homemaking hack: spreadable whipped honey

Do you ever keep honey until it gets all grainy and crystallized at the bottom? No one likes to eat it like that at our house. We sometimes warm it up to make it gooey again, but usually by the time it crystallizes it just sits even longer in our pantry.

I read somewhere {so long ago I couldn't find it} that you can whip honey. I looked up creamed/whipped honey this week, and it turns out that the official way to make it is a totally different process than what I did, but I decided to experiment anyway and see what my chunky honey would turn out like if I whipped it in my mixer without adding anything else. 

So this is kind of my cheater version of whipped honey. :)

Here's the before:

And here it is after several minutes {5 minutes or more} of whipping on high. You can just turn on your mixer and go do some laundry. :)

Keep mixing until most of the crystals have dissolved...at least 10 minutes or more. If you are patient, you can see just how creamy it will get.

I was surprised that the texture completely changed from hard crunchy crystals to a light, spreadable honey. There were still some crystals left in mine {probably because I was impatient and stopped too soon}, but it was so cool to just see how creamy it became and how thinly the honey spread- it's the perfect texture for spreading on a sandwich. And it was way better than the original super-crystallized version! :)

It also seemed to make the honey stretch- I didn't use much to whip, but what little I did went pretty far! I saved the rest in the fridge for the kids to put on their almond butter sandwiches. :)

Here is another recipe I found later after I did mine that calls for 1/2 portion of liquid/regular honey, and 1/2 portion crystallized honey. I didn't have regular honey to add to mine, so you could try either one! You might have even fewer crystals in your honey if you do half new and half old.

I'm always amazed when the internet shows me new ways to use what I already have! ;) We are so blessed to have all of this crazy information. And really, we're blessed to even have honey sitting in our pantry, aren't we? :)


Have you ever tried whipping old honey? 


Ever bought the real creamed version from a beekeeper?

Favorite honey recipe? :)

fall is calling my name...

I'm sitting in front of a large fan with the air conditioner on right now, and it reminds me the tiniest bit of fall. It's the closest thing to fall we have for at least another month, but I love when October comes and the weather cools down a little! I'm hoping for a simple, fun fall that we can experience as a family- it would be so nice to relax and enjoy it all. :D

I don't decorate for fall or do anything special, but I love these free labels you can put on your used veggie cans! It seems like a great project for recycling our cans.

And is it weird I'm getting really excited about wearing my fall clothes again? I hope at least some of them will fit me by the time the weather cools down. :) I found this outfit on Pinterest, and I already have all of the pieces other than the earrings. :) It makes me happy when Pinterest reminds me of things I already own!

 from pinterest

Fall always makes me think of popcorn balls, hayrides, and fairs too. I have these popcorn balls on my imaginary fall bucket list:

 from allrecipes.com

And this chicken and dumpling recipe is also calling my name. When I was a little girl, I would request chicken and dumplings for my birthday dinner- that's how long I've been loving them. Mmm... :D

easy recipe I'm going to try from Kitchen Life of a Navy Wife

Even if I don't get around to making crafts, popcorn balls or any other fall foods {hey, those are all just for fun, anyway}, I am excited about one of the very best parts of fall at our house this year:

Ahhhhh. So much sweetness. :D

What parts of fall are you excited about?

strawberry cream cheese angel food cake {recipe}

If I had to choose between eating just the icing or the cake, I would choose icing every day of the week. Icing and I go way back. I learned how to make homemade icing when I was 11 or 12 and after that it was over. There was a reason we never had any powdered sugar left in the house. {sorry, mom} ;)

With this pregnancy I've consistently craved strawberry shortcake for some strange reason. After four pregnancies, I've learned not to question why I have any particular craving and just go with it. :)

The only problem with this craving was that the whipped cream part of the strawberry shortcake wasn't cutting it- I needed real icing. {and by the way, whipped icing on store-bought birthday cakes {!!?!!??} makes me want to cry. Why would they do that to icing?}

So I decided to make my angel food cake like a simple trifle and replaced the whipped cream with cream cheese icing. :D It ended up being perfection. :)

Here's what I did:

I bought an angel food cake at Sam's Club {that was hard, wasn't it?}. They have the best angel food I've had in a long time. I've made it homemade before and didn't like the texture as much as theirs for $5:

I cut it into slices for portioned servings, but I've also torn it into chunks. I prefer the small bite/chunk version because it has a greater ratio of cake to icing, but if you like less icing, this way might be for you. If you have a trifle dish, you could layer the chunks into the bowl and it would be even lovelier, but a 9x13 is perfect for easy serving and keeps it simple to make.

