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INCREDIBLE Whole Grain Raspberry Cheesecake Bars

May 2, 2019 by Laura 3 Comments

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

Stop what you are doing right now and make these Whole Grain Raspberry Cheesecake Bars!! Well, maybe finish reading this post so you can get the recipe. Otherwise though, the making of these bars should become a very high priority. My family is in love with them!

As it happens, one day I decided to experiment with combining my Raspberry Oatmeal Bar recipe with my Crustless Cheesecake recipe. The result is this incredible, layered dish of delightfulness.

The cheesecake filling bakes right into the bars, creating a fantastic moist texture with raspberry cheesecake flavor. Truly, each bite of these bars is full of WOW.

As a bonus to the deliciousness of these Raspberry Cheesecake Bars, we get to enjoy the nourishment of whole grains, healthy fats, and low sugar content. I personally find nothing wrong with serving these bars for breakfast. But they are also wonderful as a dessert!

Whole Grain Raspberry Cheesecake BarsYum

5.0 from 1 reviews
Whole Grain Raspberry Cheesecake Bars
 
Save Print
Author: Laura
Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • 1½ cups whole wheat flour
  • 1½ cups rolled oats
  • ½ cup sucanat or brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 cup melted butter
  • ½ cup 100% raspberry jam
  • CHEESECAKE LAYER:
  • 8-ounces softened cream cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 2 Tablespoons real maple syrup
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
  1. Mix together flour, oats, sucanat, baking powder, and salt.
  2. Stir in melted butter until the mixture resembles crumbs.
  3. Press half of the mixture into an 8x8 inch baking pan.
  4. Spread jam over the top.
  5. In a blender or with beaters, whip together cream cheese, egg, maple syrup, and vanilla.
  6. Spread this cheesecake layer over the top of the jam.
  7. Sprinkle remaining oat mixture on top of the cheesecake layer.
  8. Bake in a 350° oven for 45 minutes or until lightly browned.
3.5.3229

Not a fan of raspberries? Substitute any of your favorite jams or jellies. And my next experiment will likely include something involving chocolate too! (You are shocked, I’m sure.)

Want more info?

  • Read more about baking with whole grain flour
  • Check out ingredients and kitchen gear that is on sale at Amazon
  • Get more Low Sugar Treat recipes
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Our Favorite Lightly Sweetened Cookie Recipes

April 30, 2019 by Laura Leave a Comment

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

Since I just shared a list of fun ways to enjoy coffee, I thought it was fitting to share a list of lightly sweetened cookie recipes to go with your coffee. Or your tea. Or water. Or milk. Choose your cookie – choose your beverage!

I love a barely sweet treat with my coffee. The recipes listed below are made with whole grains, wholesome fats, and have low sugar content. I have simply adapted our favorite cookie recipes through the years to make them lower in sugar while still keeping them delicious!

Lightly Sweetened Cookie RecipesYum

  1. Sweet and Simple Butter Cookies – Only 4 ingredients!
  2. Low Sugar Cream Cheese Cut-Out Cookies – My favorite to make for holidays!
  3. Buttery Almond Cookies
  4. Simple Oatmeal Cookies
  5. Honey Sweetened No-Bake Cookies – Just like when you were a kid, only less sugar!
  6. Easy {Low} Sugar Cookies
  7. Low Sugar Lemon Melt-Away Cookies – You must try all these Melt-Away varieties!
  8. Low Sugar Almond Melt-Away Cookies
  9. Low Sugar Orange Melt-Away Cookies
  10. Low Sugar Lime Melt-Away Cookies
  11. Low Sugar Chocolate Fudge Cookies
  12. Low Sugar Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies – Only 3 ingredients!
  13. Low Sugar Flourless Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
  14. Pumpkin Spice Cut-Out Cookies – These are a must in the fall!
  15. Low Sugar Chocolate Brownies
  16. Low Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars – The sugar in these is cut down from 1 1/2 cups to just 1/2 cup!
  17. Sweet and Simple Cranberry Cookies
  18. Low Sugar Chocolate Cookie Cut-Outs

As a bonus, it is worth sharing my favorite flourless brownie recipes!

