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Healthy Treat for Today: Creamy Pudding

February 19, 2008 by Laura 122 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

Today, I am sharing recipes for three varieties of YUMMY Creamy Pudding! Just look at all these wholesome ingredients!

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And…if you put all or some of those wonderful ingredients together…you’ll get these:
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Aaaand…if you put all those three together…and put real whipped cream on top…you’ll get this:
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Creamy Vanilla PuddingYum

2 1/2 cups milk
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup real maple syrup (grade B is best for you) or honey
4 Tablespoons arrowroot powder (or organic corn starch)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 Tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a medium saucepan, whisk together milk, egg yolks, maple syrup, arrowroot powder and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring CONSTANTLY until pudding begins to thicken. Stir over the heat for about 15 more seconds. Remove immediately from the heat, and continue to stir until pudding is creamy. (I use my whisk the whole time for stirring and find this works great!)  Add butter and vanilla and continue to stir until mixed. Pour into serving dishes and serve warm, or chill for two hours and serve cold.

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Butterscotch Creamy Pudding

2 1/2 cups milk
3 egg yolks
2/3 cup sucanat (dehydrated cane sugar juice…has a wonderful “molassasy” taste!)
4 Tablespoons arrowroot powder (or organic corn starch)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
3 Tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a medium saucepan, whisk together milk, egg yolks, sucanat, arrowroot powder and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring CONSTANTLY until pudding begins to thicken. Remove immediately from the heat, and continue to stir until pudding is creamy. Add butter and vanilla and continue to stir until mixed. Pour into serving dishes and serve warm, or chill for two hours and serve cold.

Chocolate Creamy Pudding

2 1/2 cups milk
3 egg yolks
2/3 cup sucanat or 1/2 cup real maple syrup
1/4 cup cocoa powder
4 Tablespoons arrowroot powder (or organic corn starch)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
3 Tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a medium saucepan, whisk together milk, egg yolks, sucanat or maple syrup, cocoa, arrowroot powder and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring CONSTANTLY until pudding begins to thicken. Remove immediately from the heat, and continue to stir until pudding is creamy. Add butter and vanilla and continue to stir until mixed. Pour into serving dishes and serve warm, or chill for two hours and serve cold.

Oh, and just a couple of tips to make SURE your pudding is super good:

1. Enlist the help of an blond headed eight year old (or a close equivilent).

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2. Be sure to have a short, cute taste tester on hand for quality control purposes. (I have some taller taste testers around here somewhere…guess they didn’t smell the “purding” cooking like the little guy did.)

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Healthy Treat for Today: Peanut Butter Honey Bars (Gluten free!)

February 19, 2008 by Laura 29 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

 Today begins my new series of posts in which I will share recipes for yummy, healthy treats for you to make for your family.

You’ll appreciate these recipes if you:

a) Took the NO SUGAR Plunge.
b) Want to take the NO SUGAR Plunge.
c) Have never heard of the NO SUGAR Plunge.
d) Like yummy food.
e) Have a family who likes to eat.
f) Want to avoid white sugar and white flour.
g) Want to make the most of every bite you put into your mouth.
h) Some of the above.
i) None of the above.
j) All of the above. 

(I’m sorry, but if you chose ( j ), I must let you know that that particular option is not really an option…as you can not take the plunge having never heard of the plunge…nor can you “some of the above” at the same time as you can “none of the above”. If you chose ( j ), it would appear that you eat way too much sugar to function properly, proving that you should really take the NO SUGAR Plunge with us!)

My goal with these recipes is to help us all to be able to offer our families special dishes/desserts/drinks/snacks that we can feel good about. They will not have any processed sugars or flours in them…and as much as I can…I’ll try to post recipes that don’t even have flour at all! 

And here…is the promised recipe for Peanut Butter Honey Bars:

1 cup peanut butter (be sure to use natural peanut butter with only peanuts and salt in the ingredient list!)
1/2 cup honey
1 egg
1/4 t. vanilla
1/8 cup sesame seeds

Mix all ingredients well. Spread mixture into a 8×8 pan. (I used a baking stone)  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Allow bars to cool completely before cutting. 

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Yum

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These Peanut Butter Honey Bars are moist and satisfying! And so easy to make!

Stay tuned for more yummy recipes! Soon to come (listed in no particular order):

*Super Smoothies*
*Creamy Pudding*
*Fruit Cobbler*
*Coconut Macaroons*
*Limeade*

And oh so many more! I can’t wait to share these with you! 

Be sure to leave a comment to let us all know how you’re doing with the Plunge…or if you’d like to jump in with us!

