Mexican Lettuce Wraps (Low Carb, clean eating, paleo, low fat, healthy)

• 1 lb lean ground beef 
• 1 lb lean ground turkey 
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 green onions chopped
• 20 large iceberg lettuce leaves, whole, washed and dried (you could use romaine, or Bibb lettuce)
• 1 cup reduced fat cheddar or monterey jack cheese, shredded (I used a mixture of both)
• 1 cup fat free sour cream
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 1 large avocado, diced

1. In a large pan over medium heat add the ground beef. Cook until lightly browned. Drain if there's excess grease.
2. Add the white part of the green onions to the pan and cook for 2 minutes. 
3. Add onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, and chili powder, salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 5 minutes more.
4. To assemble the wraps, top a lettuce leaf with taco meat, shredded cheese, avocado, sour cream, and the green tops of the green onions.

This recipe yields 10 wraps each with 1.6 Net carbs

Spring Craft ideas as Ways for kids to use Recycled Goods!

I was looking at my recyclables this morning and I thought it would be fun to come up with some spring craft ideas as a way for my kids to reuse our recycled goods. 

1. recycled bird feeder

2. Plastic Bag Kite

3. Can-do Stilts

4. Egg Carton Bugs

5. Bottle Top Spring Flower

6. Recycled flower garden.

Gratitude Sunday

Sunday's heart felt tradition. A time to slow down, to reflect, to be grateful.

Here are some things I am grateful for this week:

1. The sound Princess Snifflefritz made when she is content, like a sweet sigh.

 2. The way Princess Magpie skips when she is happy or proud of herself.

3. Princess Snifflefritz sleeping with her teddy.

4. Sweet sisters enjoying each other showing off their matching hair cuts!

5. My sweet baby boy falling asleep in his chair and the feeling of him snuggling into me as I carry him up to bed.

6. Spring is coming even if it doesn't seem like it.

7. Prince Charming sharing his stories and the things that make him laught with me.

8. Princess Belle planning picnics and games for the future.

9. Planning for the rest of this year!

Instant Flax Meal Peanut Butter Hot Cereal (low carb, Paleo, high fiber)

Prep Time: 3 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/4 C flax seed meal
• 1/2 C boiling water
• 2 T peanut butter (or nut butter of choice for Paleo)
• 1/4 t cinnamon

1. Pour boiling water over flax seed meal and stir well.
2. Stir in peanut butter and cinnamon.
3. Let thicken for 1 to 2 minutes. Eat.

Nutritional Analysis: Each recipe has 5 grams of effective carbohydrate plus 10 grams of fiber, 14 grams protein, 29 grams fat, and 351 calories.

Creative Closet Solutions - organizing your closet!

Here are some creative solutions I have found for organizing your closet. 

1. Using strips of molding to organize her heels on a wall.

2. purse storage ideas

3. Storing flip flops in a folder organizer (and other ideas!)

4. Necklace Rack / Jewelry Organizer 

5.  Display bracelets on a paper towel holder to keep them organized.

6. Scarf Organizer

7.  Install shorter shelves in the ends of the closet

Saturday Photohunt:

The Saturday PhotoHunts for this week are: Trees and Bird.  You would think it would be easy to get pictures of these, but I had troubles.  I take LOTS of pics of my kids outside and I have a soft spot for pics of them near or in trees, but it took me a while to find pics where they hadn't scared the birds away.

But I managed:

And I found our bird feeder in a tree!

I found some pics of Princess Belle and her best friend perched like birds in a tree

 And I also found lots of cool pics which had trees but no birds in them.  I couldn't help but share a couple:

Technorati PhotoHunters and Photohunter Facebook

Pudding in a mug (paleo, low carb, lower fat)

• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 Tbsp cream
• 2 Tbsp cocoa
• 1 Tbsp granulated splenda (or honey or Stevia to taste)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp oil

1. Mix all ingredients in a microwave safe container. 
2. Microwave 1-2 mins depending on your microwave. 
3. Best to start with a smaller time to avoid over doing. 
4. Great warm with some whipped cream and sugar free syrup.

Options

• Try a 1/2 cocoa & 1/2 instant coffee mix instead for a Moccha version
• Push in a few frozen berries
• Drop in some small chunks of high cocoa solid chocolate (like 80% Lindt)

This Moment

A beautiful and fun Friday ritual. Inspired by SouleMama.

{this moment} – A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. – Amanda Soule

Free Spring Crafts for homeschooling kids and for fun

I thought it would be fun to share some free spring crafts for homeschooling kids and for fun. 

Spring Crafts for Kids--make tulips out of toilet paper rolls and construction paper

These are all easy spring crafts for kids.

DIY flowerpots

cute little potted-plant sitters

Bird feeder with dollar store wooden spoons or other things like sticks, an empty soda bottle and some wire or twine

Fun spring craft - do after reading The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Spring craft using mason jars

Adorable sheep craft

DIY bird feeders

spring crafts with popsicle sticks

paper/tulle for flowers and sticks for stems