These are also low in sugar, and are completely grain free. I can’t get over how delicious these are. The trick to keeping them moist is to remove them from the oven BEFORE they appear to be done. If you leave them in the oven too long, they’ll get dry. But remove them when they are still a bit gooey and you are golden!

  1. Super Moist Flourless Peanut Butter Brownies – Only 5 ingredients!
  2. Super Moist Flourless Brownies – These are the same as the Peanut Butter variety, but they’re made with Almond Butter instead.
  3. Flourless Brownie Muffins – Use the above two recipes, and bake the batter into muffin cups. If it’s possible, that makes the brownies even better!

What is your favorite low sugar treat to enjoy?

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Top 10 Delicious Ways to Enjoy Coffee

April 28, 2019 by Laura 1 Comment

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

If you’re not a coffee drinker, please pass this on to someone who is! But hey, you never know when you might become a coffee lover too. I didn’t start loving it until I hit my 40’s. You may find that you enjoy coffee eventually too, ha!

Yum

I’m pretty simple when it comes to coffee add-ins. I love cream in my coffee, with no sweetener. And you can be so proud of me… Sometimes I am a big girl and drink it black! ;)

But every once in awhile, it’s fun to make an extra special cup of coffee! That is why I have compiled a list of all our best coffee recipes for you here!

Recipes to go with your coffee:

  1. Low Sugar Coffee Milkshake

    These are super fun to make in the summertime!

  2. Peppermint Cream for your Coffee

    A dollop of this is simply delightful whether in hot or cold coffee! Or put some in your Hot Cocoa or Crio Bru.

  3. How to make Iced Coffee for a Crowd

    If you’re hosting a gathering – it’s very fun to put together an Iced Coffee Bar!

  4. How to make Coffee Ice Cubes

    I learned this fun trick from a fellow coffee lover. Putting coffee ice cubes into cold coffee keeps your drink from becoming watered down!

  5. How to Cold Brew Coffee

    This method of brewing coffee makes it extra delicious!

  6. How to set up an Iced Coffee Bar

    We did this once for a birthday party, and it was crazy fun!

  7. Sweet Vanilla Coffee Creamer

    You’ll love how easy this is to make!

  8. Homemade Chocolate Frappe

    Be still my heart. This is GOOD, and basically perfect on a hot summer day.

    Stevia Sweetened Chocolate Frappe

  9. Homemade Chocolate Caramel Creamer

    Eek, the sugar content in this one is high. Save this for an extra special treat!

  10. Chocolate Whipped Cream for your Coffee

    This one will change your life. Wowza!!!

What’s fun is that you can mix and match many of these recipes and ideas to come up with more delicious coffee treats!

How do you take your coffee?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

More than Coffee

Sipping coffee is much more than a delicious experience. For me, it’s a spiritual one too. My coffee time is my prayer, Bible reading, and journaling time. It’s my time to connect with Jesus in a more focused way. And each mug that I drink from holds special significance.

I invite you to make your coffee time a spiritual one too. The Prayer Mugs is a story of my parenting journey as I’ve been learning to fully trust God with my kids. I’d be honored if you joined me in this prayer journey for your own family.

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The Prayer Mugs

$18.00
The Prayer Mugs
The Prayer Mugs

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The Prayer Mugs

$18.00
Model Number: The-Prayer-Mugs
Grab your mug. Fill it to the top. Download your Prayer Mugs eBook and enjoy the richness it offers as you surrender your kids to God.​​​​​​​ 96 pages filled with lessons I've learned through 20 years of parenting, scripture, encouragement, printables, journaling pages, and truth.
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Manufacturer: Heavenly Homemakers
  • Description

Want this eBook and so much more?! Our Heavenly Homemaker’s Club Members have access to this amazing resource plus ALL of our eBooks, eCurriculum, printables, and so much more – for one very low price! Join us here!

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Mother’s Day Giveaway! ($121 Worth of Gifts, plus $175 in Amazon Cards!)

April 25, 2019 by Laura Leave a Comment

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

Quick!

You could win all you see above, plus $$$ to spend at Amazon!

There are jewelry and books, oils, and much more. Our very own Prayer Mugs Journal is included – and you can win in all for free! Plus you can get Amazon Cards too.

