can you beet red velvet?

we started our monday afternoon with iced coffee.

laura (aka chimmie) came in town with her kiddos for a last hurrah trip before school starts up.  christina dropped in for a coffee and ended up staying until bedtime.  now that is what the mullies is all about.  impromptu cooking!!!

i got all tingly from this reader comment that came through this weekend from this previous post and i have to share it:

"I assume you'll get this message even though it's an old post. But thought I'd comment on the post that changed our lives! Thank you! Thank you! I wanted to send an email with more info, but maybe that's not allowed. Anyway...

I get tons of emails and truly believe I was meant to open that one from Jamie (featuring your blog), as we were likely going to take my son in for evaluation. Anyway 2 days into gluten-free I stopped taking notes and knew were weren't going back! The change has been pretty easy since he willingly gave up donuts, pizza, goldfish etc- you know he must be feeling better! With school starting, hoping to get into a better routine and try more foods. Onward and upward! Thanks again, Alyssa"

you absolutely, unequivocally made my day Alyssa.  thank you so very much for sharing... i'd love to hear more from you!  my fire is lit.  this post is dedicated to you and to all of the hot mamas, papas and foodies that are making small or big changes for the lovies in their lives.  

here's my mullies promise.  real food, real world.  this.is.what.really.happens.  thumbs up, thumbs down, messes, whines, laughter, screw ups, celebrations... all one bite at a time.

how much time do we have?

let's chase the sun.

all we can do is try.

chasing the sun

there will be no perfection here.  i want to show you what it looks like when you attempt to kick the fake food out and try to get kids to eat more vegetables and other new foods that they just aren't familiar with right away.  what happens when you start cooking from scratch?  what happens to your sanity?  is gluten free just a trend?  no no to gmo's?  artificial color can cause hyperactivity!?!?  can i really do this?  do i have the time?  you mean this takes practice!?  it's just one big can of oye's as you ponder altering your family's food life.

if i might inspire another to make a change (no matter what size), you better believe i'm gonna show & tell how it's going down in crazytown.  i'm going to try.  it's an ever-evolving lifestyle change.  one that was solidified when abbie's ADHD and sensory processing symptoms went bye bye 10 months ago.

booo-ya to the oye oye.

know this:  you are in control.  you get to write your story.  mine is uncharted and so is yours.  take whatever you can chew on and swallow slowly.  set your own pace and put a sweatband on.  you're sexy and you know it.

america is in a serious fake pickle with her food right now and i wanna have some fun with getting my family and yours back on track.  that means more posts like this and i'm even going to start taping videos of the craziness that happens in the mullies.  the good, the bad and the funny.  oh lordie.

it's time to stir it up.  school is about to start.  i need to start thinking about making lunches again.  i can't wait to roll up my sleeves as a food ambassador and continue helping my school district bring food education back into the classroom and healthier options back into our schools' lunches.

so go get your apron on with me, my hot mamas and fellow ambassadors.  let's start having more adventures in the kitchen with our kids shall we?  it's so much more fun when you have some friends with ya.


let's get back to our red velvet night...

we loaded my dishwasher twice.  we savored our wine.  we fed 7 kids and ourselves.  whew.

we jumped right in.  what a night.

laura told me how much she missed her red velvet cake.  and i was like, "well i got me some beets from my box, so let's figure it OUT!!!!" why no fake red #40 in this house?  check out this article on fake food coloring and you'll see why we drop kicked the artificial rainbow from our kitchens.

note: we realized that boiling the beets whole was going to take too long, so we took them out and diced them after a few minutes.

please take note for freak sake:  baking POWDER, not soda.

our simple and not so normal ingredients for our "cream cheese" frosting.  pine nuts. PINE NUTS!!!

eat your heart out dwight schrute!!!

gotta love the bunny ears.  this is how the cupcakes looked before they deflated.

