This is the perfect time of year for one of my favorite drinks, fruit infused water. I wrote this post a few years ago, so the date on it isn't accurate, but I wanted to keep the original post so I left the wording. I also had to leave this original because...just look at those pups! Our little Cookie (black pup on the right) was so tiny!!
Original post date: September 2019 (from my previous blog site)
My family loves being out in nature. Unfortunately, we don’t take the time to do it near as often as we should.
For Labor Day, my mom came for a visit and we decided to take a hike with our 2 little dogs.
We like to take a healthy picnic lunch for our outings. Chicken salad with homemade tortillas (you can find the recipe here) to the rescue!
We added a little fruit infused water for a refreshing drink and we were ready to go.
We each had a jar with our name on the lid. We simply added water and fruit to the jar, left it out in the sun while we enjoyed our picnic and then we were ready to sip away at our refreshing fruit infused water!
Pictured here is a frozen fruit blend of strawberries, mango, pineapple, and peach. Yum!
More fruit blends to try:
- berries like blueberry, raspberry, or blackberry
- apples
- mint leaves
- rosemary leaves
- oranges
- limes
- lemons
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My family absolutely loves homemade tortillas. Not only do they taste so much better than store bought, but we also know exactly what ingredients are in them. With all the dietary needs our family has, this is a pretty big deal.
Rolling out tortillas may not be hard, but I knew I wanted to make things as quick and easy as possible if I was going to be making tortillas on a regular basis. So, we bought this tortilla press and have used it for so much more than just tortillas. It also makes the perfect personal-size pizza!
Now for the super easy instructions and recipe!
Add ingredients to the mixer and divide dough into 16 balls. Once the dough is divided, I do one of 2 things: I either let them rest for 15 min so I can cook and enjoy them right away, or I freeze them on a cookie sheet, put them in a bag, and use them later.
Now, on to the fun tortilla press! I have found that cutting open a gallon sized ziploc bag works best for this. Open up the bag, place the dough in the center and press 4 times, turning 1/4 of a turn each time. This helps give the tortillas a more even rounded look.
Press dough between bag.
Tortillas are about 7″ wide
Cook on iron griddle
I then carefully move the pressed tortilla onto a hot griddle. I love my stovetop iron griddle for this. If you do not have a griddle, you can use a regular pan and cook them one at a time. Cook for about 1 min on each side and voila!
Homemade Tortillas
Ingredients
- 3 cups flour
- 1 tsp salt (I use Himalayan)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 cup warm water
Instructions
Combine dry ingredients in mixer with paddle attachment. Add warm water and mix about 1 minute. Divide into 16 balls and let rest for 15 minutes.
Press or roll tortillas out and cook on iron griddle for 1-2 minutes on each side.
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If you are anything like my family, fall weather and the sniffles often brings on some good homemade chicken noodle soup "just like Grandma's". But, have you ever stopped to wonder why that is? Is it because she had the BEST recipe and it just hits the spot? Or is there more to it than that?
One thing's for sure, you can't beat a nice warm, homemade soup on a chilly day. But I've learned over the years that there's actually a LOT more to it than that. So, let's take a look at some of the main ingredients you'll find in "Grandma's Chicken Soup".
Onion - high in flavonoids (including quercetin and kaempferol), polyphenols, and allicin. They are antimicrobial, antiviral, antioxidant, immune-enhancing, and anti-inflammatory. Onions can also enhance the action of vitamin C.
Garlic - has allicin and alliin, 2 compounds that are responsible for its antibacterial, antiviral, antiprotozoal and antifungal properties.
Celery - (seed) is an antioxidant and anti inflammatory. It also contains magnesium (benefitial use for the nervous system and muscular system), vitamin K, folate, potassium, fiber, and small amounts of vitamin C, vitamin A, and some B vitamins.
Carrots - has vitamins A, K, and C. They are high in fiber, beta-carotene (an antioxidant), alpha-carotene (anti-inflammatory), lutein (helps maintain healthy eyes), and zeaxanthin (protects eyes from harmful UV rays & blue light exposure).
Bone Broth - this one can very depending on where your broth comes from. But a good bone broth will contain all of these:
Magnesium, Phosphorus, Gelatin, Collagen, Glycine, Glutamine, Protein, Iron, Potassium, Calcium, Glucosamine, Chondroitin sulfate, Calcium.
It can help improve digestion, protect your joins, clear your skin, improve your sleep, and help support a healthy immune system.
Add-Ins:
Lemon - The juice and flesh have many health benefits. But did you know that the peel also has many health benefits? The white pith of the peel is considered a bitter and can help with digestion and liver function. Lemons are also high in vitamin C, vitamin A, beta carotene, calcium, folate, magnesium, and potassium.
