Spring Garden Giveaway!!

One of the blogs I follow is having an awesome giveaway! I was excited to see that 8-muddy boots is giving away $5 worth of Pinetree Garden seeds! Check it out if you are diggin' it!!! :)

Easy Chicken Pot Pie

I have to give my sister a shout out for this fabulous recipe! :) It is super simple and super yummy- as though you had worked on it all day! ;) Thanks sis!

You will need:

-1 box of 2 premade pie crusts

-1 chicken breast cooked and chopped

-1/2 bag of frozen mixed veggies

-1 jar of chicken gravy

-1 lg. potato cooked and diced

Place one of the pie crusts in the bottom of a greased pie plate. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add the veggies (I added my own potatoes that were cooked and diced) on top of the pie crust. Add the diced chicken and then pour over the whole jar of gravy. Top with the other pie crust, pinch the edges, and slit the top. Bake in oven for 45 minutes. Let sit for about 10 min. after baking. Enjoy!

Healthy Whole Wheat Soaked Pancakes

These pancakes are my family's favorite! Not to mention more healthy than your usual pancake recipe! (because of the amazing soaking benefits!)

3c. whole wheat pastry flour

1c. milk or buttermilk

1c. water

1/4c. apple cider vinegar

1/4c. melted coconut oil

1/4c. ground flax

Combine all of these ingredients and soak on the counter, covered, for 12-24 hours.

Just before cooking add:

4 lightly beaten eggs

3 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. honey

Combine well and spoon out desired sized pancakes onto a hot pan or griddle. Flip over after cooking a few minutes. Serve.

This recipe makes 2-3 dozen pancakes depending on size. They also freeze very well in air tight freezer bags.

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

This bread is as close to a cinnamon roll you can get with out actually making one!! SO delicious... especially warm!! :)

Into the bread machine place all the ingredients in order:

-1c. warm water

-1/2c. melted butter

-4 Tbsp. brown sugar

-1 tsp. salt

-2c. whole wheat flour

-1c. all purp. flour, unbleached

-1/4c. ground flax

-2 tsp. dry yeast

Set bread machine on dough setting. When dough is finished, take dough out and roll out into a rectangle. Sprinkle with 2 tsp. of cinnamon and drizzle 1 to 1 1/2 Tbsp. of honey. Optional to add raisens. Roll up dough and tuck ends under. Place in greased bread pan and cover. Rise for 45 min. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Health Benefits of Flax

I love to use flax! I add ground flax to everything I can because it is sooo good for you! That is why a lot of my recipes contain it! Here are just a few ways you can benefit from adding flax to your diet!

Flax fights against cancer ( especially colon and breast ).

It fights against diabetes :)

Improves bowel health :)

It is high in omega-3 fatty acids- which among many things can help people who suffer from inflammatory disorders including rheumatoid arthritis :)

Flax is the riches known plant source of phytoestrogens which aid in natural hormone therapy which can lesson the symptoms of menopause :)

It helps reduce clotting time and makes arteries more pliable, thereby reduces the chance for heart attacks and strokes :)

Eating flax daily significantly boosts your body's immunity against bacteria and viruses :)

Whole Wheat Buttermilk Biscuits

These are a simple, homemade, no preservatives biscuit. They are so easy to make and tasty too!

1/3c. butter

1c. whole wheat flour

3/4c. all purpose, unbleached flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4tsp. baking soda

3/4tsp. fine sea salt

3/4c. buttermilk

(Hint: If you don't have buttermilk, take 3/4c. regular milk and add 3/4 Tbsp. white vinegar)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut butter into flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt until it resembles fine crumbs. Add milk and combine. If dough is sticky add a little more flour. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead about 10 times. Roll out 1/2 inch thick. Use a floured biscuit cutter or a cup and cut out biscuits. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Place them so they are touching if you like a softer biscuit and about 1 inch apart if you like them crusty. Bake 10-12 minutes. This recipe makes about 12 biscuits :)