HOW cute are these Dollar Tree trifle bowls? So many uses for decorating with plants, on your vanity, and more! Found in the party section! See video here: https://youtu.be/9sYh2HdrE_w
Sunday, March 28, 2021
Dollar Tree Haul - Trifle Bowl Decoration!
Sunday, March 21, 2021
*NEW VIDEO* DOLLAR TREE ORGANIZATION - 5 Tips to Keep Your Purse Organized
*NEW VIDEO* DOLLAR TREE ORGANIZATION - 5 Tips to Keep Your Purse Organized
See video here: https://youtu.be/RIRnm_SaAZA
Sunday, November 22, 2020
Aldi Haul Nov 22, 2020
I know it's been forever! I think the last time I published a video to my channel (that wasn't singing) was almost a year ago! Crazy.
The Aldi near me just opened up again (they were closed for major renovations), and wow it was worth the wait! It's beautiful, bright, and BIG! Also, they have curbside pickup - I'm going to have to look into this further to see how it works (the cost, etc.).
In the meantime, here's today's haul with this week's dinner plans. Nothing super exciting, but I'm happy to record a video today (7 MINUTES YIKES! I'm rusty!!! lol).
Miss you all!
love + light,
Clara
Click here for the video --> https://youtu.be/AP0-mLtZfpQ
Saturday, October 20, 2018
Monday, July 24, 2017
Clara's Cooking | Hawaiian Meatballs
In addition to meatballs, this sauce is a great compliment to any baked chicken or fish.
If you follow my blog, this is my basic meatball recipe that I use for all meatballs. It's great for all types of dishes, whether sweet, savory, or spicy. It can be used in multiple cuisines (Swedish, Italian, Thai, etc.). Although I have published the recipe before, I included it below for the sake of completion. Enjoy!
I like to prepare the meatballs first, so that while they are baking in the oven, I can prepare the sauce.
Clara's Meatballs Recipe Ingredients:
1lb ground lean beef
1lb ground lean turkey
3/4 cup onions, finely diced
2 large eggs
3 tsp Coconut Aminos (optional, can also use soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce)
1/2 to 1 TBSP garlic powder (based on preference)
Olive oil
Salt & black pepper
Optional: 3/4 to 1 cup chopped vegetables such as carrots or sweet potato to bulk up your meatballs.
Clara's Meatballs Recipe Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Heat olive oil on medium heat in pan, and cook onions until silvery. Cook additional (optional) vegetables such as carrots.
3. Set pan aside to cool.
4. Add beef, turkey, eggs, Coconut Aminos, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper to bowl (and other seasonings your wish). Mix well. Add veggie/onion mixture. Mix again.
5. Form meatballs that are of a diameter of 1.5 to 1.75 inches, forming somewhere between 25-28 meatballs (I just use my hands, but you can use a large ice cream scoop or spoon if you wish). Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
7. Bake meatballs for 20-23 minutes.
Clara's Hawaiian Sauce Recipe Ingredients:
1 can (12-15oz) mango slices (don't have to drain)
1 cup pineapple chunks (don't have to drain)
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1 tsp red curry paste
1 tsp ginger powder (more or less to taste)
1/4 cup lime juice (more or less to taste)
3/4 to 1 cup chopped cilantro (save a bit for garnish)
1/2 TBSP crushed red pepper (more or less to taste)
Olive oil
Salt & pepper
Clara's Hawaiian Sauce Recipe Directions:
1. Place mango and pineapple in food processor and blend well.
2. Cook onions in olive oil until silvery.
3. Add mango and pineapple mixture to pan. Add curry paste and stir.
4. Add ginger, lime, salt, pepper, and cilantro.
5. Stir mixture and taste. If you prefer more heat, add crushed red pepper to taste.
6. Simmer on low to medium low for 20 minutes, depending on how thick you wish the sauce to be.
7. When meatballs are finished baking, top with sauce and cilantro garnish. Enjoy with a side of rice and broccoli if you wish!