Make your cream cheese icing. I don't follow an actual recipe these days, but here's a highly rated one if you don't have one already. I like mine extra fattening, so I generally use 8 ounces of cream cheese, 1.5 sticks of real butter, and about 4 cups of powdered sugar mixed with a splash of milk and vanilla for my go-to recipe. It should be thick like you see here- if it's runny, add more sugar:

{p.s. using margarine and off-brand or low-fat cream cheese greatly affects the taste and thickness of your icing. If you can, go for real butter and Philadelphia full-fat cream cheese. It's worth it.}

Spread it over your cake slices:

Slice your 1-1.5 lbs. of strawberries straight on to your cake, if you want:

You could spend a few hours making it look pretty by arranging your slices, but I know my family doesn't care what it looks like as long as it tastes good. ;)

Refrigerate your cake for a few hours if you can for better flavor, but it will taste good freshly made too. :) Enjoy it either way. :D {and hope there's enough for seconds!}

It's my new favorite cake {for now, anyway}. :) And the fact that the angel food cake and strawberries are non-fat makes me incredibly happy. I think the light cake and fruit really balances the rich cream cheese icing. That and lighter cake means I can enjoy indulging in the cream cheese icing even more. Ha! :)

Are you more of an icing or a cake person? Or do you eat both equally well? :)
As you might have guessed, I view the cake as merely a vehicle for icing.

Whipped or buttercream icing? And please tell me why you like the whipped version. Maybe there's something I'm missing there? ;)

Do you serve untraditional desserts for birthdays too? 
Last year Noah and Rob both asked for cinnamon rolls! :) Here is Noah on his 7th birthday:

quick & easy restaurant-style salsa recipe

pin it

Did I ever tell you that I LOVE homemade salsa? {if you follow along over here, then probably yes!}. I'm not a fan of the jar kind {or anything that tastes like it}, but you can send me to Chili's and I could eat theirs all day long. :)

Many years ago, my friend Smittee brought a fresh salsa to our community group that was a lot like Chili's {fresh and tangy}, and I instantly fell in love. I asked for her recipe, and then I have no idea what happened to it, or if she just told me and I remembered it. :) I looked everywhere for it to see how similar my recipe today is to it. I'm honestly quite terrible at following recipes, but I learned so much from hers! I never knew you could make salsa with canned tomatoes that would taste so good. I also learned one of my other favorite salsa secrets from it: adding a splash of vinegar to get the twang. :)

Again, I'm really bad at following recipes, so when I give you one, it's what tastes good to me. I did measure it all out, but you can tweak it to your tastes, and I'll tell you how. :D

Oh, and FYI, I live in Texas, and I LOVE salty, cilantro-y, very tangy salsa. Can't get enough of it. In fact I eat it with a fork, it's so good:

Is that weird? Or is it more weird that my 3 year-old eats it with a spoon and bowl?

I mean who eats salsa with a spoon, anyway? ;)

Here's the recipe:

ingredients:

6 cups diced tomatoes 

{this is roughly 4- 15 oz. cans- I measure out 6 cups exactly, with juice} 

1/2 bunch cilantro

juice of 1- 2 limes {how many depends on how tangy you like it} 

1/2 onion {or more, to taste} 

1.5 tbs. garlic powder or 1-2 fresh cloves

2 tbs. sea salt {you might want to start with less if using table salt}

1 tbs. white vinegar {add more to taste for twang- I use like 1.5}

optional: dash or more of red cayenne pepper for a kick

directions:

Blend all ingredients together. Adjust to taste {drained tomatoes = thicker salsa/ more lime, vinegar = more tangy/ more cayenne = more heat}. Serve, or for better flavor, refrigerate salsa for 3-4 hours.

This is a very tweak-able recipe- so if you don't like cilantro, use less. If you hate onion, use none. :) I encourage you to play with it according to your taste! If you like your salsa to be thicker, you can drain some of your tomatoes. If you prefer more bland salsa, you can also start with the smallest amount of lime and vinegar, and increase as needed after the first blending.

Now I love cilantro. So I use 1/2 bunch:

Sometimes I feel the need for more onion than 1/2, but it really depends on how strong that particular variety/batch is. Again, to your liking. :D I used 1/2 of a red onion, but I've also used white and green ones. {can you see why I'm so bad at recipes? I'll use whatever I have around!}

I just add everything to the blender at once- I do very little chopping:

Blend or food-process all of your ingredients:

Don't be afraid if it looks pink like soup. It's just the extra air. :D

Now the important part: taste your salsa, and add more of whatever you like. If it's too tangy for you, you can take it down with a teaspoon of sugar or so.