Check it out here, and enter to win!

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

Two Simple Tricks to Get Your Kids to Eat Green Beans

April 25, 2019 by Laura 6 Comments

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

Well now, isn’t this interesting? I’ve been feeding kids green beans since 1997. All my bio-boys love them because of the “bacon grease trick” my mom taught me years ago (more details below). But I just learned a new trick to add to my back pocket, which has finally helped our 5-year old Bonus Boy learn to love green beans too! Without further ado, how to get your kids to eat green beans…

How to Get Your Kids to Eat Green Beans

1. First, let’s talk about green beans and bacon.

Bacon makes everything better, of course. And you know me. I’m not afraid of fat if it is from a natural, real food source. Our family enjoys plenty of real butter and coconut oil, whole milk and red meat, real cream and yep – bacon.

All of these fats are recognized by our bodies, and are therefore easily digested and utilized for nourishment and energy. (Low on energy? Eat butter and bacon. You heard it here, folks. Now who’s your best friend??)

You can throw a slice or two of bacon into your green beans as they cook – or you can do what I believe is easier and faster! Drum roll please:

Save grease from cooked bacon to add to green beans anytime you need it!

Each time I cook bacon for my family, I let the bacon grease cool, then put it into a jar. I store this in the fridge, then add a scoop of bacon grease to a pot of green beans along with a little water (or chicken broth!) and Redmond Real Salt. Then I steam them to perfection. The bacon grease adds wonderful flavor to the beans, and of course, the fat makes the vegetable so much more appealing!

How do I cook my bacon?

oven-bacon-1

I’m so glad you asked. Here are my two favorite, most efficient methods of cooking bacon:

  1. Bake bacon in the oven. Then I freeze it to use as needed. This is so easy and helpful to have on hand for all your bacon needs! ;)
  2. Cut it into Bacon Bits. Once cooked, I put the bacon bits into a bag to freeze and pull out for salads, scrambled eggs, or BLT Wraps.

bacon bits 1

2. Now let’s talk about what kind of green beans seem to be the most appealing!

My family LOVES fresh green beans from our garden in the summertime. But alas, we live in Nebraska and can only enjoy these for a few months out of the year. If we grow enough, I blanch and freeze them to pull out and use during the cold months. But the past few years, we’ve been eating them as fast as they grow, leaving no reserves for the freezer!

Therefore, I typically buy frozen green beans in bulk from Azure Standard. Frozen green beans are much more flavorful and nutritious compared to canned beans. Still, even when cooked in bacon grease as described above, our Bonus Boy wasn’t very interested in this veggie side dish.

But, I’ve recently discovered a simple new trick! Instead of buying frozen “cut green beans” as I had been doing, I picked up a back of frozen “whole green beans” one day. I steamed them along with bacon grease and salt, and wouldn’t you know it? Bonus Boy ate them, and ate them, and ate them! We all did!

Who knew that simply switching from short and stubby beans to long and skinny beans would somehow make green beans taste so much better!

Now I stock up on frozen whole green beans and we all devour them!

So there you have it. Long green beans apparently taste better than short ones; and bacon grease makes beans taste amazing!

How do you and your family enjoy green beans?

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Sweet and Simple Cranberry Cookies

April 23, 2019 by Laura 10 Comments

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

You all know I’m not into anything fancy. The simpler the better when it comes to pretty much everything from food to clothes to schedules. So it probably doesn’t surprise you that I took my basic Sweet and Simple Butter Cookies recipe and added one tiny ingredient to make these Sweet and Simple Cranberry Cookies. Hmmm, I bet you can’t guess which ingredient I added. (Indeed, my ways are so mysterious.)

I’m not a big fan of raisins in my cookies. But adding dried cranberries to this simple butter cookie? Well, that takes them up a notch without adding any effort. Phew, no added effort? Well, that’s a relief. We cannot be expected to add effort to our cookie-baking endeavors. That takes all the fun out of eating a cookie.

Oh! But don’t you worry about me giving you permission to eat a cookie. These are low in sugar, with just a little extra added sugar when we toss in the dried cranberries. And check out how few ingredients these have? Just 5 simple items to grab to make these delights!

