This and That on Non-Processed Foods

Well we are now mostly out of ALL processed foods in our home. I got rid of a lot of it and then some I held on to because I knew we would eat it and since we had I just went ahead and used it all up.
I have been off coffee (which I put 1/4 cup of sugar in EACH cup and had 2 cups a day) and sweet tea for almost 2 weeks. I have had water, milk and unsweetened hot green tea and that is it. That is HUGE for me, I LIVED off coffee every morning.

I have also taken my kids off sweet tea and artificial drinks (like capri suns, juice and kool-aid) It was filled with all sorts of things that were just unnatural.They drink mostly water and milk and haven't asked for sweet tea or juice since (it's been almost 2 weeks now).

So far the switch has been fairly easy. My kids are troopers and have not complained but really there is nothing to complain about. They get freshly made things that taste fresh and GREAT instead of premade things that taste fake and sugary.

Eating real food without chemicals, artificial dyes and ingredients and preservatives means that I have to make most of my stuff from scratch. Some night this means dinner takes a little longer but really now that I have the hang of it, dinner takes me just as long as it use to. Here are a few of our favorite meals that are non processed and EASY to make:

Baked Parsnip Fries   Just in case you have NO clue what a parsnip is, they are related to the carrot and look like big white/ tan carrots. You peel them just like you would a carrot and then I cut mine into shoe string fry type pieces to bake them. My KIDS LOVE these and beg for me to make them!

Moroccan Fish  This is something we make nearly every week with Tilapia.. My kids LOVE fish and eat it like it's going out of style. Be careful I have overspiced this before  (I tried to triple the recipe)  and it is not as good.

Breakfast Cups   These are great to make and you can leave the extras in the fridge for the next day. You can also freeze these but you MUST either use foil muffin liners or grease your muffin pan really good . We cut out all pork so I make these now with spinach, mushrooms, onion and even leftover chicken. They don't last long in this house.

Whole Wheat Banana Pancakes  These are like eating banana bread with maple syrup poured over the top. SO GOOD! If you don't like bananas then just add a different fruit (pureed) or leave the fruit out all together. These can be frozen also for quick easy breakfast in the morning.

Crock Pot Whole Chicken  This is probably my most favorite "real food" recipe I have ever tried. It takes very little time and it is so YUMMY! Just put it in your crock pot season however you like and then let it cook. After it's done I shred mine and then divide all the chicken into separate freezer bags for at least 2 or 3 different meals. Then when I want to make a recipe with shredded chicken I just pull a freezer bag out let it thaw and cook with it. EASY! Not only do you get the chicken though, save the bones and skin and such and you can make fresh chicken stock with it. (recipe for stock in the same link above).

Crock Pot refried beans  This recipe is so easy and is SO MUCH CHEAPER than buying the refried beans in a can. Plus they are so much better tasting. You can use these in burritos or as a side dish and they can also be frozen.

You can find these and SO MANY other recipes on my recipe blog. If it's real food your looking for just click on the NON-PROCESSED FOOD label to the right.