Heavenly Homemakers

Encouraging women in homemaking, healthy eating and parenting

A Great Deal on Rice, Recipes Using Rice, and How to Cook Brown Rice

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You know why I love brown rice?

  • It is a real food
  • It is wholesome
  • It is affordable
  • It can help stretch a meal, saving lots of $$
  • It can be eaten plain as a side dish, or stirred into a casserole, or made into a pudding
  • It’s naturally gluten free – a perk for those who need to avoid gluten
  • It tastes good

So blah, blah, blah…rice. An entire post about rice. Life does not get much more exciting than this.

Unless there’s a sale on rice!!! Now this is turning into an exciting post! (Not really, Laura. We’re still talking about rice. Keep trying.)

I told you this was exciting!

{snore}

Well, while I’ve got you, I would like to share that cooking brown rice is very easy. Here’s a full tutorial if you’re new to brown rice.

How to Cook Brown Rice

Below you’ll find many of my family’s favorite recipes that include rice. Admit it.  This post is making you giddy. Talk of brown rice is as exciting as talking about vacation plans and chocolate cheesecake. Yes, it is exactly like that.

Our Favorite Rice Recipes

What are your favorite rice dishes? Chime in by leaving a comment. This conversation is clearly shaping up to be the most fun we’ve all had in the past three minutes.

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Share Your Story: Teaching At-Risk Youth to Cook

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Welcome to one of our newest features here at Heavenly Homemakers! I love hearing the stories of how you are using the recipes you find on our site or in our books. Do you have a story to share? Take a picture or two, then email me with the details of how you use your favorite Heavenly Homemaker recipe. Share your story!

Share Your Heavenly Homemakers Recipe Story

This story, sent in by another gal by the name of Laura, is so inspiring!!

I wish I had pictures, but I don’t. I had asked you a couple years ago for permission to use your Learn to Cook cookbook with my husband’s job. He worked with at-risk youth and had asked me to teach a cooking class once a week. I had eight students. Many of them were single parents and really still children themselves.

They were skeptical about some of my planned lessons from your book and balked at meal-planning homework. The week we made your Creamy Mac and Cheese. I had brought in a boxed version so we could compare ingredients. They were shocked at how good the real stuff was and how easy it had been to make.

The week I made the Italian Pasta Bake they were unsure about cooking noodles in sauce, but when I left my portion on top of the stove while my children and I visited with coworkers we returned to find half of our dinner pilfered and several students raving about how good my snack was. Unfortunately my kids had to have fast food that night since we were headed to church after class.

The students kept coming back to see what new yummy thing we would learn to make using real ingredients and take home to share with their families. Many of them planned to try other recipes in the book.

Thank you for sharing your book with these young people. It helped me have a place to start in teaching about healthy eating and encouraging children to eat well too.

What a fantastic way to bless and empower youth. Thank you, Laura A., for ministering in this way and for sharing your story with us!

Keep sending in your Heavenly Homemakers recipe stories. These are so fun to read and share! :)

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Making Whole Wheat Quick Mix

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On my agenda this week:  Get out the Whole Wheat Quick Mix and make use of it!

I decided to scrap our Friday night menu plan last week and make Quick Mix Pancakes, eggs, and fruit instead. Easy, and perfect for a laid back Friday night. My guys love it when I make breakfast for dinner. Since I used my Quick Mix, which meant that making dinner took only a few minutes.

I have some strawberries and kiwi in the fridge so I think I’ll also make a Quick Mix Fruit Pizza. Click on the picture below to grab the Quick Mix recipe, plus many recipes you can make with the mix!

Also, take note that Tropical Traditions, my favorite source for the palm shortening I use in this quick mix is offering a great deal today (hurry!).

Whole Wheat Quick Mix

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Menu Plan For the Week

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Today has been so much fun! We already had plans for several to come over for lunch after church. Then, out of the blue, it worked for my brother and his family of six to drive up for the day. Suddenly, I had 20 people at my house for lunch. It was loud, crazy, and awesome. I love it when God gives us bonus blessings we weren’t counting on!