Sweet and Simple Cranberry CookiesYum

5.0 from 2 reviews
Sweet and Simple Cranberry Cookies
 
Save Print
Author: Laura
Serves: 15-18
Ingredients
  • 1½ cups melted butter
  • ½ cup sugar (raw, white, brown, or sucanat)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 cups whole wheat flour (I use freshly ground soft white wheat)
  • ½ cup dried cranberries
Instructions
  1. Cream butter and sugar together in a bowl.
  2. Stir in vanilla extract.
  3. Mix in flour until well combined.
  4. Fold in dried cranberries.
  5. Scoop Tablespoon-sized balls of dough onto cookie sheets.
  6. Press the dough down with your fingers or a fork.
  7. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 8-12 minutes or until cookies are golden brown.
3.5.3229

Want more fun low-sugar cookie recipes?

Here’s a great list of all we’ve come up with to share so far!

  • Sweet and Simple Butter Cookies
  • Low Sugar Cream Cheese Cut-Out Cookies
  • Buttery Almond Cookies
  • Simple Oatmeal Cookies
  • Honey Sweetened No-Bake Cookies
  • Easy {Low} Sugar Cookies
  • Low Sugar Lemon Melt-Away Cookies
  • Low Sugar Almond Melt-Away Cookies
  • Low Sugar Orange Melt-Away Cookies
  • Low Sugar Lime Melt-Away Cookies
  • Low Sugar Chocolate Fudge Cookies
  • Low Sugar Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies
  • Low Sugar Flourless Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
  • Pumpkin Spice Cut-Out Cookies
  • Low Sugar Chocolate Brownies
  • Low Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Want more fun recipes that include 5 or fewer ingredients?

There are over 100 reasons this is our most popular eBook!

[wp_eStore_fancy1 id=32]

What’s your favorite kind of cookie? Ever tried cutting down the sugar in the recipe to see how it turns out?

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

My Top 3 Small Kitchen Appliances That Save Hours of Time and Energy

April 21, 2019 by Laura 4 Comments

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

If my house started on fire, I would grab my family and my Blendtec and get out as fast as I could. Just kidding. I’m not that tied to material possessions. But I felt it was worth a post to share my top 3 small kitchen appliances I feel I can hardly live without.

I’m not exaggerating when I tell you that these gadgets save me hours of time and energy every week. As I’ve worked to simplify my real food kitchen, I have been amazed at how I’ve come to rely on 3 very important appliances.

Could I do without them? Well yes. Grandma survived all her many years of cooking for a large family without any one of the items I’m sharing with you today. But Grandma also didn’t have indoor plumbing for a good many years, and then welcomed it gladly when it became available. I’m pretty sure if she was raising her family now, she would very much enjoy the appliances I love having access to!

My Top 3 Small Kitchen Appliances

If you’ve been reading here long, you can probably guess my top three small kitchen appliances. Just for fun, I added two runners up in my “if I had to choose to keep only 3 small appliances, which ones would I keep?” contest. :)

1. Blendtec

Indeed. If I could only keep one appliance in my kitchen, it would be the Blendtec. I use this multiple times each week, and sometimes multiple times each day.

I mix batter in it, whip cream in it, make smoothies in it, whip mini cheesecake filling in it, the list goes on and on. From cakes to muffins to pancakes – the Blendtec takes away my need to stir and mix. Cream goes from liquid to perfectly whipped in less than 30 seconds. Recently I dumped in all the ingredients for these Mini Crustless Cheesecakes and had them in the oven within a grand total 5 minutes. Beautiful!

In so many ways, my Blendtec makes my cooking and baking effortless. It is extremely high powered, which is reflected in the price. A $25 blender gives only $25 of effort (and in my experience, lasts less than one year in my kitchen). The Blendtec, though much higher in price, comes with a warranty and is so high powered it turns frozen fruit into liquid in just seconds. Unbelievable!

I highly recommend saving up and investing in a Blendtec. Oh the time and energy you’ll save!

