Even if you're not doing a tricky diet like a Whole30 or going camping while gluten-free, we all KNOW in our heads that meal planning is super important. The journey from the head to the table can be a long, lonely road though. While it’s not as ugly as “taxes” and “homework-over-Christmas-break,” the notion of meal planning still manages to strike fear (and perhaps head-bashing frustration) into the bravest of hearts. I’ve tried several different styles of menu-planning, ranging from … [Read more...]
How to Use Squash and Recipe Round Up (includes Instant Pot!)
When winter squash are suddenly everywhere in the fall, acting like they're all gourmet or something - what's a home chef to DO with them? Especially if...you don't like mushy orange vegetables but you know they're good for you! And what are the different kinds of squash anyway? Got an Instant Pot? Want to get more veggies at breakfast? Keep reading! You can find whole squash in most grocery stores year round – and often more than one variety! You can purchase pre-cut cubed squash in the … [Read more...]
Instant Pot Cherry Compote Recipe {Paleo & AIP Compliant} + 10 Instant Pot Desserts To Try NOW!
It's no secret how much I love my Instant Pot. I mean, I even made it all 5 of my New Year's Resolutions, for goodness sake. But if you asked me to name my favorite thing to make in the Instant Pot, I think I would have a hard time narrowing that down. I love making baked sweet potatoes, because they are lightening fast compared to the oven. I love making bone broth because it doesn't make my house smell funky. And don't even get me started about freezer meals. But honest confession … [Read more...]
{Allergy Friendly!} Instant Pot or Slow Cooker Chipotle-Style Beef Barbacoa Recipe
Ever just need an easy meal and wish you could run to fast food? Chipotle, anyone? But we're a make-from-scratch kind of site, being good stewards of our budget...yet who has the time to make it happen some weeks! Like this one. Can I just confess something? This has been quite the week... We just got back from vacation last week, which – as you know – always means the next few days are spent catching up. Now add to that chaos the fact that we just moved four weeks ago. *cue … [Read more...]
5 Resolutions – Using the Instant Pot to Achieve Them
I’m the type of person who loves setting goals. I think that’s why I’m so drawn to Katie's baby steps – they are tangible ways to make resolutions and goals come true. Now I know this time of year it’s all the rage to make resolutions – just as it seems to be all the rage to mock making them. But since I like setting goals/resolutions, it felt appropriate that I should share mine with you. My knee-jerk resolution came to me immediately. My goal this year is… To make it look NOTHING like … [Read more...]
17 Hidden Sources of Gluten In Your Kitchen (That Aren’t Food)
Becoming Gluten Free The last nine years of my life have been a roller coaster with gluten. I’m going to take the time to tell a little bit of my story… because it’s my hope that it may bless and help someone. (If you are pressed for time and just want the bullet list of 17 Hidden Sources of Gluten In Your Kitchen, scroll down.) Nine years ago I began making my own homemade bread, using my Bosch mixer to crank out 6 loaves of delicious gluten goodness every week. When you make 6 loaves of … [Read more...]
How To Cook FROZEN Ground Beef in the Instant Pot {VIDEO}
Did you know you can cook frozen ground beef in the Instant Pot even without a trivet?! No thawing. No waiting. It's a lifesaver on busy days. Great for our family favorite quick dinner, homemade hamburger helper. I’ll admit, when I first heard about the Instant Pot, I scoffed at the idea. I heard it pitched as a table-top pressure cooker, a rice cooker, and slow cooker – all in one. But getting one more gadget just seemed excessive. So I thumbed my nose at the idea. Figured it was … [Read more...]
{Series: Those Weird Veggies} Everything You Didn’t Know to Ask About Kohlrabi
There is an alien invading your grocery store. And, no. I don’t mean those “Franken-foods” like bottled cheese whiz or marshmallow whip in a jar. I mean an actual, certifiable, GREEN ALIEN. One with strange wrinkles and things sticking out of its face. I give you: Kohlrabi. Well, I’m guessing you’ve gathered by now that this page is not dedicated to UFOs. You have, however, managed to catch us for the next installment in our “Those Weird Veggies” series. And let me tell you. This is … [Read more...]
{Series: Those Weird Veggies} Everything you Didn’t Know to Ask About Parsnips
Welcome to a new series that I’m so excited about: Those Weird Veggies. Thanks to some developing health issues, I’ve had to pull back from my go-to recipes (like meals including grains, dairy, and eggs) and really focus on meats, fruits, and veggies. Desperation can drive you to exploration… and in the process I’ve discovered some fascinating new produce that I can’t wait to share with you. To inaugurate this series, I’d like to begin with parsnips. Exactly What Are Parsnips? You … [Read more...]
Bake and Serve: Garlic Maple Chicken Recipe
I’ve always been someone who wants to have a signature dish. You know, the kind you become famous for – and maybe even have people beg you to make it for them. My mom has several signature dishes (oriental lemon chicken being among them). And while they taste DELICIOUS, they are also a labor of love to make. When my homesteading friend shared this recipe idea with me, I knew I had finally found one of my signature dishes. It was juicy. It was yummy. And the best part -- it was ridiculously … [Read more...]
