Valentine’s Day Craft!

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Hello friends!

Hope you all are doing well! As you all know Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and I wanted to share this fun and really easy craft project that you can do in literally less than an hour. Unless, you have little ones then it may be a bit longer.

This craft project was less than $5 to make!

So I had a few picture frames in my craft room box and really wanted to make something cute and functional that can be displayed beyond say Valentine’s Day. Using a few bags of river rock left over from our wedding and thought this might be the look I’m trying to get. So here it is!

Picture

 
Supplies:
  1. 1 bag of river rock
  2. 1 bottle of mod podge
  3. 1 picture frame
  4. White paint (optional)

Directions:

  1. I removed the glass from the picture frame, (I hope to use this for a later project,) and painted the hard cardboard in the frame a distressed white. I let it dry completely. Now, paint the bakround white or any color (you could even paint the background of the heart a different color too it depends on the look you are going for). I wanted my heart picture to look rustic.
  2. I lightly traced a heart shape so that I was about to get the heart shape I wanted. I actually dipped each one of the rocks in the mod podge because I really wanted the rocks to stick to the paint and not fall off…like ever. In this step if you go outside of the lightly traced line that is fine. The rocks edges can give the heart edge a rugged look that doesn’t look like a perfect heart.
  3. Once I completed the heart with the river rocks I lightly brushed mod podge over the entire heart because it will keep everything in place. Plus, mod podge will dry clear!
  4. I finally placed the dried cardboard with the heart river rock back in the picture frame and viola!

I hope you have fun making this heart that can be placed in your home for Valentine’s Day and beyond!

Delicious Blueberry Muffins!

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PictureMmmmmm……..Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins!!!  WAIT, Now, before you click away from my site, you can also make these scrumptious muffins the glutinous way!!!  I have ‘perfected’ these muffins and wanted to share with my fellow Gluten-Free friends as well as my “glutinous” friends my recipe for these muffins. 

Just because you follow a Gluten-Free diet doesn’t mean that you have to give up on ever eating or enjoying some of your favorite foods…it just means you are eating these favorite foods with different ingredients.

In my case, I was diagnosed with non-celiac gluten sensitivity and it became a way of life for me. The upside is you will FEEL a whole heck of a lot better when you find the root of the problem. At any rate, I hope you enjoy these muffins and love them as much as my husband does! =)

Enjoy!!

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 c. soft butter
  • 3/4 c. sugar…………………..OR  (Organic Coconut Sugar or Organic Sugar)
  • 1 egg…………………..OR Organic Free-Range
  • 2 c. sifted flour……………………OR  (1 c. Gluten Free-Flour Blend and 1 c. Flaxseed Flour)
  • 2 tsp. Baking Powder
  • 1/2 tsp………………….. OR salt (Pink Himalayan Salt)
  • 1/2 c. milk…………………OR (Coconut Milk)
  • 2 c. Blueberries


Blueberry Muffin Topping (optional)

  • 1/2 c. sugar……………….. (I usually use less about 1/4 c.)
  • 1/4 c. soft butter
  • 1/3 c. flour…………………(Gluten Free flour blend or use the Flaxseed Flour)

 

  • 1.2 tsp. cinnamon

** Note: I decided to give you the Gluten version of the muffins and include my alternate ingredients to use to make these muffins Gluten-Free.  To make a Gluten Free (organic) take on this recipe I use either Organic sugar or Coconut Sugar, Sifted flour: a Gluten Free Blend as well as Flaxseed flour, and instead of milk I use Coconut milk and sometimes add a bit more to the bowl.

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven 400 degrees and line cupcake tray with cupcake liners.
  2. Combine dry ingredients in your bowl: flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.
  3. Add the wet ingredients: egg, butter, and milk and mix before adding the berries.
  4. Add your blueberries and slowly fold the berries.
  5. When filling the cupcake liners go fill about 3/4 of the liner and leave enough room to add your optional blueberry toppings.
  6. Place in oven when ready and bake 20-25 minutes.

Tuscan Bean

MeganLeave a comment

PictureHello friends! 

I hope you are all staying healthy during this cold and flu season.  Since the Super Bowl is in a few days, I wanted to share another ‘fix it and forget it’ meal you can include or have as your ‘star dish’ for really any weekend meal or for any game-day gathering. 

Tuscan Bean is a hearty and savory concoction that is one of my must haves as often as possible!!!

I have shared this recipe many, many times and it seems to be a fan favorite.  So with no further adieu here you go.  I would love to know if you tried this recipe!

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. of lean ground beef (organic if possible)
  • 8-10 slices of bacon or Canadian bacon
  • 4-5 cans of beans (or less depending on Crockpot size)

            – 1 can of Garbanzo Beans
– 2 cans of Dark Red Kidney Beans
– 1 can of light Red Kidney Beans
– 1 can of Cannellini Beans

  • 1 medium onion
  • 2-3 Cloves of Garlic
  • 1/2 c. Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1/4 c. Brown Sugar
  • 3/4 c. Ketchup
  • Brown instant rice

***I make this meal with as many as organic ingredients (if not all) as possible, but it’s completely up to you!

Directions:

  1. Cut onion and put into pan with a very little bit of olive oil or any oil of your preference.
  2. Peel and chop garlic and add with onions and cook until translucent.
  3. Add lean ground beef to the onions and garlic. 
  4. In a separate pan, add the bacon either pre chopped or not, and cook bacon until slightly crispy.
  5. Add the beef and onion and garlic to the crockpot and then add the bacon without adding all the oil from the bacon. (Hint: some of the oil from the bacon is the key to additional flavor, so you can add sparingly)
  6. Open and drain the cans of beans and empty them over the beef and mix
  7. Add apple cider vinegar (ACV), ketchup, and brown sugar and continue to stir the ingredients in the crockpot. (you may add more than the amount given: ketchup or ACV)
  8. Set on high for about 4 hours and occasionally stir (taste to see if any of the above ingredients need to be added) or set on low for about 8 hours.
  9. I like to use instant brown rice and I usually wait until my Tuscan Bean is almost done to put the rice on the stove.  Follow the directions on the box and you’re done!

I hope you enjoy this one!  You can bet I will be making more of this over the weekend! =)