German Pancakes

I tweaked a recipe to try out this morning, and my boys are still raving about it. One son says that when he opens his own restaurant someday he will offer this for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, because people will love it so much. :)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Melt half a stick of butter. Pour into the bottom of a 9x13 pan.

Combine:

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup milk or milk alternative (rice milk, almond milk, etc.)

6 eggs

half teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

Pour combined ingredients into the pan and bake for 25-30 minutes. Easy!

**You can add fruit to the batter to make this even yummier! I made it with pears this morning. (took about 10 extra minutes to bake) Certainly you could use apples, peaches, raisins, cranberries, etc.

I now make a simple fruit topping for many of our bready breakfast foods. Basically you just need 1-2 cups of fresh or frozen (but thawed) berries, plus a couple tablespoons of coconut sugar. Whiz it up in your food processor or blender. Voila! So easy, and so delicious!

Apple Crisp the Healthy Way!

We have several apple trees in our back yard, so we need plenty of ideas for using them up. Tonite I made a quick, easy, and healthy version that I wanted to share with you.

One of the things that has held me back from making apple crisp is facing the chore of peeling and coring a dozen apples. It is not often that I have time for that! Last time I made apple crisp I decided to try out *not* doing the peeling. Know what? It turned out just fine! So hooray for a short cut. We can all use some time-saving tricks up our sleeves, can't we? The only disclaimer I would add is that I am doing this with home-grown apples that have not been sprayed with any pesticides. You may not want to do this with conventionally-grown apples.

Get a 9x13 pan and spray it with the non-stick stuff of your choice.

Quarter and core a bunch of washed apples. Just chop them up roughly in your food processor and toss them into the pan until your pan is full.

Combine:

1 cup coconut sugar

1 tablespoon whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon (or more) cinnamon

Sprinkle that combination all over your apples, then pour a half cup of water all over the top.

Next, combine:

1 cup oats

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup coconut sugar

quarter teaspoon baking powder

quarter teaspoon baking soda

Sprinkle that combination all over your apples.

Then pour a half cup of melted butter all over the top of that.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes.

Yummy, whole-food goodness, and not much different from the sugared-up version people are used to! I have one in the oven right now.....

Healthified Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Just made these and they are so soft and perfectly delicious for a fall day! Yes, it's true, the chocolate chips are the kid-friendly part (ok, everybody-friendly!), but you could substitute dried cranberries, nuts, or raisins for the chocolate if you like.

Super Soft Healthified Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cups whole wheat flour
1.5 teaspoons non-aluminum baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
half teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
half teaspoon ginger
quarter-teaspoon nutmeg
quarter-teaspoon ground cloves
2 eggs
1 cup coconut sugar (NOT a refined sugar at all. It's really dried coconut sap and it is great!)
half cup olive or coconut oil
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips, raisins, dried or fresh cranberries, or nuts

Combine all and drop by tablespoons on a baking sheet (non-stick it first) at 325 degrees for 15 minutes, cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack. Soft and wonderful!

Anniversary Time!

Yesterday my husband Dave and I celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary! It's funny how that sounds like a long time, feels both like forever and not very long at all, and we don't feel quite as grown-up as it seems like we "should" for being an old married couple. :)

For this week's special deal I decided to go a little crazy and invite you to celebrate along with us: 20% off everything in the store! Just click through here to have your discount automatically calculated.

We thank you for your interest and support of our family business. Creating Supermom's Health and Wellness has been one of our favorite adventures and we appreciate all of you so much!

Deal of the Week: Miracle Salve

After using Miracle Salve on my family for almost a year now, I am confident that it will be a blessing to yours!

This is a wonderful product for minor scrapes, burns, cuts, stings, bites, sores, rashes, eczema, dry skin, and more. At our house it is the go-to remedy for every skin-related issue that arises. I appreciate it that this one product can do so much, instead of needing to purchase many different items for specific ailments. My children appreciate that it does not have a strong scent like some herbal skin salves do. :)

The coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil are moisturizing, and soothe and heal rashes and scrapes. Coconut oil is especially helpful for eczema and other skin rashes caused by yeast overgrowth. Olive oil is a wonderful moisturizer because it manages to allow your skin to still do all of it's normal things (sweat, shed dead skin cells, release sebum) even though it is moisturizing as well. The antioxidant properties of olive oil make it additionally beneficial to your body as well.

The beeswax gives the salve a good consistency even in the hot summer months, and it provides a protective barrier as your skin heals.

Plantain is a wonderful herb that is effective for all types of stings and bites from insects.

Comfrey is especially suited to healing cuts and scrapes. It is also an astringent that soothes and helps calm inflammation and bruising.

Propolis is another excellent ingredient that helps with abrasions, gum infections, eczema, acne, skin cancers, bruises, and burns.

