DIY Archives -

Cricket’s Salmon & Sardine Chow

on April 11, 2016April 10, 2017 By Kelley 1 Comment

Cricket’s Salmon and Sardine Chow is an easy, no cooking required, and super healthy meal you can make for your pup! Salmon and sardines are loaded with omega-3 fatty acids to help reduce inflammation and promote healthy joints, skin and coat! This meal takes a few short minutes to make for your pup and you can customize it using your doggie’s favorite veggies!

As you may already know (if you frequently read my blog) Cricket is a PICKY eater to say the least. She doesn’t like kibble unless it’s dripping with bacon fat and sliced chicken. In addition, since her accident when she was just a puppy, I have chose to cook my own food for her as a way to promote better health. I have stayed away from grains in her diet, and provide her with a great variety of natural meats, and fresh veggies and some fruit (like blueberries), and she loves to chow down marrow bones.

As you can see, she absolutely LOVES this salmon and sardine dish! I use Wild Selections canned salmon and sardines as a quick and easy base for this fancy dish. The salmon and sardines provide tons of healthy protein and omega-3’s. I also mix in a variety of veggies including kale, green bean, carrots, and sweet potatoes for lots of vitamin and minerals. You can use any veggies you’d like, just make sure they are dog-friendly (fyi dogs shouldn’t eat garlic and onions).

Cricket’s Salmon & Sardine Chow

1 can salmon (drained)
1 can sardines (chopped)
2 tablespoons green beans (raw or lightly cooked, diced)
2 tablespoons kale (lightly steamed, chopped into very small pieces)
2 tablespoons cooked sweet potato (diced)
2 tablespoons carrots (finely chopped)
Optional Add-in's: chia seeds (flax, extra virgin olive oil, or coconut oil)

Pick your veggies and cook them if you’d like. (Sweet potato is best cooked, but others you can serve raw. I prefer to lightly cook all the veggies to make the nutrients more bioavailable.)
Mix the canned salmon, with the chopped sardine and veggies.
Serve to your pup!

Make your Own Terrarium

on February 20, 2016February 20, 2016 By Kelley 1 Comment

This easy to make terrarium will add a splash of vibrant green to your home and it doesn’t require any maintenance to keep up! Anyone can put together this beautiful terrarium, just follow this tutorial!

1.Find a terrarium you like. The one is from IKEA, but can be ordered off of Amazon. Here are a few examples (affiliate links to Amazon):
or

(You can click on the image if you’d like to order from Amazon)

(click on any image to order)

2. Compile various brightly colored natural items to decorate your terrarium, I used a few different colors of moss, a moss ball, sticks, stones, and small birch rounds.

3. Remove the top of the terrarium. Fill the bottom tray with moss.

4. Next layer sticks and rocks onto of the moss. I also chose to add a moss ball.

5. I used an egg crate as a cup to hold several succulents. These add a nice splash of color!

6. I also used a small bird’s nest to hold some larger succulents and stacked the birch rounds on the corner to visually balance the moss ball.

7. Place the top of the terrarium back on the tray. All done! See that was easy breezy! And it looks so professional! Here above is a side view.

Place is anywhere in your home and it’s beauty will catch your eye throughout the day! Enjoy!

Marshmallow Chocolate Covered Strawberry Heart Bouquet with Pink Fluffy Dipping Sauce {VIDEO!}

on February 5, 2016August 13, 2021 By Kelley 4 Comments

This beautiful bouquet of marshmallow chocolate covered strawberry hearts makes a unique and tasty gift for your Valentine!

Valentine’s Day is rapidly approaching! I love to create unique treats for the holidays and Valentine’s Day is no exception. What do you give your valentine? I enjoy making things for my loved ones, and these chocolate covered strawberries are no exception. I didn’t want to make just any chocolate covered strawberries, I took it father….much farther! I cut them into heart shapes, stuffed them with Dandies Marshmallows (which are delicious as well as vegan and gluten-free!), put them onto wood skewers and arranged them in a ball jar to make an extraordinary and breathtakingly beautiful bouquet. AND you can eat it!!! It is truly DIY craft meets yummy delectable dessert!

And I didn’t stop there! I made a ooey gooey strawberry marshmallow fluff dipping sauce to accompany the berries. Can you say YUM!? This indulgent dessert may look, sound, and taste sinful, but it’s secretly healthy. No worries here. You don’t have to sacrifice taste or your healthy eating habits this year. And Valentine’s Day is NOT one of those holidays that you eat-to-you-pop. You know what I mean?? Haha.

Dandies Marshmallows are stuffed inside these chocolate covered berries, and you get to double-dip into some sticky, sweet and fluffy marshmallow sauce. I adore these marshmallows. I couldn’t stop eating them when I was shooting. They are all-natural, vegan and gluten-free and you can TASTE the difference. PURE. SOFT. FLUFFY PILLOWS OF JOY 🙂

All you gotta do is DIP IT:) YUMMY!

