Pecan Crusted Tilapia

I will start by saying, I am not a fan of fish.  I am not a fan of any seafood for that matter.  However, I do experiment now and then with certain fish.  Tilapia is one I like when it is done right.  Most recipes though, include things like bread crumbs, flour, corn meal, etc.  All of these add a lot of carbs.  I remembered that I used to order pecan-crusted chicken salad at a restaurant which we no longer have locally.  So, I thought I would try it myself.  This went over very well with me and J.  I would like to play around a bit more with the crust to make it stick a little better, but it was good whether I perfect that part or not.

Ingredients:
2-3 tilapia fillets (if you need more, double the recipe)
2 large eggs (If you would like to cut down on some fat, you can use egg whites)
3/4 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 cup ground pecans (I used a spice grinder)
1/2 cup chopped/crushed pecans (I used a mallet and a plastic zip bag)
salt and pepper
season salt
lemon juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup mayonnaise
lemon wedges (optional)
Olive oil spray

Directions:
Preheat the broiler to high.  In a shallow dish, mix the eggs or add egg whites.  In another shallow dish, combine pecans, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.  Sprinkle each fillet with season salt, then dip each in egg, and cover with the pecan mixture.  Then place them on a broiler pan coated with olive oil spray.  Broil each side for 5-6 minutes, or until done. 
Mix together the mayo and lemon juice.  Feel free to sprinkle some lemon juice on top of the fish fillets as well.  If you like, you could add some dill or pickle juice to the mayo sauce.  We don't like dill or pickle juice but many people like that taste with fish.

Chicken Burrito Salad

It is more important than ever for my family to eat healthy.  I have been working almost daily to find winning dishes that satisfy all of the needs and picky taste buds.

Ingredients:
Chicken Burrito Salad:
3-4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
Taco Seasoning (I use my own you can find here.)
Green Leaf Lettuce (You can use your favorite lettuce.)
Roma Tomatoes
1-2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
Favorite Salsa

Dressing:
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
Juice of One Lime
2 Tbsp. Favorite Salsa


Directions:
Cut chicken breasts into bite-sized chunks and toss into a pan with the olive oil over medium-high heat.  After the chicken starts to cook, add in the taco seasoning.  I don't measure the taco seasoning.  I season to taste.  Stir around the chicken regularly until almost done.  Add in some of your favorite salsa. Cook until chicken is done and most of the water has cooked out of the salsa.

While the chicken is cooking, prepare the salad bed.  I used green leaf lettuce because that is my favorite.  Tear it into bite sized pieces and dice up a tomato.  Add the chicken on top.

For the dressing, stir together all ingredients and pour the desired amount over the chicken and salad.

No-No Corn Ingredients List

This is a list I have been working on for awhile.  There are other lists floating around but I wanted a handy list for my family.  Some of these ingredients are not ALWAYS made from corn but often are so they are not safe ingredients unless they specifically state that they are NOT sourced from corn.  These are ingredients which have been present in products to which L has had a reaction. They could be in foods or medicines.  She has an intolerance so her reaction is mostly intestinal/gastric but eventually shows on her skin as well.  Some with an allergy or intolerance can tolerate certain corn products depending on how they are processed but at this point, most don't know without trying the product to see if there is a reaction.