And be sure to come back tomorrow for another recipe to treat your family. I’m not sure…but I’m leaning toward the Creamy Pudding…

Any votes on that one?

You’ll find MANY more “natural sugar” treat recipes here!

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GRATITUESDAY: The Computer

February 19, 2008 by Laura 1 Comment

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

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My computer might seem like a silly thing to “feature” this Gratituesday…but just hear me out.

Our family has not had a computer at home for very long. Since getting one, a whole new world has been opened up to me…and well…I’m lovin’ it!

My kids can do research and find things that would either not have been possible without a computer, or at the very least would have been VERY hard to come by.

My husband and I can find all KINDS of helpful information…anytime we need to.

But more importantly, I’m loving the connection with people! 

Email is wonderful! (I know, I know…that’s old news. But I haven’t been able to freely enjoy it until now…so indulge me a little. And MAYBE you have been taking email for granted just a little bit…do you think?)

(Why, back in my day, we had to write letters with a quill using our own blood as ink and deliver the letter on foot without shoes in the scorching heat on hard rocks carrying our lame horse uphill…)

And beyond that, the whole website/bloggy world out there…what an invention! Here we are all connecting to one another, encouraging each other, sharing laughs. What a joy!

The NO SUGAR Plunge…I could NOT do  it without you! And look at you…If you took the plunge yourself, haven’t you found it encouraging to meet here and join with others who were accepting the same challenge? Even if you didn’t take the plunge, you’re still participating with us by encouraging us and checking in with us on how it’s going.

And so, I just wanted to use this Gratituesday to appreciate YOU and to thank God for the way computers bring about a connection with people…a connection that otherwise may not have happened.

I would love to hear from you! Either leave a comment so we can all read what you’re thankful for…or swipe the GRATITUESDAY graphic from up top and write your own on your blog of thanks today! (Just be sure to leave a comment letting us know you have your own Gratitueday on your blog so we’ll all know to come check it out!)

Then, I can go read all of your blogs, and continue to thank God for you!

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Plastic Guns and Little Purses

February 18, 2008 by Laura 6 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

A few times a week, I babysit for a little girl who is almost two.

Today, we opened the door to greet Emma and her daddy, and immediately Malachi (age 3) holds a plastic pistol up to her chest.

What a greeting.

And there sweet Emma is, with her little heart shaped red velvet purse in one hand and her pink baby doll in the other hand.

As Emma’s daddy was pulling the door closed behind him to leave, Malachi says, “Emma, I’m going to shoot you!”

Hm. I wonder if I’ll ever be allowed to babysit Emma again after today.

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Making Our Homes a Healthy Haven

February 18, 2008 by Laura 3 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

I have decided that one of the most enjoyable ways for me to Make My Home a Haven is with food. 

I guess it’s my love language. 

Some people are huggers, some people are talkers… Me? I’ll say I love you with a rump roast and the works. And then, just so you know how much I REALLY love you, I’ll bake you something ooey, gooey scrumptious.

I LOVE to feed people.

LOVE IT.

There’s nothing wrong with my love language…and certainly no one at my house is complaining about all the LOVE on the table several times a day.

But, while I pride myself on cooking very healthy meals, I find myself feeding us too many sweets too.

By many American standards, the amount of sugar my family consumes is very small. I still think it is too much.

Last week, as many of you have read, I challenged myself and any of my readers to take the NO SUGAR Plunge.

It has been FABULOUS! Many of you jumped in with me! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I could not have done it with out you.

I’m now working at getting back into gear with a “treat plan” for my family.

We’ll allow ourselves one sweet a day. And we’ll work at making it count!  There’s a big difference between a freshly baked cookie, straight from the oven…and a box of valentine conversations hearts (or whatever other candy you think is “so-so”).

There’s also a difference between a freshly baked cookie made from refined sugars and flours…which provide nothing but empty (actually negative) calories, and a freshly baked cookie made with whole wheat flour and rapadura (unrefined sugar). There are many delicious goodies that I make for my family that are filled with nutrients and goodness!

I’m looking forward to sharing some recipes for wholesome treats during the next several days…so be sure to check back in! 

And we can all work together to make our homes a more healthy haven! 

Come back for tomorrow’s recipe…Peanut Butter Honey Bars (with no gluten). 

See ya then!

In the meantime, you should check out my recipe for whole wheat and honey Homemade Soft Pretzels. They are a perfect way to make your home a delicious, healthy haven!

And be sure to go to Biblical Womanhood  for more Making your Home a Haven inspiration today.