laura introduced us to vegan pad thai (a little too spicy for the kids) with kelp noodles.  holy ballz do i love kelp noodles.  you really must try them.  i found mine at whole foods.  i'm totally nuts for Kimberly Snyder's nutritional guide & cookbook, The Beauty Detox Foods.  so far, this and every.single.other.recipe has been a huge, yummy success.  my chimmie must have told me 20x's about her and how much she loved her book & recipes.  i am officially hooked.

for the kids?  we cooked up some brown rice pasta, roasted broccoli and cauliflower and cut up some strawberries (seconds were for blackmailing).  forgot to take pics.  oops.

not bad eh?  our first time and the next will be even better.  they came out all puffy and lovely and then they popped like a toot and went flatty-boom-batty.  argh.  we're gonna leave out some beets next time...  too much moisture.  i adjusted the recipe below and i'll update the post accordingly each time i tweak it, promise.  leave a comment if you have a suggestion for our next round!

the two boys did not like the cupcakes.  2 thumbs down, 5 thumbs up.

you can't beet it.

gluten free real red velvet cupcakes with dairy free cream cheese frosting
inspired from natural red velvet cupcakes made with beets

1/2 c diced and boiled beets until tender with a fork (we used 3/4 c and it was too much we think)
1/3 c melted coconut oil
1 1/4 c coconut palm sugar (or organic sugar)
1.5 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 c gluten free flour (155 g)
1/4 tsp sea salt
1.5 tsp baking powder (not soda)
1 c almond milk
2.5 T cacao powder

dairy free cream cheese frosting
adapted from Kimberly Snyder's vegan cream cheese
1 1/4 c pine nuts
1 T coconut oil (room temp)
1 tsp sea salt
2.5 T + 2 tsp almond milk
1.5 tsp pure vanilla extract
1.5 c organic powdered sugar

whiz all ingredients in a food processor.  place in fridge or freezer to firm up.



fill up your arms and run forest run

all we can do is try

love live love

xoxo

don't put bs in your waffles

you mean this can says baking soda!?

spirulina me

thanks to my chimmie who asked for the baking powder and told me that the can i gave her was soda... my famous waffles are back on line.

my eyes and my reading ability... well, i guess that's just me and i'm just gonna embrace it.

laugh a little today.

xoxo

a candid hot mama perspective

oh christina... cheers to you, your friendship and all the fun & knowledge i wanna suck out of you.  you mean the world to me.  reading this gets me alll vehklempt... oh and ditto back atcha with the "hottest":)

***

Lindsey – The hottest mama of all 

I want to start by saying that Lindsey has begged me to write this.  It came up one night over a glass (or 2 or 3) of wine and we were talking about how her family used to eat and how impressed she was of my family and of our from scratch cooking, vege eating children, and commitment to organic and local foods. She says, “Oh my god you have to do a post on this for me! The view from a friend.  Chris did one, you can too!”  I wasn’t so sure, it is one thing to be laughing over it between the two of us, but for me to put it out there, the nitty gritty habits of old.  I wasn’t so sure.  I of course have been there for Lindsey from the very start of her food journey, cheering her on and encouraging her any way I can.  And of course am very proud to be one of her hot mamas. 

Well here it is… the good, the bad, and the dino shaped chicken nuggets…

The past…

Although my family for the most part eats unprocessed foods, I realize that this does not always work for every family and on some crazy nights doesn’t work for my family either.  I have 2 wonderful children, I cannot even imagine having 3 so I never judged the food choices Lindsey made for her family, whatever works for you…  So when our 2 families would hang out at their place, I would let my kids eat whatever Lindsey would cook.  So my kids would indulge in dino shaped chicken nuggets, Little Ceasars pizza, pre-made and packaged PB&J, basically all the things they don’t get at home ; ) My 5 ½ year old, Ava, and Abbie play together quite nicely especially given their age difference.  I never really noticed anything off with Abbie’s behavior until Lindsey made her food change.  She was all over the place and I found them once hiding in the pantry housing marshmallows and giggling, but nothing that as a friend would have set off alarms.  Then one day last September Lindsey says, “I just cleaned out my pantry and got rid of all the processed foods, and anything with food coloring, preservatives, and fake stuff.  I think that stuff is affecting Abbie’s behavior.  Oh and I’m going to blog about it.”  My jaw dropped on the floor, I was shocked that she was going from one extreme to the other.  I was thinking to myself, “Ah, yeah, duh, didn’t you know that food can affect behavior??”  She was doing one of the hardest and bravest things any of my friends has done for their family.  She was talking about a total lifestyle change.