No-No Corn Ingredients List 

• acetic acid
• alcohol
• artificial flavorings
• artificial sweeteners
• ascorbates
• ascorbic acid
• aspartame
• astaxanthin
• baking powder
• barley malt
• bleached flour
• blended sugar
• brown sugar
• calcium citrate
• calcium fumarate
• calcium gluconate
• calcium lactate
• calcium magnesium acetate
• calcium stearate
• calcium stearoyl lactylate
• caramel
• caramel color
• carbonmethylcellulose sodium
• cellulose microcrystalline
• cellulose, methyl
• cellulose, powdered
• cetearyl glucoside
• choline chloride
• citric acid
• citrus cloud emulsion
• cocoglycerides
• confectioners sugar
• corn
• corn alcohol
• corn gluten
• corn extract
• corn glour
• corn oil
• corn starch
• corn sweetener
• corn sugar
• corn syrup
• corn syrup solids
• cornmeal
• cornstarch, cornflour
• crosscarmellose sodium
• cyclodextrin
• DATUM
• decyl glucoside
• decyl polyglucose
• dextrin
• dextrose
• diglycerides
• distilled white vinegar
• drying agent
• erythritol
• ethanol
• ethylcellulose
• ethylene
• ethyl acetate
• ethyl alcohol
• ethyl lactate
• ethyl maltol
• fibersol
• flavorings
• food starch
• fructose
• fumaric acid
• germ
• gluconate
• gluconic acid
• gluconolactone
• glucosamine
• glucose
• glutamate
• gluten
• glycerides
• glycerin
• glycerol
• golden syrup
• grits
• high fructose corn syrup
• hominy
• honey
• hydrolyzed corn/corn protein
• hydrolyzed vegetable protein
• hydroxypropyl methylcellulose
• inositol
• invert syrup/sugar
• iodized salt
• lactate
• lactic acid
• lauryl glucoside
• lecithin
• linoleic acid
• lysine
• magnesium citrate
• magnesium fumarate
• magnesium stearate
• maize
• malic acid
• malonic acid
• malt
• malt syrup
• malt extract
• malted barley
• maltitol
• maltodextrin
• maltol
• maltose
• mannitol
• methyl gluceth
• methyl glucose
• methyl glucoside
• methylcellulose
• microcrystaline cellulose
• modified cellulose gum
• modified corn starch
• modified food starch
• molasses
• monoglycerides
• Monosodium glutamate
• MSG
• natural flavors
• olestra/olean
• polenta
• polydextrose
• polylactic acid
• polysorbates
• polyvinyl acetate
• potassium citrate
• potassium fumarate
• potassium gluconate
• powdered sugar
• pregelatinized starch
• propionic acid
• propylene glycol
• propylene glycol monostearate
• saccharin
• salt
• semolina (unless from wheat only)
• simethicone
• sodium carboxymethylcellulose
• sodium citrate
• sodium erythorbate
• sodium fumarate
• sodium lactate
• sodium starch glycolate
• sodium stearoyl fumrate
• sorbate
• sorbic acid
• sorbitan
• sorbitol
• sorghum
• splenda
• starch 
• stearic acid
• stearoyls
• sucralose
• sugar
• threonine
• tocopherol
• treacle
• triethyl citrate
• unmodified starch
• vanilla
• vanilla extract
• vanillin
• vegetable anything that isn't specific
• vinegar
• vinyl acetate
• vitamin A palmitate
• vitamin C
• vitamin E
• vitamins
• xanthan gum
• xylitol
• yeast/yeast extract
• zea mays
• zein

Natural All Purpose Cleaner

Vinegar and Citrus Peels: All Purpose Cleaner

Ingredients:
Vinegar
Citrus peels (orange, lemon, lime)

Directions:
In a large jar, pour vinegar over citrus peels.  Allow to soak for a week or so.  Pour into a squirt bottle with a little hot/warm water.

I use this to clean counters and appliances mostly but I have also used it on the tile floors.  The citrus helps to deter most insects as well.  The only thing it doesn't seem to keep away is ants.  We still have trouble with ants and can't find anything that keeps them gone.  But the citrus works to keep out spiders and other insects.

I don't have a picture of this.  I never think to take one when I make a new jar.  One of these days, I will remember and add a picture.  This method has been shared all over Pinterest and other social media.  It does work, is easy, and is cheap.  We already use citrus.  Now we just keep the peels in a jar for cleaner.

Homemade Body Scrub (Oh, and I'm Back... Again...)

