National Donut Day at Donut Friend

Did you know last Thursday was National Donut Day?  Is that not the best holiday EVER?  You might not know, due to my many posts on health and nutrition, that I have a complete and utter weakness for donuts.  Yes, it's true.  It's not under control in the least, nor do I have any plans to get it under control. :-)

Emma reminded me of the holiday many weeks in advance, and our calendars were clearly marked for the occasion.  The night before, we twisted the arm of our dear friend, Alik, and she came along with her 4 year old daughter.

We decided to visit a fun donut shop in the nearby area of Los Angeles, Highland Park (adjacent to Eagle Rock). Donut Friend is such a fun place -- you can customize your own donut, or go with one of their "signature complilations" on the menu.   They all have fun names, which I later learned are named after punk rock songs.  This place is hardcore.  The donuts are so amazingly fresh and tasty. If you have a moment, check out their website.*  But be warned, you may need a donut immediately after you do.  *I am not responsible for any actions taken on account of visiting this site.  :-)

 

 

 They ain't cheap, but this isn't the corner donut hut where you grab a $8 dozen and chow down several.  Think of it as going to get a gourmet ice cream cone, it's about the same price as that (and the same kind of experience)

So, we arrived around 10:00 a.m. and discovered that us and about 100 other people thought Donut Friend would be a good idea, too.  No worries, as it was TOTALLY worth it.  After about an hour, we had these babies in our possession:

I won't describe them all, but the one in front on the bottom center of the pic is called "Jets to Basil."   It is a glazed yeast donut, cut in half, smeared with goat cheese, strawberry jam and fresh basil.  Then it is smacked back together, drizzled with vanilla bean icing and balsamic glaze.   Strange, but it totally works for me. The one on the top right is maple glazed and topped with "coconut bacon" which is vegan, all natural, flavored coconut (it almost fooled me)

Little Darsy was totally into the day.  She was even wearing her festive donut shorts. This was her "national donut day  announcement" the week before, featuring Krispy Kreme donuts. 

She didn't even eat any donuts...but L O O K at those thighs!

"But Grammie... when do I get to actually EAT one of these?"



I sure love my little donut friend.  
Let's plan to get donuts a lot together, little Darsy.

New fave product!

As most of you know, I'm big on making my own products such as all natural soap, lotion, and make-up remover.  I've made my own sugar scrub before with coconut oil, but it didn't wow me.

Recently, I purchased this Lavender Salt Scrub from Trader Joe's as I thought the packaging was pretty and that it would be nice for guests to have in the shower.  I put it in the guest bathroom and never thought about it again.

Recently, Emma was staying with us and raved about the scrub.  She was surprised I hadn't even tried it!  She insisted I use it the next time I showered.   Sure enough, she was right - it is amazing!

It is non-abrasive and goes on so easily.  A light scrub and rinse and your skin feels so smooth and moisturized.  You don't even need to apply lotion after you shower.  It leaves a light coat of oil on your skin that is not greasy at all, which also gives a nice glow.

  And the smell is so lovely... especially if you're a lavender fan like me!  I use this every day -- can't get enough!

The best part about loving this product was finding that the ingredients were all natural.  And the price... only $5.99 for a good size tub.  What a deal (and what a nice gift for someone!). I promptly went out and stocked up my cupboard for fear Trader Joe's would stop carrying it!!  

Adventures with Annie Sloan Paint

Recently I got turned on to the ease of refinishing furniture with a product called Annie Sloan paint.

I knew a few people who had tried it and had raved about it.  With this type of paint, which is a chalk paint, you are able to paint over any wood finish without sanding or priming.  You just have to be sure your piece is cleaned off and you can start painting it.  I had a few pieces of pine furniture and a kitchen table set I wanted to refinish, so I decided to give it a try.  My sister Suzanne helped me with the first piece, which is a dresser we use in our family room.

Here is a before shot of the dresser (I forgot to take the pic before we painted the drawers).  Originally we purchased this piece unfinished over 10 years ago.  It's just a basic piece with not much detail.  When we got it, we put a clear coat on it and over the years it grew to be a light honey pine color.  