The present…

The changes Lindsey has made are amazing and I am so proud of her because she is spreading the word, working so hard at her blog, finding and creating new recipes and helping others make positive changes in their lives.  She has shown people that you can make changes in your kid’s behavior and their health by feeding them better food.  She has had lots of success but also lots of bombs and has bared it all to her readers.  That is one of the things that I love about her journey, she shares everything!  When I read her blog, it is like I am sitting there, just talking to her.  Now, when Abbie and Ava play together they play differently.  Their play has more of a purpose; they perform skits, dances and show up in some crazy outfits.  Lindsey has talked a lot about hard it has been and I hope I have helped her with my advice, recipes, and crazy ideas for her to try!  I mean kohlrabi; she would have NEVER picked that up at the store on her own!

The future…

I have learned a lot from her and have improved my family’s eating habits too.  I love that I have a friend that loves to eat the way my family does and will try new things.  I don’t know what the future will hold for my dear friend but I think the possibilities are endless.  A cookbook, maybe… Total food world domination, most definitely.  Where ever this crazy road takes her, I (along with lots of others) am right there with her every step of the way!  

Keep cookin!

-Christina

***

"no one's more important than people.  in other words, friendship is the most important thing.  not career nor housework, nor one's fatigue - and it needs to be tended and nurtured."  - Julia Child

you light me up christina!!!  

let's keep this real thang (sing it in your prince voice) going, shall we?!  xoxo

hot mamas with christina - corn and fava bean risotto

i feel so lucky to have girlfriends who know so much about cooking.  christina bumps me right out of my veggie comfort zone with this little how-to and complete dinner ditty and i hope she inspires you too!  my mouth is watering for her finished dish.

take it away my dear hot mama....

***

So not to sound braggy, but there are not many readily available vegetables I have not had some experience with.  I like trying new things and love finding new flavors and recipes.  So when I saw these lovelies at the grocery store I thought why not??!!  Do you know what they are?  They are fava beans.  When I think of fava beans, I think of this...

fi fi fi fi fi fi fi fi fi

I know creepy right??

I had never made them and never had fresh ones before.  I ate them as a kid but we called them lupini beans and they were sort of preserved in a salty water brine.  So here is my first, and definitely not my last, experience with fava beans. I plan on buying a ton more and freezing them for later.

Before I could figure out what to do with the beans, I had to clean them.  This was a process, but I did it in the afternoon and it took about 30 minutes.  Of course I googled it, I mean really what did we do before google?!

Step 1: De pod (see video) This was a great way for the kids to help!

Step 2: Heavily salt some boiling water and cook the beans for 3 minutes.

Step 3: Strain and submerge in an ice bath to stop the cooking process.

Step 4: Now you need to get them out of the outer skin.  To do this just squeeze one end it will just pop out.  As you can see from the picture, they will be as green as a pea!

Once you finish, you could freeze them for a rainy day, or cook em!  Once they were clean, I didn't get as much yield as I thought I would so I figured I would combine them with some frozen organic corn.  Looked up corn and fava beans on the web and found a recipe for risotto, yummy!  I have made risotto enough in my days to make it in my sleep.  Below is my standard risotto recipe, you can change up the broth and vege and the flavors will totally change.  I did follow the recipe for the basil mint pesto, OMG so good I will be making this again!! 