Recipes you’ll need for your Blendtec:

  • Crustless Cheesecake Cups
  • Chocolate Whipped Cream
  • Regular Whipped Cream
  • All the Muffins :)
  • Simple Whole Wheat Pancakes
  • Easy Guacamole
  • Cream Cheese Salsa Dip

2. Instant Pot

I stubbornly refused to get an Instant Pot for several years after they became popular (silly me), and now I am one of the biggest advocates for them! This gem saves so much time and keeps us eating healthy too!

I love that it makes wholesome, rich beef or chicken broth with so little effort on my part. I LOVE that I can cook 7 pounds of frozen hamburger meat in it in just 30 minutes!! And I love the many meals and side dishes I can make in it within just a few minutes.

If you can swing it, get yourself an Instant Pot. I have the 8-quart variety for my large family. Here’s the 6-quart Instant Pot if that fits your needs more!

Recipes you’ll need for your Instant Pot:

  • Bone Broth
  • Simple Creamy Chicken Soup
  • Simple 10-Minute Mac and Cheese
  • Simple One Dish Chicken Florentine
  • Mashed Potatoes
  • Beef Roast
  • Simple Chili Mac
  • Simple Lasagna Casserole
  • How to Cook 5 lbs of Frozen Hamburger Meat in 30 minutes
  • Simple Hashbrown Casserole

Psst: I highly recommend that you bookmark our Instant Pot Recipes page for easy access as we continue to update it!

3. Crock Pot(s)

Yes indeed. I have two large crock pots and I often use them both at the same time. My favorite is this 8-Quart Programmable Crock Pot, but I also have this Basic 7-Quart Crock Pot, which works great too!

I’ve learned many tricks through the years that help me throw VERY quick meals into the crock pot so that later in the day, our meal has cooked itself. (See recipe links below.) What a great way to continue putting real, delicious food on the table on busy days!

Recipes you’ll need for your Crock Pot:

  • Simple Crock Pot Chicken Soup with a Kick
  • Simple Creamy Chicken Stew in the Crock Pot
  • Simple Hawaiian Crock Pot Chicken
  • Simple Crock Pot BBQ Spareribs
  • Simple Overnight Saucy Crock Pot Chicken
  • Simple Overnight Melt-in-Your-Mouth Beef Roast
  • Simple 3-Cheese Crock Pot Pasta
  • Simple Crock Pot Shredded Ranch Chicken (for salad or tacos)
  • Simple Crock Pot Pizza Casserole
  • Simple Barbecue Beef Roast
  • Simple Crock Pot Taco Pasta
  • Simple Hawaiian Beef Roast
  • Simple Hashbrown Casserole
  • Simple Lasagna Casserole
  • The Simplest White Chicken Chili
  • Simple Crock Pot Applesauce BBQ Chicken
  • Simple Three Cheese Spaghetti
  • Simple Crock Pot Salsa Shredded Beef
  • Easiest Beef Roast in the Instant Pot
  • Simple One-Dish Chicken Florentine
  • Simple Creamy Layered Enchiladas
  • Simple Creamy Chicken Soup
  • Simple Cheesy Salsa Chicken

Top Small Kitchen Appliances, My 2 Runners Up

Just for fun, I thought it would be fun to add a couple others to my list of appliances I love and use often!

4. Nutrimill

Could I live without my Nutrimill? I guess. Does it save me time in the kitchen? Not really. But do I love having such a great appliance to help me grind fresh grain for our baked goods? Oh my goodness, YES!

I frequently grind hard and soft white wheat in my Nutrimill, which turns out the most delicious flour, which then turns out the most delicious breads, muffins, cakes, cookies, pancakes, and waffles. Now that I’m so used to baking with freshly ground flour, I’d have a hard time turning back. We’re pretty spoiled! ;)

Details about using flour ground in a Nutrimill:

  • The Difference Between Red and White Wheats
  • How to Grind Flour in a Nutrimill
  • What Kind of Flour is Best if You Don’t Grind Your Own?
  • What is Pastry Flour, Where Do I Get it, How Do I Use It?
  • All of Our Bread and Muffin Recipes
  • Whole Grain Recipes

5. Coffee Maker

Last Mother’s Day, at the recommendation of several who frequently drink coffee at our house and help with our babies, we treated our family to this Bunn coffee maker. It is amazing!!!!!! I’ll never go back.

