#clearamerican pina colada float

Start by scoring pineapple coconut Clear American zero calorie sparkling water at your local Walmart or Sam's club.

Ingredients list:

Pineapple Coconut Clear American soda
1 can of Dole Pineapple juice (6 oz can)
Vanilla Ice Cream
lime

scoop 2 scoops of vanilla ice cream into glass, pour Pineapple Coconut Clear American soda over the ice cream. Let it settle.  Pour a small amount of the pineapple juice in the glass.  Cut a slice of lime for garnish. squeeze a small amount of lime juice into glass and top glass with the lime garnish. Enjoy!

It really was that simple.. If you would like you could substitute Rum for the pineapple juice but since I didn't have any on hand we went with the Mocktail version.


I was inspired to create this drink as I've been following some online friends that are taking  part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias, which is a vendor for Cott Beverages, Inc., the manufacturer of Clear American® Brand Beverages. All opinions and recipes are my own, this post was NOT compensated but only inspired by. 

Thanks for the inspiration Christy over at Insanity is Not An Option

Just over 6 years ago I started a blog...

perfect the way God created you

I was impatiently awaking the arrival of our second child. Now 6 years later (at 9.45pm PST 8/26) I am blessed to have this spunky, determined, insightful, stubborn, amazing, child of God in my life.

Happy Birthday Bear, Mommy loves you!

peacefully sleeping

Always thinking about something

Never sure if the camera is your friend

Review: Scott's Wood Wipes

Do you hate dusting? I do. 

Do you have wood furniture in your house? What about picture frames?  I answer yes to both of those. 

We live in the country and during the planting and harvest seasons you either forgo the dusting or your do it a lot more often.  If you want  quick ,easy, convenient, quick, cloths  then Scotts Liquid Gold is a great solution for you. 

I loved the ease of grabbing a quick wipe and dusting an area and not having to worry about spraying something and finding a clothe then making sure it gets washed with like laundry.  I kept the bottle of wipes under the sink and could easily dust the living room or dinning room and have it look fresh for the end of the day. Scott's Liquid Gold has a  Facebook  page  as well as  Twitter so you can follow the easy Surface Clean to great tips and hints.

Happy Cleaning.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Coleslaw with C&H organic agave

If you are like so many, you try and cook healthy options for your family. I am not so different. We eat a lot of veggies and I have cut the salt and the sugar way back. When I was selected as part of Moms Meet to try the new C&H organic agave  nectar I thought it would be a great opportunity to share some new recipes with friends, family, and my blog readers.

We have been blessed with an abundant garden this year and the cabbage is no exception to that... My youngest loves Sesame Cabbage salad but my oldest doesn't. I found out that my oldest really likes coleslaw (especially the KFC coleslaw, which is a special treat on occasion and if I have a coupon...)
Anyway, with several huge cabbage out of the garden I needed a quick recipe to try... I failed to find one and started experimenting... I shredded about 3 cups of cabbage and 1/2 a cup of shredded onion. I added to that 2 Tbsp Light C&H Organic Agave nectar and 1/4 cup milk. Toss the cabbage with the onion and remaining ingredients and lightly salt...  Chill for about 1 hour and serve as a side dish to chicken or fish.  I happen to serve it the first night with BBQ chicken that I also used the C&H agave on. (recipe for that to follow)

The good news! My super picky eater (the oldest) loved it.. I made a small second batch to take with us over the weekend and he had it two additional times and loves it still... Words a mother loves to hear.

Garlic flowers?

What in the world do you use garlic flowers for?
That was my first thought 3 years ago.
My mom grows garlic for the local Garlic Festival and gets these pretty flowers on the Elephant Garlic.  So, what to do with them?

Decorations and flower arrangements are a simple use.

The whole flower can be put in soups or stews.

Finally, the flower is an oily base and can be rubbed on meats or run through a mortar and pestal bowl to create a natural oil for cooking and as a first aid treatment.

With other garlic plants the flower is actually full of seeds that can be planted or used as miniature garlic but remember most of the garlic seeds are actually more intense and have a much stronger odor and flavor.
  Elephant garlic seeds are actually just has useful but are found under the garlic bulbs when you harvest the elephant garlic...

Who knew there were so many uses for garlic.

Can of this soup..

So I decided to fix soup for lunch and came up with this. My oldest (the picky eater) loves it.

1 can beef broth
1 can diced tomatoes (do not drain)
1 cup each:  frozen corn carrots, peas, green beans
1 Tablespoon  GOH mix from Herbie Etc... 

Put everything in you pot. Heat on medium until just boiling. Serve with whole wheat rolls.

You can also add chocken or beef.  I am adding some breaded chicken breast for extra protien for my husband's lunch.

Enjoy!

Quinoa salad

I love quinoa and have enjoyed creating salads this summer with this awesome grain.  Here is one I really enjoy, similar to tabhola only without the tomatoes.
1 cup dry quinoa
2 cups warm water

2 cups choppef parsley
1 cup chopped mint
1 sweet onion chopped
1 -2 cuccumbers chopped
1 - 2 cloves garlic chopped
1/4 cup vinegar
1 teaspoon oil
Salt to taste

Soak quinoa in warm water for 2 - 3 hours. Drain
Mix all other ingrediants with quinoa. Cover and chill for 1/2 hour.

Serve as a side with chicken or fish. Also goes great as a topping on a fresh bed if mixed garden greens ( hint hint that is what I'm having for dinner)