Corn and Fava Bean Risotto 

1 1/2 white onion chopped

4 cloves garlic minced

2 cups warm broth (I used vegetable broth) need to add this when it is warm, I just warm it on the stove in a sauce pan

1 cup fava beans 

2 cup corn

1/2 cup white wine

3/4 cup arborio rice

olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

4 tablespoons of mint-basil pesto

Step 1: In a deep skillet or pan, coat the bottom with olive oil. Add the garlic and onion and cook for 3ish minutes, until the onion is translucent.

Step 2: Add the rice and stir to combine with onion mixture, add the wine and ladle full of broth, stir.

Step 3: Keep on very low heat, the trick to risotto is not to hurry it, remember food is love.... when the rice has absorbed the broth add another ladle full.  Keep repeating this until broth is gone, should be about 20 minutes.  

Step 4: Check the tenderness of the rice, if it is al dente then it should have a little bite to the texture, it should not be crunchy, but also not mushy.  If you need to add more broth, do so and keep cooking.

Step 5: When the last of the broth is almost absorbed, add in the corn, beans, 4 tablespoons of the pesto and butter. The butter is not necessary but does give the risotto a great texture.  If you have had amazing risotto in a restaurant, it is because there is a lot more butter in it than you think there is ;)

I served it up with some grilled salmon the hubby made.  Seriously. this was a restaurant quality meal, it was so great I will be making it again!!  It could be amazing alone or even with chicken or other fish.

So don't be afraid of a new fruit, vegetable or grain.  Challenge yourself and just try it!  Next on my challenge list is... rhubarb.....

 ***

oh christina... are you kidding me!?  corn and fava bean risotto topped with salmon and a basil mint pesto?!?  that is crazy yums.  thanks for the delicious inspo, i think i might just conjure up the gumption to try this too:)

and i'll definitely be sipping a nice chianti with that.

xoxo

blow it up with breakfast cookies

this recipe is a trapper keeper.  it is a hot mama collaboration and i am so excited for you to try this crazy easy, adaptable recipe.  sooner than later, these puppies will go straight into my beach bag for some sandy summer snack noshing!!

Christina's breakfast cookies (*mullies add ons)

1.5 c organic oats

*1/2 c oat flour (optional - i just ground some up in my processor to make a finer powder)

2-3 super ripe bananas (i used 2)

1 c unsweetened organic applesauce (i used one individual serving cup from the store or grate an apple)

*1 organic pear grated

sprinkle of cinnamon

*2 heaping spoonfuls of organic raw almond butter

handful of mini dark chocolate chips

handful of raisins

*1/2 tsp sea salt

additional variations:

handful of nuts

handful of cranberries

protein powder

(insert your extra goodies here)

preheat oven to 350 degrees.  combine all ingredients in a bowl.  form into serving size balls and bakc for 30 minutes.  

smack myself in the face good.  these cookies did not last the day - they became the kids' snacks and dinner dessert.  yea baby!  she even wrote it into my little recipe diary... that's some special christina sauce right there;)

xoxo

hot mamas - whole fish grilling with christina

these are about the only whole fishies that have ever made their way into my house.  these wooden guys grace my front porch now that i have finally taken the winter decorations to the attic.  don't even say it... it's probably my fault chicago has had such a late spring.  last night i took down the voo doo vintage snow skis from my mantel.   sorry about that.

kurt & christina, i think you're gonna have to come over and do this with me.  i'm not sure if i have the gumption yet.  but you've got me thinking...  i could definitely do this, sooner than later... someday...

***

When you see fish fillets at the grocery store, you usually have no idea what the fish even looks like that that fillet is from, sometimes they are VERY ugly (google "monk fish", now that is a seriously ugly fish!)  I urge you not the be afraid of the beautiful whole fish sitting right there in front of you!  A great starting fish is the red snapper.  It is mild, smallish and hard to screw up!!  