Here’s our menu plan for this week:

Sunday, March 23
Oatmeal breakfast bars, pears
Roast, potatoes, carrots, green beans, corn, rolls, ice cream
Small group: Sloppy joes with fun side dishes brought by others

Monday, March 24
Strawberry cream muffins, applesauce
Easy noodle stir fry with broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, and zucchini
Orange chicken, rice, peas, tossed salad

Tuesday, March 25
Fried eggs on toast, oranges
Crustless Pizza, green machine milkshakes, sweet peppers, olives
Italian cream cheese chicken, tossed salad, roasted asparagus

Wednesday, March 26
Dark chocolate almond granola, kiwi
Tuna casserole, peas, strawberries
Lamb chops, baked potatoes, green beans, creamy coleslaw

Thursday, March 27
Cream cheese pumpkin muffins, bananas
Black bean chicken nachos, fruit and yogurt smoothies
Alfredo sauce with pasta, tossed salad, steamed broccoli and carrots

Friday, March 28
Easy breakfast casserole, clementines
Calzones, sweet peppers, cucumbers with ranch, carrot sticks
Lasagna casserole, tossed salad, corn

Saturday, March 29
Quick mix pancakes, blueberries
Leftovers
Beef stew, cornbread, tossed salad

Have you tried the Green Machine Milkshakes yet? They are surprisingly delicious!

Green Machine Milkshakes

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Menu Plan for the Week

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Today after church, one of my friends rounded up a bunch of ladies and we all went out for lunch together. Matt and the boys fended for themselves. What a treat!

Cheesy Cauliflower Cakes

Have you tried these Cheesy Cauliflower Cakes yet? So delicious!

Here’s what our menu looks like this week:

Sunday, March 16
Easy breakfast casserole, fruit plate
Out for lunch with friends
Small Group:  Italian pasta bake, sides brought by others

Monday, March 17
Whole Wheat Waffles with blueberries, strawberries, and whipped cream
Baked potatoes in a crock pot, green machine milkshakes, sliced cucumbers
Baked three cheese chicken pasta, tossed salad, steamed broccoli

Tuesday, March 18
Pancake and sausage muffins, applesauce
Calzones, pineapple mango smoothies, carrot sticks, sweet peppers
Homeschool basketball team award night dinner

Wednesday, March 19
Scrambled eggs with cheese, snickerdoodle muffins, clementines
Calico beans, honey whole wheat bread and butter, fresh pineapple
Beefy enchilada bake, tossed salad, green beans

Thursday, March 20
Dark chocolate almond granola, apples
Bean and cheese burritos, strawberry peach slushies, sweet peppers, olives
Alfredo sauce with pasta, tossed salad, roasted asparagus

Friday, March 21
Flaky cream cheese pastry, kiwi
Black bean chicken nachos, oranges, carrot sticks
Chili, cheesy cauliflower cakes, cucumbers with homemade ranch

Saturday, March 22
Whole wheat donuts, strawberries
Leftovers
Cheeseburger macaroni, peas, tossed salad

What are you eating this week?

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Don’t forget! Today only, you will get a bonus gift certificate if you purchase Oh, For Real! cookbook. Get the details…

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Go Buy Vegetables! (and Fruit) ~ Will You Accept the Challenge?

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We’re in the thick of winter, which means fresh produce isn’t always as easy to come by. I long for a tomato that isn’t pitiful to look at and tasteless on my taco. Alas, I will need to wait a few months for a tasty tomato. In the meantime, there are loads of other great options. (See this week’s shopping cart below to prove it.)

You might get sick of me saying it, but hey, you’ll really get sick if you don’t do it. So I’ll keep encouraging and prodding because I just can’t help it:  Buy fruits and vegetables. Eat fruits and vegetables. It’s the easiest and best way to be healthier.

I have become more convicted than ever that:

1. My family needs even more than I had been giving them.
2. In order to eat more fruits and vegetables, I have to be very intentional about purchasing and serving them. And
3. It really is easy to always eat many fruits and vegetables each day.

How is it easy? I now go to the store for the purpose of loading up on fruits and vegetables. I fill my cart. I go through check-out. Then I have a counter-top full and a fridge full and a freezer full of fruits and vegetables. Then we eat them often. See how easy that is?

Go Buy Vegetables!

I have found that taking my boys to the store with me to help me pick out all the fruits and vegetables that look good to them has been very helpful to encourage them to crave and eat them! (It’s also very nice because they can then help me load and unload and unpack it all too. It’s a win-win.)

This week the boys and I filled our cart with: clementines, apples, grapefruit, pears, pineapple, raspberries, blueberries, cucumbers, grapes, avocados, broccoli, lettuce, spinach, mixed greens, carrots, sweet potatoes, kiwi, and one lone banana. (We’re a little tired of bananas right now, but Malachi thought maybe one for a bedtime snack sounded like a good idea.)

This cart full will last us for about one week. (We also have plenty of frozen veggies in the freezer.)  When I have a bunch of fruit and veggies on hand, I find that it is so fun to figure out fun ways to serve them. It inspires me to set out a variety with each meal. And just think of all the great nutrients we’re getting!