Since I am slowly moving my house colors from the warm to cool.  So I chose a gray color called French Linen.  Annie Sloan paint is about $40 a quart but I only used about 1/4 of the can for this piece.

  We applied three coats of the paint and then I waxed it twice with Annie Sloan wax.  The chalk paint dries, well...chalky.  :-)  So you need to finish with a protective product after you paint.  The finish with the wax applied has just the slightest sheen but feels smooth.  This is easy to do with a brush or cloth.  I am really happy with the way this turned out (my walls are being painted a pale gray as I type, so just ignore the clash of the butter color- also do you think I could have straightened the lamp shade before snapping a pic?) Suzanne graciously donated some extra vintage-type glass knobs she had so I estimate the cost of this project to be about $10.  Nice!

Next, Suzanne and I tackled my kitchen table.   Again, we had bought the set unfinished and we painted it black.  To be honest, I've never been very happy with the way it turned out, so it was the perfect candidate for Annie Sloan!   I chose the color Old White.   I am so thankful my sister helped me because this was a much bigger project.  We actually used a whole quart of the paint for this and put on three coats of Polycrylic.  Here is the table and chair before:

 

And after:

What a difference!  I love it.  
I did a light distress and some of the black paint came through and it's perfect.  The original micro suede chair cushions were aging and a bit blase with all the white, so I ordered this fun fabric to recover them with.  My walls are being painted a light grayish blue so this fabric will look perfect.   

Project cost on this was about $80 since I'm recovering the chairs.  Pretty good for such a dramatic makeover. 


The breakfast nook will be so light and cheery!

 

My next project was my master bathroom vanity cupboards.  They were a (yellowing) "white washed" oak, which is GREAT for the 1990's... anyways I should have had them refinished dark when my kitchen cupboards were refinished a few year ago - but I'm not that smart.  :-)   

I figured Annie Sloan would be a easy and quick fix and I was right.  My bathroom is also being painted a pale gray (hence swatches painted on the wall) so I thought to use the French Linen again on the cabinets. 

Again, I forgot my "before" picture until I was already trying the paint on a little. 

Don't even ask what my bathroom tile is  -- it came with the house. It's kind of Southwesty/Art Deco (if there is such a category) and features unique metallic elements.  Yeah.
I've learned to make peace with it.  

Ta-da!  Super easy facelift for about $5 and a few hours of time! 

I used 2 coats of Annie Sloan and 2 coats of Polycrylic. 

I am very pleased!

Stephanie was over last Saturday refinishing a vintage dresser my sister found her for $20 at a thrift store. She did it this fabulous Duck Egg blue and waxed it.  She's going to get some cool knobs for it and hang a large ornate mirror over it for her bedroom.

 Here's the before shot:

 

And after - mid-century becomes funky and cool:

 

Stephanie also helped me redo this cute little vanity seat I had from Rich's mom.  We used the French Linen then wet distressed it (wiping a damp cloth over it right after painting) which revealed the former cherry wood finish.  I put a quick coat of wax on this and it was done. We recovered the seat in a scrap of fabric I had laying around, and Stephanie is going to put it in her house.



 So after all this, Rich asked me (in a very nice way) to please not paint EVERYTHING in the house - ha!

Just so you know, Home Depot also sells a less expensive chalk paint.  My sister tried it and she said it's similar to Annie Sloan.  
Happy painting!

WDW - Homemade Larabars!

I'm super excited about these!  Have you gotten hooked on Larabars yet?  They are these wonderful, healthy little bars. They taste amazing, and the ingredient list is so clean.  All they contain is cashews, dates, and depending on the flavor, other natural ingredients.  Plus, they are raw.  They are a great product indeed!

Awhile ago, my niece Amy's sister in law Katie (got that?) posted a recipe for homemade Larabars and I thought they looked good, but I hadn't really tasted one yet so I didn't take an interest in making them at the time.  THEN, I tasted one and all I could think of is when can I make these!!