When choosing a fresh fish look for the following:

1.  If it is not gutted yet, please ask the fish counter guy to gut it for you, they will. Trust me, you don't want to have to do this at home!  

2.  Look for clear eyes, this means the fishy is fresh.

3.  Ask to smell the fish, no really ASK.  It should smell like the sea with a tiny fish smell.

4.  If you don't know or are nervous to pick out your own, ask when it came in or for the fish monger to pick out the best one for you.  Around the Mundelein area, I really prefer Sunset Foods in Libertyville.  The guys that work behind the counter know their stuff, are super helpful, and their fish is the best in the area.

Ingredients:

2 medium snapper, cleaned

1 lemon, sliced into disks

1 orange, sliced into disks

few sprigs of italian parsley, thyme, and oregano

salt

pepper

Olive oil

Directions:

Lay the fish out on a cookie sheet.

With a knife, lightly score through the skin on both sides.

Coat the outer skin on both sides in olive oil, salt and pepper.

In the cavity of the fish lay out a layer of citrus and a few sprigs of each herb.

My hubby prefers to use a charcoal grill and cook indirectly but you can use your gas grill too.

Lay the fish right on the grates, cook for 4-5 minutes on the first side.  during this time DO NOT TOUCH THE FISH!!!!! If you try to move the fish before the side is cooked, it will start to fall apart.

Flip over and cook another 4-5 minutes.  It is done when the liquids run clear and the fish begins to flake.

Once it is on a clean plate, you can carefully peel off the skin, it should pull right off.  Then run your fork or knife along the fillet and it should come off in pieces.  NOTE> be careful of bones, they are very small and almost clear.  I always pick through before I give to my kids!

Super yummy, healthy, and not many dirty dishes!!!  We served it with grilled, whole artichokes and my raw zucchini salad - I threw that in for ya too!!  Best part of this meal, everything is cooked out side!  Perfect for Summer on a hot day!

Raw zucchini salad

* this is a great recipe for kids to help with!!

Ingredients:

2 zucchini

1/2 lemon, juiced

olive oil

salt pepper

maybe some red wine vinegar if you want

Directions:

With your vege peeler slice the zucchini in long ribbons, you do this by running the peeler down the length of the zucchini and add into a bowl.

Once both are peeled add the juice of 1/2 lemon, about 1/4 cup of olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.  (I toss with my hands or have the kiddos help to that).

Let sit for 30 minutes, the acid in the lemon will break down the zucchini a bit and it softens.  

Taste and flavor additionally to your personal taste, maybe add some vinegar if you want a little more tang.  You can also sprinkle with parmesan cheese when you serve.

***

thanks hot mama!!  i wrote this recipe down in my little book. 

i think we're having a whole fish fry on the lake soon:) 

happy monday fun-day.

xoxo

hot mamas - inspiring gluten-free crepes

super excited to have a hot mama guest post today!  dawn has been making gradual moves into a food change for her family and i am celebrating with her today over crepes - her family is hooked!

this song is on my "cook you fool" playlist which goes on every night to turn the happy light on in my head.  sometimes, i'm pumped to cook, sometimes the dog's are barking.  i heard it first walking on the treadmill at the Y the other day.   i'm sure people were wondering why i was smiling like an idiot staring off into space... i of course was thinking about cooking, all the rain we've been getting here in chicago and the guts that it takes to start making a food change.

"let it rain", be brave and fearless.  sara wrote this song when she was scared out of her mind to make an album.  well, i'm sure glad she did...it's one of my favorites:)

this is for dawn and for all the hotties out there making small changes in their homes.

you gotta love it.

sara bareilles - let the rain

take it away dawn...

***

Here are my pics of the crepe making!  These are so yummy for breakfast OR dessert!  I just need to get the "gluten free" vanilla and then these will be totally gluten free.  Ben of course loves the homemade whipped cream!!  They are really awesome - I'm going to make them for dessert one day when I have a party or something.