Okay, now your turn! The next time you go to the store (which may be a few days for those of you who are snowed in!) – go with the intention of buying lots of fruits and vegetables. Buy a variety, buy what looks delicious, and buy more than just a little bit. You and your family need this! Envision me sitting on your shoulder as you look at the kiwi saying, “Yes! Get it! And get that fresh spinach over there too!” (Obviously, if I were sitting on your shoulder, I would also remind you to get butter while you’re there.)

On Friday, I’ll share pictures to show some of the ways we’re eating our cart full of fruits and vegetables. Then next Monday, we’ll check in to see how this challenge went for you. You have six days to get to the store, fill your cart, come home, and fill your belly.

Want to begin making your list? Tell me in the comments section every fruit and vegetable that sounds good to you right now!

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31 Days of Real Food Reality Re-Cap

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Thank you all for your wonderful comments and interaction during our 31 Days of Real Food Reality! In case you’d like to go back and look through any of the posts for encouragement and information, I’ve listed them all for you here. (Now, what in the world should we do in February?)  :)

31 Days sidebar

Day 1   The Reality is, We Can’t Do This Without God’s Help
Day 2   One Step at a Time
Day 3   Let’s Talk About Fat
Day 4   God is Bigger Than a Free Range Chicken
Day 5   Real Food Menu Plan – Be Flexible
Day 6   Food is Nourishment. What a Concept.
Day 7   Tropical Traditions Real Food Package Giveaway
Day 8   Real Food Reality Resource Package Discount
Day 9    Stop Calling it Health Food
Day 10  Cheeseburger Soup for $1 Per Person
Day 11  What Healthy Food Should I Have On Hand?
Day 12  Real Food Menu Plan – Keep it Simple
Day 13  31 Real Food Breakfast Ideas
Day 14  Focus on Stocking Your Kitchen With Real Food Ingredients
Day 15  Sugar Should Be a Treat
Day 16  How to Always Have Fruits and Vegetables to Serve With a Meal
Day 17  Let’s Not Make This Difficult – Easy Orange Chicken
Day 18  You Are What You Drink
Day 19  Real Food Menu Plan – Branching Out and Eating a Variety
Day 20  How to Pack a Healthy Lunch
Day 21  Making Buttermilk, Kefir, and Yogurt is Easy
Day 22  Make Real Food Mixes to Save Time and Money
Day 23  Chocolate Cheesecake Pie – Real Food Ingredients Make Real Good Treats
Day 24  Want to Eat Right? Plan Ahead.
Day 25  You CAN Save Money on Whole Foods
Day 26  Real Food Menu Plan – Have Fun!
Day 27  What I Learned in Laura’s Kitchen (a Real Food Reality Guest Post)
Day 28  Drink Your Nourishment
Day 29  How to Roast Vegetables
Day 30  How to Feed Picky Eaters Healthy Food
Day 31  Real Food: Does It Even Matter?

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How to Roast Vegetables {31 Days of Real Food Reality ~ Day 29}

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31 Days 300

Yum

Vegetables just keep coming up during this series, don’t they? They are the best real food out there, so I can’t say enough about the importance of working them into our diets in a big way!

When I mentioned a couple of weeks ago on our menu plan that I was determined to make and eat cauliflower that week – you all really came through on some great ideas for ways to prepare it! Many of you told me that I had to try roasting the cauliflower. That definitely seemed like the easiest first idea to try.

Here’s what I’ve learned since then:  Not only is it a delicious way to eat vegetables, it’s also one of the easiest ways to prepare them. Roasting offers a slight variety in taste and texture, compared to steaming the vegetables as I usually do. I’m loving this, and can’t wait to continue roasting more varieties of vegetables as we work to expand our menu options.

If you are taking baby steps in your real food journey, I encourage you to try roasting vegetables to serve with your meals. Healthy eating doesn’t get much easier!

roasted cauliflower

How to Roast Vegetables:

1. Wash the fresh vegetables.
2. Cut vegetables into small pieces. (The smaller they are, the easier they are to pop into your mouth!)
3. Place vegetable pieces into a casserole dish.
4. Drizzle on 1-2 Tablespoons of olive oil or melted coconut oil.
5. Sprinkle generously with sea salt.
6. Stir veggies to coat with olive oil and salt.
7. Bake in a 375° oven for 15-20 minutes or until veggies are lightly browned and tender.

It really is that simple. Makes me wonder why I haven’t tried this before.

Carrots, broccoli, squash, asparagus…what else would be a tasty roasted veggie?

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Want To Eat Right? Plan Ahead {31 Days of Real Food Reality ~ Day 24}

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31 Days 300

One of the best ways to be consistent when it comes to healthy eating is to take a few minutes to make a plan. Without a plan, you’ll likely get frustrated, overwhelmed, and fall back on convenience foods that may not offer much nourishment.