You can serve it right away, but I have to tell you, it's soooo much better if you let it sit for a few hours in the refrigerator. The flavors blend together so nicely after it settles.

Enjoy it on everything or with nothing like we do, or you know, just eat it with chips the old-fashioned way. :D

Here it is again to pin for later:

pin it

ingredients:

6 cups diced tomatoes 

{this is roughly 4- 15 oz. cans- I measure out 6 cups exactly, with juice} 

1/2 bunch cilantro

juice of 1- 2 limes {how many depends on how tangy you like it} 

1/2 onion {or more, to taste} 

1.5 tbs. garlic powder or 1-2 fresh cloves

2 tbs. sea salt {start with less if using table salt}

1 tbs. white vinegar {add more to taste for twang}

optional: dash or more of red cayenne pepper for a kick

directions:

Blend all ingredients together. Adjust to taste {more lime, vinegar = more tangy, more cayenne = more heat}. Serve, or for better flavor, refrigerate salsa for 3-4 hours.

Let me know how you like it! :D {or if I messed up something royally! ha!}

What's your favorite way to make salsa? 

Or do you have a favorite secret ingredient? {and will you tell me? you don't have to kill me, I'll keep it quiet... ;)}

food on friday: black bean soup

We love, love, love this soup. It has rocked our original food world! :D

It's the easiest meal to make ever, it's filling, vegan and good for you!

Here are the ingredients you'll need:

 3 cans black beans or equivalent {undrained}

{if using canned Bush's beans are the best- if homemade, make sure they're somewhat pre-seasoned with salt}

{1} 7 oz. can green chiles

1-2 tsp. garlic salt  {this is to your taste- start with 1 and add more if needed}

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tbs. olive oil

Here's what you do:

1. add all ingredients together and blend

option 1: you can use an immersion blender right in your pan or 

option 2: combine all ingredients in your blender or food processor and then add to saucepan

it should look about like this:

2. Heat on medium heat until warm.

{or cover and heat in the microwave if you have no time!}

The longer the simmer, the better the taste {of course} but we find that this is the perfect meal for lunch or a busy night. :D It makes 3-5 bowls, and it's so good!

You could also get creative and add other ingredients if you have the time...onions, bell peppers, sour cream etc. Make it just how you like it! :D

food on friday: fall recipes I'm dying to try

Pinterest is the ultimate recipe catalog, don't you think?

{Just don't pin when you're hungry... ;)}

Here are a few recipes I've pinned to try for fall:

1. homemade butterfingers

 {so not on my diet, but these look killer!!}

Focus, focus. Vegan, Mandy. Real food.

Okay.

2. crash potatoes from the Pioneer Woman

Olive oil, potatoes, and sea salt. Boil, smash, season, and bake.

Oh, I'm hungry. I could go make these right now. Yum! 

3. black bean tortilla soup

{I've been looking for a meatless tortilla soup recipe! I'll probably leave out the broth and the chips}

4. creamy polenta with thyme roasted tomatoes

I have come to LOVE roasted tomatoes, but I've never used thyme, so I'm interested to try it!

What's on your to-try list for fall recipes? Do share! :D

zucchini pizzas {recipe}

What do you do when you're blessed with a bounty of veggies like this?

You make individual veggie pizzas! :D

{to get an idea of how big these are- those are full-sized tomatoes and it's a full-sized plate! Talk about some mean zucchinis! :D}

My sister-in-law gave me the idea- she said she used their {super-sized!} garden zucchinis to make pizzas, and so I thought I would try to make our pizzas dairy-free. They ended up tasting just like lasagna or manicotti, which completely thrilled me anyway. :D

Instead of using dairy cheese, I used raw cashews for my rich fat. Let me tell you, raw cashew butter is the magic wonder of the vegan's diet. Raw cashews can be used as cheese or cheesecake {which is so incredibly good too, by the way!}.

All you need is large zucchini {or small}, sliced thinly lengthwise, raw cashew butter, and your favorite marinara and toppings!

Amounts of each are up to you- I liked an equal amount of marinara and "cheese" on my pizza, and my husband and I both agreed that the thinner the slice, the better the taste. :D

ingredients:


zucchini, thinly slices 
marinara or pizza sauce {pick a good one with lots of flavor! I made mine with all those fresh tomatoes.}, 1-2 tbs. per pizza to taste
raw cashew butter {roasted doesn't taste the same}, 1-2 tbs per pizza to taste
toppings: tomatoes, mushrooms, peppers, etc.
garlic salt

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Coat your cookie sheet in oil. Take your slices of zucchini, and top them with your marinara, then spread over with cashew butter. Add toppings. {Don't worry about how pretty it looks. The taste will be the same! :D} Sprinkle with garlic salt if desired.