love + light,
Clara
Sunday, June 25, 2017
Clara's Cooking | Shrimp & Zucchini in Almond Sauce
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| YOUTUBE VIDEO HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJ_QXqVtmwM |
Tips:
Wednesday, June 7, 2017
Clara's Cooking | Fried Tofu
1. DRY tofu (absorb as much of the water as possible before cooking)
2. FIRM tofu (otherwise it falls apart)
3. PATIENCE
Wait, why do I need patience? Because in cooking I feel the need to stir food every few minutes. But - NOPE! Don't do that when frying tofu! Just like with pan frying chicken, it'll get the best brown color if you leave it UNDISTURBED for at least 5-7 minutes. Trust me!
FRIED TOFU RECIPE:
Ingredients:
1lb tofu (extra firm)
2-3 TBSP olive oil
Garlic powder (at least 1 tsp)
Onion powder (at least 1 tsp)
Salt & black pepper
Directions:
1. Drain the tofu and gently squeeze it with paper towels.
2. With a sharp knife, cut into 1/2 slices. Gently pat again to soak away any remaining water.
3. Season both sides of tofu with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
4. In a pan (I like the ceramic lined pans from Aldi), heat olive oil on medium-high.
5. Place tofu gently in pan, and space at least 1/3 inch apart (each slice needs sufficient airflow to evenly and to prevent from sticking to each other).
6. Let tofu cook, UNTOUCHED, for at least 5-7 minutes. You'll know it's time to flip them when you see a brown crust appear along the bottom edges.
7. Flip the tofu to cook the other side, leave untouched 4-6 minutes. The second side will take about 1-2 minutes less than it took the first side to cook. Enjoy!
Tips:
- Enjoy these in any kind of stir fry, or even in just a quick snack on their own! I sometimes like to eat these with a spicy chili sauce or coconut amigos (like soy sauce).
- Don't be afraid to experiment with spices! You could try curry powder, turmeric, nutmeg, etc.! Just go EASY on the spices at first, as tofu itself typically has a mild taste.
Enjoy!
love + light,
Clara
Thursday, March 30, 2017
Dollar Tree Succulent Decorations!
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| See video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QaH1wdSOvs&feature=youtu.be |
Enjoy!
love + light,
Clara
Thursday, March 9, 2017
Clara's Cooking | Whole30 Chili
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| WHOLE30 'CHILI' |
Ingredients:
1lb ground beef, turkey, or chicken
1 bell pepper, diced
1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
1 large can (29oz) crushed tomatoes
2-3 zucchini, cut into half rounds or quarter rounds, depending on size
2 carrots, finely diced
1/2 TBSP crushed red pepper
1/2 TBSP chili powder
1/2 TBSP cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
Garlic powder (to taste)
Salt & pepper
Olive oil
Directions:
Tips:
- Top with avocado slices or cilantro for a nice presentation!
- If too thick, add water in 1/2 cup increments until you achieve desired consistency.
- These are Whole30 friendly, but if you wish to add some non-Whole30 ingredients, consider adding kidney beans for more bulk, plus it adds protein and fiber. You could also add corn.
Enjoy!
love + light,
Clara
Saturday, March 4, 2017
Clara's Cooking | Coconut Chicken Vegetable Soup
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| Coconut Chicken Vegetable Soup |
Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts, boiled and cubed
1/4 onion, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced
1 broccoli head, with stalk finely diced and floret separated into small florets
1 cup sliced white button mushrooms
1 can (approx 12-14oz) coconut milk
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1 tsp red curry paste
1 TBSP lime juice
1 TBSP lemon juice
4 TBSP fish sauce
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Olive oil
Salt and black pepper
1-2 cups water
Directions:
1. In a medium soup pot, heat olive oil on medium heat. Cook onion until silvery.
2. Add carrot and broccoli and cook until slightly softened. Add mushrooms and cook for 5-10 minutes.
3. Add chicken, coconut milk, cilantro, red curry paste, lime juice, lemon juice, and fish sauce. Stir.
4. Add garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Stir.
5. Reduce heat slightly, and add 1 cup of water or more to achieve desired soup consistency.
6. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Tips:
- Save 1-2 TBSP cilantro for when you serve the soup; it looks great as a little topper.