I know you know this already, and I know not everyone is a planner-aheader. As a matter of fact, I’m not always good at planning ahead either. But if I can at least plan a little bit. If I can at least have some ideas in mind of healthy foods I can make from the ingredients I have on hand. If I can at least have a few healthy foods prepared and in the freezer. Well, it sure does save my brain, my budget, and my having to resort to not-so-healthy foods in a pinch.

dark_chocolate_almond_granola

Dark Chocolate Granola

Here are some of my best planning-ahead tips:

Get into the habit of taking time to plan.

Sure enough, it does take time to make a meal plan. It takes effort to sit down and get myself organized when it comes to what we’ll be eating each day. There is no magic formula or magic wand to wave to put real food on the table without effort. But the time I save later after having spent time planning our meals for the week? Wow is it worth it!

Don’t make it difficult. Simply pick a main dish and a vegetable/fruit or two for sides. Don’t feel locked into your plan. Use it as a guide and be flexible. I switch our planned menu around all week long based on what sounds good each day. But since I’ve got a plan, I know I’ve got the food, so I can roll with it!

Always try to keep basic staple ingredients on hand.

Here’s a list of ingredients I try to always have available. If I have basics on hand, there’s no end to what I can make at a moment’s notice! At the very least, I believe it’s a good idea to keep a package of pasta and a jar of sauce on hand at all time to fall back on.

Always have frozen vegetables in your freezer.

That way, no matter what main dish you end up serving, you’ve got a vegetable in the freezer to pull out and steam to go with your meal.

Take advantage of resources available to help.

If planning meals isn’t your thing, there are plenty of ways to make it easier for you. You can always take a look at the menu plans I post each week to give you ideas. Better yet, there are services like Plan to Eat that practically do the work of meal planning for you. You can drag and drop your meal ideas into an online calendar, and Plan to Eat will even create a grocery list for you. It doesn’t get any easier! Their goal is to help make it possible for families eat together in their home. What a great service they provide! (You can sign up for a free 30 day trial here.)

What do you do in an effort to plan ahead for healthy eating?

This post was sponsored by Plan to Eat. I can’t say enough good about all they offer!

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One Step at a Time {31 Days of Real Food Reality ~ Day 2}

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31 Days 300

It’s an exciting time! The holidays are over, and many of us are looking forward to starting fresh and becoming healthier!

Looking forward to chucking all of the processed foods in your house, eating three vegetables with every meal, transforming your refrigerator so that it only contains homemade condiments, keeping up with meal planning consistently, packing healthy lunches every day for your kids, making all of your own baked goods using only whole grains and unprocessed sugars, and never touching store bought candy again for the rest of your life? That’s awesome! These are all wonderful goals. Hoping to do it all by tomorrow? I love your ambition, but chill out with a piece of chocolate. That may not be reality.

As someone who is encouraging you to eat a healthy diet, let me be clear. When I say, “chill out with a piece of chocolate,” I totally mean, “relax while you munch a radish.” Obviously. But my point is that if you try to make too many good changes at once, setting 42 healthy living goals in an effort to completely transform your life overnight, you may become so overwhelmed that within two days you’ll decide that there’s no way you can keep up with this healthy, real food business. At the very least, you’ll likely freak out the people around you, giving them the impression that life as they know it and their loved one’s sanity (that would be yours) just got thrown out with the Fruitie Magrooties.

Let me remind you that every healthy change you make is a wonderful step in the right direction. Usually, taking one step at a time makes the transition from junk food to real food much more doable as opposed to making many drastic changes all at once. People who go from all to nothing (or nothing to all, as the case may be) are much more likely to get frustrated, become overwhelmed, and give up before they even really get started.

You didn’t learn to count, add, subtract, multiply, divide, reduce fractions, and master hyperbolic trigonometry all in the same day did you? Neither will you transform your kitchen and eating habits all in the same day. Or week. Or month.

Take small steps toward switching from processed food to real food. Begin to cut out the bad slowly, while introducing the good at a pace that is doable for you and your family. Why not make a list of healthy habits you’d like to begin, then prioritize them in order of importance to you? Or start with the easiest ones first. Once you get the hang of one, you can tackle another.

Before you know it, you’ll be a whiz at hyperbolic trigonometry. Or rather, you’ll be like me and have no idea what that even is. But by golly, you’ll be drinking plenty of water and eating much less sugar than you used to. And on it goes.

Fruitie Magrooties, it was nice knowing you. Healthy living, here we come!

What is one step you can start taking today that will be doable for you and your family as you work your way toward a healthier lifestyle?

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