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

The Closet Monster

February 18, 2008 by Laura 6 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

Just TWO days ago, when I was putting away my Walmart purchases…and I could find NO ROOM in my messy closet to put my toilet paper, I was thinking…

“Wow, this closet is annoyingly messy and very embarassing. I better get it cleaned out and organized before Crystal challenges us to do a closet clean up on Making Your Home a Haven. Cause, THAT would be embarassing!”

Ah well, I guess she heard me thinking that or something and knew that something REALLY should be done about the insanity of the closet. Because guess what the challenge is today?!

Yes, well…it looks like I get to embarass myself.

At the very least…maybe I’ll help you to know how normal I am (normal?!)…knowing that “Laura @ HeavenlyHomeMakers” doesn’t ALWAYS have everything quite so HEAVENLY as she would like it to be. 

I mean, I could choose to show you a closet that isn’t so bad…I DO have several of those!

But no…I will open up the doors to the monster in all it’s glory:

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Notice that instead of organizing the closet when I didn’t have room for the toilet paper…I just shrugged and stuffed it into the last available space.

Lovely.

I’m so proud.

Well, now that the monster has been exposed…there’s no turning back now! I’ll get right on it (somewhere in between feeding my family, teaching school and babysitting a couple of extras….).

Anyone want to come over and help me?

Huh. Maybe you could just tell me how messy your closet is just to make me feel better?

Well, check back later today. Please. Because I can’t leave you with THAT impression of my organizational skills. You HAVE to come back and see that I really am very capable of being clutterless. 

See ya later!

****UPDATE****UPDATE****IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO SHARE***

Somewhere between our Bible lesson, and helping the kids with their journals, handwriting and phonics…I am happy to announce that I have also cleaned out my closet (uh, really more like a cabinet, but a really huge one, so I always call it a closet).

I got rid of a few things that have been there for who knows how long without being used. I also put a white basket in there for my husbands tools that he likes to have in there for easier access. And, I refolded the mess of towels and tableclothes that somehow just kept becoming messier and messier.

And my toilet paper…well, it now has a lovely place, all it’s own. Right beside the Kleenex. (Kinda makes you get all choked up, doesn’t it?)

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Sorry that I can’t get the whole thing in one picture…there’s a wall about three feet from the closet/cabinet…and that’s as far back as I can scoot.

Well, I feel BETTER! Almost better enough to go tackle another closet…

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Menu For the Week

February 18, 2008 by Laura 4 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

Here’s a peak at what we’ll be eating this week. Notice that on Thursday, we’ll be enjoying “Prince Toast” for breakfast. That’s Malachi’s translation of French Toast (Pwince Toast)…I couldn’t have come up with a better name for a treat for all the princes in my house!

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Download this menu.

Find free downloadable menu planners here.

Here’s my Homemade Pizza  recipe (made with a whole wheat crust).

Check out what others are eating this week.

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Quote of the Day

February 16, 2008 by Laura 3 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

I apologize in advance for making you read this…but really, you must have this sneak peek into my world with four boys. And have compassion for me, for this is what I must live with. 

(You know don’t you, that I wouldn’t trade my four boys with all their potty humor, light sabers, and wrestling matches for all the pink, fru-fru, sit down and color quietly girly-girls in the whole wide world?)

(How do you spell “fru-fru?”)

Anyway, yesterday, one of the boys was trying to figure out the name of that cheese…you know, the one that smells bad…?

And I suggested that he’s probably thinking of parmesan.

And he says, “Oh yeah. That’s it.”

“It totally smells like fried eggs with toot sauce.”

(Whoops of laughter…)

OH MY. I HAD to leave the room. 

WHERE do they come up with these things?

I went into the bathroom and closed the door. I don’t think I stopped laughing for at least 10 minutes. Seriously, 10 minutes.

And now I’m at it again and I can’t tyyyyype.

Well, I’ll leave you with that, and apologize again because I hope I didn’t ruin parmesan cheese for you forever.

Ah, thank you God for boys!

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The NO SUGAR Plunge, Pt. 4

February 15, 2008 by Laura 4 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

Hey my sweet sugar-free friends! 

And… Hey my sweet sugar-free wanna be friends! (Not that you wanna be my friends…you already ARE my friends…just that you wanna be sugar-free!)

For your Sugarless encouragement today, I have no theme…just a bunch of random thoughts…so try to keep up…and good luck with that:

Random thought #1:  Sometimes I get a craving for sugar so strong that I think that I just may not be able to stand it. 

During one such craving yesterday, I grabbed my husband’s arm and screamed, “I WANT SOME SUGAR!” 

He didn’t even flinch (which proves that I have these insane moments way too often) and he grinned sweetly at me and said, “Well, why don’t you go eat a little more dinner so you won’t be hungry?”