Lavender essential oil is emotionally calming, plus hastens the healing of burns and minor cuts.

Rosemary essential oil has strong anti-inflammatory properties and is soothing to sore muscles.

Although this wonderful salve can do so many things, it manages to last a really long time. The two-ounce size is great for keeping in the diaper bag, back pack, or purse, for all of those small injuries that happen away from home. The 4 ounce size is perfect for everyday use at home.

Normally the 2 ounce size is $15 and the 4 ounce size is $25, but this week you can get them for just $11.80 and $19.69! Sale price through next Wednesday, August 3.

Deal of the Week: Everything's on Sale!

This week's deal is simple: Take 15% off of your entire order. Just clickety-click here for the discount to be taken automatically. Enjoy!

Deals of the Week July 14-20, 2011

Two timely products on special this week!

Did you know that you can actually help your kids (or yourself!) prevent head lice? My Supermom's No-Lice Hair and Body Spray has a pleasant peppermint scent, but is made from a combination of herbs that lice and other pests hate! Perfect for spritzing on hair before your child goes out to school, camp, sports activities, and church. Normally $19.95, on sale this week for just $10.95! Now is the time to make sure you are stocked up before the new school year. This product keeps for a long, long time when stored in the refrigerator.


So many parents asked me for a natural, non-toxic way to keep mosquitoes and other pests away. Now we have it!

This all-natural product will keep those pesky insects away from you and your family, without harmful chemicals.

Bug Stuff is a solid bar that's convenient to rub on your skin. No sprays or messy liquids! It comes in a tube with a cap, sort of like a deodorant container. So it's easy to carry in your purse, car, diaper bag, or back pack. At a nice sale price this week.

Deal of the Week: Vitamin D3

I am seeing it more and more: news reports letting us know that vitamin D3 is an incredibly valuable and important vitamin for fighting disease and keeping our immune systems strong. Well, this week you can stock up on this normally very affordable supplement at an even lower price! The small gel caps are easy even for children to take. Mine eat these like tiny jelly beans. :)

In addition, I had some people tell me they were on vacation and didn't have time to take advantage of the SuperDad vitamin deal from last week. So, I am going to let that deal stay active for this week as well. A great opportunity since you save $12 on each bottle right now!

Now view this site on your phone!

Good news--you can now see a convenient mobile version of this blog on your smart phone. Great for when you are at the store and need to check out the latest recipe ingredients!

Raw Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

I've been doing some raw food making tonite to get a jump on things. I whipped up this batch of Oatmeal Raisin Cookies and thought I would share the recipe with you since it doesn't take any complicated equipment or ingredients. Enjoy!

1 cup pitted dates, soak in some pure water for about an hour+ before you want to make this. Drain off but save the water before making the cookie dough.
2 cups quick oats
2 teaspoons cinnamon
about a cup of raisins, dried cranberries, other dried fruit, or if you're really going crazy, chocolate chips, carob chips, or cacao nibs

If you have a strong and mighty food processor, you might be able to get away with throwing all of the ingredients together and just whizzing it all up. If you have a finicky food processor, then try something like this:

Put drained dates into your food processor and chop them up as smoothly as you can realistically do with your machine. Add in the oats and cinnamon and continue to whiz it all up, adding some of the reserved water from the date soaking as needed. You want it to be wet enough to be able to smoosh the dough into cookie shapes. Not too wet to have the stuff hold together. If you have a smaller processor you may have to do this in batches.

Once you've got it all mixed, you've got options. :) You can form cookie shaped patties, little treat balls, or if you're in a hurry or looking for convenience just pour it into a 9"x9" pan and later you can cut it into whatever size cookie bars you need. These are quite tasty!

Deal of the Week: SuperDad vitamins!

The SuperMom and SuperDad vitamins are hugely popular with our customers. They are full of high quality nutrients, including green superfoods like Chlorophyll, Barley Grass, Wheat Grass, Spirulina, and more.

The only difference between the SuperMom vitamins and the SuperDad vitamins is that SuperDad has NO iron in it. Perfect for those that don't need more iron in their diet or who find iron to cause constipation.

This week we are featuring the big, economical 240 tabs bottle of SuperDad tablets at a big 25% off (just $9 per month!!). If taken as directed, this is a 4 month supply. Please note that the tablets are somewhat larger than the capsules. However, you take fewer of them to meet the daily recommended dose.

Order as many as you like at this price. No limit on quantity. Sale runs through July 6, 2011.

SuperKids Deal of the Week!

Pretty much everybody can use a multi-vitamin, and your kids are no exception. Sadly, most of the children's multi-vitamins available in the grocery store are full of cancerous aspartame and other artificial flavors and junk filler ingredients. That's why I'm so glad to be able to offer SuperKids, which has no fillers, is sweetened with beneficial xylitol, and includes all of the usual good vitamins and minerals PLUS green superfoods and other excellent nutrients. Happily, it tastes good too! (there are two flavors to choose from)

For really little kids you can give half a dose, and for adults who are unable to swallow pills you can double the dose, and even add it to a smoothie or applesauce if you like.