Recipes to go with your coffee:

  • Low Sugar Coffee Milkshake
  • Peppermint Cream for your Coffee
  • How to make Iced Coffee for a Crowd
  • How to make Coffee Ice Cubes so you won’t water down your cold coffee
  • How to Cold Brew Coffee
  • How to set up an Iced Coffee Bar
  • Sweet Vanilla Coffee Creamer
  • Homemade Chocolate Frappe
  • Homemade Chocolate Caramel Creamer
  • Chocolate Whipped Cream for your Coffee

I’d love to hear what your favorite small kitchen appliances are. Which ones do you feel you can’t live without?

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

Stop Telling Moms of Little Ones to “Enjoy Them While They’re Young!”

April 18, 2019 by Laura 23 Comments

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

“They grow up so fast! Enjoy them while they’re young!” Yeah, we know. We all know. It’s so true! And yet, I believe it’s time to stop saying this to moms of little ones…

I get it. Oh, how I get it. Once our kids grow up, have a mind of their own, start doing big things, can no longer crawl into our laps, and have problems much bigger than those which can be solved with a kiss on the forehead – we older moms find it easy to look back at the little years with longing. We look at pictures of our kids with their pudgy fingers, wearing the matching outfits we selected for them to wear – and we wonder where the years have gone.

We see that our grown-up kids are taking hard classes, going to prom, and graduating from college and we can’t believe how fast time went. So we look at the mom with babies in her arms and toddlers in her lap and we try to encourage her with, “Enjoy them while they’re young. They grow up so fast!”

Oh, it is true. They do grow up fast!

But today, as I find myself in a season that involves a double portion – that of marveling at my adult and teen children while taking on the task of raising a 5-year old Bonus Boy and fostering a precious 5-month old Boy Babe – I find myself realizing the full truth:

This is hard.

It’s good and it’s marvelous and it’s incredible, but it’s hard.

You can look at my precious new littles, then look up at me and say, “Oh Laura! They are so sweet! Enjoy them while they’re young!” and I will emphatically nod and tell you, “Oh yes! I am!!” I am enjoying our little ones an incredible deal – because of all of the sweetness and cuteness and fun! I am enjoying them so much!

But do you know what else I would enjoy right now?

Sleeping.

Taking a shower.

Eating when I’m hungry.

Drinking my coffee while it is still hot.

Having a full conversation with my husband (that isn’t about the last time the baby pooped).

Not having to stop what I’m doing every three minutes to discipline and train our 5-year old to learn obedience.

Moms of Bigs, do you remember all that was involved in taking care of your little ones? Do you really remember? Oh, there is so much joy in the little years!! But there’s also a lot of poop and puke, tantrums and tattling – along with a never-ending list of work to do that you know you’ll never get around to because little ones require so much attention and care.

These are hard (and good) years, just as raising big kids is hard (and good).

What if older moms stop telling young moms to “enjoy them while they’re young,” and start saying this instead:

“How can I help you enjoy your little ones?”

Think about this.

Moms of Bigs – you no longer have to wipe bottoms, buckle seatbelts, have irrational conversations about broken cookies, or help all the shoes get onto all the right feet. You are, no doubt, in a season of challenge that involves running around like crazy with busy activity schedules, guiding your kids while they make weighty decisions, and then helping them with Geometry after 10:00 pm (Jesus, be near). This is all full of hardship and exhaustion – no doubt about it! But the truth is that even through these challenging days: YOU CAN ACTUALLY GO PEE WHENEVER YOU WANT.

I know this because just a year ago, I was there. With kids who were then 20, 18, 16, and 13 – I thought I was busy, because I absolutely was. Then God put babies on my doorstep and in my arms. Now I’ve got all those big kids plus a pre-schooler and an infant. It’s both fabulous and difficult, beautiful and challenging. I love what God is teaching me through this new gift and calling!

But – some of the days are hard to enjoy. “Enjoy them while they’re young!” I’m trying! But I am also tired.

