Or should I say, no added sugar, considering the fruit sugar.  Either way, this jam was so easy, I don’t know why I haven’t been doing it for years.

This recipe actually came from my mom.  She first gave us a box of apricots the other day, that needed to be used ASAP!  Then she told me about some new pectin in the stores that do not require adding sugar to your fruit.  It specifically says on the box, “No sugar needed.”

I used

• 6 cups of apricots
• 2 TBL lemon juice
• 1 box No sugar needed pectin
• 1/4 cup concentrated apple juice
• 3/4 cup water

I through everything in a pot, and stirred.  Waited it to start boiling, and break down the apricots.

Then I put it into jars and straight into the fridge! No canning at this house!

MMMM,  and you know what it tastes like?  Apricots!  Tangy and delicious, not sickingly sweet.  Apricots are supposed to be tangy!

We pick up our Japanese friends from the airport today!  We are excited. I asked Anna what she and her friend wanted me to pick up at the grocery store.  She’s so cute, her reply was

Hi, this is Anna. Today is Monday morning (10:10) in Japan. But I’m still sleep… Because I’m excited too!! I couldn’t be sleep.

Dinner menu is anything OK. But, my friend can’t eat "sea foods" And I can’t eat milk, cheese and butter. We have their allergy. We’re so sorry

Isn’t she cute?

When given the opportunity, kids love to be outside, especially at night!  Kids want to be active, and nighttime brings activity to a whole new exciting level.

My husband is great about taking the kids and their friends out at night to supervise, and the kids love it.  So, what kind of night games do we play?

• Kick the Can  Like Hide and seek, and running mixed.  Person that’s IT counts, everyone else hides.  As the IT person looks for hiders, hiders can come out and run back to the can before they get spotted.  If they are spotted and tagged, they are out.  If they can get to the can before the finder tags them, they are safe.
• Ghost in the graveyard  Everyone counts while.  one person hides (the ghost).  Then the group starts looking for the ghost.  When someone finds the Ghost, that person will yell, “Ghost in the graveyard”, while everyone tries to run home before they are tagged by the ghost.  If someone gets tagged before they get home, they are it.
• Flashlight sardines  Everyone counts- one person hides.  When you find the hider, you hide with them. The last person to find the group hiding, becomes ‘it’ next time
• Flashlight hide and go seek.  Regular hide and seek.  My sister in law brought the kids glow bracelets and glow necklaces to wear during our night games.
• Capture the Flag-  Have two teams.  Each team tries to steal the other teams planted flag before getting tagged.  A BIG field is helpful in this one.  The “flag” could be anything- but something visible like a glow stick might be helpful.

Some interesting things I learned at my son’s 5th grade Star gazing night.  It takes 30 minutes to get 2/3 of your vision at night.  Meaning, when you first step outside, it’s hard to make out images, stars, shapes, etc.  But after 30 minutes, you can literally see most things, and even tell who people are.  It is really true!

What night games do you remember growing up, or that your kids play today?

Other sites with ideas

• Helium
• Family Fun- Flashlight tag Everyone has a partner.  Each partnership decides on a flashlight signal.  At once, all partnerships separate to opposite sides of field.  The first team to be reunited (by following your planned signal) wins.

You know how there are certain books that inspire you want to be healthier, live better, and do better? That is this cookbook!   Let me explain:

Anni Daulter sent us Organically Raised- Conscious cooking for Babies and Toddlers.  I have so much I love about this book!  I almost didn’t respond to Anni, because I don’t have any babies or toddlers.  But my kids have loved these recipes, and I have really enjoyed this cookbook on so many levels!