This beats the the whole box of chocolates routine, eh?

And if you need a hot bevy to wash these delicious berries down be sure to check out my Red Velvet Hot Chocolate!

**For a paleo compliant version omit sprinkles and use coconut shreds, and make your own paleo marshmallows, recipe HERE.

Marshmallow Stuffed Chocolate Covered Strawberry Heart Bouquet

This beautiful bouquet of marshmallow chocolate covered strawberry hearts makes a unique and tasty gift for your Valentine!

1 box of strawberries
1/2 cup chocolate chips (Enjoy Life brand)
1 cup Dandies Mini Marshmallows
1/4 cup of shredded coconut or sprinkles
6-8 wood skewers or wood chopsticks
1 ball jar filled with crushed ice

Cut tops off of the strawberries in a V-shape to make the strawberry look like a heart. (set 3-4 strawberries aside for juicing.)
If needed use a pairing knife to core the strawberry.
Stuff the strawberry with 1-2 mini marshmallows. Repeat for the remaining strawberries.
Melt the chocolate chips over low-medium heat in a small saucepan.
Blend the coconut shreds or sprinkles in a high speed blender to make finer shreds or use sprinkles.
Dip half of the stuffed strawberry in the melted chocolate, then into the coconut. Repeat for the remaining berries.
Place 3 chocolate covered and stuffed berries onto every skewer.
You can use the strawberry leaves at the bottom to make a flower.
Place the skewers in the ball jar filled with ice. The ice will keep the skewers in place.
When you are ready to eat the berries make the pink fluffy dip, do not make ahead.
Melt the remaining marshmallows over low heat.
Once melted add the strawberry juice (about 3 tablespoons) (or natural red food coloring diluted with water), and mix until smooth. Serve with the berry bouquet immediately, enjoy!

Planes and Clouds Mobile DIY

on January 17, 2016January 20, 2016 By Kelley

This mobile is super cute and will entertain your little one for hours! Best of all it’s super easy to make and all you need is sticks, yarn, string, cotton balls and colored paper!

THINGS NEEDED:

Find a few sticks outside. It’s ok if they have branches, just trim them to your liking. I used 3 sticks for my mobile.
Place the sticks on the floor or table and arrange them so the centers line up.
Take a long piece of yarn and wind it around in multiple figure 8’s to secure the sticks. Use a decent amount of string to make sure that they will stay in place, then secure with a tight knot.
Using more yarn, and different colors if you wish, wrap the yarn around the sticks to cover and tie at the end to secure.
Make you paper airplanes out of colored paper. Here is the folding tutorial I used: Fold n Fly
Using a hot glue gun, glue 5 cotton balls together to make a cloud, then wrap some white yarn around the cotton balls to give the cloud more definition.
Tie string onto each cloud, and tape a string on to each plane. Next, tie the other ends of the strings to the mobile at various length.
Lastly, tie a string to the top of the sticks, where they intersect, to create a hanging string.
Place above your little one’s crib, making sure it is securely fastened to the ceiling.

Cricket’s Schweddy Balls

on December 22, 2015April 10, 2017 By Kelley

Cricket requested a special holiday dish this year- Schweddy Balls! Have you seen the SNL skit with Alec Baldwin? It’s on of my all time FAVORITES!

If you haven’t, well, here it is. You’ll have a good belly laugh…

These turkey meatballs are actually very healthy for your furry family members. They are made with all-natural ground turkey, ground flax, carrots, and kale, making them high in protein and packed with antioxidants. They are also super easy to make and cook in the slow cooker- just set it and forget it!

She ate them all. Every. Single. Last. One.

And best yet- this was just the test batch (which she said turned out perfect) so she gets to indulge on Schweddy Balls once again on Christmas Day!

Cricket’s Schweddy Balls

1 lb all-natural ground turkey (or beef)
1/4 cup ground flax
1/4 cup of carrots (finely chopped)
1/4 cup of kale (finely chopped)
1/4 teaspoon of celtic sea salt or Himalayan salt

Combine the turkey, flax, carrots, kale and salt in a bowl and mix well.
Form 1.5″ balls with you hands and line the bottom of your slow cooker. (No liquid needed)
Set to high and cook for 3 hours, or until done.
Make sure they are cool before you serve them.

Easy Holiday DIY Decor: With Stuff You Already Have Around the House!

on December 18, 2015December 18, 2015 By Kelley

Is your house fully decked out for the holidays, now just a week away!?

If not, no need to worry, because I have some super simple DIY hacks to make your home holiday-ready in no time flat. Best yet- these can all be done with stuff you already have laying around your home!

