Vegan Dessert Frosting

I'm in heaven.  I've had to give up so many things for so long, but I have finally found a dessert that is...

1) Healthy
2) Doesn't make me feel deprived
3) Can be eaten for breakfast

It is a vegan dessert dip from Chocolate Covered Katie, a dessert blog I like to follow.  I made her chocolate chip cookie dough brownies for Mother's Day...uh, YUM!  They were gluten free and vegan, which is kind of hard to do, but that recipe tastes like the real deal.  Even Mike liked them.  But the cookie dough dip for on top of the brownies, this is my new fave.  I have since modified the dip for my own personal use.

I have been putting it on my pancakes in the morning, or on top of muffins.  I made some zucchini bread the other day and when I put this on top last night, it tasted like I was eating a piece of cake with icing! It is just all around delicious and fun.  See the recipe below for what makes it healthier.  Well, relatively healthier.  There is still sugar in it, but less than maple syrup and certainly better for you than the artificial (corn syrup) syrups and actual frosting. I think you could even cut back on the sugar more than I already have (original recipe had more sugar).  Plus, this has fiber, protein, and healthy fats!  I wish I had a picture for you, but I don't right now.  Maybe I will try to take one later that just doesn't look like frosting in a bowl :-)

Vegan Dessert Dip or Frosting: 

• 1 can great northern beans, drained and rinsed very well

• 1/3 Cup sunbutter (or peanut or almond butter)

• 1/2 Cup unpacked brown sugar

• 1.5 tsp vanilla

• 1/8th tsp baking soda

• pinch of salt

• 3 TBS ground flax (flax meal)

• 1/4 C nondairy milk of choice (I have used rice and flax milk)

• 1/3 C dairy and soy free mini chocolate chips (optional)

• 1/4 C cocoa powder (for chocolate frosting-type dip)

Directions:

1. Put all ingredients except chocolate chips into food processor.  Process until mixture becomes fully ground and resembles a thick frosting consistency.  You may need to add more nut butter, flax, or milk to compensate if it is too dry, too wet, etc.  
2. Stir in the chocolate chips if you wanted to add them.
3. Use on whatever you want!! 

I had the idea for the chocolate version after eating the original version (without cocoa) on a raspberry muffin.  While eating the muffin, I was like "mmm, if I made a chocolate version, this would be chocolate frosting!" and the evolution of the dip into frosting was formed.

Amazing, Healthy DF, Vegan Banana Bread

Being dairy free means you have to find some new recipes.  I found/created an amazing one for banana bread!  This bread is so healthy and the only allergen it contains is wheat.  So it is egg and nut free as well.  Which are some of the next things I will have to give up if my little boy doesn't get better.  :-(  But anyway, enjoy this amazing bread that you do not have to feel guilty about eating!  I will have eaten this whole loaf by tomorrow...

Adapted from Laurel's Kitchen

Amazing Healthy DF, Vegan Banana Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup mashed bananas (about 3 ripe bananas)
• 2 TBS lemon juice
• 1/3 Cup oil
• 1/2 Cup brown sugar (not packed)
• 1 Cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 Cup unbleached white flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 Cup ground flax (or 1/2 Cup wheat germ)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F
2. Mash bananas with lemon juice.
3. Cream oil and sugar together, then add the banana/lemon juice mixture, stirring well
4. Add the dry ingredients, stirring until mixed, dough will be stiff
5. Grease an 8x4 in loaf pan and spread the mixture into the pan
6. Bake for 45 min, testing for doneness when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. You can make this into muffins, or in an 8x8 for bars.
8. Slather with coconut oil and salt and enjoy!  Or at least that is how I like it, I'm sure it would be great with butter or a nut butter as well.  

Pumpkin Pound Cake with Glaze

I've been feeling like I need to post something other than pregnancy posts.  So after I made this delectable Pumpkin Pound Cake last night for ladies night at our church, I thought I would share the recipe since it was such a hit!  I found the pound cake recipe online from Dianna's Desserts and modified it for my use and then made a basic glaze.  www.dianasdesserts.com

Pumpkin Pound Cake with Glaze

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Cup butter, softened
• 2/3 Cup brown sugar, not packed
• heaping 1/2 Cup of granulated sugar
• 1 Cup canned pumpkin puree
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 Cups flour
• 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F and grease a 9 x 5 in loaf pan.
2. Beat sugars and butter until light and fluffy.
3. Add pumpkin, eggs, and vanilla, stirring or mixing well
4. In a separate bowl, stir together the dry ingredients; then add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix well
5. Pour into the greased pan and bake for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean. Let cool for about an hour or two, then frost with glaze
6. Glaze recipe: Melt 2 TBS butter in microwave, add 1 tsp vanilla extract and 2 TBS milk, whisking together.  Mix in 1 Cup powdered sugar.  Pour over cake.  
7. Eat way too much and feel happy.  :-) 

Pumpkin Sausage Soup

I had a request to post this recipe, but I don't have any pictures or anything.  This soup is actually paleo (for those of you who care!), but to make it not paleo just switch out the full fat coconut milk for cream.  Enjoy!  I absolutely love this soup!