Hello again!  I deleted my last 'I'm back' post because (obviously) I wasn't really back.  I fully intended to be, but you know, life happened.  So... Much... Life...  So first, I will update.  I mostly blog for myself, my family, and my friends.  I hope I can help a few others out there too, but it is primarily for us.  This is basically a catalog of information through our crazy journey.  It all started when I had my own medical struggles and then my daughter had hers too.  Now, I see so many others going through similar struggles.  I hope I can help them too.  I thought about just making the blog completely private so it didn't matter when I updated.  However, I have had so many through my daughter's issues ask me to keep going, that I am going to keep it mostly available for others as well.  However, posts may be sporadic and mostly caught up during summer break.  I am on summer break right now.  My summer breaks aren't really breaks.  I spend a lot of time at professional development and meeting with my team to plan our curriculum for next year.  The rest of the time, I spend planning our year of food and health at home for my family.  If you remember, my daughter cannot have corn.  Corn is in everything.  And I mean EVERYTHING!  I have learned much more about all of that since I posted last so I will try to update on that as I go.  We have also learned more about the delays this has caused for my daughter as well as other possible special needs for her academically.  We are still working on those.  It is a work in progress, but so far, we have had very supportive networks and teachers working with us even though we've had a not so supportive history of doctors.  She fits all of the newer research for learning and food needs.  I am thankful for the teachers, therapists, and specialists who have been so supportive and helpful.  Also, since my last post, I have had surgery and my husband has had a few surgeries.  Crazy, I know.  I had to have a hysterectomy.  Apparently, things were much worse than were showing up in blood tests and ultrasounds but I was in so much pain.  We only did a partial so I still have PCOS to deal with.  It was basically choose the hormone problem I'm used to or the opposite hormone problem.  Ugh!  So I am still fighting with hormones and weight.  Luckily, I've just gone back and forth and not gained all of what I lost back.  I am still smaller than I was when I had L by almost 20 pounds.  Hopefully, now that all of that is done, I can get back on track and keep losing.  J has lost a ton of weight though.  Good for him...  (*insert eye roll here*)  So there is a bit of an update for now.  Here is a recipe that won big as Christmas gifts this year: 

Coconut Body Scrub

Ingredients: 
3/4 cup raw organic sugar

1/2 cup coconut oil

preferred essential oil (optional)

Directions:

There are a few ways you can do this.  On my lower legs and arms, I use the sugar as is.  If I make one for my face and upper legs though, I put the sugar in my Ninja (food processor or blender) to make it a finer grain.  This is a preference though.  First I went ahead and softened the coconut oil just a bit. 10-15 seconds in the microwave is plenty.  You don't want it all liquid.  Mix it with the sugar. I used my hands and a good spatula to do this.  Then, if you want, you can add a few drops of an essential oil.  You can leave it just coconut.  I like this sometimes during the summer because coconut oil on it's own provides some UV protection.  But lavender oil (for relaxation) or lime (to wake you up) is sometimes nice too!  I mix it up.  I love to play with my oils.  Easy peasy!  

I didn't get any pictures of this when I did it at Christmas.  Silly me!  I will try to remember next time.  When I fixed these up for gifts, I just put some in little red ramekins with ribbons around them.  

Homemade Bug Spray

I am very allergic to mosquitoes!  They can make an entire limb swell up.  Then that will leave a bruise underneath for weeks.  It's painful rather than itchy.  BUT, I have never been able to wear bug spray either.  They all give me severe headaches and make my eyes swell up.  I spent a lot of very hot summer days and nights in long sleeves, long pants and boots because of this.  After my daughter was born, I didn't want to risk any of it so I started experimenting with natural, homemade bug sprays.  I've tried many but one worked better than any others.  That is this one.  Some put lavender instead of eucalyptus.  I tried that and still had several bites.  I tried tea tree oil as well.  Tea tree seems to work for ticks but I still had mosquito bites.  After using this spray, my daughter and I had zero, yes I said ZERO bites.  If you follow my blog, you have seen my carpet treatment for fleas.  It uses eucalyptus oil as well.  I believe eucalyptus is just a great bug deterrent.  (FYI, it's also good for clearing sinuses.  Just put a few drops in each corner of your shower before taking a hot, steamy shower.)  I didn't make a fancy bottle for this or anything.  I just bought a little spray bottle from Walmart or Target.

