My Excellent Choices

(Click on an Image Below To Learn More.)

germ_guardian

jar_opener

tooth_and_gums_tonic

battery_backup

leftovers

ginger_snaps

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413crd06fuL._SL250_

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clip-on-reading-glasses

coq10

deep_tissue_massage_gun

fortune_cookies

non-contact-thermometers

snack-tables

xylitol-sweetener

botanical_disinfectant

cast_iron_skillet

House Surge Protection

instant_pot

prime_video

signal-2024-07-15-111101_002

roku_streaming_stick

Theives_toothpaste

womens_rucksack

EGO-Blower

Phone Wallet

electronic_pulse_massager

Spicewalla

Sous Vide Roast

Progressive-Readers

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Samsung-4TB-External

Chair-Feet

Sanitizer

cupcakes

EGO-Chainsaw

Air Fryer

Anova Sous Vide

Powerhead system

Refresh

brush cutter attachment

signal-2024-07-22-102611_002

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These are great for special occasions or just to have on hand for morning breakfast and coffee. They keep well in the freezer and re-heat in just seconds. The recipe is forgiving if you have just a tad more or less of the large bulk ingredients, but you may produce fewer or more than the 36 “standard” muffins that we usually make.

Our starting point was this recipe: Blueberry Oatmeal Flax Muffins — Dr. Karen Wallace, ND | Dartmouth, Nova Scotia (drkarenwallace.com)

Then we made our own improvements as we experimented. Finally, we doubled the recipe to make up to 36 muffins at a time. After eating a couple of these delicious muffins right out of the oven, we then placed the rest on parchment paper, freeze and then store in a resealable freezer bag.

To reheat, we just place on a microwave-safe plate with a damp paper towel on top and select “HIGH” for thirty seconds. Perfect! (Click the “paid ad” ingredient links below to see EXACTLY what brands we buy.)

What’s next? experimenting with other fruits and flavored extracts for the batter. If you like these muffins as much as our family does, please bookmark this page and share it! (Also, check out our recipe for Cornbread Muffins.)

Our Own Fruit Muffin Recipe

#1: Assemble these utensils.

Utensils:

• 4 quart/16 Cup (or larger) mixing Bowl (For Dry Ingredients)
• 4 Cup (or larger) Measuring Cup (For Wet Ingredients)
• 2 Cup Measuring Cup (For Water or Buttermilk – your choice!)
• ¼ Cup Measuring Cup (Optional: 4 Tbsp = ¼ Cup)

• 1 Tbsp. (tablespoon) Measuring Spoon 
• ½ tsp. (teaspoon) Measuring Spoon
• 1 tsp. (teaspoon) Measuring Spoon (Optional: 2 x ½ tsp = 1 tsp)
• 1 Large Mixing Spoon (For Final Mixture and Measuring batter into muffin cups)
• Muffin Pans for up to 36 Muffins and these (Paid Ad) reusable silicon muffin cups!

#2: Add one dry ingredient at a time in this order to the mixing bowl, and thoroughly mix with whisk each time an ingredient is added.

Dry Ingredients:

• 1 tsp. salt (can be omitted)
• 1.5 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp.) buttermilk powder (Paid Ad)
• 1 cup Xylitol Sweetener (Paid Ad)
• 1 cup ground flax seed meal (Paid Ad)
• 2 cups gluten free flour (Paid Ad)
• 2 cups rolled oats (Paid Ad)

(Approximately 6 ¼ Cups Dry Ingredients)

#3: Add this fruit to the dry ingredients and thoroughly mix.

Fruit Ingredient:

• 2 pints of whole blueberries, diced peaches, cherries, cranberries, apples, or other fruit (Preferably frozen – sized like whole blueberries)

(Approximately 4 Cups Fruit)

#4: Melt Butter in microwave. Do not Overheat.
#5: Add and mix one wet Ingredient at a time in order to the 4-cup measuring cup in this order.
#6: Confirm mixture temperature has cooled before adding eggs.

Wet Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup melted butter (11 Tbsp.)
• 1 3/4 cup cold water
• 1 cup unsweetened refrigerated applesauce (Paid Ad)
• 2 eggs
• 2 Tbsp. Lemon Extract (Paid Ad)
  (Use Lemon Extract with blueberries. Other extracts to compliment other fruit fillings)

(Approximately 4 Cups Liquid Ingredients)

#7: Combine and thoroughly mix the wet and dry ingredients. 
#8: Scoop into reusable muffin pans lined with the reusable silicon baking cups (above). Makes about 36 Standard size muffins.
#9: Bake at 350 degrees convection (375 Conventional) for 20 minutes.

#10: Remove One Muffin and Enjoy!

UPDATE:

After four years our two Sanitizing boxes are still working! Some newer models are battery powered, but a small recharging cord hasn’t stopped us from taking the smaller unit with us when we travel.

May 27, 2020

“Sunlight is the best disinfectant” is more than a metaphor. For for past generations and for many people today, “spring clean” means open windows, fresh air in the house, and a few hours in the sun for hard to sanitize items.

We brought sunlight indoors and bought two  UV Sanitizers from Amazon. The small items in pockets and purses that go out in the world with us everyday

The smaller unit is ideal for a small wallet or cellphone, a large unit works perfectly on tablets, eye glasses, keys & wallets and other irregular shaped objects.

We routinely place items that we frequently touch in the boxes for a quick ten minute exposure to the UV light.

It’s so simple to use! Just open the door, place your keys, wallet or phone inside and close the door! We are happy with a 10 minute exposure and those items we touch every day are ready to go again!

This is a very competitive and rapidly changing product category, so follow the link at the top let me know if you find a better value! 

UPDATE:

This is still working after four years. I just changed the battery, and I can’t remember the last time I did that. This Radon monitor just works for months at a time!

August 31, 2020

We ordered a couple of “sample and mail” radon kits for Radon surveillance from a highly recommended company with an excellent reputation. . This battery powered Radon detector was placed in the same general area at the same time as samples were collected for lab processing.

When the commercial lab results came back, we were pleased to see that the results from this electronic Radon detector were comparable, and provided a continuous 24×7 monitoring solution.

It is small, and is placed on a wall at eye level in an area that is not exposed to drafts. The batteries last for months and the light weight allows it to be placed almost anywhere with only a small picture frame tack.

UPDATE:

After eye surgery both of my eyes were corrected and perfect for distance vision; but I had worn glasses for several years and I am always reading and working at the computer. While I can still recommend the clip-on readers as a good solution for folks who wear corrective lenses, my personal needs have changed.

I found these glasses with NO prescription for distance vision, and a progressive lens that transitions to computer and reading distance. I chose a pair with no visible line, blue blocking and high-quality non-reflective lenses. Visit their store with the link above and browse their latest styles.

June 19, 2020

My two eyes just aren’t the same. One is 20/20 and the other is very near-sighted.

If I read without glasses, the near-sighted eye can see the computer screen, but the 20/20 eye is blurred. (It’s needs a reading glass lens.) If I put on inepensive reading glasses the situation is revered. My best eye can read, but the near-sighted eye is even worse!

Thankfully, I have good prescription lenses that balance my eyes for distance vision, but computer screens are still a problem. It occurred to me that clip-on reading glasses (like inexpensive sunglass clip-ons) might be just the solution, and it was!

These clip-on reading glasses are available in different powers (I ordered a “1.5 and a “2”) and they are a perfect solution to my eye-strain problem.