I found this recipe from Cavemanfood.blogspot.com, so it is not my own invention, although I have modified it slightly to make it a little easier and more the way I like it.

Pumpkin Sausage Soup:

Ingredients:

• 1-1.25 lbs breakfast sausage (I have used both turkey and pork, both taste great)
• 1/2 large onion, minced
• 1/2 C mushrooms, sliced
• 1 14 oz can of pumpkin puree
• 4 Cups Chicken stock
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• pinch of dried rosemary
• 1 tsp paprika
• pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 Tbs Butter
• 1/2 cup full fat canned coconut milk

Directions:

1. Heat butter in heavy deep pot and saute the mushrooms and onions over med-high heat.  Remove from pot to a small bowl.  Add sausage to pot and brown, drain the grease and remove the sausage from the pot to a bowl. 
2. Add the pumpkin and chicken stock to the pot, stirring until it is smooth.  Add the sausage, mushrooms and onions back in as well as the remaining ingredients, except the coconut milk. 
3. Simmer for 20 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in coconut milk.  
4. Eat it! Yum!

Fall = Pumpkin

Fall is in the air.  Utah is rapidly cooling off and all the leaves are starting to change.  It is glorious!  And...

I am obsessed with fall.  I love it, it is my favorite season.  The cooling weather, the leaves changing, and the appearance of a certain large orange squash just makes life worth living.  

Yes, I am in loves with pumpkins.  Just a little.  :-) I love pumpkin everything! A couple weeks ago I spent some time making a pinterest board that was everything pumpkin.  It is called the Epic Pumpkin Board.  And I would love to make the grand sweeping statement that this fall I will try to make everything on this board, but I don't actually know if I will be able to accomplish that.  But I plan on making a lot of pumpkin things this fall.

I started my pumpkin marathon off by making (more like attempting) a homemade pumpkin spiced latte with pumpkin pancakes.  Mike was not a huge fan of the pancakes, but I liked them.  The pumpkin latte is more like pumpkin coffee.  I have been taking a tablespoon of pumpkin and heating it up in 1 Cup of milk, adding some vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and sugar to the milk.  Then I mix the hot pumpkin milk mix with 1 Cup of hot coffee.  It is pretty tasty and is satisfying my craving for a PSL from Starbucks for the time being.  :-)

Then I made some pumpkin bread and some pumpkin chocolate chip cookies (which I shared at birthing class, I did not eat them all myself :-).  I also have already made some pumpkin sausage soup.  And I may have bought pumpkin spice bagels at the grocery store...

Last night I made pumpkin bars with cream cheese icing and I think I am on to pumpkin scones next for a little weekend treat.

Holy moly, I have a problem.  Not to mention I might gain 5 lbs this month due to my pumpkin treats.

Does anyone else have this problem?  Well, even if you don't, enjoy this pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe I have.  They are so soft and delicious.  YUM.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Pumpkin
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 1/2 Cup oil or softened butter
• 1 egg
• 2 Cups Flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp milk
• 1 TBS vanilla
• 2 Cups chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F and grease a large cookie sheet.
2. Combine the pumpkin, sugar, vegetable oil, and egg.
3. In separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
4. Dissolve the baking soda in the milk and stir into pumpkin mixture.  Add the flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and mix well. 
5. Add vanilla and chocolate chips.  
6. Drop by spoonful onto the greased cookie sheet and bake for 10 min.  Let sit on pan for several minutes before removing to cookie rack.  
7. Bon appetite!  

Magic Mini Quiche

I really wanted to share the recipe for the quiche I used, it turned out so well!  They are called magic quiche because you do not have to make a crust, it makes its own thin crust.  Which is great, because pie dough is one baking item I am not good at!  This is not my photo, thank you Google, but they did look like this!  

www.eatingwell.com

Magic Mini Quiche

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1.25 Cups milk or cream
• 1/3 Cup whole wheat flour
• salt and pepper
• optional veggies, meats,cheese, etc

Instructions:

1. Grease four mini ramekins and heat oven to 350 F.  
2. Layer your meats and cheese in the ramekins.  You don't need much since they are so small.  I used sausage, peppers, mushrooms, onions and the feta cheese (you do not need much feta since it has a stronger flavor)
3. Beat your eggs with the milk, cream (or half and half), flour, salt and pepper.  
4. Pour over your meat and veggies in your ramekins until the lip curves, stop before the curve or they cook over and get your oven dirty (not that I would know...)
5. Bake for 35-45 min or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.  
6. Let cool before eating.