Natural Bug Spray Recipe:

Ingredients:
3.5 ounces Witch Hazel
Equal parts:
       -Lemongrass Oil
       -Eucalyptus Oil
       -Citronella Oil

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a 4 ounce spray bottle.  Shake well before each use.  Spray just like any other bug spray.  Repeat as needed.



I hope it works as well for you as it did for my family!

Weight Loss and Life Update

I thought this might be a good time for an update.  I know I haven't been blogging on a regular basis in quite awhile.  However, I do plan to add many posts this summer.  This month I am teaching summer school so I am not actually on summer break yet.  But next month, when I am on summer break, I will work on some new recipes and blog posts.  BUT, I wanted to update everyone who wants to know about my weight loss progress.

I have had so many people ask me which diet I am on.  They are always surprised and a bit annoyed when I tell them what I am really doing.  This isn't a diet.  "Diets" do not work.  Lifestyle is key.  I changed everything about how I think about food.  I learned how to cook in a completely different way.  It isn't convenient to do this and it isn't a temporary "diet."  This is a lifelong change.  If you diet and then go back to what you were doing before, it is only logical that you would gain it all back.  By doing that, you are repeating the same mistakes you have made over and over again.  That just doesn't make any sense.  But we seem to do it anyway.  And doctors, the people we are supposed to be able to trust and depend on to help us be healthy, are the ones making the same mistakes and telling us to do these diets that don't make any sense.  I will never go back and my family will be better for it.  It is hard.  It takes a lot of time and it isn't cheap with the way our society is now.  But I have tested it and it is almost as expensive to buy boxed and canned meals now.  It is more expensive to pay medical and prescription bills for the illnesses that come from eating horribly and becoming obese and unhealthy.

As of a week ago, I have lost 79 pounds so far.  It has taken two and a half years to get that far but slow is healthier.  It gives your skin time to catch up when you have such a large weight loss and it gives your body time to adjust.  I still have quite a bit to go but I feel so much better.  So I'll share a picture.  I took a picture at the beginning of my weight loss and lifestyle change journey.  I took another picture at 62 pounds down.  I took another picture tonight.  The three are fused together to show the progress thus far.  You can judge for yourself how well it is going.

Homemade Lotion

Here is the recipe for the lotion I promised after the lotion bars.  My mother in law loves this.  She has circulation problems in her legs and they itch and break out.  This lotion has helped it heal when nothing else has.  I never thought about that when I made it but I'm ecstatic that it helped her so much.  I hope it can help more people too.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup almond oil (if you need to be nut free you can use olive or grapeseed)
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/8 cup beeswax
1/2 tsp. vitamin E oil
30 drops essential oil (optional)

Directions:
Add all ingredients to a mason jar.  Add 1-2 inches of water in a sauce pan and put on medium heat.  Put the jar in the sauce pan and shake the ingredients periodically while melting.  When everything is melted and mixed, pour into containers.  I used some squeeze bottles for this lotion.  It seems to be thin enough to use in a pump but I have not tried it that way yet.  If you put it in a jar or container that can't be squeezed, you may need to stir it up after it cools.

I made this for Christmas presents.  I will update later when I know how everyone liked it.  I like it so far.  I've been using coconut oil on my hands and body for awhile but it is a pain to melt every time you need to use it.  This way I can put it in a container and it is ready to use.  It is a little greasy, but I've never found a lotion I thought wasn't greasy or oily.  I have had the best luck squeezing it out onto the back of my hand, then spreading it around so the majority of the oil is on the back of my hand.  If my palms and fingers feel to oily, I usually just grab a dry rag or towel (or if I'm out- a paper towel) and wipe off my palms.  I have really bad excema that flairs up worse in the winter.  My hands will crack and bleed.  And no lotion works.  In fact, most of them burn, break me out, or make the excema worse.  Even the prescription ointments I was given didn't work.  I also have patches on my arms and legs.  I'm lucky that I don't get them on my face like some people I know.  But if you or someone you know has trouble with skin issues or allergies to topical products, this may help them.

I did not come up with this recipe myself, of course.  I did, however, edit the ones I found until it worked for me.  I had four different lotion recipes that I used to change things around until it came out the way I wanted.