Here’s what I love

• After looking through the pictures in the book, I feel like moving to a farm, raising organic plants and animals, and then having me some babies! I’m not joking here. I want to have these children pictured in the book! I want to eat the food in the book! I wish I were the author of this book! All the pictures in the book make me want to abandon the city and live in the country! The photos of the children are gorgeous!! They have a truly serene feel to them.  I wish I could have posted a million of the pictures.  But here is one:

• The recipes are totally new, fresh and unique! I have been pouring over the recipes and they are not simply healthier versions of typical recipes.  They are totally new and completely amazing.
• There is a question and answer section, a pantry list, feeding schedule, tips, a snack list etc.
• For the baby food, there’s a carrot, spinach, and beet blend.  A dried apricot and peach blend.  An apple and butternut squash blend.  I truly wish I had these recipes when I had babies to feed.
• For the toddlers (or my kids in this instance) we like the recipes for basil-walnut pesto quesadilla, sweet potato cakes with sour cream, pumpkin poppers, lavender cupcakes with lavender swiss meringue butter cream, roasted coconut oat balls… Don’t they sound amazing?  And here is our favorite (as pictured above)

Sunshine’s Chocolate Tofu Pops By Anni Daulter

(Shared with permission)

• 4 oz silken tofu, drained
• 1/3 cup agave nectar
• 3 tsp ground almonds
• 1/3 cup organic raw dark unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup coconut milk

Mix the tofu, agave, almonds, cocoa and milk in a medium saucepan.  Cook over med heat until all ingredients melt together

Pour mixture into a blender or food processor and puree

pour into ice-pop molds. Freeze and enjoy.  (Do you like how I only have one popsicle stick left??

My kids LOVED THESE! They taste like chocolate creamy’s.

I know this post is getting way too long, but I like this book so much, I wanted to also add what the author has said about it.  Including what Gwen Stefani said, because my husband is totally in love with her!

Organically Raised is a hip, holistic guide that allows parents to create delicious, healthy, and organic meals for children ages 6 months to 3 years old. In it, I explain why feeding children organic, seasonal foods and mindful preparation and eating are important. I also include important information about nutrition for children; common food allergies; smart, simple tips for preparation and storage; and inspiring “Mama Mantras” to help parents prepare meals that nurture their children’s bodies, minds, and spirits. With warm, inviting photographs featuring delicious, healthy baby food and recipes that focus on a few basic fresh ingredients, my book Organically Raised makes cooking for babies and young toddlers easy and appealing to even the most inexperienced cook.                                                                                                                                                               

“Organically Raised is the cookbook I wish I had when my first child was born! It explains the benefits of organic eating for young children and includes yummy recipes. When my next child starts solids I plan to keep Organically Raised in my diaper bag. That way I can ensure there are always healthy options to offer.”

—Gwen Stefani, musician and mommy to Kingston and Zuma

You have to have this book!!

We are giving away an Organically Raised- Conscious cooking for Babies and Toddlers! 

You must, As always- You must comment On the giveaway page to enter!!

Kids need to play outside! That’s obvious to my readers, I know.  But we are always looking for ideas.  This is what we did to get outside this week.

Last summer my husband bought some inflatable rafts.  I had no idea when he spent $20 on them, how much we would use them.  I thought they were overpriced and would spend too much time, deflated in our garage.

However, with the kids super bored yesterday, he took the kids to a pond behind our house.  Generally, we don’t even get near this pond.  It’s simply a drainage ditch for irrigation water.  But with the park area being literally deserted, we set out to put our rafts on the water.

  So, don’t be picky! Don’t think you have to spend the day at the lake for some good outdoor time.  See what opportunities are literally in your backyard!

I’ve been thinking about the importance of getting outside after seeing an article in the paper on Sunday.  And also, checking out the book from our library titled:   Last Child in the Woods, Saving our children from Nature Deficit Disorder, by Richard Louv.  Such a great book! He explores the psychological and social problems associated with children NOT being outside!

The newspaper article also pointed to a website where you can Sign the pledge with the National Wildlife association, and they will email you a "Summer Survival Guide" full of things to do outside.

From the Deseret News article:

Equally important is what the outdoors can do for the mind, she says. "We cite research that shows that the attention span is increased in kids who spend a lot of time outdoors." … Research that shows outdoor activities can help reduce stress, can encourage social behaviors. And let’s not forget that it’s fun.