Notes:  

You can use any veggies, meat or cheese you want!  I think swiss and mushroom would be good, or spinach and feta, or cheddar and peppers.  Endless possibilities.  You can also make this gluten free by cutting out the flour and cutting back on the milk/cream.  Great special weekend breakfast!

No Bake Summer Lasagna

I pulled this recipe out of a fitness magazine, but I thought it sounded tasty.  I have always like lasagna, but who in the summer wants to run their oven for over an hour and eat a flaming hot meal when it is 90 degrees outside?

This recipe is just as time consuming as regular lasagna to prep and put together, but after you prep it, you get to eat it, no baking required. I loved how it had so many more veggies in it!  We ate it with a salad on the side and some garlic toast.  Michael thought it was better than regular lasagna, and if it passes the Michael test, you know its good (not like the sour cream and bacon chicken I made the other night, good, but too greasy!).  This recipe isn't paleo or even gluten free, but you could easily make it gluten free by substituting gluten free lasagna noodles.  And it is vegetarian, yet so filling.  I have been trying to make one meat free meal a week.  Not that I am against meat (not at all, especially not while I am pregnant!) but I do think there are some good benefits to focusing more on veggies and fruit.  Anyway, I hope you like it as much as we did!

Courtesy of Fitness Magazine

No Bake Summer Lasagna w/Corn Relish

Ingredients:

• 8 Lasagna Noodles
• 1 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 2 Cups Ricotta Cheese
• 1 TBS + 1 tsp fresh thyme
• 2 Medium zucchini sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or thinly sliced
• 1 large yellow bell pepper, cut into 1/4 inch strips
• 3 ears fresh corn cut from cob (I just used 1 can of corn and cut back on the lemon juice and scallions)
• 2 scallions thinly sliced (I just used onion, but maybe scallions have more flavor)
• 2 TBS lemon juice (I just used one with the can of corn)

Directions:

1. Cook noodles until al dente and toss with 1 tsp of the oil, then arrange on a baking sheet.
2. In medium bowl, combine ricotta, 1 TBS thyme, lemon zest, and 1/4 tsp salt.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add 1.5 tsp oil and then add zucchini to cook, flipping once until browned, about 4 minutes.  Season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper and transfer to plate.  Add another 1.5 tsp oil so you can saute the garlic and bell pepper, stirring occasionally for about 4 minutes until crisp tender.  Season with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper and add to plate with zucchini.
4. In large bowl, combine corn, scallions, lemon juice, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper. 
5. Cut noodles in half and lay one half on each of four plates.  Top with 1.5 TBS ricotta and zucchini.  Top with second noodle, 1.5 TBS ricotta and 1/4 C. corn relish.  Top with third noodle, 1.5 TBS ricotta, and bell pepper mix.  Lay the last and fourth noodle on top, finishing with 1.5 TBS ricotta and another 1/4 cup corn relish, sprinkling with fresh thyme. 
6. Enjoy!

I found that it needed more salt then what the recipe called for, but you taste and salt to your liking.  I also did not add the lemon zest to the ricotta, and I used italian seasonings instead of just thyme.  I also added some parmesan to the top of the lasagnas and into the ricotta mix.  

Overnight Buttermilk Oatmeal Waffles

I tried the very best waffle recipe over the weekend!  I have been wanting waffles for awhile, but I am lazy and I do not like having to beat the egg whites until stiff to add to the rest of the waffle recipe.  So I was looking around for a different one, and I wanted one that used buttermilk.  I found a recipe for overnight buttermilk oatmeal waffles.  The taste and texture are great!  Especially when your toppings are berries and fresh made whip cream.  :-)  See the recipe below if you want to try it out.  

Overnight Buttermilk Oatmeal Waffles:

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups Cultured Buttermilk
• 2 Cups Old Fashioned Oats
• 2 Eggs
• 7 TBSP Butter
• 1/2 Cup Flour
• 2 TBSP Sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions:

1. In a medium bowl, combine oats and buttermilk. Cover and refrigerate overnight.  
2. When ready to prepare waffles, stir eggs and melted butter into oat/buttermilk mixture.  Add the dry ingredients and mix until blended. 
3. Cook in waffle iron according to manufacturer's directions.  You may have to leave them in a little bit longer than normal to crisp up. 