- Add chopped serranos (or your favorite spicy pepper) to make more spicy.
- As stated above, add lime leaves, ginger, and lemongrass to deepen the flavor further!
Enjoy!
love + light,
Clara
Friday, February 24, 2017
Clara's Cooking | Cauliflower Rice (Whole30)
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| Cauliflower Rice |
Ingredients:
1 large head cauliflower, finely chopped
1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can coconut milk (12oz)
1/2-3/4 cup chopped cilantro (or may substitute parsley, but I LOVE cilantro with coconut!)
Dash of lime juice
Olive oil, coconut oil, or ghee
Salt, black pepper
Directions:
1. Heat large pan to medium. Saute garlic and onion in olive oil until slightly browned.
2. Add cauliflower and mix well.
3. After about 5 minutes, add coconut milk, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until cauliflower is cooked.
4. Gently mix in lime juice and half of cilantro. Top with remainder of cilantro when ready to serve.
Tips:
- To reduce fat, replace 1/2 of coconut milk with water. The dish will be less decadent, but still tasty.
- To switch things up, substitute other citrus for lime, such as lemon, orange, or calamondin juice.
- To make the cauliflower less soft, squeeze excess water out of the cauliflower in a cheesecloth after blending (before cooking).
Enjoy!
love + light,
Clara
Thursday, January 19, 2017
Clara's Cooking | Meatballs (Whole30, Paleo)
Clara's Meatballs (Whole30, Paleo)
Ingredients:
1lb ground lean beef
1lb ground lean turkey
3/4 cup onions, finely diced
2 large eggs
3 tsp Coconut Aminos (optional, alternatives listed below)
1/2 to 1 TBSP garlic powder (based on preference)
Olive oil
Salt & black pepper
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Heat olive oil on medium heat in pan, and cook onions until silvery.
3. Set pan aside to cool. Beat eggs in large bowl.
4. Add beef and turkey to bowl. Mix well.
5. Add Coconut Aminos, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper to bowl. Mix well.
6. Form meatballs that are of a diameter of 1.5 to 1.75 inches, forming somewhere between 25-28 meatballs (I just use my hands, but you can use a large ice cream scoop or spoon if you wish). Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
7. Bake meatballs for 20-23 minutes.
Tips:
- Mix with marinara or your other preferred favorite tomato sauce! While the meatballs are baking, I like cooking a mixture of sliced bell peppers, zucchini, onions, crushed red pepper, and Aldi's Simply Nature Organic Marinara Sauce. When the meatballs are done a slightly cooled, I add them to the mixture. Delicious!
- If you're not following the Whole30 nutrition plan, instead of Coconut Aminos you can use Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce. You can also leave it out altogether and the meatballs would still taste great; really the onion is the dominant flavor of the meatballs!
Enjoy!
Clara Slate
Friday, January 13, 2017
Cozy Broccoli Soup (Vegan, Whole30)
When I first started this recipe, I was afraid that the lack of cream or milk (even coconut milk) would make this soup less soothing. I was wrong!
Ingredients:
2 large heads of broccoli, chopped
1 small onion, diced
1 cup sliced white button mushrooms
1 large yellow potato, finely diced
4 cups of water (or Whole30 compliant vegetable broth)
0.5-1 TBSP garlic salt
Ground black pepper, to taste (freshly ground if possible)
1 TBSP olive oil
Directions:
1. Heat water in soup pot to boiling. Add broccoli and boil until very soft.
2. While broccoli is cooking, heat 1/2 TBSP olive oil in separate pan to medium. Saute potato, then remove from pan and set aside in a separate dish.
3. Heat another 1/2 TBSP olive oil to the same pan, and saute onion and mushrooms. Add additional olive oil if needed.
4. Once broccoli is cooked, put into a blender in increments and blend until smooth. Add small amounts of water if needed to blend broccoli.
