Zucchini Brownies!!

Ahhhh so yummy!! OK I know it is not the healthiest recipe ever and I still really want to get us grain free, BUT we are not there yet so might as well enjoy right?


Recipe:

1-1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. coconut oil
2 t. vanilla extract
2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. baking cocoa
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
2 c. zucchini, shredded
1/2 c. chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Mix sugar, oil and vanilla; set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Blend in sugar mixture, zucchini and nuts.

WARNING
The mix will be so dry you will think there is no way it will make brownies like I did! So I did some researching and figured out it was fine. But I didn't get it into the oven till an hour after I mixed it and I could see how much it was getting moist.

WARNING 2
The batter is so yummy you may have a hard time not eating it right then and there and actually cooking it! ;P

Pour into a lightly oiled 13"x9" baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Cut into squares. Makes about 1-1/2 dozen.

If any of you have a healthier version I would love to try it! Maybe replace the sugar with honey and a different kind of flour like almond or coconut? I'd love to make a successful version like that too!

Thoughtful Thursday a little late?

Well it is still Thursday somewhere! :)

So I have been in my kitchen quite a bit today and there is something that is kinda sorta bothering me.... The compost pile on the counter. There really isn't much of an issue with it. In fact this year has been better then last year with fruit flies and there is definitely more food laying around (picture below).

But um yeah. Look at it. You don't see that in any nice kitchen. I am not really sure what else I would do with it. People have suggested in the past putting it in the fridge but I DO NOT have any extra room in my fridge. Ever. So not happening. In order to put it under the counter I would need a bucket, which I don't have yet but may be what I will do once I get one. Although having to clean out a big bucket all the time doesn't thrill me either. Those pretty counter compost crocks don't hold very much and are usually pretty expensive... Decisions, decisions...

What do you do with your compost before you take it outside?

Growing

Life is all about growing. Growing up, growing old, growing is a wonderful thing. And growing a garden is awesome too! I know last year I was talking about getting a garden going but it took a little longer then expected. This year I am happy to announce I DID get my garden started.

This is my first year having a good size garden outdoors and it has been so fun and exciting. It is certainly a learning process though, there have been amazing surprises and failures. And I hope to have an even better and BIGGER garden next year.

Looking at pictures from when I started and where my garden is now makes me so happy. It has come so far and even for the plants that didn't make it or the things I didn't do right I am so happy to have had the chance to do it.

My goal is to grow enough to feed my family and then some. To really get into canning and fermenting and help support us from the dirt in our yard.

 The beginning of our food! :D

Very beginning raised beds!

 Bed 1

Acorn squash, pickling cucumbers, zucchini, lavender, thyme, broccoli, cabbage and marigolds.

Bed 1

Growing.

Bed 1

Growing more.

Bed 1 

Latest pic but a week or two old.

Bed 2 

Started out with rosemary, radishes and carrots.

 Bed 2 

Made room for some lettuce.

 

Bed 2

Harvesting our radishes which honestly didn't do that well... but we had fun anyway! :)

Bed 2

Put in some sage, basil and watermelon.

Bed 2

Growing! Tomatoes added and some little critter killed almost all of the basil.. :(

Bed 3

Started out with a lonely but amazing lemon balm plant I found growing wild on the side of our road!

Bed 3

Lots of potted tomatoes and peppers. I don't think any of our peppers are going to make it. 

But look at that lemon balm!

Bed 2 & 3

Lots of tomatoes now! And a strange plant/weed I was hoping is mugwort but I am not sure yet.

Special herb garden

Special herb garden present day..

So we weren't able to work anymore on the herb garden yet. And unless we find some free decent quality fill dirt it is going to have to be finished next year. Can you see it? It is to the right of the logs and COMPLETELY over grown..

Some garden yummies :)

And more :)

Lots of lemon balm this year, yay!

I am hopeful next year I will do even better! I plan on adding a few more beds and finishing the herbal garden as well. I am happy about that for another reason too. Yards except for kids to play in are a waste of space and resources. So we will be able to cut down more on mowing. Good for the earth and my husbands back!

♥

EcoMom and Revolution Foods Giveaway Winner

                                       And the Winner is..... Ashley! with comment # 9

Thank you to all who participated! And a big Thank you to EcoMom for providing great products and discounts to both me and my readers! I hope to be able to do more giveaways here soon so keep checking back :) !

EcoMom and Revolution Foods Review/Giveaway & Discount Code!

