sure if it’s kept me from gaining any weight, but it can’t hurt.
Rock balancing

 

6:05-6:35: While my fashion-conscious ninth-grader does her bathroom routine, I roll out my yoga mat and perform the Five Essential Asanas. Kiddo’s going to get a full round of gym and soccer practice today, but I need to find ways to squeeze in my own exercises. These asanas are specifically designed to stretch the entire body, which is something I appreciate more and more every year. I get one full-length yoga class on Saturdays, but this quick daily practice is enough to keep me flexible and centered between sessions.
6:35-6:45: My turn in the bathroom. I don’t take very long. I have a wash-and-go pixie cut and have long learned that at my age, I look better with very little makeup. I tend to rock a moisturizing wrinkle cream with sunscreen and Retin-A, and just a bit of colored, flavored lip gloss. Yes, I am a grown woman who still buys Bonne Bell. Some things never change.
6:45-7:00: Breakfast time! It’s nearly always cereal and fruit. We save complicated breakfasts like pancakes and eggs for the weekend. Kiddo is trying to get me hooked on eating yogurt with my cereal, which is something she picked up while on a choir trip to London last year. I don’t like eating that much food in the morning, so I tend to stick to my usual skim milk. Cereal also means very few dishes: we clear up our bowls and spoons and put them straight into the dishwasher.
7:00-7:05: Time for us to grab our bags and go. I recently invested in a new briefcase to carry my laptop, client material and electronic chargers (one each for the laptop, smartphone and Kindle). Having a professional-looking briefcase helps me take myself seriously even during a long day of insane client requests.
7:05-7:30: We have to be in the car to make it to kiddo’s 7:30 high school start time. I am going to be so glad when she is old enough to drive herself, but at the same time I’m already worried – I’ve seen the research about teens and sleep, and how changing melatonin levels mean she won’t be fully awake until 9:00 or so. Even right now she falls asleep in the car at least two or three times a week – but carefully, so she doesn’t mess up her hair! 
Cup of coffee
 

7:30-7:45: After dropping kiddo off at the high school, it’s time for me to hit the coffee shop. My favorite local joint has comfortable chairs, super-fast wifi and the best cappuccino in town. I open my laptop, check my email and get ready to face my clients. Yes, I’m a “work at home” mom, but that doesn’t mean I have to do all my work from my house! 

As much as I wish my daughter had a later HS start time, part of me is really glad that I get to start my day so early. Since I need to be ready to pick her up at 3:00, it’s good that I get a full seven hours of work before it’s time to start the evening rush. Between soccer, church choir, play practice and homework, we’re on the go until at least 9:00 p.m. – but I’ll have to save our evening routine for another post!
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Christina Moore
Christina Moore is a freelance writer, and stay-at-home Mom in San Diego, CA. She is enjoys staying fit with weekly yoga sessions, running along the beach.
*consideration was received for the editing and publishing of this article
HOME/ Organizing/ Simplifying

Clean Mama 18 Month Planner Giveaway

Clean Mama 18 month planner

As you all know, I am a HUGE fan of Clean Mama, and have been long before she became a faithful sponsor of New Nostalgia.  She never ceases to amaze me with her amazing products in her shop and her unique and helpful posts on the Clean Mama blog.

I am giddy excited to offer this Clean Mama 18 Month Planner Giveaway. THERE WILL BE 3 LUCKY WINNERS!

 We are all about simplifying around here, and this planner is a great tool to help us organize, plan and simplify our lives.  Clean Mama is also about simplifying, and kept that in mind when she designed this planner.

Here are some of the things she considered:

  • Simple format is key – as schedules change you need a planner that will accommodate those changes.  If you have a very loose schedule, this planner will work for you.  If you have oodles of details and appointments, this planner will work for you.  Somewhere in between?  You’ll love this planner.
  • Easy to print and DIY – Figuring out how to print on both sides of the paper or reducing the size of the paper can be complicated.  The set up of the pages make it easy to customize the size and print.
  • Simple color scheme and not a lot of graphics give it a clean, modern look, not to mention cheaper to print at home.
  • Customizable – with more pages than you’ll probably need, I have included lots of options for you to customize your own perfect planner.
  • Price – you can spend a lot on planners, I hope this is affordable for you and a great way to organize your life.  Or at least the next 18 months of it!

Pages of a Planner

Clean Mama outline to a planner page

Here’s what’s included in the Clean Mama Planner (182 pages):
  • 2 Planner Covers – both have simple stripes and say ‘my planner 2013-2014′ – convo me if you’d like that to be personalized – one change is FREE
  • 18 Month Planner – each week on a 2 page spread – 157 pages (teal)
  • July-December 2013 Calendar (vertical, binder style) – 6 pages (green)
  • January-December 2014 Calendar (vertical, binder style) – 12 pages (green)
  • Docket/Schedule for the Week – 1 page (teal + green)
  • Notes (lines and boxes) – 2 pages (one teal and one green)
  • 18 Month at a Glance Calendar page – 1 page (teal)
  • Dates to Remember – 1 page (teal + green)

Dates to Remember planner page
Awesome, huh?  I want one…I NEED one!  If you are like me and don’t want to wait a week to see if you are one of 3 winners, go here to order your planner right now. For more details about the planner, read this post where Clean Mama wrote all about it. If you have a bit more patience than I do, make sure you sign up for our giveaway below!

Sources and Resources:

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Clean Mama Printables
More about Clean Mama:
Original and organization documents that help you take the *Work* out of organizing your life. Looking for a little guidance or a lot, Clean Mama Printables has something special to get your home in order with a stylish & simple method. 
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