1.Fill some ball jars and other glass vessels with a handful of cranberries and water. Grab a few sprigs of evergreen in you backyard and voila- a beautiful centerpiece!

2. I’m sure you have some empty wrapping paper tubes (or paper towel tube) around your home, right? Cut the tube into 1 1/2″ rounds, wrap with yarn or ribbon and glue on a few evergreen springs and berries from the yard to make a beautiful napkin holder.

3. To make your home smell as wonderful as it will look fill a large pot with cinnamon stick, citrus fruit and evergreen springs and let it simmer away on the stove top. Added bonus- it will keep the air from being too dry!

4. Grab extra pinecones while your outside and paint them with that extra paint you have sitting in the garage. Add sparkle if you have it and plop them in a large bowl-beautiful!

5. Pop a bag of microwave popcorn, grab some extra cranberries and a needle and thread and make your very own vintage garland. Your tree will feel so special!

6. Wake up your old globe ornaments by filling them with something- such as glitter, old tinsel, sea glass, etc. The lights on the tree will make your “new” ornaments sparkle!

NOW you are ready to celebrate in style! Happy Holidays!

Cricket’s Bacon and Peanut Butter Biscuits{Grain Free}

on December 3, 2015April 10, 2017 By Kelley 1 Comment

Your dog will love these healthy Bacon Peanut Butter Biscuits! They are grain free, only contain 4 ingredients, and are they are super easy and quick to make.

If you visit my blog regularly you may be familiar with Cricket’s picky eating habits 🙂 She is a princess and turns her nose up at many tasty treats and dog chow that any other pup would devour in an instant. This makes my job extra hard. Developing healthy recipes for her that she actually enjoys is difficult, but it’s a challenge I enjoy. Also, now that she is a senior dog I want to make sure she is eating healthy treats and chow to support her health.

These Bacon Peanut Butter Biscuits were a huge hit with Cricket, as you can see:

The biscuits are primarily made with ground flax, which is packed with omega’s- great for immune system support. It also may help to reduce arthritis symptoms and progression due to its anti-inflammatory properties.

You can feel good about giving your pup these treats!

Cricket’s Bacon and Peanut Butter Biscuits{Grain Free}

Your dog will love these healthy Bacon Peanut Butter Biscuits. They are grain free, and only contain 4 ingredients, making them super easy to make.

½ cup ground flax
1 egg
2 tablespoons natural peanut butter
1 strip bacon (cooked and diced)
extra ground flax for rolling dough if using cookie cutter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment.
Combine the flax, egg, peanut butter and bacon; mix well.
Sprinkle the extra flax onto the counter and roll out the dough with a rolling pin.
Use your cookie cutter to make dog bone shapes (or other shapes).
Bake for 15 minutes on parchment lined cookie sheet, remove and let cool.

Fruit Turkey with Chocolate Fondue {Video!}{Grain-Free,Paleo}

on November 8, 2015June 11, 2021 By Kelley 3 Comments

This Fruit Turkey Fondue doubles as a beautiful centerpiece and a delicious and healthy dessert for your Thanksgiving Day feast!

November has arrived and the holiday season is rapidly approaching! The holidays are my favorite time of year for 2 reasons- time with family and friends and lots of great food, of course!

I love to start off Thanksgiving Day by watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. A few years back (well maybe more than a few:)), I convinced my sister to accompany me into NYC to watch the famous parade in person. I was so excited to finally see the big balloons in person. They towered over the city blocks, and casted shadows on the parade goers below. As the wind gusted, the balloon wrestlers on the ground would scamper around trying to keep these unruly balloons in some form of control. The wind was so strong I was waiting for one of them to be swept off the ground and fly threw the air at the mercy of the oversized Snoopy!

We stood a few rows back from the street peering up at the gigantic balloon characters jumping up and down and rubbing our hands together in an attempt not to freeze to death. We lasted about 45 minutes, until our extremities were blue and numb and then we threw in the towel. Yep- we left-it was just too darn cold! It’s actually more enjoyable on tv, trust me! As we drove home, mouths’ salivating, we thought about the warmth and delicious smells that were happening in the kitchen. At least we had burned a few extra calories suffering in the arctic freeze;) We made it home in time to watch the end of the parade on tv, and the final float was the Thanksgiving Turkey. In honor of that colorful turkey, I made my own this year- and it’s made from delicious, sweet and juicy fruit! Combined with a chocolate fondue for dipping, this turkey will be the center of attention at your T-Day table!

FRUIT TURKEY with CHOCOLATE FONDUE

A fruit turkey with chocolate fondue.