Order all you want at this great price, though when/if I run out of current stock, it may take a few extra days to ship. I'll let you know. Sale price goes through Wed., June 29, 2011.

Deal of the Week: Raw Almonds

Hello from mild and balmy central Kentucky!

After a week of blistering heat last week, we are now enjoying a very enjoyable mild week of weather. So nice!

This week's deal is on Raw Almonds. I normally have these available for you October-November each year (and I plan to this year as well!), but I ended up with some extras after the last bulk buy, and don't think I'm going to be able to use all of them before it's time to buy again. So, I'm passing the opportunity on to you.

These almonds are from the most recent crop. They have been stored in the freezer, so they are very fresh and in great condition for you! While not certified organic, these almonds come from a farm that has not used any pesticides for over 15 years. Basically, you're getting organic almonds without the official name, or higher price.

I have a limited amount of almonds that I'm able to part with right now. Once those are gone, that's it until fall. So, if you're wanting to order, do it right away. You can order as little as one pound if you want to.

To learn more about these almonds, click here. Please note that some of the information is related to the bulk buy back in November and is not current. (like, we do not have a ten pound minimum right now)

To see some of my family's favorite recipes using these almonds, click here.

In other news, I would like to know what kind of products I could offer in the store that would be helpful to you. I have many ideas, but don't know what you want. Leave me a comment with your suggestions!

Awesomesauce

Tonite while I was making dinner, my son Jacob came along to see what was cooking. "Is this the awesome sauce you make?!"

You betcha, Jake.

And then I knew I had to re-name this recipe, because, who wouldn't want to make awesomesauce in their own kitchen?!

Supermom's Awesomesauce

Ingredients:

3/4 cup butter

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

4 cups warmed milk

2 cups of organic chicken, veggie, or beef broth (**See my note at the bottom about bouillon powders.)

In a medium to large cooking pot melt the butter over low heat. Then add the flour and stir until the mixture is smooth. Cook until the mixture starts to bubble but do not let it brown. Gradually add the milk and broth, and stir constantly with a whisk. You'll probably want to have someone to chat with or a book to read, because it takes a little while before it thickens. (10-15 minutes, usually) 1.5 cups of this sauce equals a small (10 3/4 oz.) can of soup.

This sauces tastes wonderful. MUCH better than a can of cream-of-something soup. It works well for me to make a batch of this and then have it in a jar in the fridge all week, so anytime I want to make a casserole that requires a cream soup, I can use this easily.

Options:

You can add finely minced vegetables that have been sautéed.

For a cheese sauce you can add shredded Swiss, cheddar, or parmesan while the sauce is still hot. Stir until melted.

1 ½ cups of this sauce equals a 10 ¾ ounce can of cream soup

This sauce freezes well when already combined with other foods in a casserole.

**The reason that I use the organic broths in this recipe instead of bouillon is this:

Most bouillons have MSG in them. And unfortunately, even the ones that do not say MSG in the ingredients *still* have MSG in them. If the list of ingredients has anything that is autolyzed, hydrolyzed, or modified, that is all other ways of saying MSG. You can learn more about the many tricky names for MSG at MSG Myth.

True Confessions

Undoubtedly, I could have a whole series of true confessions of ways I have slipped, slid, and fallen off of my various healthy eating goals from time to time. (I could also tell you a lot of Get Back Up stories as well, because I always do...) Living healthy hasn't been a straight path for me. It's been full of ups and downs, weak and strong, more or less.

If you're looking for a perfect size 2 health guru who never slips up, you've come to the wrong place.

Confession: I mentioned a few weeks ago that somewhere along the line my vitamin box got empty, and I didn't get around to refilling it. Some days I was remembering to grab a vitamin or two from a bottle, but mainly just wasn't taking them at all. All the time when I would complain of how tired I felt, my husband would say, "Well have you taken your vitamins today?" and I would be all, like, "Pshaw....vitamins. Who needs 'em?"

How quickly we forget.

Well, I took a few minutes to refill the box. I didn't want another round of PMS-from-you-know-where.

In addition, I have re-fallen in love with Bee Strong. Man, that stuff works *wonders* for me!! In just a few days of consistently taking two at breakfast and two at dinner, I am a motivation MACHINE! I have been a more hands-on parent, and been more productive in pretty much every aspect of my life. I love that!

I don't know how I forgot. This is just like when I first started taking it. It's an awesome product. It's the mommy speed that I've been wishing for. ;) I love it. As long as you aren't allergic to bees, you will too. Safe for pregnant and nursing moms. Get some!