Recipe by one lovely life at http://onelovelylife.com/?p=4325

Easter Cookies (GF Sugar Cookies)

One of the things I have always loved about holidays, is the decorations.  There is just something about being festive!  I loved how all the stores changed for each holiday, especially when I worked for the bakery in Fort Collins.  Someday I always imagined that I would apply that same idea to my house.  I would have decorations for each holiday and it would be so homey, and amazing, and well, Martha Stewart-esk!

Well darn you Martha Stewart.  That was before I had a job that keeps me really busy and before I realized how much decorations cost!  Holy Moley!  It's a conspiracy!  I have been trying to buy items the day after the holiday, but stores are getting trickier and they are either buying less or putting their stock back into storage, because I have been fairly unsuccessful.  

So when I knew I saw these little stencils at Target for a dollar, it made me feel slightly better about my undecorated house during this Easter holiday, and gave me something fun to try that is very festive.

You put these little stencils over sugar cookies and then drop colored sugar over them.  Viola!  Easter sugar cookies.

My pictures are not great and I don't have very many because I didn't think to take any pictures until after I had finished this little project.  So, I'm sorry.

I had to make the colored sugar myself because I didn't have any.  Just put white sugar in a bowl and then add food coloring!  You don't have to use very much food coloring, if you use too much you will make a glob of colored sugar and then you will have to add more sugar to dry the mixture out.

I mad purple, blue and yellow.  I mixed up a batch of gluten free (GF) sugar cookies from a  GF Betty Crocker yellow cake mix I had.  These cookies turned out great!  So tasty and soft, but definitely not paleo nor in any way healthy.  The better crocker mix just uses white rice flour so these are similar in nutrition to their white flour counterparts, but I think they actually tasted better!  It was quick and I needed a quick dessert for a get together that I could eat too.  They people at the get together gobbled them up and couldn't stop raving about how they didn't even taste that they were gluten free.  See the recipe below because these cookies were amazing!

I tried to use the colored sugar and stencils right on top of the cookie dough.  You can kind of make out the designs after they baked.

I think next time I will make frosting and put that on top of the baked cookies before doing the sugar stencils.  Just a fun idea you can find at Target for a buck!

Gluten Free Sugar Cookies from Cake Mix

Ingredients:

• 1 Box Betty Crocker GF yellow cake mix
• 1/2 Cup Butter (1 stick)
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 TBS almond milk

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F
2. Mix all ingredients together to form the cookie dough.  Drop by teaspoon full onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper
3. Flatten using the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar (so it doesn't stick to the cookies)
4. If you want to do the sugar stencils, do that now (remember how to make the colored sugar?)
5. Otherwise, bake for 9-11 minutes, you want to pull them out before they are done.
6. Let cool and frost and then do the sugar stencils.
7. Happy Easter!!         

Paleo Lemon Cranberry Muffins

This is also day 23.  Day 23 was a very snowy morning.  So snowy, that I had left work early the day before and slept in, knowing that I was going to be working from home in the morning.  Knowing that I could work from home in the morning, allowed me some extra time to make a delicious breakfast.

You know those fresh cranberries I talked about last weekend and made these scones?  Yeah, I still had some left.  I didn't want to make the scones again, they took quite awhile and use some expensive ingredients.  So I decided to make another breakfast item that I love but haven't been able to eat, muffins!  I found a recipe for lemon cranberry muffins, and I adapted my recipe from this recipe here.  And I realized I have posted a ton of recipes for breakfast food.  I really need to share some other recipes.  Geez, you'd think breakfast was my favorite or something...

I really like working from home in the mornings.  I get to enjoy my coffee in my own house, and I am usually just as productive, it depends on the project.  I was able to get a ton of work done while my muffins were baking.

Viola!  Delicious and nutritious muffins you do not have to feel bad about eating at all!  They have a lot of eggs in the recipe, so it is a filling breakfast and high in protein.  Complete the meal with some fresh ground coffee mixed with almond milk.

Paleo Lemon Cranberry Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Cup coconut flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• pinch of salt
• 6 eggs 
• 1/8 Cup lemon juice
• 2 TBS honey or other sweetener such as agave nectar or maple syrup
• 1/2 Cup chopped fresh cranberries
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease your muffin tin or line with paper cups.  This recipe makes 12 normal size muffins.
2. Well mix eggs and all other wet ingredients.
3. Add the dry ingredients, mix well and get rid of all lumps of coconut flour.
4. Gently fold in the chopped cranberries
5. Fill the muffin cups 2/3 full with the muffin batter
6. Bake for around 20 minutes.  Let cool for about ten minutes before touching.
7. Split open and enjoy with butter or coconut oil.

