Zolo Grill, Boulder, CO

                                        Marcie and I at Zolo.

My gluten-free brunch at Zolo consisted of corn-cakes with bananas, chocolate chips and real maple syrup. Marcie got Huevos Rancheros, minus the dairy, which was also very yummy. Andy had buffalo, and the girls had scrambled eggs and potatoes. Gotta love Boulder for the gluten-free goodness!

Gotta run - it's her last night here, but I just wanted to share with you :-)

Raw Granola Parfait

We don't drink beer, but I do have 4 glass beer mugs in my cupboards. Why? For raw smoothies, sundaes and parfaits of course!

It seems as though at any given moment you can find raw nuts soaking on my counter. Usually I'm making cashew milk, vanilla pudding , or this granola. Nuts contain an enzyme inhibitor which makes them hard to digest. By soaking them (and rinsing them well in fresh water) you are removing this enzyme inhibitor, making them easier to digest, and giving your body access to all the nutrition available in nuts.

For my nut milk and pudding the process stops after soaking and rinsing. From there the nuts become food or drink. The granola, however, has one additional step. Dehydrating. Depending on how much you want to dehydrate, and your financial situation, there are a few options. The queen of all dehydrators is the Excalibur 9 Tray Dehydrator . If this is out of the question for you, there is a one called Nesco American Harvest that gets 4.5 out of 5 stars, based on 104 reviews. Still unsure? You can use your oven, but it wont go as low as a dehydrator. Most ovens go to 170 or 150 so turn it off and on during the course of dehydrating to keep the temperature lower, using an oven thermometer.

My raw granola parfait is so yummy you may want to eat raw all the time :-)

Raw Granola:

Soak 4 cups of nuts and seeds. I like to use a cup each of almonds, cashews, walnuts and sunflower seeds, and let them soak about 5 hours.

Rinse them really well in a bowl of fresh water and strain. Repeat several times.

Add ground spices to a small glass or dish:

1 tbs cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp sea salt

Add to large bowl:

2 tbs coconut oil, liquified

2 tbs honey or agave

Mix together oil and sweetener.

Add the nuts to the bowl.

Pour the spice mixture over the nuts and stir to combine all the ingredients.

Dehydrate for 12 to 24 hours, until the nuts are dry.

Layer the granola with fresh fruit and Vanilla Pudding.

We also like to add dried fruit to the granola and eat it by the handful.

(Note: Don't forget you can click on the words above in bold.)

Sigg bottles & Bento lunch boxes

It's officially August, and for many that means getting ready to go back to school. As you may have read in my profile, I homeschool Zoe and Ashley. It's really something I consider an honor, and for us learning is a way of life; we never stop. We read books, take field trips, practice writing, music, art making, and all sorts of playing and creating, all summer long. 

However, Zoe does attend public school. (You're thinking, "What did she just say? I thought she said they did homeschool.") In Colorado, and perhaps elsewhere unbeknownst to me, the public schools offer one full day per week, September - May, held at different locations, just for homeschooled kids. They call them "part-time" public schoolers. 

We began using Sigg bottles (for school and everywhere else) because polycarbonate plastic #7 bottles leach the toxic chemical, BPA, into your water, and because Americans add over 30 million plastic water bottles to our nation's landfills – everyday! It feels good not being a part of that, and keeping our family healthy at the same time. With school in mind I decided to add to our repertoire, and order my first lead-free bento box from Lap Top Lunches. The reason for using bento lunch boxes is creating lead-free, BPA-free, Waste Free Lunches.

One of the most important things I hope to teach my children is how to be good stewards of the earth. They are beginning to understand that we have to consume less, waste less, and reuse more, in order to protect our future. Sigg bottles, bento boxes, and cloth napkins are all ways we can help our kids choose to protect the environment, and our future.

(Note: You may click on the words that are bold for more information. Also, Sigg bottles are being sold at natural markets, like Whole Foods, as well as local stores, and on Amazon.)

Potato Skin Fries

I usually don't skin potatoes, but I was using them to make a curry in my crock pot, and so I had to. Since I don't have a peeler, I skin potatoes (or apples) with a knife. This makes the peels thicker - perfect for making potato skin fries!

Potato Skin Fries:

Set oven to 450 degrees.

Skin 6 potatoes with a knife.

Wash well in a bowl of water and strain.

Lay on a towel to dry.

Add to bowl with a with a few tablespoons of melted ghee or coconut oil, a splash of balsamic, and a sprinkle of garlic powder.

Spread evenly on sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

Top with celtic salt, and Old Bay Seasoning if you like.