Here’s what helps me get through these challenging days:

  • When my friends bring over a batch of muffins or waffles for my family to grab and eat quickly for breakfast.
  • When they come to hold the baby while I take a nap.
  • When they grab the 5-year old for some special play time.
  • When they give my big kids rides so I don’t have to load up little ones into car seats.
  • When they grab the baby at my big kids’ soccer game so I can cheer with my arms free.
  • When they drop off a lasagna for me to slide into the oven on a busy day.
  • When they hug me and tell me that I’m doing a good job.

Stop simply telling moms of little ones to “enjoy them while they’re young.” That encouragement falls flat in the ears of a tired mama. AND, it makes them feel guilty for not enjoying the puke-filled, sleepless nights that are apparently – fleeting? Yeah, we’re sorry. Nothing feels fleeting at 3:00 am.

Instead, consider doing what you can do to help young moms enjoy these challenging years. Let your big kids help you with this. It’s a win-win!

What you should say to moms of little ones:

Don’t tell them to “enjoy them while they’re young!” Instead, do what you can to help them enjoy these years! Here are some better options every mom of littles actually wants to hear!

  • Can I come take your kids to the park for an hour?
  • I see what you’re doing, and you are rocking it! Good job, Mama!
  • What night can I bring your family dinner this week?
  • Your kids are so sweet – great work!
  • I’d like to come watch your kids so you can have a date night. What night works for you?
  • Can I stop by today and bring you a coffee?
  • What size diapers is your baby in? I’ll grab you a package!

This is just a small list, and no doubt, God will fill in the gaps and put on your heart what YOU can do for your friends with little ones. But do consider how you can be a blessing to the weary mamas who are in the snot-filled, wet wipe, dirty-dish-piled trenches. Those days are hard, and those mamas need our real encouragement.

Then, guess what? Those moms really can enjoy them while they’re young! Because it takes a village, and moms with their big kids can be a part of that village!

Moms of big kids? You hang in there too. I know these days are fabulous and exhausting too – because I’m right there with you.

Whether your kids are big or little – or a beautiful mixture of both – we can stand together in encouragement. We can tell each other the truth – that God is carrying us through each day – that He is our provider – that He is with us constantly as we raise our kids.

Be encouraged, Mama! God is with you, and He is good! Because of this, we CAN enjoy every day with our kids.

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Easy Whole Grain Chocolate Pancakes

April 16, 2019 by Laura 1 Comment

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

This recipe is so easy I’m not sure why we haven’t been making this for years and years. Not to spoil the punch-line, but it is a fact that we can make Whole Grain Chocolate Pancakes simply by whisking some unsweetened cocoa powder into our pancake batter. Yup, it’s that easy!

I’ve always loved fresh berries and whipped cream on my pancakes, but on Chocolate Pancakes? Be still my heart.

Or on another day, I might spread homemade peanut butter over my chocolate pancake for a fabulous chocolate peanut butter combo. You know, for the added protein. Yes, that’s why I do it. ;)

The topping possibilities for these Easy Whole Grain Chocolate Pancakes are endless, and I love the fun and ease of turning regular pancakes into a chocolate surprise.

I always have a big container of Homemade Pancake Mix on hand, so making a batch of these pancakes is even easier! Here’s how I make these:

Easy Whole Grain Chocolate Pancakes

Easy Chocolate Pancakes
 
Save Print
Author: Laura
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 cup whole grain flour (I use freshly ground hard white wheat)
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • OR 1 Cup Pancake Mix**
  • 3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 cup cultured buttermilk or regular milk
  • 1 egg
  • 3 Tablespoons melted butter (or oil)
Instructions
  1. Whisk together the ingredients until the batter is smooth.
  2. Cook pancakes on a well buttered, hot skillet or griddle, flipping once bubbles begin to form.
  3. Serve with real maple syrup, applesauce, jelly, fresh fruit, or any of your favorite pancake toppings.
3.5.3229

Recipes for you!

Here are our favorite pancake toppings:

  • Real Maple Syrup
  • Apple Butter
  • Blueberry Pancake and Waffle Syrup
  • Peach Syrup (for pancakes and waffles)
  • Peanut Butter (just peanuts!)
  • Peanut Butter (super creamy – like Skippy or Jif)
  • Raspberry Syrup

Resources for you!

