Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins

With a husband and three boys who love chocolate, it is a joy to bake these healthy, chocolate treats.  The fun thing about this recipe, adapted from Healthy Recipes from the Heart of Our Homes, is that you can make just about any kind of muffin using the same basic ingredients (see ideas below the recipe).  The chocolate variation has become our family favorite. 

Although you can use a basic soaking method for these muffins, I have found that it is much easier to use a sprouted grain flour mix, as it is difficult to mix using the soaking method.  I use a sprouting method posted under my pancake and waffle master mix recipe.  The flour used for these muffins is a mix of sprouted pastry wheat, rice, buckwheat, and millet all ground together, but you can use any flour you like.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix the following:

- 1/4 cup coconut oil

- 1 beaten egg

- 1/4 cup raw honey (or sweetener of choice)

- 1/2 cup milk or rice dream

Gently blend in only until moistened:

- 1 3/4 cup fresh flour (I use sprouted pastry wheat with a little rice, millet, and buckwheat tossed in)

- 2 tsp. baking powder

- 1/2 tsp. salt

- 2 T. – 1/4 cup cocoa powder (depending on how chocolatey you want them) 

- about 1/2 cup chocolate chips (again, depends on how chocolately you want them)

Bake at 375 degrees for 12-20 minutes depending on the size of your muffin tins.

VARIATIONS:

- Blueberry muffins – omit cocoa powder and chocolate chips and add blueberries.

- Chocolate Chip – omit cocoa powder.

- Pumpkin Chip – omit cocoa powder and add pumpkin puree (about 1/3 cup) and 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice.

- Buttermilk Spice – omit cocoa powder and chocolate chips and replace 1/4 cup of the milk with 1/4 cup of buttermilk, add 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice, top with a strussel mix of butter, flour, and sucanat.

- Cranberry Pecan – omit cocoa powder and choclate chips and add dried cranberries and pecans.

There is almost no end to the variations for these muffins.  It is fun to think up new ways to make them and the boys are always excited to see what kind I make, though I think chocolate, chocolate chip will always be their favorite.  Have fun baking!

Gratituesday: Homemade Herbal Tea Mixes

Herbal tea may not seem like something to Gratituesday about, but it has so blessed our family that I couldn’t help but share some of our recipes and say praise God for providing the herbs of the field!  To be healthy is truly an undeserved gift from the Lord.  I am so grateful to Him for herbal tea . . . here are some of our favorite mixes:

Mama Tea

- 8 parts red raspberry leaves

- 3 parts alfalfa tops

- 3 parts peppermint leaves

- 2 parts nettle leaf

 

 

Immune Booster Tea

- 3 1/2 cups echinacea herb and/or root

- 1 cup rosehips

- 1 cup elderberries

- 1 cup fennel

Chamomile  Creamsicle Tea

- 1  1/2 cups chamomile

- 1 cup lemon grass

- 1/4 cup peppermint leaf

- 1/2 cup orange peel

- 1 cup rosehips

- ground vanilla bean to taste

 

Children’s Composition Tea

- 2 cups chamomile

- 1 cup yarrow flower

- 1/2 cup elder flowers

- 1/4 cup peppermint

 

Decongestant Tea

- 3 cups mullein leaf

- 1  1/2 cups lemon grass

- 1 cup chamomile

- 1 cup elderberries

- 1/2 cup orange peel

 

All Time Favorite Red Roobios Chai Latte Mix

- 2 cups red tea

- 5 T. cinnamon

- 5 T. whole cloves

- 3 T. cardamon

- 2 T. ginger root

- 1 T. ground vanilla bean

- after making tea, add raw milk and honey to taste

 

For all mixes, use about 1 tsp. of herbs per cup of hot water . . . and remember to re-use those herbs for the second cup, delicious!  I highly recommend the Bodum French Press.  It makes tea making so easy and enjoyable . . . and when you consider the money you save buying bulk herbs for tea, it’s not that expensive.  Joyful sipping!

Multitude Monday: Week 12

What a refreshing, life giving joy it is to see things of eternal value, like buried treasures everywhere, to be found and given away as beautiful gifts to the Father who gave everything for us.  Those treasures that truly matter in life are buried beneath the worldviews of fallen mankind.  To find them is to see though new eyes, to embrace them is to embrace the One who gives them.  I long to see and embrace the things that really matter in life and in so doing, embrace Him, giving back all that He first gave.  Praise God for #’s 221-240 in this endless list of gifts from His hand:

Quiet mornings,

Heavenly Father who cares even about the little things,

Jumping on a snowy trampoline,

Boys joy over ice,

Snow ice-cream,

Powder dusted trees,

Little brother saying big brother’s name for the first time,

Telephone to connect with those we love,

Thoughtful sister gifts,

Bags and bags of grain,

Boys loving homemade biscuits,

Hidden treasures revealed,

Timely Scripture rememberence,

Little snowman,

Little hands in little mittens,

Lego creation showings,

The freedoms we still have,

Those who still fight for freedom,

Steps taken toward a dream,

Knowing that with God, all things are possible.