I will add pictures next time I make this.  I focused on pictures of the lotion bars and completely forgot about them by the time I did this lotion.

Coconut Lotion Bars

I was recently (finally) diagnosed with excema.  Although I've ALWAYS known I had it.  I'm allergic to every lotion out there.  My breakouts get worse in the winter of course and I get patches up my arms and around my thighs.  And the backs of my hands crack and bleed.  But lotion breaks me out and burns like my hands are on fire.  And they turn really, really, REALLY red.  And it is all getting worse with age.  So this year I decided to do something about it and make my own lotion.  I even shared the experience and made several bars for family at Christmas.  So far everyone has liked my lotions.  I made liquid lotion too and I'll post the instructions for that later.  This though, is for the bar.  I like it the best.  But the other lotion is better for using with the child.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup Shea butter (if you need to make this nut free, I believe you could substitute cocoa butter)
2/3 cup beeswax pastilles
1/2 tsp. vitamin E oil
20-30 drops essential oils (optional for scent)

Directions:
Combine ingredients in a quart size mason jar (with lid to prevent water from damaging lotion bar mixture).  Fill a sauce pan with about two inches of water and place over medium to medium-high heat.  Bring the water to a simmer and shake up the jar periodically while the contents melt.  When everything is liquid, pour into molds.  I had plastic soap-making molds.  You could use silicon molds, especially if you like them enough to make them more than once.  It is hard to pop these out of glass or metal molds/pans.  Let molds set overnight.  Carefully pop out of molds.  I wrapped them in cellophane to give as gifts at Christmas.  I also kept some for myself.  These are great to use after showers, shaving and washing dishes.

If these get a little to soft or start melting, you can harden it back up by sticking it in the fridge for awhile.  The cold temperatures will harden the coconut oil and Shea butter.

I did not come up with this recipe at all so I need to give credit.  I, of course, found it on pinterest.  You can find the original post where I got the recipe HERE.

Throwing Out That Toxic Shampoo

Yes, I did it.  I was VERY skeptical of the "no poo" fad.  I have always struggled with very oily hair.  And I mean OILY!  I wash my hair every morning and by noon I was usually putting it up because it was already getting oily.  And it made me mad because people always said to wash it less.  The reason it was oily was because I was supposedly washing it too much.  The whole reason I started washing it so much was because it got that oily!!!  And there is no shampoo that works for oily hair.  If you have dry or frizzy or colored or curly hair, you have you pick of shampoos and brands.  But if you have oily?  There are maybe three shampoos you can find.  I've tried everything.  I also struggled with dandruff and sensitive skin.  I have allergies to so many lotions, soaps, shampoos, etc.  I recently had a friend take the plunge and try the "no poo" method.  After about six months, she and her whole household were still using it and were believers.  I visited them and they looked great and were so happy with the decision that I decided to give it a shot.  I'm glad I did.  It took about two weeks for my hair to really even out but after that it is so soft and smooth.  It has body/volume, less dandruff, and I can leave it down all day and when I go to bed at night it still isn't oily.  I have been amazed.  I am going to tell you how I do this but there really is no RIGHT way.  You have to experiment a little to find the right way for you.  I still wash my hair with the mixture every morning.  I find my hair does best that way.  My daughter's hair is only being washed twice a week now but she is only three and that is what works best for her.  My friend uses the mixture on her hair a few times a week now and just scrubs with water in between.  It depends on your hair (texture, thickness, dry/oily, etc.).

So here is what I do.  For the shampoo, I mix about 2 Tbsp. baking soda with about a cup of water. (If you have extra dry hair, you should only use 1 Tbsp. because baking soda can dry.)  I put this in a spray bottle that I got at Walmart or Target.  Shake it up and spray it all over wet hair.  I have a LOT of hair so I pick up my hair and spray it in layers.  Some people only have to spray it on top then scrub it in.  Experiment and find what works for you.  There are also several helpful videos on YouTube that can help you find different methods.  Scrub it in and scrub your scalp.  I let this sit in my hair a few minutes while I do some other stuff.  Then rinse thoroughly.

