The way I prepare, cook and eat food has changed a lot since we found out Micah has multiple food allergies. You would not believe how crazy meal planning becomes when dairy is out of the mix. Most of the recipes you find on sites like Campbell’s or Taste of Home contain some form of cheese, cream, milk, butter or other dairy product. Certain ingredients are easy to replace with olive oil, apple sauce, palm oil shortening, or even water. There is no replacement for cheese. (Well there is but …

When I first found out about Micah’s food allergies, I thought I had to buy special mixes for baked goods and other foods like pancakes. We tried a pancake mix from Cherrybrook Kitchen, and to be honest, it was really gross. The problem for us is that Micah is allergic to three common allergens (eggs, milk & soy), but not the fourth typically associated with these allergies: gluten. As a result, any mixes that are egg-free, dairy-free and soy-free are also gluten-free. I feel bad for those who are allergic …

I think sometimes bloggers, including myself, have a tendency to show only their shining moments. I don’t think that’s always a bad thing, because the blogs highlighting the best ideas and cutest photos do capture my interest. Sometimes I like to see the human side of an author, though. A while back I declared that I would share some of my more humbling moments in an effort to embrace the ordinary.  Because behind every bright and shiny blog, is a  person who spills ketchup on their new jeans and forgets …

Burrito night is super cheap when the ingredients come from Aldi, and it’s pretty tasty too.

1 lb. Ground Beef – $2.29
Refried Beans – $0.69
Mexican Style Corn – $0.69
Mexican Fiesta Style Diced Tomatoes – $0.55
Flour Tortillas – $0.99
Taco Seasoning Mix – $0.35
New Orleans Style Red Beans & Rice – $0.99
Lettuce (already had) – “FREE”
Mexican Style Shredded Cheese – $2.29

Total Cost = $8.84
We only ate half of it, so it will make two meals, making it just $4.42 per meal, or $2.21 per serving (big servings, too). That’s a great deal, especially …

Lately I’ve been ditching my normal routine when it comes to meal planning and grocery shopping. I was stuck in a rut, particularly when it came to breakfast options. I decided to think about what I would order for breakfast if I were to swing into McDonalds (one of my favorite breakfast spots, don’t judge me). Yogurt parfaits and croissant breakfast sandwiches. Yummy…
I’ll get to the croissants later this week – I’m going to try my hand at making croissants by hand. That should be nothing short of interesting.
ANYWAY, I …

Today when I got home from Walmart, I realized I needed to do a little cleaning before I could put the groceries away. I’m a little bit a food hoarder. I’m always saying, “I’ll eat this leftover _____”  eventually and then I never do. Eventually, my fridge is overflowing with nasty, smelly, stinky leftovers that no one wants, and cleaning them out is a chore I put off for another couple weeks. My kitchen reeked when I finally emptied out the creepy crawly food containers this afternoon and flushed the …

Recently I was contacted by the good folks at CherryPharm who have re-branded their tart cherry juice, now known as Cheribundi. Cheribundi is a tart cherry juice that comes in three varieties: Tru Cherry, Whey Cherry & Skinny Cherry. CherryPharm was kind enough to send me a free sample of each flavor to try and review here on this blog.
When I first read the e-mail asking if I would try Cheribundi, I thought, “what could be so special about cherry juice?” After all, I drink cherry juice all the time. …

Today I cheered and clapped while my little man used his own spoon to eat applesauce all by himself for the very first time. Who knew utensils could be so exciting!

I find them stuck to the bottom of my socks. I find them in his neck. They fall out of his diaper when I’m changing him. They magically appear in his crib in the morning. I take a step and I hear one breaking. I find them in the seats of the car. I find bits of them stuck in his hair.  He loves Cheerios with every meal. For every snack. If he finds one on the floor… anywhere… he eats it. He’s a Cheerio monster. If I could pick …

I went to the pantry the other day to grab an onion and I found this:

I did a little research and discovered that the top is actually the same green onion you buy at the grocery store and some people grow their own green onions this way, right on their window sill. If you rest the onion on top of a glass and keep the roots in water (but not the whole onion 0r it will rot), you can keep snipping the greens off the top, leaving about an inch, …