I did a bit more research as well, and found this website which is fabulous in showing how to go about the process.  I like the build-your-own formula they have:  

1 cup pitted dates(I use Medjool)  + 1 cup raw cashews 

+ flavoring (if desired)

+ 1 cup add-ins of your choice

They have also listed the ingredients needed to make some of the more popular Larabar flavors.

The first ones I tried, I used 1 cup dried apricots and 2 tsp. vanilla extract.   YUM!   Then I got on a roll and made another one:  coconut-lemon-blueberry (1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, 1/2 cup dried blueberries, 1 tsp. pure lemon extract).   That one was really good!  Then I made a variation of one from Katie's site - the chocolate almond (substituted half almonds instead of all cashews, leaving some in big pieces + 1 Tbsp. raw almond butter and 1/8 cup chopped dark chocolate).  Rich was sitting at the kitchen table as I worked and at one point I just blurted out, "this is so much fun!!" :-)  He was happy too, because I kept bringing him samples.   I was having such great success, it was starting to become addicting! There are endless combinations I'm eager to try.

The method is easy - I used my trusty big 'ole Cuisinart food processor and first pulverized the dates and cashews together.  You have to let it go awhile so it's like a paste.  Then, I added in the flavoring (the extracts) and pulsed some more.  After that was all incorporated, I added my "add ins" and pulsed just enough to incorporate.  You don't want to totally break up the add ins or turn them into a paste.

I turned each batch onto wax paper and shaped into a square shape about 1/2" thick with my hands.  I cut them into bars and wrapped each one in waxed paper.  I'm storing them in Ziploc bags in the fridge.  I'm not worried about their shelf life because they won't last long around here.   But I would guess it's several weeks.   Emma LOVES the blueberry ones, and has already asked me to make more.   She said "this is pretty much the best bar I've ever had."


These little powerhouses of energy will be great to grab as breakfast on-the-go or as a mid afternoon pick-me-up.  Here are some of the health benefits of these bars:


Cashews:
-protein 
-fiber
-minerals:  magnesium, selenium, copper, zinc, manganese,   potassium, and iron
-vitamins:  B5, B-6, vitamin E riboflavin, thiamin
-antioxidants
-cashews are also one of Dr. Oz's 4 anti-cancer super foods (for whatever that is worth.)

Dates:
-fiber
-tannins (anti inflammitory)
-vitamin A, B-complex, vitamin K, riboflavin, niacin
-antioxidants:  beta carotene, lutein
-minerals:  iron, potassium, calcium, magnesium, manganese, copper

Plus did I mention these are INCREDIBLY DELICIOUS??  Good tasting and good for you = my kind of food.  :-) 

More Natural Homemade Cleaners

My son walked in the kitchen the other day while I was mixing up a batch of my homemade window cleaner.  He asked what I was doing and when I told him, he looked puzzled and said, "Can't you just buy Windex like everyone else?  You always make EVERYTHING."  My poor kids, all they ever wanted was a normal mother and they got me.

So, why can't I just buy Windex?  Well, why should I when I can make my own window cleaner using all natural ingredients and without ammonia fumes for PENNIES.  Sorry, Drew, it won't be blue and won't be in a name brand bottle.  Maybe some day you'll understand.

I just love this concoction and it really does clean windows without streaks.   Try some and see what you think.  Here's what you'll need: 

 

Plain old white vinegar, cornstarch, distilled water, and rubbing alcohol.

Here's the recipe:

Streak-free Window Cleaner

1/2 cup rubbing alcohol

1/2 cup white vinegar

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

4 cups warm water (distilled is optional- I use tap)

Mix all together and pour into spray bottle.

Shake well before each use (cornstarch settles). 

Please pardon Emma's malaria medication in the background!  :-)

I also just tried making my own foaming soap for the bathrooms.  I had some old Method bottles and I was buying the refill pouches for them at around $6 a pop.  One day, it dawned on me that there must be a recipe out there for foaming soap.  Sure enough I found one easily, and I love it.  I can't say if this one saves that much money, since the bottle of Dr. Bronner's was $5 and I'm not sure how many batches I'll be able to get out of it.  Here's what you will need:

Essential oil of choice, tea tree oil, distilled water, Dr. Bronner's liquid castile soap

Foaming Soap

¼ cup liquid castile soap (Dr. Bronner’s – any scent)

¾ cup distilled water

Tea tree oil – a few drops

Lemon or other essential oil (opt.)