My husband Sam said there was a stand in Breckenridge where they actually make the crepes and stuff them with whatever u want.  Sounds so good!

Thanks Lindsey for inspiring me!!

***
holy mackerel does that look good... i want to lick the spatula too...

the crepe, whipped cream and raspberry sauce recipes can all be found in peter and kelli's gluten free artisanal glutenifree cooking cookbook - here is a blogpost about it.  yet another reason that book will never leave our kitchens.

it's funny how the inspiring goes...i inspire her, she inspires me...i haven't made the crepes yet and oh boy do i hope to be tackling them this week.

this is super hot stuff, thank you SO MUCH my dear:)

"let the rain come down and make a brand new ground." 


keep rocking it out.

xoxo

clean food = clean brains and bodies

mark hyman on the food link to ADHD

this is a short clip from a dr mark hyman.  he is talking about a little boy in this clip, but he might as well have been talking about abbie.  warning: it's a tad cheesy and very infomercial-ish.  i have not read his book,  the ultramind solution yet, but i certainly believe that food is medicine after our experience with abbie.  our family food change resulted in success i never could have imagined her experiencing at school this year.  

i seems like i meet a mom or dad everyday who made a food change to help their kids with great success.  there are a lot of us out there!  some of us are vocal, some of us keep it close to the vest.  it's still seen as a "radical" or unrealistic way to approach ADHD and sensory processing issues and i am hoping to help change that perception.  

here is a little spring break update from my hot mama shelley that is so telling of the power of clean, un-processed food:

***

During vacation Ana was on a free for all eating frenzy … holy cow!  The girl was a nut job, ADHD to the ceiling & back, crabby & arguing with me about everything – four days back home – eating the right foods, no gluten, regular vitamins & minerals, balanced meals  and Ana’s back! Thank goodness because I thought about leaving her on the roadside somewhere between here and Florida. 

***

nuff said, right?  i love it!

sharing some goodies with you today - i recently bought two books that i'm currently devouring.  

first of all, gwyneth's book it's all good is e.x.a.c.t.l.y what i have been looking for - it is how i cook today:

gluten free
dairy free (sheep's and goat milk included though, YES!)
processed sugar free

i also own her previous cookbook, my father's daughter and love it...i just make my gf flour & non-dairy substitutions when needed.  i am so happy to have them both in my kitchen.

secondly, can i just tell you how bummed to be out of the diaper stage - ONLY because i never got the opportunity to try jessica's honest brand diapers.  i finally checked out her honest.com website and i'm super impressed...definitely going to buy her sunscreen for the family!!!  so far, the honest life is light hearted, real and very informative.  (i think i read every book review before i purchased it)  i'm so happy it's mine to mark up, highlight and quote.  it's girly, it's enthusiastic... i find myself saying, "yes, yes YES" to myself and out loud as her journey down the rabbit hole has been so parallel to mine.  it makes my smile and feel like i have a friend who has already paved the way for me.  i can stop googling the sh*$ out myself trying to find good, quality information and just sit with a wonderfully researched book.  heaven.

who has the time to read books?  well, i do, cuz i'm not cleaning up this mess just yet.  the worst of it?  my laundry room is out of control...

something's gotta give and you know what?  it's all good.

hot mamas & papas - cook your fannies off campers

holy smokes!  i gots me four hot mamas and one hot papa to boot sharing their goodies for my foodies.

whooooooo-eeeeeeeeeee - it's getting hot in here....... so put your apron on...

hope you like what these peeps are bringin in their kitchens!!!

first up:

take a gander at what my hot chimmie in indy is doing with her lovely ladies...

how awesome is this!?  these fit mamas all get together once a week & they juice their little brains out for the ENTIRE week.  oh.my.word.  that is just ridonculous!!  i cannot wait to crash your juicing parties some day!!!!  hhmmmmm, i wonder how much it would cost to have you send me weekly shipments up to chi-town...:)  hee hee.

