Frozen yogurt dots

I don't know about you, but desert has become a THING with my kid! 

It's requested and thought about all the time. Sweets this and sweets that! We are bombarded with treats everywhere. Its at home, restaurants, schools, TV commercials, grocery check out stands. Total craziness. We had to eliminate deserts from our vocabulary Sunday - Thursday. No one gets desert in our house on these nights. For us, desert meant a piece of chocolate, or a piece of left over Easter treats. Minimal but still pure sugar that isn't needed. I don't want this habit started at 6 yrs old. It's a weekend thing only now. Special treats. So to try to help my plea, I have started making these frozen yogurt dots that my son now calls desert. LOL. Yes, they still have sugar, but not nearly as much as the usual choices. And because it's yogurt, I secretly feel a little better letting him have one after dinner. Go figure.

Super easy, super fast and a healthier option. Fun for summer! Every kid love ice cream like treats.

 You can make these even cooler by adding a wooden candy stick before freezing, making them frozen yogurt pops. Or leave as is. Small little yumminess bites.

Makes 6 dots

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt. If you choose, you can buy 1  5oz carton of a pre-made flavor. More sugar but minimal for 1 dot.
• 1 Tbs honey. (Only if you are not using pre-flavored yogurt.)
• 6 blueberries
• 2 Tbs granola of choice.
• 1 Tbs low sugar jam or jelly. (Again, only if you are not using pre-flavored yogurt.)

Equipment:

•  Silicon non stick mini muffin pan
•  Wooden candy sticks
•  1 sheet of cling wrap

Directions:

• Mix yogurt and honey in small bowl.
• Add tsp of yogurt mixture to 6 mini muffins
• Add 1 spoon of granola and 1 blueberry in the middle of each yogurt filled muffin 

• Add remaining yogurt mixture on top of blueberries
• Cover pan with cling wrap
• If you are using candy stick, insert one candy stick through cling wrap into each muffin

• Place in freezer for at least 2 hrs.
• Remove from pan and devour!
• Any remaining dots can be stored in a freezer container or plastic bag for a month.

ENJOY!

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Dill Pickles

While doing my studies with the Institute of Integrative Nutrition, I started experimenting with fermenting my own foods. 

Pickles of course were the families FAVORITE! 

My 6 yr old LOVED them! My husband wanted me to start selling jars at Farmers Markets! You get where I am going.

Tasty!!

Better than any store bought pickle. Easy to make! Flavor to your personal taste. And best of all, so very healthy for you! 

Why is this salty deliciousness good for you? Because fermented foods are high probiotic foods. Most of us would benefit tremendously by eating small amounts of fermented foods each day. Healing your gut is must for optimum health. Feeding the microbes in your gut (the good bacteria) can improve digestion, boost immunity and maybe, just maybe help you get leaner. Either way, health starts in your gut believe it or not. That is for another discussion all together, which I would LOVE to have.

Anywho, if you are a pickle lover like us, making your own is a must try!

Ingredients:

• 5-8 small pickling cucumbers or 4-6 small regular cucumbers
• 1 quart filtered, spring, or distilled water
• 2 tbsp Pink Himalayan salt (be generous)
• 1-2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1-2 tsp dill seed
• 1/4 cup fresh dill or
• 1 tbsp dried dill leaf
• 1 Tsp whole peppercorns

Directions:

• Soak cucumbers in ice water for an hour to enliven them.
• Place leaves, garlic, and spices in the bottom of a quart jar. 
• Don't do this and add them to the top... They MUST be at the bottom and covered entirely in water. I learned the hard way! Stinky! LOL
• Add the cucumbers into the jar, packing them in tightly. I have discovered whole cucumbers taste the best! Crispier and more flavor.
• Dissolve salt in water and pour over the cucumbers. Like I mentioned, make sure the cucumbers are completely submerged in the water, add extra salt and water to cover them if they are not.
•  Leave at least 1 inch space between the top of the water and the top of the jar and cover loosely with a light kitchen towel or cheesecloth and secure with rubber band.
•  Leave on the counter in a cool place for 3-7 days. Checking daily. The liquid will begin to get cloudy and slightly bubbly.
• When pickles reach desired taste, cover and refrigerate.

 ENJOY!

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