Mix well and put in foaming dispenser.

I also have a recipe for homemade wood furniture cleaner - I haven't tried it yet since I still have some store-bought kind to finish up.  Here it is in case you want to try it.

 

Wood Furniture Spray

2 tsp. olive oil

½ tsp. lemon essential oil

¼ cup vinegar

1 ¾ cups water

Spray on and wipe with a clean rag.

Happy Cleaning - more healthy and less money!

WDW - Coconut Baked Chicken

Rich got on me today for not posting WDWs lately. So, this one's for you, honey - enjoy.

Sometimes when I'm at Whole Foods, I feel so uninformed. There are SO many items that I have NO idea what they are, much less what to do with them. Most of them are in the vitamins/supplement area so I just keep my distance. But, sometimes I come across something interesting, so I take it home and figure out what to do with it.

Last week, I was slowly perusing one of my favorite areas - the dry good bins. I usually buy things like organic oats and shredded coconut there by the pound. I happened to notice coconut flour...hmmm. So I picked up a small bagful, thinking that I love pretty much everything else coconut, so why not? It appealed to me because I really don't like to use white flour anymore and am always looking for good alternatives.

First thing I found in my online search about the stuff was that it's a by product of coconut milk, dried and pulverized. So, for those allergic to grains it is a good choice. Here's what I found out:

• Coconut Flour is ideal for baking. It has fewer digestible (net) carbs than other flours, and it even has fewer digestible carbs than some vegetables!

• Coconut Flour is gluten-free and hypoallergenic. With as much protein as wheat flour, coconut flour has none of the specific protein in wheat called "gluten". This is an advantage for a growing percentage of the population who have allergies to gluten or a wheat sensitivity.

• Coconut Flour consists of the highest percentage of dietary fiber( 58%) found in any flour. Wheat bran has only is 27% fiber.

I also found this blog with several good sounding recipes using coconut flour. I'm going to try a couple tomorrow to give to my kids - banana bread (with coconut flour and almond flour -I'm using almond meal from TJ's), and chocolate chip muffins. I'll let you know how they turn out.

So, last night was one of those nights where I defrosted some bone-in chicken breasts not knowing exactly what I might do with them. Whole Foods had whole organic chickens for $1.99/lb. about a month ago so I stocked up on four of them (I had the butcher cut them into pieces for me and froze them in small packages) so we've been eating a lot of chicken. :-) One of my favorite, easy ways to cook chicken is to "oven fry" so I decided to make that. Normally, I dredge seasoned chicken in white flour, drizzle butter over, and bake. I decided to substitute the coconut flour and also decided to drizzle coconut oil over instead of the butter. What a hit!! It was so easy and delicious, and SO MUCH IMPROVED nutritionally and taste-wise. You can really taste the coconut! Wow, was this yummy.

Here's how I did it: I cut the breasts in half (for faster cooking). I ALWAYS leave the skin and bone in - it produces a much juicier result. I confess that I also ALWAYS eat the skin too. :-) Life is too short not to eat crispy chicken skin, you know? I guess I've never been one for boneless/skinless breasts when it comes to baking. Anyways, I digress. The next thing I did was sprinkled kosher salt and fresh ground pepper on the chicken, then dredged it in the coconut flour, shaking off excess. I placed the pieces, skin side down, in a baking dish sprayed with Pam and drizzled with a little melted coconut oil. I then drizzled a little more coconut oil over the top, popped them in the oven at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes, and they were done. I turned them about halfway. You want to be careful not to overcook these. Let cool about 5-10 min. before eating.

