With strawberry season in full swing, I wanted to put together a thoughtful, seasonal gift to say thank you to the incredible teachers who’ve poured into my kids all year long. There’s something extra special about a homemade gift, and I loved the idea of celebrating the sweetness of spring with a “berry sweet” theme!
This little bundle includes a few of my favorite things—simple, homemade touches and a few seasonal finds that pair beautifully together. Whether you’re making something similar for teachers, neighbors, or friends, this combo is sweet, personal, and easy to pull together!
What’s Inside:
Homemade Strawberry Jam – I’m sharing my go-to recipe below. It’s quick, delicious, and the perfect way to make the most of fresh strawberries.
Mini Sourdough Loaf – Made with love. There’s nothing better than fresh jam on warm bread, so I included a small loaf of my homemade sourdough. You can support a local bakery and buy scones or fresh baked bread.
Strawberry Soda – This adds a little fun and sparkle to the gift. I picked up mine from Target – Mini Olipop Cans
Mini Berry Colander – I tucked everything inside this adorable berry strainer that they can reuse all season long. It adds charm and makes the whole gift feel like a curated farmers market basket. I found these at TJ Maxx but have sourced similar options for you here.
The Presentation:
I used some pink kraft paper shreds in the bottom of the colander to nestle everything inside, then wrapped it up in a clear cellophane bag and tied it with pretty ribbon and a card. I’ve included a printable of the tags I designed which you can customize and add your name.
Print these on cardstock, punch a hole and tie the ribbon.
Homemade Strawberry Jam Recipe:
This is a small batch jam with no pectin—just a few ingredients and lots of flavor. Perfect for gifting!
You can double or triple the batch if you’re making these gifts for multiple teachers. I used 4 oz. jars, which are the perfect size for gifting.
For a smaller themed gift idea, you can pair a small jam jar with a mini Olipop Soda, tie it in a small clear bag and include a plant or giftcard.
Linked Favorites:
If you’d like to recreate this gift, I’ve rounded up a few similar or exact items for easy shopping:
Whether you’re wrapping up the school year or just want to share a little springtime joy, this is a sweet, simple way to show someone they’re appreciated and loved.
Have you ever made a seasonal-themed gift? I’d love to hear your ideas—and if you try this one, tag me so I can see your berry sweet creations!
I’m embracing the sweetness of the season, where nature’s simple beauty meets festive cheer. This year’s Christmas decor was all about organic elegance—dried oranges turned into garlands, ornaments, and little gifts for teachers.
On this Solstice day, December 21st, as we welcome the return of light, let’s celebrate the warmth, love, and hope this season brings. Wishing you all a season filled with light, joy, and moments of stillness.
If you’d like to fill your home with scents of the holidays, give a holiday party host a small gift, or freshen your home after the holiday cleanup, here are the steps to dry out oranges and apple slices:
Preheat oven to 200°.
Slice oranges 1/4 of an inch thick
Lay on paper towels and blot excess citrus juice
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange citrus and apple slices (not overlapping)
Bake to dehydrate for 2-3 hours flipping fruit every 45 minutes.
Citrus is done when the center is no longer sticky to the touch.
These dried citruses will keep for months if stored properly. They would also make for a great garnish on cocktails/mocktails.
For the simmer pot:
Include 3 orange slices, 2-3 dried apple slices, 1 tbsp of cloves, 3 cinnamon sticks, and 1/2 cup of cranberries. Rosemary or sage is optional.
Add to a pot with 2 cups of water and simmer on low adding water as needed.
If you’re gifting this simmer pot, add ingredients to a cute jar and attach the tag with instructions.
For a downloadable printable of the tags I made, click here.
As the air turns crisp and the world shifts to shades of amber and gold, there’s something undeniably special about autumn. It’s a season where our senses seem to heighten — the smell of spiced lattes, the crunch of fallen leaves underfoot, and, of course, the warm, comforting flavors that bring us together. This time of year, there’s nothing better than a dash of pumpkin in our favorite treats.
Today, I’m sharing some of my go-to pumpkin recipes that are perfect for savoring the best of fall. From a creamy pumpkin cold foam to sip on, to sweet pumpkin muffins and doughnuts, and even a hearty pumpkin chili to cozy up with, these recipes are a little bit of autumn bliss for every tastebud. Whether you’re a seasoned pumpkin lover or just diving into these flavors, I hope these recipes make it into your home and become a repeat tradition.
Click on the recipe doc to download and print.
These recipes are easy to make at the same time as they all require some of the canned pumpkin puree.