 

 

 

 

Multitude Monday: Week 11

What an amazing joy it is to be a part of the body of Christ, a community like no other, where love is unconditional and there is no room for pride or selfishness when functions are as they should be.  In the past, I have seen and fallen into myself, that current of competition and comparisons that the evil one tries to spread throughout the body of Christ, but God is so mighty to turn back that tide!  What beauty and health there is when we all humble ourselves before God and give and receive from one another with pure and selfless motives, spuring one another on in this joyful journey with Jesus.  My list this week reflects just a few of those in this body that have given me such beautiful gifts.  We are all different, living unique lives and not one should endeaver to be another, but all can give and receive little gifts here and there so that we can more freely be who God has called us to be.  Thank you Father for #’s 201-220 in this endless list of gifts from your hand:

Kip Smyth, my loving husband,

our three boys,

my faithful grandparents,

my giving parents,

my encouraging sisters (including my sister-in-law),

sister Sherry not pictured, but a huge blessing to me and mighty tool in the body of Christ!

 

 

my unwavering brother,

my enduring friend, Tara,

the Myer family,

Michael and Debi Pearl of No Greater Joy Ministries,

Ken Ham with Answers In Genesis,

Vision Forum Ministries,

Jonathan Lindvall at Bold Christian Living,

Renee Ellison at Homeschool How Tos,

Ray Comfort,

all the loving family that meets at the Wasilla Christian Church building,

Shoshanna Easling at Bulk Herb Store,

Lindsay at Passionate Homemaking,

Ann at A Holy Experience (of course),

Laura at Heavenly Homemakers,

The West Ladies

all Glory to God!

 

 

Gratituesday: SNOW!

This may seem crazy to most of you, but I am so excited about the first snow here where we live in Alaska.  This is our first winter here, so I’m sure by February I’ll be praying for an early spring, but for now, I am thankful.  It is beautiful, peaceful . . . and yes, the house is a mess with all the snow gear, but I love, love, love the snow!

Caleb, our six year old, loves the snow more than I do!

Joshua, our four year old, loves the snow, but greatly dislikes feeling cold . . . and Nathan (19 months old) couldn't stop crying about the snow. He was more thankful to nurse and go to sleep as soon as we came in.

This is about as high as the sun gets for us these days . . . thank the Lord for the beautiful moments of sunshine glistening over the snow.

 Is anyone else thankful for the snow?  For more Gratituesday encouragement, visit Laura’s blog over at Heavenly Homemakers.  Time for a nice warm cup of tea! 

Blessings,

Carrie     ><>

Multitude Monday: Week 10

It is a joy to be able to post more from my thousand gifts list again.  Having a new computer is a gift I don’t want to take for granted . . . so much in life can be taken for granted, simple things, like having eyes to see, hears to hear . . . even the ability to take a deep cleansing breath.  Today, I am well aware of the fact that without Christ, I have nothing.  Without forgivesness, I am nothing.  Because of His sacrifice, I am His, and I have hope that is eternal and love that never dies.  Anything good, eyes, ears, breath . . . most importantly, love . . . it’s all because of Him.  To Him be the glory for these endless gifts (#’s 181-200):

Frosted grass

Walking on crunchy frosted grass

Mittens on little hands

Homemade hot chocolate warming insides

Little red nose

Late night chats with husband

Baby stopping to blow kisses at me while nursing

Faithful heavenly Father

To be still and know that He is God

Beautiful ice on a leaf

Getting over a dozen eggs a day from our chickens!

Boys with little army guys

Prayers of a mother

Brother’s walking hand in hand

New computer

A sister’s love shown by homemade berry pie

Reminder of our homeschool planet walk

Nathan’s sweet “tee-too” (thank you)

Sunday morning worship after a powerful message

Brother’s playing peacefully

Thanks for visiting Heavenly Homesteading.  May your week be beautifully blessed!

A New Computer For My Birthday!

What a blessing it is to have a new computer!  Since moving to Alaska, both of our computers crashed (guess they couldn’t handle the climate change), so blogging has been more of a burden then a joy.  Now,  with a new computer, I am prayerfully moving forward with this blog, excited to see it used for God’s glory.   Thank you to those of you who haven’t forgotten me and have continued to check in even though I haven’t been able to write much.  Have a joyful weekend!