I served this chicken with baked sweet potatoes and roasted fennel. It was a delicious meal for very little effort. I started the potatoes first (they take an hour) then added the chicken and fennel to the oven about 20 minutes later and everything cooked together. By the way, if you haven't tried roasting fennel - it is so delish. After receiving it in my farm box recently, I discovered this amazing cooking method. Just cut the bulb into wedges (discard the core) and drizzle a little evoo and s & p over, roast at 400 degrees about 40 minutes, turning once. The flavor mellows, they caramelize so beautifully and are so tasty. If you like caramelized onions you have to try this! I have always loved thinly shaved fennel in salads, but this new way has rocked my world! Trader Joe's carries fennel now, too.

P.S. Sorry for the blurry photo - ripped it from instagram. :-)

Homemade Eye Makeup Remover

YES! I am so tired of buying those little pre-moistened makeup remover wipes. Not only are they expensive, but they really irritate my eyes. I've tried every brand and they all do the same thing to me! Sometimes I will have redness that resembles pink eye (really attractive) for days after using them and won't be able to even put on makeup. I saw this recipe for a gentler homemade makeup remover and I knew I needed to try it. But first I needed to track down this little item:



And what better place to get it but Amazon Prime! Out the door for $4 - free 2 day shipping! Nice.

You only use a tiny amount of the Dr. Bronner's, so I just bought the 2 oz. size.

I mixed the easy recipe last night - only three ingredients: distilled water, olive oil, and Dr. Bronner's Unscented Baby Castile Soap. Mix one cup of distilled water with 1/4 tsp. Dr. Bronner's and 1 tsp. olive oil. That's it. I mixed it in a pyrex measuring cup, and poured it into a plastic squirt bottle I had (from Smart and Final - I think they are mustard/ketchup bottles and come in sets of 6 - they are so handy!). It's perfect for squeezing onto a cotton ball. You do have to give it a little shake first to mix. It worked like a charm and my eyes did not sting or turn red. :-) I finished by washing my face with my homemade unscented pure goat's milk soap to remove my mineral makeup. Fresh, clean, and natural! Try it!

Jones Coffee Roasters

I'm no coffee snob, but I like a good cup of coffee. Recently, when shopping at Whole Foods in Pasadena, I noticed they featured beans from local coffee roaster Jones Coffee. I admired the packaging, but didn't buy any. Then, a few days later, Rich and I ate breakfast at Triple D North End Caffe in Manhattan Beach, and wouldn't you know, they were brewing up Jones coffee there. I seriously think it was the best cup of coffee I've ever had at a restaurant. I drank three full cups (it was decaf, but I don't exactly recommend that amount of coffee before a two mile walk on the strand!).

Anyways, so... after that I was driving down Raymond in Pasadena on a different day, and guess what I passed? You guessed it, Jones Coffee Roasters. Not that I'm into omens or anything, but I knew I needed to go there, check it out and get some coffee beans. With Shepherds' Conference coming up, I thought it would be the perfect time to try a few varieties. I like to treat my house guests to things they don't get at home.

So, finally today, I stopped in. It happened to be lunchtime, so I added a beautiful pain au chocolat to my decaf coffee order. Ahh, white flour, butter and chocolate, what a treat. The coffee was simply divine. I didn't watch carefully, but I think the Barista made it like an Americano because it had crema on top. One sip, and I felt all happy inside.

Anyways, backing up, this is the kind of place that when you drive up, it just looks interesting and inviting. Well, I should say, I did have to drive around the block a few times first because they only have a small amount of parking and it was full. I wasn't about to give up, and finally I got a spot and went in. It's really kind of like a warehouse, a large light and airy space, with the entire front open. It looks cool with a vintage neon sign and an interesting decor and layout of furniture. In the back, they are roasting beans and the smell is intoxicating. Gotta love that.

View from parking lot

Entrance

Looking out into the parking lot.



The roasting area in the rear.



This big, cool neon sign just makes the place.



When I asked, "where's the cream?" I was directed to a close-by glass door refrigerator full of choices. Help yourself, put it back. Love that.

I really loved the way this place feels- it's got a nice vibe. Not a hip Intelligentsia kind of vibe (if you know what I mean), but a hip, genuinely friendly, kind of vibe. I was helped by a nice and helpful gal who guided me in my selection of three types of bold coffee beans (they have some unique blends as well), and also helped me pick out some apricot loose leaf tea for my tea-loving son. I then got myself a cup of decaf and the aforementioned warmed pastry (which happened to be from one of my favorite bakeries in Pasadena, Euro Pane) and left. I had an appointment, otherwise I would have stayed and enjoyed the atmosphere for awhile. It seems like a great place to hang out or meet a friend.