Paleo Cranberry Chocolate Scones

This post is also for Day 17. 

Saturday mornings are amazing.  I love waking up and not having to rush.  And since I enjoy baking and cooking, I love making Saturday morning breakfasts.  When Megan and I lived together in college, we used to make pancakes on Saturday mornings most of the time.  Breakfast is probably my favorite meal.   I love whipping up something delicious with a mug of coffee close by. 

Anyway, keeping in line with the fact it was Valentine's weekend, and me and my Valentine had a nice lazy morning, I decided to do something different for breakfast instead of our usually eggs an bacon or sausage.  I looked in the fridge and noticed that I still had half a bag of fresh cranberries, which needed to be used.  Before we started eating like this, I was using those cranberries to make fresh cranberry muffins and scones (insert drooling, they were so good!).  Well, why can't I figure out how to make paleo scones?  Was that even possible?  

It was!  Enter, Sara's Paleo Cranberry Chocolate Scones!

This recipe was adapted from Elana's Pantry, over here.  And they are amazing.  Michael is even in love with them.  I keep seeing him sneak them for a snack.

One thing to note about eating this way and especially trying to bake this way, is that it is not cheap.  A bag of flour will cost you around $3.00 and you can make muffin after muffin or cookie, or bread, or whatever.  When you use paleo type ingredients, like almond flour or coconut flour, it is much pricier.  Like a small bag for around $10.00.  Which is why these things are special occasion treats.  We eat eggs most mornings of the week and then I will make some pancakes, muffins, or scones on the weekend, only once a week.  Okay, disclaimer over, onto the scones.

Paleo Cranberry Chocolate Scones

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 Cups Almond Flour (also called blanched almond flour or almond meal)
• 1/4 teas. salt
• 1 teas. baking soda
• 1/2 Cup fresh chopped cranberries (or you can use dried, if you use dried, only use 2 cups almond flour)
• 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
• 1 teas. almond extract
• 1 egg
• 2 TBS agave nectar

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, combine almond flour, salt, baking soda, cranberries,  and choc. chips
2. In a smaller bowl, combine egg, almond extract, and agave
3. Mix wet ingredients into dry
4. Knead dough with hands if necessary to ensure proper distribution of ingredients
5. Line your cookie sheet with parchment paper
6. Form dough into 2 little circles so that each one is about ½-inch in thick
7. Cut each circle like a pizza, into 8 slices
8. If you can, separate, otherwise leave them in the circle
9. Bake at 375° for 10-15 minutes, until golden brown on top

Days 10 and 11, 30 Day Challenge

Michael and I are not good about taking it easy.  Here I said I needed a nice lazy Saturday, and we made it lazy, until about 2 p.m. in the afternoon.  Then we let it get crazy again.  We do it to ourselves, but this time it came back and bit us.  Anyway...

Friday night Mike's coworker who used to live in Colorado flew into town to go skiing over the weekend.  Saturday morning he was going to leave really early to hit the slopes, before Mike and I woke up.  Well, his rental car wouldn't start and he asked Mike for some help and then we all just ended getting up and drinking coffee.  I really wanted something for breakfast besides fried or scrambled eggs, so I decided to try these pumpkin spice waffles.  

Day 10 - Pumpkin Spice Waffles

They were a hit.  They were a little more crumbly than normal waffles, but really good.  Mike's coworker actually liked them more than regular waffles.  He asked if it was a mix he could buy at a store.  So here is the recipe.  I can't quite remember where I found it, but this is how I made them with some of my changes.  I really didn't measure when I made them, so you may need to tweak the recipe a little when you make it.  

Paleo Pumpkin Spice Waffles:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Cup Canned Pumpkin (or pureed pumpkin)
• 1/4 Cup Melted Coconut Oil
• 4 TBS Coconut Flour
• 2 TBS Almond Butter or Sunbutter
• 1/2 Cup Canned Coconut Milk
• 1/2 Cup Shredded Unsweetened Coconut
• 2 TBS Maple Syrup
• 3 Eggs
• 1/4 Tsp. Baking Soda
• 1/4 Tsp. Baking Powder
• 1 TBS Vanilla Extract
• 3/4 Tsp. Cinnamon
• 3/4 Tsp. Nutmeg
• 1/2 Tsp. Ginger
• 1/4 Tsp. Salt.

Directions:

1. Plug in your waffle iron and allow it to heat up.
2. Whisk eggs, then whisk in coconut milk, maple syrup, vanilla, and melted coconut oil.  Do not let you coconut oil get too hot when you melt it.  You do not want to cook the eggs.
3. Next mix in the pumpkin, unsweetened coconut, coconut flour, nut or seed butter, and all the spices and dry ingredients.
4. Batter should be a little bit running, enough to pour, but it should be kind of thick.  You can add more coconut milk if it is too thick.
5. Make sure to spray your waffle maker well.  Then ladle the batter onto the waffle iron and allow to cook for 3-4 min.
6. Top with butter and a tiny bit of maple syrup, or eat with almond butter and sliced fruit.  Yum!