Plus: 52 Great Outdoor Activities

This is the perfect weekend to get outside and celebrate Independence Day!  Happy 4th of July to all in The United States!!

First order of business…head over to the giveaway page for a $40 giftcard to buy some new awesome kitchen supplies!!

Don’t you just hate it when there is nothing green left in your fridge.  The broccoli is gone, there is no more lettuce, spinach, nothing!! OK, maybe it’s not exactly eaten… but maybe it went bad?!?!? 

So, I wanted salad last night, but all that was in the produce drawer of my fridge was carrots.  I pulled out Dr. Fuhrman’s Eat for health cookbook (the good Doctor that my dear husband fears I’ll run off with if I ever got to meet him)  

I made his Sunshine Slaw.  It was delicious.  Two of my kids ate it.  TJ claimed “fullness” (his favorite excuse). He didn’t even want to try it.  I threatened with the famous.. “OK, so if you are full, you won’t get to choose a treat out of Grandma’s pig tonight (Grandma keeps a very large glass pig filled with candy and fruit snacks.  Each visit to Grandma’s house they get to choose something from the pig in exchange for a hug).  So he said fine, and he actually did NOT take anything from the pig.

Anyway,  here is how I made the Sunshine Slaw

• 3 carrots grated
• 1 apple peeled and chopped
• handful of raisins
• 1/3 cup fat free mayo (or Veganaise if you’re vegan)

(Fuhrman also added sliced almonds.. but we didn’t have any)

Dinnertime can be so fun:

Don’t forget the giveaway.

Luke 24:6  He is not here, but is risen.

Have a Happy and Healthy Easter

I’m working on a post; A Sugar Free Easter, but I’m in a bit of a rush right now.  So, while you wait anxiously at your computers for my Easter post, I give you this in the meantime:

Don’t Be So Sensitive!  Giveaway here.

Plus dinner idea for tonight: Mini Pot Pies!  I used the Broccoli chicken recipe. Except used some ramekins I picked up for $0.99 at Ross!  I love Ross, don’t you?  I’m not saying my kids are MORE likely to eat the pie just because I made them into cute, adorable single servings, but it helps to mix things up a bit.

So here’s TJ digging in.

Here is the inside, when it’s a full pie.

So go enter the giveaway, and then come back tomorrow for my Easter post!

I’m in a Body For Life mood!  So, this week’s menu has a lot more protein than I normally cook for my family, but like I said, I’m just in the mood. . 

Fun stuff for locals (which means Utah County):

If you love photography, live in Northern Utah county, and have an SLR camera, my neighbor Natalie from Middle Gray Photography, just started the “Lehi Photography Guild”.  A club for emerging photographers who want to hone the craft.  Email her (middlegrayphotography@gmail.com)  if you are interested in joining.

If you are looking to join a CSA and get fresh produce weekly, here is one that is just starting in Orem.

If you love Alison’s Pantry, they are closing their store front!  But you can still buy their stuff, and the price hasn’t changed.  You just need to buy from a local rep.  For Northern Utah County, call Liz Kump.  (lizkump@yahoo.com)

	Breakfast	Lunch	Snack	Dinner
Monday	Oat Pancakes with berries	Ranch Chicken Salad	Oranges and cashews	Italian Chicken Wild Rice, broccoli
Tuesday	Omelet’s with salsa	Chicken Pita Pizza’s	Cottage cheese with berries	Potato Soup (making soup for Blue and Gold banquet)
Wednesday	Egg Sandwich and banana	Sub sandwich with veggies and turkey	Apple and string cheese	Enchilada soup with avocado
Thursday	Oatmeal with apples and cinnamon	Egg Salad Sandwich	Yogurt and strawberries	Taco Soup (making soup for Primary Dinner)
Friday	Sunny Side- up eggs with whole wheat toast	Chicken pita with grapes, tomato, lettuce, almonds	Cinnamon apples with sliced cheese	French Dip sandwiches, salad

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