That Time I Realized My 1st Grader Never Used a Butter Knife
We all have those moments in parenting. I’m not referring to those glowing, warm fuzzy moments. (Like when your child spontaneously declares, “Mommy, you’re the BEST mommy in the WHOLE world.” This actually happened today. Hence, I’m recording this for all posterity…) No, I’m referring to those moments that make us want to put a paper bag over our head. Where we turn shades of embarrassing red and want to crawl in a hole. You know, the kind that generate those #fail memes. My #fail … [Read more...]
Why Mama Became A Short-Order Cook
I need to confess something publicly. A few weeks ago I came to a disheartening conclusion. I don’t like cooking anymore. My friends noticed it first. I was cooking less and sharing less (when friends needed meals, I defaulted to giving Costco chicken and store bought sides). I began repeatedly telling my accountability group that I was struggling with the mechanics of meal planning, food prep, and clean up. When I grocery shopped, I began looking for all the “healthy” convenience foods I … [Read more...]
Spring Cleaning: How To Get A House That Cleans Itself
Although organization comes naturally to me, I have always struggled to keep a maintained room or home. And doing a deep spring cleaning? HA. That was just an exercise in futility for me. I mean, it’s great to do a massive get-out-all-the-winter-funk cleaning. Wiping baseboards and cleaning window screens are wonderful things to do. But clutter kept getting in the way. How could I possibly think about deep cleaning when my time was consumed with picking up and trying to beat back the … [Read more...]
4 Easy Tips for Cooking During Depression
For my friends who have walked the journey of the last six months in my life, they know it has been full of wildly vacillating ups and downs. We moved from our old house (with a gorgeous kitchen) to a different home. While the move wasn’t hard, no move is easy. But it did involve a thousand different little choices. Where should we put this chair? Wait, we can’t put incoming mail four steps from the door like we used to… Where should we store towels so it’s accessible to all … [Read more...]
Healthy Baked Rice Pudding Recipe
I’m a pretty big fan of healthy desserts. I know, I know. That may seem like an oxymoron. How can healthy and dessert even be friends in the same sentence?! After all, it IS January: that month where EVERYONE talks about dieting and ditching sweets. But as you’ve come to expect from Kitchen Stewardship, we’re all about balance. Definitely eat more veggies. Definitely drink your water and get exercise. And definitely enjoy a little treat now and then – especially if it is healthy. Dessert … … [Read more...]
Easy, Creamy Eggnog Recipe
Growing up, eggnog was something we really didn't have around the house. It was far too sweet, too expensive, and too full of ingredients that family members were allergic to -- like high fructose corn syrup. So it just wasn't present in my childhood. But when you get married, traditions merge. After a lengthy search to find corn-syrup-free eggnog, my husband eagerly introduced me to his tradition of eggnog. I was instantly hooked. And of course, I immediately set out to make my own. For … [Read more...]
Periods, Panties, & Personal Care: A KS Look at the Unmentionables
Gentlemen, this post is for the ladies. So this is one of those topics that I can’t believe I’m actually talking about in a public setting. I thought of all sorts of ways to begin this post, but I think I’ll just begin by sheer begging. If you know me in real life, please don’t look at me funny when you see me next. If you are a guy, just stop reading now. Please. Stop. What you’re about to read you can’t unsee. Alrighty. We good? Today we're going to especially focus on … [Read more...]
8 Ways to Streamline Your Kitchen Organization TODAY
A few months ago, we had the blessing of re-modeling the kitchen unexpectedly. We’re huge Ikea fans, so it felt natural to visit our favorite store for inspiration. Now, I know what you might be tempted to think. Oh, yeah. Sure. Of course it’s easy to have an organized kitchen when yours is huge and freshly remodeled with oodles of cabinet space! Mmmm, perhaps. But if there’s one thing Ikea has taught us, it’s that the smaller the space, the more important it is to be intentional … [Read more...]
Why I’m Tempted To Ditch the Organic Foods Movement
They say parenting changes you. And they aren’t kidding. I remember looking down at our firstborn when she was a tiny little bundle. Such a cute nose. And big, innocent eyes. And adorable smile. And… Oh no! I’m now responsible for this little human! Cue the parental panic. Around the time that our first was born, the whole foods/slow foods movement was just beginning to blossom on the national scene. By the time my bubbly baby was ready to eat solids, documentaries like Food, Inc. … [Read more...]
Stewarding Sticks and Stones: The Science Behind Our Words
It’s funny how the rhymes and chants of childhood can stick with us over the years. Some chants were used for very serious decision making on the playground: Eenie meenie miney moe, Catch a tiger by the toe. If he hollers let him go. Eenie meenie miney moe! Some were nonsensical and a nuisance. Remember this one? Step on a crack! And break your mother’s back! Um, what?! Seriously now. Why. And yet other childhood chants are valiant efforts of brushing off verbal wounds: Sticks and … [Read more...]