And I said,  “I’M NOT HUNGRY!! I’M WAY TOO STUFFED FOR MORE DINNER. I JUST WANT SOME SUGAR!”

And he said, “oh.”

Guess he decided that he couldn’t help me. 

Oh, but there’s a point here. I went into the kitchen and did some dishes or something, and within about five minutes, I only felt stuffed, and I did not crave sugar like I had mere minutes before that.

So, when you have what you think is an uncontrollable craving, just wait five minutes and it will go away.

And try not to grab anyone’s arm too hard.

Random thought #2:  Today is Justus’ birthday, and of course having a birthday = having a cake. So I was psyching myself up for this a couple of days ago, and decided that it wouldn’t really be hard to stay out of the cake, because really I’m not that big a fan of cake. 

Unless it’s chocolate. 

Or a cheesecake.

So, when given the choice of what kind of birthday cake he wanted, what does Justus come up with?

A Chocolate Cheesecake.

Are you kidding me?!

So now I’m praying a lot. 

And telling myself that as with other things that I miss and really like, this will not be the last chocolate cheesecake ever in the world. Although I will not get to have some of this one, there will be others. 

So who really cares about this one anyway? 

So there.

Yeah, I think I better keep praying.

Random thought #3:  While one is taking this NO SUGAR Plunge, one should not go to Walmart when one is tired. 

I couldn’t believe how hard it was for me to see all the candy and cookies. And I don’t even buy that stuff normally. Why would it be hard for me now?

And so I got a little grouchy. (but it’s okay, I was by myself and there was no one to be grouchy to)

So, I decided to buy myself some roasted peanuts, because that sounded like a good thing to snack on.

DID YOU KNOW that roasted peanuts have SUGAR in them, and bad oils too?! I had no idea that they roasted them in naughty stuff. 

Well, I’m glad I read the ingredients on the jar, but then I just got grouchy at the peanut roasting people. 

Don’t they know I’m struggling here?

So, I prayed for strength (and that I could forgive the peanut people), and I felt better.

And I went to the produce department and bought lots of organic green things that looked sooo good and made me feel very happy.

And I also looked at the store around me and saw all the abundance and variety and I was reminded of Char’s post yesterday…which leads me to…

Random thought #4:  You really should go read Char’s post from yesterday. She’s been doing a great job taking the Plunge, and her thoughts on it are inspiring and refreshing. It encouraged me to remember how much I have and how giving up a LUXURY like sugar should really be the least of my worries. So, go read it!

Alright people! Who’s with me?! Anybody new ready to jump in with us?! 

Everyone please leave comments letting us all know how you’re doing! 

And, uh, pray for me because I have to go make a chocolate cheesecake in a few minutes. 

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

The Story of My Socks (or, The Most Boring Blog Ever Written)

February 14, 2008 by Laura 2 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

I have a pair of wool socks. They are pink.

I love them and wear them all the time (and I wash them occasionally too).

I only have one pair. 

And I have worn them so much that they have holes in the heels.

They have had a bunch more at Walmart, but I’ve been waiting for them to go on clearance so I don’t have to pay $8 for them.

So,  last week, they were finally on sale. For $4.50. 

So I got another pair.

But I was really hoping they’d be cheaper than $4.50. 

And that’s why I only got one pair.

So, I was telling my husband about my purchase, and he said, “Why did you only get one pair? You wear them all the time. And they were almost half price?”

Huh. Why DID I only get one pair? 

Because I was hoping to only have to pay $2.50 or something else wonderful for my pink wool socks.

And then it occurred to me. I’m not just being frugal, I’m being CHEAP. We’re talking about socks here. Not something frivolous and silly. 

Socks. 

I live in Nebraska where it snows for 13 months out of the year. Wool socks aren’t frivolous or silly. 

And the fact that they’re pink and warm makes me really like this unsilly and unfrivolous item.

So good grief, I’m gonna go back to Walmart and get me some more pink wool socks.

That is, if they have any…because everyone ELSE probably recognized that they were getting a really good deal at $4.50 and snatched them up already!

Anyone else have trouble being cheap when they really mean to only be frugal?

Read about FRUGAL ideas at Biblical Womanhood today.

And thanks for sticking around to read the most uninteresting blog EVER:  The Blog About My Socks.

Brace yourself. Next week, I might just go a little crazy and blog about my bath robe.

P.S. I’ve taken a NO SUGAR Plunge this week!  If you feel like you have a hard time with sugar cravings and want to cut back, jump in with me! Several of us in this together and encouraging each other with this. Come join us!

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!
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