Category Archives: homemaking

Challah Bread

I have had many of my readers and friends ask me for this challah recipe so I am going to post it on my blog rather than facebook it or email it out:) This recipe has taken many weeks even months to tweek but I have finally found a recipe that our whole family enjoys.

Challah is a traditional jewish sweet bread, we eat it Friday nights when we celebrate Shabbat as a family. It is delicious and uses all natural ingredients. We also eat it on Saturday mornings as challah french toast and Sunday afternoons as challah grilled cheese!! I hope you enjoy it, I would love to get feedback as to how you liked the bread once you try making it. Let me know!

Challah Bread

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups warm water

1 tbsp active dry yeast

1/2 cups of honey

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

3 eggs (divided)

1 tbsp sea salt

4 cups multigrain all purpose flour (Or you can use whole wheat all purpose flour)

4 cups unbleached white flour

Directions:

In a large bowl mix warm water and yeast. Mix in honey, oil, 2 eggs until well mixed. Stir in flour a cup at a time making sure that it is gradually kneading until the dough becomes smooth not sticky. Sometimes you may need to add more flour if it is still too sticky. Once dough is mixed cover with a damp tea towel and let rise for 1 1/2 hours until dough has doubled in size.  Remove dough from bowl and divide into two equal pieces to make it easier to work with. Knead both balls of dough for 5 minutes each, take one ball and divide it into three more equal size pieces and roll out in long snake like rolls. Pinch the three pieces together at the top and braid, then pinch the bottom pieces as well. Place on a large greased cookie sheet and repeat with the other ball. This recipe make two large loaves. Once the two loaves at done, cover with a damp tea towel and let rise for another hour. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the tea towel from the bread, loaves should have doubled in size again. Beat 1 egg in a glass and use a kitchen brush to paint egg onto the two loaves. Transfer loaves into the oven on the cookie sheet and bake for 30-40 mins. When you take the loaves out they should be completely cooked through. (My test to make sure they are cooked is by knocking on the bread and if it seems to make a hollow sound they should be done.) Remove from the cookie sheets and serve!! This bread is excellent with jam, honey, butter, etc. I usually wrap the leftover loaf/pieces up and put them in the fridge, they will keep for a week or so.

Preparing Piecrust

It’s apple season and I am really looking forward to all the things I am going to make with my apples this year. Our family loves apples!!! Especially honeycrisp apples, they are perfect for eating and they only come available in the fall! I have decided to make apple sauce and apple pies this weekend. I wanted to share my piecrust recipe because it is simple and tastes incredible, plus it is completely organic and doesn’t contain any artificial ingredients.

3 1/2cups unbleached all purpose white flour

2 cups whole wheat flour

2tsp sea salt

1 lbs lard

1 egg (either free run or local farm egg)

1tbsp vinegar

Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Cut in lard until it is crumbly and course. In a 1 cup measuring cup combine 1 egg (lightly beaten) and 2 tbps vinegar, then fill the rest of the cup with cold water, stir. Slow add mixture to the flour until it becomes sticky. Mix with your hands and form a large ball. Wrap in cersan wrap and put in the fridge or freezer until needed. Otherwise roll out and use in your pie plates. This recipe makes enough for 3 double crusted pies or 4 pies with the weaved top. I usually make the crusts one day and then the next day do the filling and combine them, otherwise I find the entire task quite daunting. Sometimes I will make a batch of this crust and freeze it and use it for the crusts when I make quiche. Enjoy!!!

Encouraging words…

While I was doing my daily devotionals yesterday I came across an amazing article by best-selling author, speaking, teacher and mother, Angela Thomas. I wanted to share it with you, it is from her book Prayers for Mothers of Newborns. It has been a real encouragement to me today and I want to share it with my readers. If you are feeling overwhelmed with the task at hand know that there are other woman walking in your shoes and we can be an encouragement to eachother in these days. May these words bring comfort to your heart and rest to your busy days…

In the words of Angela Thomas;

“Dear God of Solomon, Our disheveled bed remains unmade another day. It’s lunchtime, and I still haven’t eaten breakfast. I’ve attempted to unload the dishwasher for hours now; just a dew more free moments and it will be done. Diapers and blankets and spit-up clothes clutter every catchall place. The garbage can is full…well maybe I can cram in a little more trash. It’s Thursday,and Sunday’s paper waits to be read. A new baby. How can one precious, cherub-faced newborn bring such devastation and disarray? I thought It was all ready for the challenge but here I sprawl, knocked flat. My greatest daily accomplishment is survival. My kids go through the day semiclothed and partially fed. We quickly gave up on the goal of getting anywhere on time. We are just about ready to leave, and there’s another poopy diaper or spit-up incident. Spit-up is the worst. Most of the time I have to change my clthes as well as hers, then clean up th car seat and any other objects within projectile distance. My preoccupation with accomplishment is freed by the words of Solomon: “What has been done will be done again (Ecc 1:9).” Some things take lower priority. “Catching up” lasts only for a moment. These are the days of mothering my baby. Caring for the family is important. Loving You is important. Everything else can wait. Nothing else really matters right now. Thank You for the release from accomplishment. Help meto focus on the things that matter. There is rest in the truth of Yor word. Amen.”