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and what better way to celebrate than by creating a memorable mess in the kitchen with your little ones, by baking delicious themed treats that are sweeter because they helped.
These two kid-friendly treats are both interactive, delicious, and semi-healthy? Can a cookie be healthy? One of these cookies is topped with fresh fruit of your choice so let’s call it, healthy-ish.
First up we have mini fruit pizzas.
My memories of fruit pizzas go WAY back. I vividly remember my aunt and uncle bringing ingredients and the activity for fruit pizzas to one of our family gatherings at my grandparents home. 
All you have to do is make a classic sugar cookie, following any recipe of your choosing, and use heart shaped cookie cutters to make them Valentine themed.
Wash and prep fresh fruit for toppings and make this simple cream cheese frosting that you will use as the glue that holds the fruit on the cookie. 
After the cookies have cooled, fill a jar with icing and provide a small spatula or butter knife for the kids to spread the icing on their cookies. You may have to assist with this part. 
On a platter, arrange the fruit options that will serve as the toppings for their individual cookie pizzas and let them create.
The next Valentine themed cookie is a play on a classic thumbprint cookie. This recipe is vegan and gluten free too.
Instead of pressing a thumb into the center of the dough balls as you normally would for the classic version, you will help your little one use the side of thumb to press into the dough ball twice to form a heart. 
No two hearts are equal but that is the beauty of these personalized heart prints.
You can fill the hearts with a jam flavor of your choice. We usually have the organic strawberry preserves from Costco on hand. It has basic ingredients and is free from high fructose corn syrup.
Baking with kids can be an opportunity to bond and laugh with your little one. It isn’t just about the final product; it’s about the shared moments, the laughter, and the love that goes into making the special treats.
So, gather your ingredients, embrace the joyous mess, and enjoy creating sweet memories that will last far beyond the heart shaped bites.
Keep it simple. Think protein, veggies, fresh fruits and raw nuts.   
Are you considering trying out Whole 30 for the first time? If so, I am here to put you to ease as it’s really not that difficult. Chances are you can make simple modifications to recipes you already know and love but make them Whole 30 Compliant.
I highly encourage you to do Whole 30 at least once.  It’s eye opening to how much is in our food that is “approved by the FDA” as safe. I can promise you when you’re forced to read labels to avoid certain things in your diet, whether by choice or allergy related, you’ll quickly see that things you thought were already healthy choices, are not in fact, healthy.
Don’t stress about what you’re going to eat and meals you’re going to cook. You don’t have to do a complete overhaul but read the labels. You’ll be shocked to see how many products, including meats, have added sugars, nitrates, carrageenan, just to name a few (all things you need to avoid while on Whole 30), but there is always a substitution. 
So what does Whole 30 compliant mean. Essentially, you are eliminating foods that are free from added sugars, grains, dairy, legumes, soy and you also avoid alcohol and processed foods. By doing so, you are choosing compliant options. All of the things you’re asked to avoid during Whole 30 are know inflammatories which can affect how you feel, your quality of sleep, joint and muscle pain, acid reflux, gut issues, and more.  
Sugar is the number one inflammatory and is found as an additive in so many foods that it should not be in. I was SHOCKED when we first read labels. Even a label of “nitrate free” doesn’t mean it is sugar free. 
As someone who suffers from carpel tunnel, the first time we followed this elimination diet, I saw instant relief within the first week. Four years later, I know what triggers my carpel tunnel the most from a food perspective and try to avoid it throughout the year. We maintain a 80/20 lifestyle eating this way, with a few exceptions during holidays of course but let me tell you, I pay for it later. Joint pain, check. Inflammation, check. Carpel tunnel affecting my sleep, check.
Recommitting to eliminating the inflammatories after the holidays is a great way to kickstart a new year for my husband and I. It’s something we actually enjoy.
When I meal plan for the week, I try to think about how one protein can be used in other meals later in the week. For example, if I cook a rotisserie chicken in the crockpot one night, I know I can use left over chicken for fajita bowls/salad, chicken salad (using Primal Kitchen mayo), or tossing chicken in our kitchenmaid mixer with the whisk attachment, pouring in either BBQ or Frank’s Hot Sauce to shred/mix it then put it over a baked sweet potato, light drizzle of Primal kitchen ranch (or DIY your ranch). Trust me on this last one. Buffalo Chicken over a sweet potato is the perfect balance of heat and sweet.
Simple Meal Ideas for 2+ weeks:
Snack Ideas: Hardboiled eggs sprinkled with everything but the bagel seasoning & franks hot sauce or wrap the egg with prosciutto. 
