love notes

5 Lunch Box L.O.V.E. Notes #7

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This weeks lunch box L.O.V.E. Notes!

Did you miss week 1?

Or week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

Week 6

Week 7

The theme this week is beginning to plant the seeds of compassion.  We all need reminders to live in a way that is . . . “gentle, loving, kind and respectful.”  These love notes are a great “seeds” to plant.  As a parent/human being I’m not always kind, caring, truthful, gentle or helpful–as I write out these love notes it is a reminder for me just as much as it is for my kids.

Eat and Live with L.O.V.E., compassion and gratitude

Renee’s Kitchen is the starting point for my mindfulness approach to life.  My goal is to be as close to the earth as I can by doing my part one change at a time.  The love notes are often a starting point.  (because I need all the help I can get!)

  1. I am gentle in my words and actions.
  2. I am caring.
  3. I tell the truth.
  4. I am kind to classmates.
  5. I help my teacher.

[Tweet “Kids love Renee’s Lunchbox Lovenotes! Who doesn’t want more love in their lunch!”]

 

https://instagram.com/p/8NinjgumvP/

What’s for lunch?

Wondering what to pack for lunch?  Well . . . I’ve been posting the kids lunches on Instagram.  I shoot for healthy but it’s also very real!

Come Back Each Week AND SHARE!

What kid doesn’t want to get a love note in his/her lunch box?  The kids absolutely love them.  I will post 5 new love notes each week!  AND a little bit of conscious parenting ideas!

Follow Me On Instagram!

I post daily on instagram.  Simple heathy food, mindful moments, and what’s going on as a vegan Mom with 4 busy kids 8-14  years old.

Need Help packing lunches?

No worries–I am going to post the lunches that I make on Instagram and create a Periscope video (@reneebaude)!  My goal is to help moms create healthy lunches THAT KIDS WILL EAT!  It won’t take long and it isn’t expensive!  I promise.  Keeping it real–some are more healthy than others!

Be Blessed as you eat and live with L.O.V.E., compassion and gratitude!

Instagram Oatmeal #1

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Instagram Oatmeal L.O.V.E.!

Do you know I love oatmeal?

Do you know I love instagram?

I do.

Once upon a time I wanted to write a cookbook called Blessed by Breakfast.  It is a great idea–not my own but Jack Kornfield and Oprah Winfrey.  I was watching Super Soul Sunday and thinking about how blessed I am . . . as I was eating a bowl of oatmeal and crunchy toast.  I am the Queen of Toast–don’t believe it–just take a look at my instagram feed-toast, toast, toast!

Anyway, I was sitting there thinking how blessed I am.  How each day I can start new again.  I mean, I still have the same wrinkles and a slew of other things going on–but each morning I get to set or reset my intention.  I can start over.  I can forgive myself for whatever crappy thing I did or said and begin to extend loving kindness again.

Some days are really good!  I can go almost all day until I find myself not being gentle, loving, kind or respectful.  Other days, not so much!

No matter how many times I mess up . . . I’m given another chance after the moon beams dance!  (go ahead, tweet it!)

[Tweet “I’m given another chance after the moon beams dance!”]

 

 

https://instagram.com/p/72ueZNumoD/

Be Blessed as you eat and live with L.O.V.E., compassion, and gratitude.

oxox Renee

P.S.  Check out my instagram or twitter or Facebook page Renee’s Kitchen . . . and Pinterest!  And feel free to share!  If you want a weekly love note–sign up!  It’s about . . . well, it is a humorous interpretation of living life as a full time person with a focus on food, kids and whatever else happens during the week.

PP.SS.  Take a look at this video on oatmeal, eggs and cigarettes!  Pretty amazing!

 

raspberries

Recipe of the Week–Vegan Ice Cream

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Recipe of the Week!

Vegan Ice Cream . . .

Yes, I make amazing non dairy ice cream . . .

In the old days, when I was a pastry chef, I made ice cream three days a week.  The Head Chef, Dan, allowed my imagination to run wild and create crazy combinations of all kinds–if it was horrible, the staff willingly ate it.   I miss those days.

Mother’s Day Present

Several years ago I gave myself a mother’s day gift.  An ice cream maker.  A really, really good one.  The kind that spins and keeps it cold–ice cream in 30 minutes.  I used it once a week for all kinds of wonderful treats.  Some were vegan and some weren’t.  I had a great time experimenting.  
https://instagram.com/p/3hHvitumqc/
 

 3 or 4 Ingredients

Can you believe it?  3 things!

My favorite recipe is:  13.5 fluid oz of Coconut Milk–unsweetened, first pressing AND 1/2 cup sugar–then add:

  1. lemon essential oils and lemon zest
  2. 1/2 cup of raspberries 
  3. 1/2 cup raspberries and 1/2 banana (this was my favorite!)
  4. 1/2 cup flaked coconut and chocolate shavings (tastes just like a Mounds bar)

Hate Coconut?

No worries.  This is my other recipe suggestion:

1 1/2 cups of non dairy creamer 

1/2 cup of fruit

1/2 cup of sugar

Please refer to my cooking tips–you need a bit of fat to make it creamy–if not you will have an amazing gelato.  I used mocha almond milk with raspberries–delightful!  
https://instagram.com/p/3jrilsump3/

#veganRenee Cooking Tip:

  • make sure your ingredients are mixed well before you put them in the ice cream maker (otherwise you could have an uneven consistency)
  • add the mix in during the last 5-10 minutes
  • keep it to 2-3 flavors
  • a little essential oil goes a LONG way
  • prepare several mixes at one time to make several batches at a time.  When the machine cools down . . . it makes ice cream a bit faster.
  • you need some fat to make the ice cream, well, creamy!  I used coconut milk and almond milk–the coconut milk was the creamiest.

 

How-to Make Perfect Ice Cream 

 The easiest way to make perfect ice cream is to buy the best freshest ingredients.  Fresh raspberries, organic sugar, non dairy milk that you love.  Making the perfect ice cream also depends on the eater–I have a few ice cream snobs in my house–it can’t be too hard, but it can’t be too soft, not to many flavors and not too strong–one is no bits and the other is tons of bits.

Perhaps the best attribute of my ice cream maker is that I can make everyone happy . . . one small batch at a time!

[Tweet “Renee has the most insanely simple recipes!  Like her vegan ice cream. I love her cooking!”]

In this #raspberry dessert I used Driscoll’s organic raspberries.  I also buy Driscoll’s organic strawberries–both for my family and my turtles!  (my turtles are food snobs too!)  If you are on twitter, check out @Driscollsberry to find some great recipes and ideas.  
https://instagram.com/p/3jskE6umr_/
 

 Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”