Ginger - (fresh) helps stimulate the immune system, allowing it to fight bacterial and viral infections. It stimulates circulation of the blood (which helps to remove pathogens from the bloodstream). It also thins mucous and supports expectoration, and warms the body.
There's nothing like that extra cozy feeling when you are feeling a bit under the weather.
Herbs - You can find a list of herbs for the cold season here.
So, as you can see, there very well may have been a LOT more behind Grandma's chicken soup.
Here's one of my favorite ways to make a good chicken noodle soup.
Resources (with recipes!):
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I decided to do an anti-inflammation diet that is meant to help my body fight and repair from the lyme disease. I thought I'd put together my daily menu for the first week and share it here. I know a lot of my time in prepping was used just in planning the meals and in the kitchen getting things ready. But, by the end of it all, I hope to have some good recipes to share and some helpful kitchen tips to help speed things up so that you don't spend half of the day cooking and cleaning up the kitchen!
The diet is based off the book: Recipes for Repair by Gail Piazza and Lauren Piazza (the link is for a downloadable version since the print version is no longer available). They also have a corresponding website with some extra info. You can find it here.
Day 1
Breakfast: Brown Rice Porridge
Lunch: Deviled Eggs & Carrot Salad
Snack: Almond Crackers
Supper: Veggie Soup & Biscotti
Day 2
Breakfast: Brown Rice Porridge
Lunch: Spinach & Egg
Snack: Cherries
Supper: Moroccan Spiced Salmon with Rice & Asparagus
I went to bed with a migraine. I had an eye doctor appointment and my RX was slightly changed. So some of it could be due to that. But I believe it is mostly due to detox.
Day 3
Breakfast: Chia Pudding
Lunch: Cinnamon Applesauce, Cucumber
Snack: Cherries, & Blueberries
Supper: Stir-Fried Rice and Veggies
I had a headache all day and was achy. Very foggy-headed.
Day 4
Breakfast: Spinach & Egg
Lunch: Salad
Snack: Avacado, Blueberry, Kale Smoothie
Supper: Mackerel Cakes, Brown Rice, Roasted Brussel Sprouts & Carrots
Woke up very achy with a lot of back/neck pain. Still have a light headache.
Day 5
Breakfast: Spinich & Egg, Apple Sauce
Lunch: Salad
Supper: Carrot Salad, Apple Sauce, Carrots, Celery
Day 6
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs & Fruit
Supper: Almond Crusted Tilapia, Okra, Wild Rice
Day 7
Breakfast: Chia Pudding
Lunch: Salad
Supper: Left Overs
Obviously I didn't take notes of all of the things I ate. But this is a pretty good run down of how my week looked. I tried to have a few snacky foods available at all times, like nuts, green apples, cherries, blueberries, and dried coconut. I also made herbal tea with allowed herbs for the times I wanted a hot drink (since I can't have coffee until Phase 3).
As a whole I'd say it went well. I dealt with a lot of brain fog and fatigue, as well as headaches due to the detox. Thankfully this was all short lived. I will say that I was definitely looking forward to adding new foods in Phase 2! But the meals were pretty good and since it was only 1 week, it was very doable.
Now on to Phase 2!
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Oh man! Do I have a delicious recipe for you!! This black bean soup is a favorite in my house. It's soooo tasty, especially when you make your own black beans (recipe here).
We like to serve this over cooked rice. Try adding chopped cilantro to add that nice cool and refreshing taste. Though sour cream and cheese may make great additions, we prefer it just as it is!
Enjoy!!
Bacon & Black Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 4 cups black beans (I use this recipe to make them from dried beans)
- 6 slices of bacon or more (I usually use a whole package...cuz it's bacon!)
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 TBS minced garlic
- 32 oz chicken broth (or 2 cans)
- 2 cans (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- salt and pepper to taste
Served with:
Rice
Chopped Cilantro
Instructions
- Cook bacon in stockpot (I usually do some in the pot and some in the oven to speed up the process).
- When bacon is mostly done, add onions and cook until translucent. Add garlic and cook for another minute.
- Add in beans and remaining ingredients (except rice and cilantro).
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 20 min to help blend the flavors.
- Serve over cooked rice. Add cilantro and desired toppings.
Join our HomeGrown Homestead community—a place where we learn, grow, and share our homesteading journey together, fostering a bond of shared wisdom and experience. (everyone is welcome!)
Step into Lavender & Coffee: A Sip of Serenity, a haven for moms seeking support and community on their journey to fulfilling their roles as wives and mothers with grace and purpose.(for moms only)