Day 3 - 30 Day Challenge

So, day 3 and we were still doing good.  I think the only thing I really will get tired of is eating eggs for breakfast.  I have read a lot of websites which suggest having leftovers from dinner for breakfast.  But I really enjoy breakfast, and I like breakfast type foods, so I'm not sure that I will ever get to that point.

But, I did find a recipe which is like eating eggs, but taste like pancakes!  So I whipped up some of these pumpkin pancakes for breakfast with some bacon.  

Breakfast - Day 3

The pancakes are just pumpkin and eggs basically, with a little bit of real maple syrup and vanilla.  Much  more blood sugar friendly, you don't get the blood sugar spike with these like you do with normal, carb pancakes with corn syrup (what normal syrup is made out of).  Mike just ate these with butter and a little cinnamon/sugar mix on top, very little on the cinnamon sugar mix.  I was even find just eating them with butter.

So if you want to change up your breakfast routine, then give these a try.  They have a little different texture than regular pancakes, but not bad at all, plus you don't feel full and bloated after eating them, like you do with a stack of normal pancakes (or at least I did).

Paleo Pumpkin Pancakes: (also taken from the book "Practical Paleo")

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• 1/2 Cup pumpkin
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 TBS pure maple syrup (optional)
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 2 TBS melted butter or coconut oil

Instructions:

1. Whisk eggs with pumpkin, vanilla, and maple syrup
2. Whisk in the dry ingredients
3. Make sure your skillet is well oiled over medium heat before pouring any batter on the skillet
4. Spoon batter onto the skillet, making small to medium sized pancakes.
5. When a few bubbles appear, flip pancakes carefully (you can't flip them quickly like you do with normal pancakes, you kind of have to take it slow or you will rip the pancakes, they are much more fragile)
6. Serve with butter and cinnamon, fruit, more maple syrup, or whatever you like!

Day 2 - 30 Day Challenge

Not much different today, the key to this way of eating is definitely going to be cooking extra and having leftovers, for sure.  That is how Michael and I made it through today. 

We know its only been two days, but it hasn't been that hard yet to eat like this.  One thing we have both noticed in two days is that we are hungry less, and have less cravings.  We can eat breakfast and make it all the way until lunch time without dealing with growling stomachs at 10:30 a.m.  Eating like this also isn't hard when you have time to make a fantastic dinner of Bacon Wrapped Smoky Chicken Thighs, roasted butternut squash, and steamed red cabbage.  Let me say, smelling that chicken baking was really hard, it smelled so good!  

I'm really liking the book "Practical Paleo" by Diane Sanfilippo.  I tried her recipe from the book for the chicken thighs and they are literally, amazing. 

Dinner - Day 2

What is going to be hard, is eating like this when I have to travel for work again.  I will have to be creative eating out.

I'm also sure we will get tired of eating eggs every day for breakfast, which is why last night after the chicken finished baking I mixed up a batch of Paleo Pumpkin Granola.

I modified the recipe a bit because it contained a lot of nuts that I couldn't eat.  It still turned out delicious!  All nuts and seeds basically.  After I made it, I couldn't get the container away from Michael and if he thought it was good, its a keeper!!   He really does eat anything and everything, but he likes it to be cheap and taste really good.  And some of my healthier recipes have flopped because they have missed the mark on one or both these categories.  So if you want to make some for yourself, here is the recipe:

Paleo Pumpkin Spice Granola - Nut Allergy Modified:

Ingredients

• 3/4 Cup sliced almonds
• 1 Cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 Cup sunflower seeds
• 1/2 Cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 2 TBS. Chia Seeds
• 6 Dates, chopped
• 1 TBS pumpkin pie spice
• 1 Teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 Teaspoon cloves
• pinch of salt
• 3 TBS melted coconut oil
• 2 TBS unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 Cup pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup real maple syrup
• 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper
2. In a large bowl, combine all the seeds and spices (dry ingredients)
3. Whisk together the remaining wet ingredients in a different bowl
4. Pour the wet ingredients on the seed/spice mixture and mix well
5. Spread mixture evenly on the two cookie sheets, trying to get an even layer
6. Bake for 30-40 min, stirring every ten minutes
7. Let cool for 30 min on the pan before putting in an airtight container
8. Eat in a bowl with some almond or coconut milk and enjoy!!  

