Save when you buy all three giftcard holder printables together - Snowman, Reindeer and Santa

These three cute characters (Santa, Snowman and Reindeer) will securely hug your gift until christmas day. This is an instant download printable so you may print and assemble immediately. You can print just one or as many as you would like for personal use.  The gift tag on the envelope is blank for you to write the recipients name and gifter. Buy purchasing all three together you save $3.00.

For best results print using a colour printer on letter size cardstock. To assemble you will need: scissors and glue (glue stick). Click HERE for assembly instructions.

Christmas Giftcard Holder Printable - Snowman

This cute Snowman will securely hug your gift until christmas day. This is an instant download printable so you may print and assemble immediately. You can print just one or as many as you would like for personal use.  The gift tag on the envelope is blank for you to write the recipients name and gifter.

For best results print using a colour printer on letter size cardstock. To assemble you will need: scissors and glue (glue stick). Click HERE for assembly instructions.

If you would like to download more than one character please consider the group package with ALL THREE characters for the PRICE OF TWO! 

Christmas Giftcard Holder Printable - Santa

This cute Santa will securely hug your gift until christmas day. This is an instant download printable so you may print and assemble immediately. You can print just one or as many as you would like for personal use. The gift tag on the envelope is blank for you to write the recipients name and gifter.

For best results print using a colour printer on letter size cardstock. To assemble you will need: scissors and glue (glue stick). Click HERE for assembly instructions.

If you would like to download more than one character please consider the group package with ALL THREE characters for the PRICE OF TWO! 

Christmas Giftcard Holder Printable - Reindeer

This cute reindeer will securely hug your gift until christmas day. This is an instant download printable so you may print and assemble immediately. You can print just one or as many as you would like for personal use.  The gift tag on the envelope is blank for you to write the recipients name and gifter.

For best results print using a colour printer on letter size cardstock. To assemble you will need: scissors and glue (glue stick). Click HERE for assembly instructions.

If you would like to download more than one character please consider the group package with ALL THREE characters for the PRICE OF TWO!

Dairy free pumpkin muffins and pumpkin pie

Today I made a really easy pumpkin pie and dangerously yummy mini pumpkin muffins.

I didn't have any baking soda in the cupboard when i was baking the muffins so instead I used baking powder and I couldn't be happier with the results! I've updated my recipe with the change.

The pumpkin pie was made using pilsberry pre-made pie crust. Don't bake it before hand just let sit to room temp, open the package and unroll into a pie plate.

Filling:
16 ounces of pumpkin purée
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 tsp pumpkin pie spice
3/4 cup rice milk
3 eggs


Mix the filling ingredients well. Bake at 375 until you can insert a knife into the middle and it comes out clean. Depending on how deep your pie plate is this time can be 25 mins to 40 min. Mine was quite deep so it took 40 mins, in the past I have used the disposable pie plates and they are not as deep.

Four Hour Body Lunch ideas

I lost 40 pounds using a slightly modified diet from the book The 4-Hour Body

I was breastfeeding at the time, so I was unable to totally take on the diet to ensure I was taking in enough calories and still eating balanced. I was not eating dairy products so I was taking a calcium/vitamin D supplement.

The part of this diet that worked for me is it was healthy, the weight came off without killing myself in a jym, it was not expensive, it was easy to do, and it was repetitive. I find I'm not too adventurous when I choose my lunch off the diet (sushi, sandwich, salad)

My breakfasts did not follow the diet, mainly consisted of cheerieos and rice milk, oatmeal, or toast.

My lunches were often a spinach salad:
Always consisting of:
Dressing (balsamic & olive oil)
A few handfuls Spinach
Black beans about 1/3 of a can (canned, rinsed, for protein)
Scoop of Hemp Hearts (they taste like sunflower seeds and add protein)

The next additions were different each week to keep things interesting:

Shredded carrots
Half handful of frozen peas (green giant brand)
Two or three sliced strawberries
1/3 nectarine or peach sliced
Cucumber 1/3
Sliced cherry tomatoes
Shredded beet
Fresh Snow, sugar or snap peas
Salmon (cooked and cubed or shredded)
Chicken (cooked and cubed or shredded)

I often prepare 3 days of salad at a time. My prep time for the three salads is 15 minutes. In the morning I just grab the container from the fridge and stuff it in my bag

Recently I have found these new Glad To Go Containers that hold just the right amount of salad and dressing in a cup attached the the inside of the lid. Genius!

Even if you are not on a diet this is an easy to make, healthy and filling lunch. Enjoy!

Chocolate chip cookies (dairy free)

Today is cheat day. I need chocolate chip cookies! Yep, I said Need.

On a recent trip to my parent's house my dad picked up a few grocery items for some baking and found dairy free chocolate chips for me. My regular grocery store does not carry them, I quickly suggested we go back and buy another 10 bags. We went to the mall instead ... however, I will scout out my local superstore for my precious chocolate.

Now on to the recipe. This is my favorite recipe for chocolate chip cookies and is amazing when you use butter. I do not get the same results with margarine, vegan margarine, or vegan margarine with half coconut oil. I'll play with the recipe and update. As a dairy free recipe the result is a cakey cookie. I prefer a chewy flat cookie.

Another thing I will mention is the measurements are great and you can get away with using just your 1/3 dry cup measure and a set of measuring spoons.

2/3 vegan Bacel(you can use half coconut oil)

2 Cups brown sugar ( I try to measure just shy of the 2 cups)

2 Eggs

2 Tbls hot water or coffee

1 tsp vanilla

2 2/3 cups flour (you can get away with using whole wheat)

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

Half a bag of dairy free chocolate chips

Set the oven to 375 F

Cream the margarine and sugar till smooth, add eggs, water and vanilla mix till smooth.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Mix till the wet and dry are combined, do not over mix. Add chocolate chips mix till evenly distributed.

Drop by tablespoon on to ungreased cookie sheet. Press flat before baking if you prefer less caky and more crunch. Bake for about 4-10 mins depending on the size of the cookie.

I baked 26 small cookies and the other half was wrapped in plastic wrap in a sausage shape and put into the fridge for later. To bake the cookies out of the refrigerated dough slice the dough in to disks and place on cookie sheet.