  • Do yourself a favor and order any of the Unsweetened Cocoa Powders from Olive Nation. (And use the code home to get 20% off!) I can’t tell you what a wonderful difference these cocoa powders have made in my chocolate recipes. The quality is MUCH better, and they do not cost more than I was spending on the lesser varieties. Rock on!
  • Do you have our **Simple Mixes to Save the Day eBook yet? Grab it so you can save time and energy by using the Pancake Mix for this recipe!! I LOVE having these mixes on hand!!![wp_eStore_fancy1 id=27]

What are your favorite pancake toppings?

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

What I’m Focused on Now Instead of Saving Money at the Grocery Store (It’s not what you think.)

April 14, 2019 by Laura 7 Comments

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

How well I remember the years of being an extreme couponer. I would spend hours at home preparing to shop for the best deals, so that I could spend hours at the grocery store(s). Every week. My focus was on saving money – and for many a good reason.

Whether it was during lean financial years or during more comfortable financial years, I knew that a focus on saving money meant that I was being a good steward of what God gave us. I actually loved the hobby and challenge of seeing how much money I could save at the store. Yogurt for $0.09? Eggs for $0.20? How incredibly fun!

I remember thinking during those days that no matter what our financial situation became in life, I would always be a couponer and always spend the time finding all the best deals – because good stewards are good stewards whether they have $10 or $100,000, right?

Well. Yes. But also…

I’ve since learned that seasons change. Circumstances change. Priorities change. Needs change. Meanwhile, God stays the same, and He continues to lead and evolve our focus to become exactly what He needs it to be during each season.

My twenty-something self would be shocked to learn that my forty-something self hasn’t clipped a coupon in ages. (I have pulled them off of food products at the store and used them right then and there – score!) I have evolved from being a coupon clipper to a real food eater – so one might think that my desire for healthy eating has turned me away from clipping coupons and scouring for good food deals. But actually – my focus now goes far beyond both saving money and eating healthy.

God is teaching me more about loving people.

You would think this would be a no-brainer. Something that wouldn’t have to be taught. Love people. Easy peasy. Yes, some of it sure is. But what about the parts of loving others that involve dying to self and surrendering fully to the plans God has for us? This is hard and can only be done through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Couponing and deal finding and saving money can be fantastic – as long as it is done intentionally and for the greater purpose of loving people.

A focus on eating real, healthy food can also be fantastic – as long as it is done intentionally and for the greater purpose of loving people.

As God continues to teach me more about living through His Spirit, seeing people, and caring for people as He directs, I’ve found that I no longer want to or have time to use energy to find all the best deals or take pictures of all my groceries to share with you here.

I still very much care about eating nourishing, real food – but no longer is my desire based on earthly health.

Should I continue to eat nourishing, whole foods? Absolutely. Should I continue to be a good steward with my money? Absolutely. Especially as I see so many needs around me. I want to use money wisely so we have plenty to give.

But the ways I “save money” simply involve not frequenting coffee shops or restaurants, choosing Redbox instead of the theater, and shopping the clearance racks when we need clothes because yes, it is still really fun to find a good deal! And if I choose to spend a little more at the grocery store now – it is because I want/need to spend my time loving people instead of spending an hour trying to figure out how to save $3.00.

Being good stewards of our time and energy is just as important as being good stewards of our money.

We can become comfortable and stay put, or we can become comfortable and choose to get uncomfortable.

Gratefully, becoming uncomfortable with Christ is starting to actually become comfortable. We’re learning to settle into this new way of living – the kind that involves letting go of control and trusting God with each day as never before. The kind that involves letting go of plans we made and saying yes to the plans God has orchestrated that are better than we could have ever dreamed of.

And as it turns out, we’re finding that we’re saving money in other ways because as we spend more time loving people, there simply isn’t as much time to shop or pay attention to the latest and greatest gadgets and deals we were drawn to before. :)

So there you go. We’ll continue to save money in any way we can as long as it doesn’t take our focus away from what is truly important: Loving God; Loving People.

Then when we happen upon a good deal while doing our normal shopping, we’ll praise God for His provision and care. And we’ll do a little happy dance because shucks, scoring a great deal is still an awful lot of fun!

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