I really thought that these words from Angela Thomas were so uplifting and encouraging. There are days where we measure our worth by what we accomplish. We need to remember that in this season of motherhood we are not called to accomplish, we are called to love God and our families! So savor these moments, don’t worry if the dishwasher isn’t unloaded yet or all the laundry is done. Snuggle your little ones and enjoy their giggles, and laughter, smell the baby and give her lots of kisses. May to experience the fullness of motherhood and the patience and grace to love the Lord and your family today!!

What did you do today?

On several occasions I have been asked by people who find out that I stay home with my children; “so you stay home, what exactly did you do today?” Or sometimes they simply state; “you stay home, that must be so nice, you must have so much time on your hands, I wish I could do that”. Sometimes I want to volunteer them to babysit my three children and run our household for a 10 hour time slot and see if they come up with a different response:)

At times my defenses have flared up because the tone of their voice implies that I didnt do anything at all. As if there is doubt in their minds that I did anything more than getting out of bed or sleeping through the entire day. The Lord really had to deal with my heart in this area of my life. Why was I so offended by their questions? Why do I feel like I need to prove my position? When I used to talk about my career in counseling as a therapist, I never had the need to defend my job but now as a stay-at-home mom I feel the need to defend it?

I felt like telling them everything I did in a day; …”Woke up, had a shower (if I’m lucky), got dressed, made the bed, made 3 more beds, got the kids up, changed two diapers, did toddlers hair, picked out clothes for three little people, dressed the same three little people, brushed two sets of teeth, breastfed the baby, made breakfast, unloaded the dishwasher, reloaded the dishwasher, cleaned up after breakfast, gave out vitamins, by this time changed another diaper, hopefully brushed my teeth and hair, (not gonna lie, it doesn’t often happen), took out the garbage, threw in a load of laundry, did homeschool with the two little kids while the baby napped, change another diaper, hang out laundry on the line, put in a load of cloth diapers, played pirates (the kids were the pirates and I was the monkey – go figure:), read a couple books, attempted a puzzle, got snack out, fed snack to the two little kids, cleaned up, hung diapers on the line, put in a load of towels, got on our coats, packed into the van, did up 4 sets of seatbelts, headed out to the EYC, played and talked with some other mom’s (one of the highlights of my day), packed the kids back up in the van, another 4 sets of seatbelts, stopped at the gas station and filled up, realized I needed a coffee today, stopped at Tim Hortons, also added two muffins to my order for the backseat drivers in the van:), unloaded the van, kids played, changed another diaper, unpacked diaper bag, got out lunch, made two different lunches because they don’t like the same meal, cleaned up, ate the leftovers, fed the baby, changed another diaper, put on a show for 1/2hr, put the toddler down for a nap, set up the 4yr old for a quiet time, played with the baby, cut up watermelon for snack, started getting ready for supper, took the dry clothes in, hung out the wet clothes, put in the last load of towels, swept the floor, sent the messages from the phone calls for my husbands business that I answer throughout the day, put the baby down for her nap, sat down for 15 minutes in the silence and read by Bible and journaled (another highlight of my day), was interrupted by the 4 yr old who reminded me that quiet time is now over, cleaned up his room, got toddler up from her nap, make the bed again, changed a diaper, got out snack, cleaned up split juice with a mop, played in the playroom, got everyone dressed for a walk, went to the marsh and got cat tails, carried the 4 yr old home while pushing the double stroller because he was too tired to walk, (I felt like I was going to faint:), got dinner started, fed the baby and did a puzzle with my feet, played a swords game and lost, changed baby’s diaper, hubby came home, we ate, cleaned up, loaded dishwasher, talked about the day, took clothes off the line, folded clothes, put clothes away, undressed the 3 kids, bathed the 3 kids, got three sets of PJ’s on, had a bedtime snack, brushed teeth, read stories, said prayers, sand songs and put the two littles to bed, fed the baby, put baby to bed, came downstairs, cleaned up, did dishes, took out garbage, turned on dishwasher, talked with Jim, prayed, put my head on my pillow and passed out!”… that is what I did today and you? Some of you may be able to relate all too well to the job description above.