For the conditioner, (you won't want to skip this, even if you are like me and have oily hair), mix 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar in about a cup of water.  I put this in another spray bottle.  This one I just spray over the top of my hair.  If you have really dry hair, you may want to spray more.  I've also seen people who have really dry hair mix half cup cider vinegar with half cup water.  More vinegar means more moisture.  Let this sit for a few minutes too.  Then rinse thoroughly.  Don't worry, if you rinse thoroughly, your hair won't smell like the apple cider vinegar.  I've asked.  Nobody has been able to smell it.

Really, you should try this.  Read the ingredients in your shampoo and tell me you think those ingredients are okay.  Especially if you have crazy skin reactions like I do.  Or major issues with your hair or dandruff like I did.

Menu Board

This is one of the other projects I am very proud of.  I started meal planning and I use a board to plan the whole month at a time.  I was inspired by someone else's blog.  You can view it HERE.  She made a menu board and actually sells them or the components of them.  I did a board very similar but modified it to fit my family's needs.  It is a work in progress.  As I get more completed I will update but this is a start and it is working very well so far.  I am spending way less money on groceries and wasting less food.  I hate waste and I hate spending money.  Just ask my husband.

How it works:
I go through my recipes (books, pinterest, emails, websites, blogs, friends...) and print several off.  As I get more completed I will have my own recipe cards to use.  I have templates on the computer and recipe cards started but only a few so far.  I actually copy the recipes as I put them here on my blog and paste them into my card templates.  I have several different categories of foods (i.e. chicken, beef, mexican, pasta, breakfast, salad, beverages, desserts, etc.) and I will print each category on a different color of card stock.  I will then put them in a recipe box which I have yet to buy.  I will explain more about that later as I get it finished.  When I have the menus planned, I go through each week and make a grocery list for each week using the recipes.  The grocery lists are held on the side with magnets.  I also have a miscellaneous grocery list for other things we need around the house that are not food and I get those as I can.  I also have a no no food list on that side which lists food ingredients my daughter cannot have since she is allergic to corn.  This helps when other people cook so they can check ingredients.  Corn is hidden in so many things and goes by so many names.  We are still learning.  On the bottom of the board is a cork board strip with push pins.  Those will be used later but I have not really used them yet.  I have many more plans to implement.

Here is a picture of the board so far.  I also use dry erase markers of different colors to show the different food categories.  Some are doubled because there are only so many colors you can get in dry erase markers.  But it helps to see the variety in the menu.  This picture is from this month and I implemented the board half way through the month so it is only halfway filled out.  Next month it will be full.

Homemade Baking Soda Air Fresheners

I have been working to find healthier options for air fresheners.  I hate spraying the chemicals from the spray cans around my family and I've always hated the smell.  I also recently read that new studies are showing that scented candles are possibly causing some breathing problems later in life.  And I cannot use soy candles due to hormone issues.  I've been told by multiple sources to minimize my exposure to soy.  So, the only good option for scented candles is expensive beeswax candles.  That's fine now and then but not all the time.  I like to have a great smelling home.  I am working on some sprays using essential oils so stay tuned for those.  But for now, this really works.  This could also be a cute gift.

Ingredients and materials:
small mason jar
¼ cup baking soda
1 tsp. of your favorite scent of essential oil
scrap of material big enough to cover the mouth of the jar
pen
scissors

Instructions:
Take the lid off of the jar and pull the middle out.  Trace around the lid (the part that comes out).  Discard that part of the lid because you won't need it.  I saved mine in a drawer in case I want it later.  Cut about a half inch outside the circle you traced. Pour the baking soda and essential oil into the jar. Stir together.  Put the material over the top and pull as tight as you can and screw on the lid.  I used eucalyptus oil and it smells great.  I've gotten tons of compliments.  I put this one in the bathroom but I will be making more for the kitchen and living area.  When the scent starts to fade, just give the jar a little shake.  I don't know how long it will last until it needs to be replaced but so far mine has lasted for two weeks and I only shook it once.

And of course, here's a picture:

This project was adapted from the recipe HERE.