Fall 2009 Homeschool Update

The map you see hidden under all the finger paint is our only attempt so far to make our Dollar or Dime 2009 adventure a learning one . . . to be honest, we kind of let the project die when we moved from Arizona to Alaska and realized the many simple ways our boys were learning just by living life.  Nevertheless, we thought we would give one more invitation to join us before 2009 is over, just by sending a dollar or dime (click here to find out where).  The Lord used the Dollar or Dime 2009 idea to get this blog going, so for that I am thankful.  And, the map on the kitchen table has inspired many a geography lesson, even if all the responses we’ve gotten so far are from only one small spot on the map.  Just a few more responses will give us enough information to do some graphing and best of all, the boys have decided they want to put the dollars and dimes toward Operation Christmas Child boxes through Samaritan’s Purse.  God is so good!

This being our first year of “official” homeschooling (though we didn’t have to even sign up anywhere . . . I love Alaska!), I have been spending a lot of time praying, thinking, planning, and praying some more.  One of the most encouraging things God has used to direct my thoughts has been a blog post by Ann Voskamp.  If you have a moment to read it, you will see why it has encouraged me so.  There is so much I would love to share about this subject, but for now, for those who are interested, here is a quick overview of how we’ve been homeschooling, in the order of Ann’s seven daily rungs:

1.  Listening (a way of the Spirit) – Bible time with Daddy (around the table usually, sometimes with paper for drawing) with discussion afterward, prayer of thanksgiving times, reciting of the ten commandments (child lead), and scripture memorization through songs.

2.  Love (a way of sacrificing) – a constant check for all that is done . . . are we loving God and loving others always?

3.  Labor (a way of serving) -  Daily duties for each child, “Kitchen Round-up” where all work together to clean up after the family meal time, family projects (garage cleaning, gardening, church building bulletin boards, etc.).

4.  Loveliness (a way of seeing) – Nature walks, learning about music through hymns and praise songs, Atelier Art Program (with a focus on creating for a purpose: to give to others).

5.  Literature (a way of seeking) – Bible time, Spell To Write And Read , read aloud (currently reading Little House In The Big Woods), story time to begin to understand God’s providential hand in history.

6.  Language (a way of speaking) – Daddy word for the day (vocabulary), Spell to Write And Read, tracing of words and scripture for fun using crayons or markers.

7.  Logic (a way of scaffolding) – Right Start Math, Level A, joining with cousins in studying the planets (through books, planet walk, each person researching a planet to share with others, lapbook, etc.), interest based learning through books (Caleb chose bears and birds).

For more homeschooling encouragement, see our Favorites page, under “Discipling Our Children”.  May your homeschooling and/or home discipleship and training times be joyous!   Thanks for stopping by.

Our Growing Family: September 2009, Family Pictures

Family pictures each year are so much more enjoyable taken from home, rather than hours in a studio, so thank you to Jaime for taking some pictures of us all together.  This is one of my favorites.

Here are a few that I was able to quickly get of our boys . . .

 

. . . they are such a joy!

Multitude Monday: Weeks 8 and 9

New seasons can be so joyous and yet, at times, a bit overwhelming . . . the unfinished tasks of the past season flow into the new tasks of the season at hand, making it hard to even stop and catch your breath.  Today has been a day of listening, pouring out thoughts to the One who says to cast every care upon Him, and then more listening.  The more I let myself take a breath and listen, the more peace He brings . . . life is full to overflowing, but if not full of Him in the midst, overwhelming.  With Him in the midst, heavenly!  I love to be in the heavenly places with Him.  Here are some of those moments from the past two weeks, heavenly moments of seeing His gifts in the midst of this full to overflowing life I’ve been blessed to live:

 

Week 8 (#s 141-160)

 

Little ones looking at books

Endless blueberries to pick

Blueberry pie

Hiking through logging site

Smell of fresh cut wood

Baby snuggled close in carrier

Patient Daddy

Date night

Meal planning

Joy of children on stairs

Husband’s wisdom

Organic unrefined coconut oil

Harvested garden

Family snuggled together on couch

Communication

Long johns

Warm socks

Warm shower

Warming up cold baby hands on my cheeks

Soft answers

 

Week 9: (#s 161-180)

 

Knowing God is at work all over the world

Learning proofs of creation

Truth

Evidence of a new season

Feeling loved

Classical music

Warm hats on little heads

Children’s summer path blanketed with leaves

His joy over frozen “hose-cyles”

Strong arms holding me

Nephew’s creativity (makes me smile)

Fresh, clean dish towels

New flannel sheets

Hidden reminder of summer’s beauty

Seeing your breath on a cool evening

Smiles from good friends

Peppermint tea

Joyful gardeners

Being a mother

Being forgiven

 

Thanks for sharing in His gifts with me.  If you would like to join the Gratitude Community or if you just need a little encouragement in your day, take a deep breath and settle in for a peaceful moment over at Ann’s blog.