It bothered me for a really long time, until I began to realize that it wasn’t a question of what I did as a mom, it was my view as myself in that position. I didn’t believe that what I was doing was important and I wanted to prove to myself and others that it was an important job. The Lord began to heal my heart and show me that what I do every day really does matter and that even if no one else notices that HE see me and says that it is worth it. I felt such a relief when I began to walk in this truth everyday, I didn’t feel the need to strive or prove myself rather I began to have a heart that was thankful for the job that He assigned to me. I now see each of these daily activities as worship to the Lord and as a duty that I need to be faithful to. I am a mother and that is my full time job in this season of my life and I love it! I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else, looking after anyone else. I count it a blessing and a priviledge to stay home with my babies and I pray that I will be able to raise them to be all that God created them to be, this is my highest and most important calling in life! May you be encouraged to pursue motherhood to the fullest whether you stay home or work, remember that the little ones in your care are a gift and a blessing! You are valuable and important not because of what you do but because you are loved and accepted by your Creator!

When it rains it pours!

Today it was pouring rain in my world! It is funny because I have recently been telling people that motherhood has been fairly simple these days. The kids are at nice stages as they are both sleeping at the same time, eating well, and playing together. But in the last 24hrs, it has been a different story! Mercy woke up at least 4 times last night – she is teething, they were both cranky this morning, Judah was drama king and extra emotional, they both cried at the same time on multiple occasions, fussy about eating, Judah woke Mercy up and at nap time Mercy woke Judah up, everything was a fight and no one listen to mommy! Judah kept telling me to go to work, he wanted to see daddy. (love that line, can’t you feel love and appreciate in those moments:) – NOT)

What did I do? What happened? I kept trying to pinch myself all morning wondering if I was sleeping and needed to be woken up from this nightmare. I often see this pattern in motherhood, things go ALL wrong at the same time and also at the most inconvenient times! Hence the saying “When it rains it pours”!

Once I finally got these two little angels to sleep, for their afternoon nap, I sat alone in peace, quiet and stillness, ate my breakfast (it was now 1:30pm) and had a little debriefing session with God. He knows my kids better than me so I often go to Him for advice:) I really believe that when life challenges us we can do one of two things:

1. Complain and wallow in our frustration

Or…

2. Reflect and learn from the situation

I chose the latter and as a result I really learned a lot about my perception of life. Everything was chaotic this morning because inside of me I had a plan or a picture of what things should look like, it was an EXPECTATION of my babies and our day. The Lord slowly and graciously helped me to lay down my selfishness, my agenda and my desires and remember that in HIS kingdom selflessness and humility come first! I truly believe that my reactions to the day and what I was telling myself had everything to do with the difficulty level. I was tense, stressed and negative. I now realize this. Next time I am going to be calm, relaxed and positive.

Kids are unpredictable. Life throws us curve balls. You are NOT alone! God is in control. Our priorities are to love Him and love our kids! May you experience the peace that passes all understanding today, may it guard your heart and mind in Christ!  May the Lord bless you and your household today!

Carob Oatmeal Chip Cookies

1 1/4 cups all purpose whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup carob powder
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
egg replacer equivalent to 2 eggs (2tsp egg replacer + 4 tbsp water)
1/3 cup rice milk
1/2 cup mashed bananas
1/4 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 cup pecans or walnuts chopped
1 cup rolled oats

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets. Combine flour, carob and baking soda. In a large bowl mix egg replacer and oil. Mix in rice milk, bananas and lemon juice. Gradually add dry incredients. Once it is all mixed add nuts and oats. You can also add in dark chocolate chips or carob chips. Bake for 8-10 minutes until golden. Allow to cool and serve with rice milk or almond milk. I can’t wait for Judah to wake up and taste them! Mmmmmm…

Hanging Fruits and Veggies!

The other day I was shopping at a local garden center when I noticed an unusal sight. I walked toward a strange looking planter with curiosity written all over my face. I realized that this planter had strawberries hanging off of it, it was a hanging strawberry plant. I don’t know if it is just me, but I had never seen such a thing. Later on that week I saw another strawberry planter at the local farmers market. After drilling the vendor with all my questions I decided to purchase the planter. It was full of strawberries. It was an ever-bearing strawberry plant which means that it will continue to bear fruit all summer long. Unlike the strawberry plants that just produce strawberries in June and July. I brought the plant home 2 weeks ago and it has been thrivingever since. It is growing rapidly and new berries are coming every day. Although, my children eat them as fast as they grow. I think I have been able to eat one or two berries, they were delicious. The advantages of hanging your strawberries are:

1. They can be moved and will not spread all throughout your garden.

2. There berries will not rot because they are sitting in wet soil.

3. They are less likely to get eaten by animals. (squirrils, chipmunks, etc) 

4. You can take them indoors in the winter and enjoy the fruit despite the cold temperatures.

5. You can determine how big they get based on the size of pot that you plant them in. (Smaller pot, smaller plant, larger pot, larger plant.)