Chomps sticks
Small sweet peppers sliced in 1/2 and filled with tuna, I like to drizzle Frank’s on mine but you could also pre-make a compliant tuna salad to fill the pepper boats. 
Apple slices with almond butter.
Fresh fruit & raw nuts just no peanuts as they are considered a legume and should be avoided during Whole 30.
Breakfast Ideas:
Crustless egg and veggie quiche. Easy to meal prep in advance. I use mostly egg whites, add in spinach, leftover veggies, peppers & onions, mushrooms and bake at 350 degrees until firm, approximately 25 minutes. You can sprinkle on Nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor.
Sweet Potato Hash – Prep in advance on Sunday and portion out to reheat each morning
Egg Muffins filled with veggies and/or cutup sausage links or bacon. These are an easy grab and go option, paired with fresh fruit.
Dinner Ideas: I’m included this before lunch ideas because we often have dinner leftovers that we try to eat for lunches. 
Whole Chicken in Crockpot with roasted sheet pan veggies. 
– If you follow my Whole Chicken in the crockpot recipe, you can save the stock and use it in this recipe. I make this recipe in the crockpot as well.
-Debone remaining chicken after dinner and portion out for lunches over salad, cauliflower rice bowls with roasted veggies, fresh veggies, avocado slices, ect.
See this post for our family’s top meals that we keep in rotation.
Lunch Ideas:
Salads with left over proteins and raw or cooked veggies
Continue the theme each day. Breakfast on repeat, lunch can be protein leftover from the night prior over salad, and select a dinner option.
Our top recommended ingredients to buy:
Coconut Aminos, Rice Vinegar, Sesame Oil, Frank’s Hot Sauce, Ghee, Nutritional Yeast, olive oil, Tapioca Starch or Arrowroot flour
These are substitutes for soy sauce, inflammatory oils and butter and flour (when needed for thickening agent. We keep all of the above as staples in the home for cooking at all times.
If you’ve made it this far, I want to thank you. My goal for this post was to be brief and provide a very simple guide to being successful on Whole 30. It turns out, there’s a lot to say about this meal guide as it can really become a lifestyle, if you choose. 
My hope is that you’ve found tips and tricks for success that can apply today and every day.
Sheet pan meatloaf & veggies – Follow Skinnytaste’s Recipe but omit the oats and Worcestershire sauce, substitute coconut aminos and a splash of rice vinegar.
The crispness in the air that comes with Fall will always bring me the most joy.
It may be the nostalgia that comes to the forefront of my thoughts reminiscing of the annual trips my family took to the mountains of NC while visiting my grandparents cottage.
The aroma of soups and chilis filling the home, hikes and soaking up the changing of the leaves, the vibrant colors the season brings, sitting my a fire with friends and family, sipping on cider and warm teas, and baking seasonal favorites are just some of my favorite things about Fall.
Last year we visited The Orchard at Altapass for apple picking. The scenery was beautiful and apples plentiful. It was a sweet ending to our mountain trip and exactly what we needed after living through the experience of our oldest being stung by a yellow jacket and having a severe reaction. You may notice in the picture his sweet face was still swollen. We’re grateful for the swift action of the staff at the urgent care in Blackmountain.
We’ve started new traditions with our three sons which still include an annual trip to the mountains. Be sure to read about our favorite mountain town in this post.
Whether you’re picking apples fresh from an orchard in the NC mountains or you snag some from the local farmers market, you have to give my grandmother’s apple muffin recipe a try.
I’ve included my own modifications and added carrots to the original recipe to make them heartier.
I encourage you to get outside this Fall and try a new hike, bake something new, and do spend time doing things that bring you joy.
If you saw my post on Monday, you know already that I took on a cheesecloth ghost craft as a way to decompress. On occasion, I am reminded why I thrive when I create, paint a room or take on a DIY project in the home. It’s where I thrive and find Amanda, a moment of pause from mama and the joys and stimulation that role brings.
I am beyond grateful to be available for our boys, don’t get me wrong. There’s always reason to take time for yourself doing something that brings you joy. Filling that cup of joy will spill over when you step back into your role of mom.
This craft requires very few things:
Cheesecloth
Modge Podge
Balloons
Bowl for mixing
Drop cloth of some form
Supportive base to attach balloons
First, blow up the balloons at various sizes to add variation to your ghosts.
Next, drop the cheesecloth over each support and trim accordingly. Tip: Cut them slightly larger than needed so the cheesecloth can puddle nicely.
Mix the modge lodge with a little water to thin out the consistency. Soak each trimmed piece in the mixture, squeeze out the excess and slowly stretch it out to drop back over the base supports you made. I did two layers on each ghost.