Bake slices for 10-20 minutes, until they are tender but not browned on the edges. Serve with a fork. And be shocked at how much they taste like lasagna! ;)

How do you like to use super-sized zucchinis? :D

raw italian casserole {recipe}

I fell in love with a raw cookbook back in May- it's called Raw Food by Erica Palmcrantz and the recipes are delicious. I can't recommend it enough!

I have yet to follow one of Erica's recipes entirely, but her amazing creations have inspired me to create a version of them for my family. {I know, I'm a recipe rebel, I can't help it!}

One her recipes is for raw lasagna, and I couldn't wait to try the concept. I've actually seen it in lots of other places too, like here and here.

I made my version into casserole with "spaghetti" noodles, nixed a handful of things and added a few to make it work for us. This recipe is simple, but fairly time intensive, so give yourself at least 30 minutes to make it.

So here's our Raw Italian Casserole:

repin on pinterest

Here's what you'll need:

3/4 bag of spinach or about 7 cups/ 3-4 big handfuls
2 tablespoons of fresh basil {sub dried if needed, but fresh tastes great! - I use the tubes of chopped fresh basil here, they taste great too!}
3 cloves garlic, peeled or dried equivalent
sea salt
1 tbs. oregano
28 oz. can pureed tomatoes, or 3 cups ripe summer tomatoes, pureed
2 medium-large zucchini
6-7 mushrooms whole or 1/2 package sliced
1 large avocado, or more if desired
a mandolin/julienne slicer, or a very sharp, thin knife

1. Combine spinach, basil, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon water, and 2 cloves of garlic in the food processor.

It should look something like this {you can add a bit of olive oil if needed as well}:

2. Combine the tomatoes, 1 tablespoon of oregano, 1 tablespoon of sea salt, and 1 minced clove of garlic in a bowl. Salt is to taste, of course, but I find 1-1 1/2 tbs. brings just the right amount to the dish. Some recipes also add chopped sun-dried tomatoes and bell peppers here, but I kept mine a little more simple.

And, it should look about like this:

3. Use your slicing tool of choice to turn your zucchini into faux spaghetti. :)

I like the thin spaghetti slices because they are easy to eat, and they have a very mild taste. The inspiration recipe and many others I've seen simply slice long thin strips down the zucchini like lasagna noodles.  

4. De-stem and thinly slice your mushrooms and avocado like this:

Now you're ready to assemble your casserole. I used a 9x13 dish, but you could definitely use a smaller one.

5. Spread a thin layer of marinara over the bottom, then a layer of "noodles", then thinly spread the basil on top of the noodles, and add a layer of mushrooms. Repeat with remaining ingredients. And if you have lots of one thing left, I say stack it on. Why not? :)

6. Top with avocado slices, and I sprinkled a little salt over the top of the casserole. That's personal preference though. :)

Your finished casserole should look like this:

It's hearty and ridiculously good. It's a dish I will gladly serve to my meat-eating friends. :)


Here's the recipe again:

Raw Italian Casserole

Ingredients:

marinara:

1 tbs. sea salt

1 tbs. oregano

28 oz. can pureed tomatoes, or 3 cups ripe summer tomatoes, pureed

1 cloves garlic, peeled or dried equivalent 

noodles:

2 medium-large zucchini

a mandolin/julienne slicer, or a very sharp, thin knife

pesto sauce:

3/4 bag of spinach or about 7 cups/ 3-4 big handfuls

2 tablespoons of fresh basil {sub dried equivalent if needed, but fresh tastes much better! - I use the tubes of chopped fresh basil here, they taste great too!}

2 cloves garlic, peeled or dried equivalent 

1 tsp. sea salt

the "meat":

6-7 mushrooms whole or 1/2 package, stems removed and sliced

1 large sliced avocado, or more if desired

Directions:

Combine first four ingredients in food processor and puree. 

Combine next four ingredients in a separate bowl.

Thinly slice zucchinis on a cutting board.

Slice your mushrooms and avocado.

Assemble casserole dish in order above, thinly layering marinara, noodles, pesto, and meat, minus the avocado. Top with the avocado slices, and lightly sprinkle dish with salt if desired.




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