It's always nice to come across great new websites. This one I found through a twitter party I "attended" a little while back. The website is called EcoMom and it is great! They have many awesome and safe products to offer anyone who is Eco-friendly and concerned about what goes in and on their family. There is literally something for everyone! From baby food to mens shaving products, to composters and high chairs!

 Eco-friendly Baby Products - EcoMom sent me a great Sampler package of Revolution Foods to review and is doing a giveaway for my readers as well!. Oh and did I mention they are giving my readers a discount code too? :)

First off the review! Now I really like making as much food as possible from scratch but there are times when I just don't have the time and or energy to do so. Finding nifty little snacks for kids these days that are not full of bad things is hard to do. Of course you can do the usual fruit and crackers and such but it's nice to have a little change. These seem really great for travel too. And they are all Organic of course!

  Now my son, Big L (the real reviewer) LOVES getting things in the mail (even if they aren't for him! lol) and he was jumping up and down waiting for me to open the package. When I got it opened there was an "Oh wow food!" Of course it could have been dirt and he still probably would have been excited because it came in the mail!

 He pulled it all out of the box and lined them up.                       

So then for the test... taste test that is!   First up the little Sammies.

 Making his way around the plate...

 

He tried them all and seemed to really like them.

 

 Nom, Nom, Nom...

 

Big L will not eat anything he does not like so it was a thumbs up on the Sammies!

Now on to the Mashups. He opened up the first one (Strawberry Banana) "It's Yummy and squishy" he said.

 He really liked the Mashups but I think he liked Strawberry Banana best..

 Ok I don't think I have ever seen him do this before and since it is our table and I had just cleaned it (with water and vinegar no less!) I didn't halt that tongue from hitting the table. He obviously didn't want to waste any!

Big L eyeing the last of his prey....

 

 You had no chance for survival little Sammy!

 

 Mama tried to steal the extra one (he had already had one of the same flavor...) but he spoted it, grabed it and I chased him around the house till he laid down on the floor laughing that it was his. Guess I miss out on that one (not that they were for me anyway!)!

I think Little L wanted some, look at that face as Big L gobbled up the last Sammy!

 Just packages and crumbs left....

 What I don't have pictures of, is all the times he put something down and picked it right back up to have another bite or sip! He was such a good little reviewer (must have been because the food was good! mama can vouch for that as she tested a bite and sip of everything too... ) So these were definitely a success!

If you would like to get your own just hop on over to EcoMom! And use the discount code  (good till June 30th, 2010) just for my readers for 15% off your first purchase with EcoMom!

DISCOUNT CODE:     SBBL415 

EcoMom also has a new program called EcoPass that allows you to purchase a $99 annual membership, which provides a 15% discount on every order, as well as free shipping with no $75 minimum requirement!

You can enter the giveaway below for $15 worth of Plum/and/or Revolution Foods!

 Here's how to enter:  The first entry is mandatory, you may do as many or as few of the rest as you like (extra entries means more chances to win!).  Leave a comment for each entry  and be sure to leave your email address in each comment.  If I can't contact you, I will choose another winner.

Mandatory Entry!

Visit Eco-friendly Baby Products - EcoMom and tell me something else you would love to have from the website.  

Extra Entries!

1. Follow my blog publicly via Google Friend Connect.

2. Like EcoMom on Facebook

3. Follow @EcoMomCEO on Twitter

4. Follow @InsideMyHeartt on Twitter

5. Tweet about this giveaway linking back to this post.  One tweet per day!.  

Win #giveaway for Organic Plum and/or Revolution Foods from @InsideMyHeartt and @EcoMomCEO http://tinyurl.com/29odam4 for your munchkin/s! . 

Then post a comment here with your tweet URL.

6. Sign up for EcoMom's newsletter.

7. Blog about this giveaway.  Please be sure to link back to this post and leave me a link to your blog post.

This giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada only.  I will be accepting entries until Friday, July 2nd, 2010 at 10:00 P.M., Eastern.  I will select a winner using random.org's true random number generator, and contact the winner by email.  S/he will have 48 hours to respond before the prize is forfeited and another winner chosen. Once the winner responds I will send EcoMom the winners contact info and email so they can set up shipment of the prize!

ECOMOM provided the review Sampler to me at no cost, and is providing the winner's item as well. The sample product was provided to me for review purposes, I was in no way compensated for reviewing the product. The opinions expressed in this post are strictly mine & not influenced by the company in any way. Your results and opinions may differ. Thanks for participating & Thanks to EcoMom for sponsoring!!!