Allow them to dry overnight.
Gently separate the balloons from the cheesecloth. Your ghosts may loose shape as you do this step but don’t worry, you can shape them back.
Next you will cut felt eyes or sew on black buttons. Hot glue them on to each ghost.
I decided to add paper flowers and ribbon to two of the ghosts to add a little extra flare, because I’m extra. Have fun with it and make them your own.
Fairy lights were the final touch I added to the ghosts. One long strand worked for all of them.
This tables cape will be a fun one to enjoy before a night out trick or treating. Our family has a tradition of filling up on a hearty bowl of my turkey chili with a side of cornbread before any candy is consumed. Be sure to save that recipe! It’s a crowd pleasure and simple to throw into the crockpot.
The key to a successful month commiting to the requirements of Whole 30 is to set the goal with friends, a family member and your spouse/significant other.
Last January, my womans small group and a close friend of mine, Ashley, committed to trying Whole 30. For some it was the first time ever and for others, it wasn’t. Ashley really helped me to kick things off with a bang because she’s one heck of a meal planner, including planning for left overs from dinners, and had recently completed Whole 30 so had so many recipe recommendations.
It’s my hope that this can be a resource for you if you’re considering to do Whole 30. Pinterest can be overwhelming with ideas, all of which require different ingredients. My list of favorite recipes will help to streamline your meal planning and take the burden off of buying so many ingredients that can really add up.
It is important to understand what you CANNOT have for the duration, apart from no alcohol, grains, dairy, added sugars, other ingredients need attention when you’re grocery shopping. I’ve never known how much sugar was added to SO MUCH of what we buy. For example, meats, bacon, sausages, etc. There’s no need to add sugar to meat, manufacturers. Let me tell you, compliant Whole 30 bacon is so much better.
I benefited from this lifestyle and saw my carpal tunnel symptoms disappear completely by the end of the first 2 weeks. Most of the things you cannot have on Whole 30 are inflammatories.
Focus on simple ingredients you can cook with and should have as staples. This can be done for relatively cheap now that most groceries, including Walmart, stock them.
Buy:
Tapioca Starch (optional unless you tackle the casserole recipe below)
Coconut Aminos (Trader Joes for less than $3)
Rice Wine Vinegar
Apple Cider Vinegar
Garlic
Almond Butter (Costco – It’s also Peanut Free and huge in volume for $8)
Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
Ghee
Nutritional Yeast
Coconut Oil
Olive Oil
Primal Mayo
Compliant Salad Dressings – Primal Kitchen and Tessa Mae’s
Nut Pod’s Creamer – Vanilla is my favorite, Hazelnut is second. Can be found at most groceries now
I also recommend you buying TRUE ROOTS by Kristin Cavallari. I wish I had this cookbook prior to starting whole 30 because it has more than 100 recipes free of gluten, dairy, and refined sugar.
Below I’m listing out our favorite Whole 30 Recipes, 95% of them we have kept in rotation after the 30 day commitment where we’ve maintained an 80/20 lifestyle. (Holidays aside, okay?)
Hands down our favorite Whole 30 Recipe. For the chili sauce drizzle, I use Primal Mayo, Franks Red Hot Sauce, and garlic powder to taste. (Thanks to the suggestion from my friend, Ashley.) I also like to stretch our money and find that buying a head of purple and green cabbage each will let you cook this meal 2-3 times vs. buying bagged cabbage.)
Sweet Potato Hash from True Roots cookbook
I substitute out the breakfast sausage and apple for compliant Chicken Apple Sausage (which you’ll find in multiple recipes i’m suggesting)
This recipe is almost identical, just add 1 heaping cup of kale (stems removed) and cook until wilted as the final step.
Chicken Apple Sausage Stir-fry from the kitchen of Ashley
1 package of chicken apple sausage, cut into slices
1 large vidalia onion (or yellow), sliced
1-2 bell peppers
1 tbsp of coconut oil/olive oil
2 gloves of garlic minced
Trader Joes Sauerkraut
Add oil, onion, bell pepper, garlic to a large skillet. Cook until fork tender and/or onions are translucent. Add in sliced sausage and cook until warm.
Serve in a bowl and top with 1-2 tbsp of sauerkraut
Marinated Grilled Turkey Tenderloin
2 compliant tenderloins (1 package from Trader Joes)
1 tbsp of Dijon Mustard
2 cloves of minced garlic
1/4 cup of rice wine vinegar
2-3 tbsp of coconut aminos
Add all ingredients to a gallon ziplock back, allow to marinate all day until grilling. Pair with Roasted vegetables, cauliflower veggie rice, sauteed asparagus.
