i just whipped this up and it is tasty. i didn't add in the chili peppers and used lemon instead of lime (my lime was rock hard after only a couple days!!!) i used a white onion, but next time, i would probably use a different, sweeter type. i added in some more water too, to mellow out the onion. finally, i added some cinnamon, maybe a teaspoon. it is yummy and chilling right now

SPICY MANGO GINGER SOUP

Ingredients:
1 large mango, peeled and destoned
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 cup cold water
1-2 small chilli peppers, minced (or to taste)
juice from 1 lime
1/2 tsp grated or minced ginger
Preparation:
Process all ingredients together in a blender until smooth and creamy, adding a bit more or less water as needed. Chill before serving. Makes two servings.

linked from raw recipe a day on facebook

i am a health freak. health nut. green smoothie queen. whatever. most of the time anyway. so when i saw wellness mama doing a wellness challenge, i got super excited. i really like a lot of her recipes and ideas. so i'm doing it. i took the plunge. i've had more energy today and for the most part yesterday. yes, i'm on day two. it's great. yesterday, she posted a bunch of mini-challenges. #1... grain free. all grains. i've never done this, never wanted to yet i'm curious to see how much of my tiredness will go away with going grain free. by the end of the day, it will be two days, which is amazing. i'm already seeing a difference with my body and detox symptoms. i'll let you know how it goes. i'm keeping it simple! 

see those recipes

s.i.m.p.l.e.

i just made two yummy meals with mushrooms!

spinach and mushroom frittata
spinach (i used half bag of frozen)
Portobello mushrooms, one - two, or some sliced ones, or whatever else
palf an onion
6 eggs
salt, pepper, garlic powder
your favorite cheese (cheddar)

whisk up the eggs, salt, pepper and garlic powder, then i threw in a splash of almond milk. then a couple T (a small handful) of grated cheese.
in a skillet, get some olive oil going, about 2 T, saute the onions, then the mushrooms. add the spinach and saute until the spinach is either wilted or not frozen. pour the egg mixture on top of the veggies, then cover and turn heat to medium high, cook for about 5-6 minutes. put on another 2T of cheese, then put in the broiler for 1-2 minutes, until the middle is firm.
ENJOY!

while trying to figure out what i wanted for dinner and what DH would eat, i stumbled upon a very simple recipe on allrecipes, so i decided to make both and then i'd know i'd have something to eat tomorrow too. i doctored it up to make it healthy!

half head cabbage, shredded
chopped portobello mushrooms
olive oil
half onion, chopped
salt, pepper, garlic powder

saute onion. add in shredded cabbage. salt, pepper and garlic powder. let it cook down for a bit, then add in the mushrooms. cook for about 5 minutes or so, on medium-medium high heat.
yumminess.

now both of these recipes are super easy to make at the exact same time! what a way to save time and energy!!! i haven't tried the frittata, just yet, but the cabbage is sooo good. i will definitely be making it a lot!!!

i just made the yummiest vegan dinner. my body craves healthy stuff... nd then it craves something sweet i wish i had the time and resources to do all or most everything vegan... but alas, i don't and my family would completely revolt. but here is my recipe

saute up some mushrooms, onions, yellow pepper (or any color i'm sure would be great) and a zucchini in some coconut oil. i added some garlic powder and raw salt. 

toss with raw kelp noodles. first time i had used them and they are yummy. 

i bought mine from naturalnews.com for less. i only used half the package. it is a completely raw noodle/pasta with hardly any calories! 

so, toss veggies with noodles, and then put in some bragg's liquid amino. this is super yummy. and fresh. 

goes great with the chocolate chip cookies that i'm making right now too... anyone else do that? make something healthy with something unhealthy???

here is my cookie recipe (i did add in 1 cup oat bran in place of 1 cup flour)

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons hot water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to batter along with salt. Stir in flour, chocolate chips, and nuts. Drop by large spoonfuls onto ungreased pans.
3. Bake for about 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are nicely browned.

because my life is usually super busy and it takes me a while to get projects done... here is one that has been in the works for about a year. my boys bedroom is going to be a space theme. pretty hard to figure out something for a 12 and 6 year old, but this is gonna be cool. so last year, we painted the one main wall black. and that was as far as we got. confession, the blue tape was still on the ceiling because i'm too short to get it off without a chair and i kept forgetting to get a chair.  

alas, yesterday, i had about 3 hours to finish the project. i have had this tiled wall mural of the earth from the moon for years. multiple multiple years. in all fairness, i was going to get the mural up a lot sooner, but then i found out that it was slightly too big and i was going to have to cut it down. well that also took a long time to realize what i could do and how i could do it. finally, yesterday, i got a spur in my boot and figured up the math (for the most part, i did it right too) and got it cut down. so i was by myself and had to call my mom to see if she would help me. so with mom's help and then the fes (foreign exchange student) to get the tall stuff, this is the final product of their wall. the boys want a bookshelf to be hung on this wall to look like it's floating in space... 

what do you think?

my goals for this weekend is to finish up the boys room, so maybe future pictures will be coming soon. at least a more final project. 

birthday spread
we are having our monthly birthday spread at work. and since i'm pretty bored at home these days (shockingly, pretty calm and not much to do) i am bringing 3 things. one is
pineapple cream cheese bread. it's baking right now and smells sooo good. get the recipe here!

the next thing i'm making is divine halfway bars. recipe here.

i've seen some like this before, but knowing that this is "divine", i just had to try it.

i will say, mine isn't turning out as pretty as launi's but i have to see what it is going to taste like. 

i'm sure divine!!! 

this recipe is courtesy of launi, the wonderful woman who taught me about hypnobirthing. it was amazing and saved my daughter's life and made a possibly stressful birth and complications very calm and peaceful for me. she is in utah, so you should check her out if you live there. 

last day of school was on thursday. and my princess had an amazing teacher (well both K teachers were good, so they both got treats) we did something for each day of the week for teacher appreciation, but i didn't take any pics. here is what we did for the end of the year, with a sugar scrub and a good little poem i found

here is the poem. we did the brown sugar scrub instead of lotion. teachers loved loved it!!!

A teacher has such special hands,

So many things they do,

They teach the tiny children

And yes, the big ones too!

They watch over precious lives

while parents can’t be there.

They reach and teach so lovingly

To those for whom they care.

They work on crafts, they clean the mess

They know each book that’s read

They lift, inspire and touch a heart

With each kind word that’s said.

A teacher has such special hands,

So many things they do.

May this little bit of lotion

Help preserve those hands for you!

i'll link up the recipe for the sugar scrub. i love it. this link has honey in it, and i haven't used honey, but it sure does sound good.  i use it in the shower all the time. and it is so simple and good for your skin!!!

enjoy