Day 1 Continued- 30 Day Challenge

I haven't decided if I will post all meals that we eat, I might just highlight the awesome ones, but I figured I would post again today since it was our first day at this and I am still super motivated.  

You already saw the pic for my sausage/egg/spinach/mushroom skillet for breakfast, but here is lunch and dinner.  Plus, posting here when I cane and telling you all helps keep me from cheating.  Because in several days, I guarantee that I will want a cookie or brownie, very, very badly.

Anyway,  what if you have lunch out with a coworker?  What can you eat at restaurants?

Well, I found that Qdoba is amazing.  If you just get a chicken salad, without the tortilla shell, and skip the rice and beans and opt for either the fajita veggies or squash medley, then pile on all the pico de gallo, salsa, and guacamole you want (no cheese or sour cream), you have an amazing paleo meal, and still delicious.  

Lunch - Day 1 (this is not my picture, I borrowed it from qdoba)

For snack I had an apple with almond butter.

Let me pause and state just how happy I am I can eat almonds.  Since I was three, I have been allergic to nuts, all nuts.  Not just an "I feel bad" kind of allergy, but full on anaphylaxis, rush me to the ER, don't die please, kind of allergy.  I made a connection one day that I was eating almond flour in my multigrain cheerios.  Yes, they used to put almond flour in there, they don't anymore, probably because of kids like me that actually were allergic to almonds.  I wondered then if I was actually allergic to almonds.  Now I never got the nerve to actually try an almond until college.  And low and behold, I had stayed away from almonds, almond butter, toffee, and many other delicious almondy things for so long, for no reason.  I now eat quite a bit of almond butter, it is a weakness of mine.  Although as a kid, my parents found me some other seed butters to take the place of peanut butter.  I grew up on pumpkin seed butter, which I still think is quite good, but I am the only one.  I have not been able to successfully convert anyone else, something about the green color...I digress  (I'm not joking, it is actually green when you grind up pumpkin seeds!)

Dinner

I didn't get home until after 6:00pm and had bible study at 7:00pm so I had to make a quick dinner.  I picked up a haddock filet at the store when we stocked our fridge and I saw this recipe for Dijon Almond Encrusted Tilapia so I thought I would give that a try, it was a super quick recipe.

Then I just put the fish over a bed of lettuce, cucumbers, and carrots.  Not bad, super tasty, and quick!  If you are looking for another fish recipe, I would try this one!

Dinner - Day 1

I had two deglet dates for dessert.  And I may have had half a bottle of Strong-bow cider at the Bible study.  "Way to hit the diet hard, Sara. Geesh"  In my defense, Strong-bow is gluten-free and comes from apples. Not saying it is healthy, just saying it is allowed.  But I will be cutting out most alcohol for this month.  I will try to only have a glass of red wine every now and then if I do choose to drink.

Cooking up squash

A coworker of mine has a farm share from a local organic farm.  They were out of town for two weeks so Michael and I are getting to have the spoils.  This past week we received an assortment of squashes, onions, broccoli, leeks, beets, and a head of spinach.  It didn't look like a lot, but boy, we are still trying to eat it all up!  I have made so many new foods...white acorn squash and a leek and spinach creamy pasta dish.  But one of the squashes surprised me a little, I have never eaten it before, or heard of it. 

It is a Long Island Cheese Squash.  Named for being aptly shaped like a wheel of cheese.  

What I read about it stated that it was sweeter than pumpkin, and worked great, or even better, than pumpkin itself in your pumpkin recipes.  Well, if you know me at all, you know I love pumpkin items.  Pancakes, bread, pies, cookies, lattes, you name it!  If it is pumpkin, I will most likely love it!

Pumpkin has gotten really expensive this year.  I am finding it for $1.80 to $2.00 a can.  I got the idea to cook this baby up, then freeze the mashed squash to use in all my favorite recipes.  

First you have to cut it in half and remove the seeds.  I didn't save them because I still have pumpkin seeds left over from Halloween, that and I was running short on time.

Then put them cut side down in a baking dish, and put about 1/2 Cup of water in the pan.  I had to use two pans since these guys were so funny shaped. 

Put them in the oven for about an hour at 375 F.  While waiting, feel free to munch on some pumpkin chocolate chip cookies you made the day before, and drink some hot chai tea.

I love pumpkin chocolate chip cookies!

The squash are done when you can stick a fork in them. 

Then just let them cool to where you can handle them, and scoop out the insides.  It comes off really easy once it is baked. 

And if you are like me without any fancy kitchen stuff, just use a potato masher to mash your squampkin  (the cross between a pumpkin and a squash).