My three new coffees to try.

Amazon Prime

Have you heard of Amazon Prime? I think this is one of the best deals around. I've had it for about two years now and LOVE It. I figured it's about time that the e-wife should blog about it!

First of all, if you aren't buying on Amazon.com, shame on you. It's the biggest store online, with the best prices. You are wasting time and money if you don't! I literally buy everything and anything I can on Amazon - you'd be surprised how much they have. Just this past week I bought razor blade refills, tinted lip balm, knee supports (I'm suffering from a case of runner's knee), and swimming goggles (gotta swim when I can't run). Our joke is that there is always an Amazon box at the gate! Amazon saves me SO much running around.

Amazon Prime is basically this - a membership program through Amazon.com that offers you free 2-day shipping for $79 a year. It is an amazing deal if you order on Amazon as much as I do. But there is more - you can also enjoy free instant streaming of thousands of movies and TV shows. And, if you own a Kindle, thousands of books are available to read for free, including NY times bestsellers. And, if you have a college student, click here for an even better deal! It's only $39! Wow.

OK, so here's how it works. When I shop Amazon for any item, I narrow my search to Amazon Prime items. That way, whatever I select will be free shipping. Not everything from every seller is Amazon Prime qualified, but I have never not found what I wanted offered through sellers who are on Amazon Prime. I have my settings set up for 1-click purchasing, so it's super fast and easy to buy anything. Pop it in the cart and buy it all in 1-click. Love that!

I even have the Amazon.com app on my iPhone - so I can buy anything quickly on my phone as well. Here's how convenient the app is: the other day I was vacuuming and spot cleaning my carpets. I realized I was getting to the bottom of the bottle of my favorite cleaner, Folex. So, I whipped my phone out of my pocket, tapped my Amazon app, searched Folex, added it to my cart and purchased it with 1-click. In a matter of 20 seconds, I had purchased a new bottle that would arrive in two days, with free shipping! Let me ask myself: would I rather do that, or make a stop at Home Depot or Lowe's to get some more? Hmmm, let me think about it. Uh, Amazon Prime - that's a no-brainer. Wish this had been around when I had three kids under age 4. I could have done without taking kids in and out of the car to get one thing at a store!

If you still aren't convinced, read this!

Happy Shopping!

Awesome kids books!

Many of you may already know that a godly woman named Delphine Bates led me to Christ 28 years ago, when I was 18 years old (go ahead, do the math, I'm almost 46.). Since that time, she has been a dear friend and a spiritual mother to me. To say she has had a big influence in my life would be an understatement! We even named our daughter, Emma Leigh, after Delphine's mother, Emma Lee Branon.

Delphine has been in Children's ministry at our church for at least 3 decades, and she is the reason I am in Children's ministry today. She makes the rounds playing piano and leading music for several Sunday school classes each Sunday morning, and back then she encouraged me to work in a 2nd grade class when I was newly saved. I thought I was going to be a "craft helper" but somehow got my own small group of kids! They actually knew more about the bible than I did - seriously. It was just a bit intimidating. I'd like to say we screen helpers a little more efficiently these days. :-)

Anyways, Delphine has always been great with children - after all she has had lots of practice as she raised four of her own. She also has 14 grandchildren whom she takes a very active role investing in spiritually. I wish she was my grandma - she is full of energy and lots of fun! She seems as young and energetic as when we first met.

She recently produced three wonderful children's books (wrote and illustrated). Delphine has such a unique and effective way of ministering to children (and sharing the gospel with anyone for that matter). They are so cute and so well written - I highly recommend them to all - they would be a great investment in your home library to be enjoyed again and again. I wish we had these books when our children were growing up. I am keeping the set she gave me for my own grandchildren some day!

You can buy Delphine's books here on Amazon. I know you'll enjoy them!