Loaded Veggie Rice
Grate 1/2 head of cauliflower (After this is prepped, it can be frozen to make it easy to cook when needed in the future.)
Add olive oil to a skillet with 1/2 bag of frozen peas and carrots and any additional veggies you may have on hand that are family favorites. Cook for 5-8 minutes then add in grated cauliflower.
Season with minced garlic, seasalt and pepper.
Add protein – either cooked shrimp or leftover turkey tenderloin
Chicken Fajitas – in lettuce boats or over Salad – From my kitchen
6 chicken tenderloins, sliced thin
1 large onion sliced
1-2 Bell Peppers sliced (we like to use 1 green and 1 red)
For Fajita Seasoning:
Mix 2 tbsp of olive oil, 1 tbsp of chili powder, 1 tsp of cumin, 2 cloves of minced garlic, a few shakes of chili pepper flakes, a few shakes of paprika, sea salt and pepper, mix in a bowl and add to a skillet of all ingredients mentioned above. Cover and simmer on med-low until chicken is cooked thoroughly.
Meanwhile, make my famous guac.
2 ripe avocados
Juice of 1 lime
1-2 cloves of garlic
Sea Salt to taste
Fresh Cilantro – Mix and mash all ingredients until blended.
Serve fajita mix in salad boats or over a bed of mixed greens and top with fresh guac and fresh cilantro
BBQ – From the kitchen of Ashley
Kirkland pulled pork (it’s compliant), top with Tessa Mae’s BBQ Sauce
Slaw mix from Trader Joes – mix with vinegar, Primal Mayo, and seasoning to taste
Top bbq with slaw
Serve alongside roasted diced sweet potato
Breakfast Casserole
6-7 eggs
Handful of spinach
Bell pepper & Onion for a Western Style (top with Franks Red Hot and avocado slices once cooked…so good.)
Any left over veggies you have on hand
Seasalt, pepper to taste
Bake in pie dish at 350 until center is firm. Aprox 20-25 min. Cut into pie slices and eat for breakfast each morning.
Hardboiled Eggs & Prosciutto
This one is as easy as it sounds for breakfast. Find compliant prosciutto at Costco in bulk, wrap 1/2 piece around an egg and enjoy. I like to top each bite with Frank’s Red Hot. (I put that ___ on everything)
Another tip, look at your family favorite recipes and determine if they can be made compliant with different ingredients. ie- My homemade spaghetti sauce can be made compliant by purchasing canned goods that don’t have added sugars and served over a bed of zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash.
Keep meals simple. Grill or bake protein & serve with fresh vegetables. Use leftover protein over a salad for lunch the next day.
Best of luck to you. I know you can be successful!
The morning rush can be hectic at times. Trying to feed two boys a quick and healthy breakfast to start the day can also be challenging. When they wake up, they immediately want to eat.
I quickly realized I had to simplify our morning routine by having read-to-eat bites that they can easily access themselves. Yes, we are there now. They can get food, their milk/water theirselves and it is glorious. If you’re not here yet with your littles, just wait, the time is coming and for once, you might get to sip a hot cup of coffee.
Because I’m a boy mom, these muffins have been called “dinosaur muffins”, “monster muffins” and “hulk muffins”. Anything related to these three subjects, they are all in.
I feel good knowing they are loaded with an ample amount of spinach.
Ingredients
2 cups old-fashioned oats (for a gluten free version) or whole wheat flour
Almond milk: you may use any non-dairy milk to keep the recipe dairy free. Or you may use regular milk!
Coconut Oil: You may substitute vegan butter (like Earth Balance), regular butter, or ghee!
Eggs: For vegan version substitute the 2 eggs with 2 TBS ground chia seeds and 5 TBS water.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Add oil, spinach, milk to a vitamix or nutribullet and blend until smooth. Add in bananas and vanilla and blend again until smooth.
Meanwhile, add dry ingredients to a stand mixer – flour/oats (whichever you choose), baking soda, baking powder, salt, sugar, cinnamon & ground flaxseed if you’re adding it.
Add blender mix and two eggs to the dry ingredients, mix until smooth.
Either spray a muffin tin or line with parchment cupcake liners.
Fill 3/4 full.
Bake 16 minutes or until the center is done.
Allow to cool.
(Makes 16-18 muffins depending how big you make each.)
**For a fun Halloween idea, you can decorate these muffins as actual monsters or as Frankenstein.
**They also make for a great side item for a Dinosaur themed birthday party. Top each with a mini toy dinosaur the kids get to keep.
I hope you and your family enjoy these as much as we do.
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