5. Put blended broccoli back into soup pot, leaving about 1-2 cups of the blended broccoli in the blender.
6. Add the cooked onion, mushrooms, and 3/4 of the potato to the blender (set aside 1/4 of the cooked potato to be added later). Blend until smooth.
7. Add blender contents, garlic salt, and black pepper to soup pot. Add diced potato you had set aside. Stir and simmer for 20 minutes.
Tips:
- If you prefer a chunkier soup, don't blend all the broccoli. Instead, set aside 1/4 of the broccoli to mash with a potato masher, then add to the soup. (THIS IS WHAT I DO :) )
- Add water as needed to reach preferred soup consistency.
- Add 1-2 cups of coconut milk if you prefer a creamier consistency.
Enjoy! This is especially nice on a cold Winter's day!
love + light,
Clara
Friday, January 6, 2017
Clara's Cooking | DIY Taco Seasoning (Whole30)
Until I followed the Whole30 in 2016, I never knew how simple it was to make your own taco seasoning! Even at just 50 cents a packet, this makes for some great savings!
Ingredients:
Directions:
Note r/t Whole30: I used a mix of brands from McCormick, Stonewall Essentials (Aldi), and Dollar Tree to make this taco seasoning. If you're following the Whole30, ALWAYS check your spices to make sure they are compliant, even if you've been purchasing the same brand for years, as sometimes ingredients may change!
Sunday, October 9, 2016
Clara's Cooking | Cinnamon Citrus Chicken
Wednesday, October 5, 2016
Grow Bean Sprouts at Home using Dollar Tree Items!
After a bit of research, mung beans seemed to be the safest to use. These are sold at nearly every Asian market I could find, so perhaps someday soon grocery stores chains will start to sell them in their "International" or "Asian" section.
I have seen people grow bean sprouts at home using strainers or a "pressure" method, but basically the common necessities to grow sprouts included 3 things:
1. Keep the beans damp but not soaked
2. Keep the beans rinsed (to prevent growth of mold, etc.)
3. Keep the beans in a dark place
I found two simple items at the Dollar Tree to help me in this indoor gardening adventure; their cheesecloth and large mason jar!
Step 1: After removing the center part of the mason jar lid, cut a small square of cheesecloth that is large enough to cover the opening.
Step 2: Measure about 1/2 cup of beans, or enough beans to fill 1/5 to 1/6 of the jar. Rinse beans well and remove any that appear dry or discolored.
Step 3: Soak the beans in water about 8-10 hours.
Step 4: Drain the beans and store in a dark space with some airflow, like a pantry.
Step 5: Rinse, swirl, and drain the beans twice a day. You should start to see growth in about 3 days.
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| MUNG BEAN SPROUTS DAY 3 |
Step 6: Harvest between 7-14 days.
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| MUNG BEAN SPROUTS DAY 14 ( waited a bit too long, but still yummy ) |
Ways to enjoy bean sprouts:
Omelets
Stir Fry dishes
Salads
Soups (e.g. Tom Yum)
Egg Foo Young
Noodle dishes (e.g. Pad Thai)
Sandwiches & Wraps
...and MORE!!!
How do you like to enjoy bean sprouts?
love + light,
Clara Slate
Sunday, October 2, 2016
Clara's Cooking | Chicken Piccata with Capers & Artichokes
TIP: Use 3/4 to 1 cup of water instead of the wine and broth to make this Whole30 compliant (unless you find a Whole30 compliant chicken broth or make your own). To stay within the Whole30, serve with potatoes instead of pasta or rice.
Thursday, September 22, 2016
Clara's Cooking | Vegetarian (Vegan) Korma
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| Vegetarian (Vegan) Korma |
- Eliminate the rice to make Whole30 compliant.
Wednesday, September 14, 2016
Clara's Cooking | Easy Peasy Quiche (Paleo)
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| Easy Peasy Quiche (Paleo friendly!) |
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| ( before baking ) |
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| ( after baking ) |
This is a super quick meal for guests and makes a lovely addition to a breakfast or lunch menu. Enjoy!



