and now for denver's one and only hot papa & mama:  dan & katie's (sister love) mega amazing 

black bean cakes...yums in my tums.

put that on my list of must-make's...foh shohs.

and that is one hot mama megan with her spagetti squash and brussel sprouts.  and she quotes:  "We had to cheer them on to finish, let me tell ya!  But next time we will use spaghetti sauce instead of butter."

word to the mothers.  sauce it up.  or try this recipe i just found:  spaghetti squash, brussel sprouts and chick peas

and last but certainly not least:

take it away hotsie totsie christina!

***

It's winter, it's cold, I have a handful of winter vegetables wasting away on my counter.  What to do, what to do???  Make soup of course!  I made it a SOUPER SATURDAY and whipped up 2 yummy soups.

First off I was inspired by Lindsey's celery soup recipe here..... I am not a fan of cooked celery, honestly, I only like it raw with vege dip on it.  But I had a celery root and a bag of celery, what else could I do with it?  Whipped it up and had it for dinner.  I wasn't sure the kids would like it.  I mean, it does look a little strange, but both ate their entire bowl!  Ava (my 5 year old) especially loved it!  Next time I get some leftover celery, I know just what to do with it.

Now onto the mess of vegetables... I didn't really have enough of one type of vege to make as a dinner side dish, so I thought a roasted vege soup was in store of us.  I am about to freak you out here, but I didn't use a recipe.  This is why I don't really bake very much, you can't just throw some stuff together and have something good to eat.  I love the creativity cooking allows me!

So here is how I made my...

Christina's Roasted Winter Vege Soup:

1.  Mixed bunch of organic vegetables:  1 small butternut squash, 2 sweet potatoes, 1 white onion, 3 stalks celery, 6 carrots, 4 parsnips.  Cut everything up into similar size pieces, no need to peel anything yet, coat in olive oil, salt and pepper and roast at 350 degrees until the vege is fork tender.  You could also add any fresh herbs like sage, rosemary, or thyme (yes, like the old song!) but I didn't have any.

COOKING TIP: I used 2 baking sheets one for the carrots and parsnips, the other for the squash and potatoes.  After roasting the squash and potatoes for about 20 minutes, I added the celery and onion to the baking sheet since they cook faster. You could use any vege you have on hand, even throw in an apple to get crazy, whatever you have works!

half way though cooking...

so pretty!

2.  I did all of this at about noon, let everything cool.  Then I peeled the potatoes and squash.  The potato skin came right off with my hands, I used a paring knife to peel away the squash skin.  It was much easier to do this now, as opposed to before I cooked it!

3.  Then I threw all the vege into my Vitamix (or use a blender/food processor and work in batches).  It actually all fit!  Slowly turned it to high, then slowly added organic chicken stock (Costco has a great one we buy).  You could also use vege stock if you wanted to go all vege.  I left it kind of thick because I am going to freeze it to use another day.  It smelled amazing!  I of course sampled and it was AWESOME!!!  I plan to make come homemade garlic bread or croutons to have with it to round out the meal.

So next time you have a cold, winter Saturday, turn it into a SOUPER SATURDAY!!!

***

thank you my dearies, that was souper, duper-fab:)


speaking of super fab...this dr oz link should get you real excited...the gig on artificial color is officially up:  dr oz and artificial color - a kraft mac & cheese petition goes viral

can i get a what WHAT!?!?

& happy weekend to all you crazy daisies.



ps

the mullies will be taking a break for the next week....don't get your panties in a bunch...i expect big st patrick's day celebrations and prayers for the end of our long chicago winter.



pps


i just can't stop...

this is what makes me happy - camp, retainers and music...i love you banner day camp:

jt - jimmy - retainers - africa - toto...take me away

muah allen - these are the days.

xoxo