6. They are a great decoration for your deck/outdoor area!

Not only did I decide that this is a good idea for growing strawberries but I also purchased an upside down planter for tomatoes. It too has been thriving. You water it from the top and the plant basically grows upside down. I absolutely love it. Another advantage with tomatoes is that they will not rot in this kind of planter because it is off the ground.  I often find that the fruit on tomato and strawberry plants will rot easily because they are so heavy and the fruit ends up sitting in the soil and getting eaten by buds. Yuck! So my simple solution is hanging up the plants.  Try it and let me know what results you get, also feel free to ask questions! Happy gardening!

Vegan Chickpea Burgers

1 lb cooked chickpeas or 2 x 14 oz cans chickpeas
1 onion finely chopped
2 cloves or garlic
2 medium potatoes cooked and mashed
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp lemon juice
pepper to taste, whole wheat flour, extra virgin olive oil for frying
Put chickpeas into a bowl and mash well. Add onion, garlic, potato, soy sauce, lemon juice and pepper. Mix together well. With floured hands, shaped into patties. Coat well with flour and refrigerate for 1 hour. Heat a little extra virgin olive oil in a pan and fry burgers on each side until golden brown. Serve with whole wheat buns. Top with sprouts, spinach or lettuce, fresh cilantro, pickles and tomatoes!

Magnificent Mothering

Hello to all you wonderful mothers out there! I feel compelled to let you know, that in this day and age, your role as a mother is so important. We have the power to shift a nation and to raise children who are God fearing, confident, whole individuals. I have been challenged with the thought that any woman can be a mom, biologically, but it takes a woman who desires to love, nurture and see their child excel, beyond their own accomplishments, to be a mother. Mothering is not an easy task, in fact, it is the most multifaceted, complex, demanding job on earth and it takes much skill and selflessness to master! This morning I was reflecting on my role as a mother. Often, people tell us to not do anything on mothers day, to take the day off, but I feel like today is an opportunity to, in all I do, remember how blessed I am to be able to serve my children and my family.

 I thought it would be nice to include a little humor, seeing as the majority of my days are spent laughing at myself or my kids, and the silly things that seem to happen and change when you become a mother. So here are a few scenarios you may be able to identify with. You know you are a mother when:

You spit on your hands to clean off the faces of your children.

You wear jogging pants for a week straight

You can talk on the phone, pack a snack, wash the dishes, and breastfeed all at the same time.

You cannot remember the last time you painted your nails.

Your washing machine never stops running.

You have thousands of pictures of your children but not one of you.

You never leave the house without snacks.

You reach into your purse to pay for groceries and you pull out a soother.

You often think and feel that you are not capable to do this job but then realize that you wouldn’t trade it for the WORLD!

I cannot explain the overwhelming joy that comes to my heart when I sit down and think about my children. The emotions, the desire and the love are too much to express in words. They can only be demonstrated through a life of expression. I began to wonder that perhaps all of these emotions, evoked in my relationship with my kids, are a way of God expressing His heart towards me. Is that possible? If I am only human, could that love and desire for me be even stronger since He is the creator of those emotions? Could my relationship with my kids be an example, on a small scale, of the passionate, burning, undying love of God? I do believe this to be true. As a mother, I am experiencing a picture of God’s heart for me. How I see my kids, love them, express my heart towards them, etc., are all examples of how God feels towards me. Wow! In realizing this, one thing becomes evident: I NEED HIM to show me how to love my kids. I want His guidance and mentor-ship on this road of motherhood. May all the glory of motherhood be given back to God because He is the one who made me a mother. He is the one who created my children and gave them to me. 

I pray that, today, each of you will feel a strong sense of God’s pleasure with you as a mother. You play a vital and important role in the lives of your children and your family. The impact you have now is like an investment. The long term return is far greater than what you see now. If you plant seeds, you will reap a harvest! So in the mean time, between the planting and the harvesting, may you experience the joy, inner peace and contentment that comes from being a mother. May you realize, that out of your sacrifice, lives are being shaped, personalities affirmed, and world leaders are in the making. May you know that no one else, in the WORLD, can be your child’s mother and that NOBODY loves you like they do! HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY. Bless you as you continue to embark upon this journey of motherhood!

“Train up a child in the way they should go and when they are old they will NOT depart from it!” Proverbs 22:6

Whole Wheat Scones

2 cups whole wheat flour (or whole wheat all purpose flour)
4 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp granulated maple sugar (you could use honey or maple syrup instead)
3/4 tsp sea salt
3/4 cup rice milk
4 tbsp margarine
Mix together all the dry ingredients, cut in margarine until crumbly. Add rice milk and stir with a fork. Bake at 450F for 12-15 minutes until the scones are light brown. Serve warm  with honey or strawberry jam. We enjoyed these delicious scones tonight with Vanilla Roobios tea. Steep the tea and add honey and rick milk to taste! Mmmmm…
Judah called it “the perfect cup of tea and scones”:)