1 cantaloupe
1 pear
6 baby carrots
wood skewers
Sliced assorted fruits such as strawberries (kiwi, bananas and pineapple)
1 cup chocolate chips
2 tablespoons coconut oil

Slice off the bottom of the cantaloupe and scoop out the flesh. You can use a melon baller to make cantaloupe rounds to use on the “feather” skewers.
Trim there carrots so they resemble turkey feet and place a skewer to hold them together, and cut off the excess skewer.
Repeat for the second foot.
Trim strawberries for the head details.
Use the skewers to attach the pear to the cantaloupe to make a head, and the carrot feet to the body.
Place your sliced fruit onto the skewers and place them on the rump as feathers.
Use two banana slices and two chocolate chips to make the eyes and attach with a small skewer segment.
Melt 1 cup of chocolate chips and 2 tablespoons in the microwave (stir occasionally) to make the fondue.

Cricket’s Chicken Jerky Treats

on July 23, 2015April 10, 2017 By Kelley 7 Comments

Cricket is a picky pooch with a refined palate! She turns her nose up at many kinds treats that any other dog would wolf down in one second flat!

Beggin Stips? Cricket gives it a weary sniff and says “no thanks.”

Pupperoni? “I’m not hungry!”

Milk Bone? “No way Jose!”

Greenies????? “What the heck is that and WHY is it green!?”

After much trial and failure, I finally did come across a treat Cricket does love and they cost $9.99 for a bag of 6! It’s basically just dried chicken, or chicken jerky. So I decided to get smart and protect my wallet and make my own of course! These treats are so easy and simple to make and if Cricket loves them then your furry family members will love them too!

Cricket's Chicken Jerky Treats

Easy Chicken Jerky treats

1 lb chicken breast
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt (celtic sea salt or Himalayan salt is a good choice)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
Cut the chicken breasts into long thin strips about 1/4″ wide. (You can partially freeze the chicken for a hour to make it easier to slice.)
Place the chicken in a ziplock bag with the oil, apple cider vinegar and salt, and give it a shake.
Allow to marinate overnight or for a few hours at least.
Lay the chicken strips (not touching!) on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake at 250 degrees F for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until dry (if browning too much turn tempature down) and then turn the oven off and allow them to cool and fully dry out in the oven for an additional 1/2 hour.

Cricket’s Favorite Dog Chow

on July 9, 2015April 10, 2017 By Kelley

My dog Cricket is a picky eater. Cricket would win the award for finickiest dog, if there was a contest! She is the equivalent to the child that only with eat chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese, except her taste leans toward steak, and fresh grilled chicken! I’ll pour her a bowl of high quality kibble and mix in some meat and she will gingerly pick around each and every kibble to get the good stuff! If she happens to get a singular kibble in a particular bite she will expel it quickly like she just tated the most disgusting thing in her life!

Her picky taste in foods isn’t the reason I started making her homemade dog food- it is for health reasons primarily (and she does enjoy it!). The average canine kibble is made with fillers and byproducts (although there are many brands now that avoid these) and other ingredients that just aren’t the best for producing optimal health for your hooch. I want my dog to live as long as possible and have a healthy vibrant life, so making a well balanced, whole-foods dog chow is a great way to ensure I know she is eating well. (I do supplement the homemade dog chow with a high quality kibble, mixed-actually mushed-in well to make sure she is getting all her vitamin and minerals, as they are fortified with the all necessary nutrients.)

I make a few different varieties of dog chow, and I do think it’s good to change up the ingredients and use different proteins from time to time. This recipe is a basic chicken and brown rice recipe. You can throw all the ingredients into a crockpot and cook it on low for a few hours, just make sure there is enough water. I make mine on the stovetop in a large saucepan, and that works just fine as well.

I would love to hear about your furry family members and get their feedback on this homemade dog chow, so comment below!

Cricket's Favorite Dog Chow

Healthy homemade dog chow

2-3 cups of low sodium chicken broth or water (start with 2 cups and as more as needed)
1 cup brown rice or cauliflower pulsed in a food processor (Grain-Free)
3-4 chicken breasts (you can use other cuts, just be careful not to include bones, skin and fat is actually good!)
1/2 cup carrot (finely chopped)
1/2 cup broccoli (finely chopped)
1/2 cup kale or spinach (finely chopped)
1/2 cup sweet potato (finely chopped)
2 tablespoons fish oil (or 1 can of sardines- omega's!, coconut oil or olive oil)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Place 2 cups water/broth, rice and chicken into your pan or crockpot and set on a low temperature.
Allow to cook until rice is almost fully cooked and chicken shreds easily, mix well.
Add more liquid if needed as you go, just give the mixture a stir every few minutes.
Add the carrots and sweet potato and cook another 5 minutes until the veggies are fork tender.
Then add broccoli and finally the kale/spinach, and cook until they are bright green.
Remove from heat and let cool.
Mix in the oil and apple cider vinegar.