Then place desired amounts in freezer bags and freeze until after pumpkin season, so you can enjoy the deliciousness year round. 

I froze mine in 2 Cup portions, just like a can of pumpkin.  I probably had 12 Cups of pumpkin.  I can't wait to try it out!  I have some in the fridge right now waiting for my next pumpkin baking day...I'll let you know how it compares to regular pumpkin!

Homemaker

Since I have been back to real life and living with my hubby in Idaho, I feel I have become quite the little homemaker. Yes, much of what I have been doing has been born of boredom, but it is things I have always wanted to do. I do enjoy being able to cook and have nice meals ready for Michael when he comes home and I really like that I can get everything done (errands, shopping, bills, cleaning, etc) when he is not home so that I am really free when he does arrive. But here are some things I have been doing which I definitely will keep doing, even after things get busier and I find a job. 

Making Buttermilk:

It is sooooooo easy! All you have to do is buy a little cultured buttermilk in the carton from the store, and then you can be making buttermilk forever! I use it in biscuits, pancakes, muffins, coffeecake, really any kind of baking product. I will probably start making bread with it. All you have to do is remember the 3:1 ratio. 3 parts milk to 1 part buttermilk. Just use a clean jar of some kind, put your buttermilk in the bottom, pour the milk on top and mix, then leave someplace warm for 24 hrs and viola! you have buttermilk, just put it then in the fridge and it will last for a couple of weeks at least!

I made this small batch with 1.5 cups milk and 1/2 cup buttermilk

This was a batch of buttermilk I made like 2 weeks ago and it was still great! I made the absolute most awesome buttermilk pancakes with it this morning, I just kind of made them up with what I had. They were kind of healthy too (mom and nancy, you've got to try them!)

Sara's Whole Wheat, Flax, and Oat Pancakes:

1/2 Cup whole wheat flour

1/4 Cup wheat germ

1/4 Cup old fashioned or quick cooking oats

1 Tbs flax seeds

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg

1 Cup buttermilk

1 Tbs oil

1 Tbs honey

Mix up the dry ingredients. Beat the egg separately and mix the oil, honey, and buttermilk with the egg. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Cook in skillet over medium heat. Enjoy with maple syrup!

Making my own laundry detergent:

This one may seem kind of strange, because laundry detergent isn't really that expensive, but this way is so much cheaper!! I'm not sure what made me decide to try this, maybe because I've always wondered what they used in laundry detergent to get my clothes clean, but now I am making my own and can know what is in it and is incredibly inexpensive. So far just a little bit gets the clothes really clean!

You only need three ingredients. (1) Washing soda (2) Borax (3) A bar of soap (I used a laundry soap called fels-naptha, but you could use ivory). 

Here is the recipe:

1 quart Water (boiling)
2 cups Bar soap (grated)
2 cups Borax
2 cups Washing Soda

Add finely grated bar soap to the boiling water and stir until soap is melted. You can keep on low heat until soap is melted. Pour the soap water into a large, clean pail and add the Borax and Washing Soda. Stir well until all is dissolved. Add 2 gallons of water, stir until well mixed. Cover pail and use 1/4 cup for each load of laundry. Stir the soap each time you use it (will gel).

I cut the recipe into only a fourth of what is said up there because I didn't want a whole bucket. I also added 15 drops of essential oils to the final addition of water and mixing, to give it a pretty scent.

Grated soap bar

Final soap


I know, it looks kind of gross, but it works great, and it is cheap!!! That is how much my quarter recipe made and I have been doing laundry for a month now. Granted there are only two of us, but when you look at how much I used out of those boxes of Borax and Washing soda (1/2 cup each), I will be making laundry soap for the next year and the initial cost of all the ingredients was $7.50.  You can also use the borax to clean almost anything else in the house. so it can serve a dual purpose.

The last part of this post has nothing to do with homemaking, it is just something I found at Walmart.

GIANT MARSHMALLOWS!!!!!

I'm not a huge marshmallow eater, but I love rice krispy treats and I do like me some smores. And I absolutely can't wait to go camping to use these! They are giant campfire marshmallows. I have the apple in there for reference. That is a medium/large apple! Imagine a marshmallow that big! They make them now!

I probably won't be able to wait until camping. I can see me out over the grill next time we grill, roasting my marshmallow for a smore. (mom, do they have these at walmart down there? the kids would love them!)

Anyway, that is what I have been up too! I have also managed to finally finish my wedding scrapbook (it only took 2 yrs) and I now have my Pier 1 job so that will be taking up 20 hrs of my week. Everyone have fun making your own buttermilk and laundry detergent!

Funk Grill Chronicles 2

After our hike yesterday we were pretty hungry, so we grilled up some steaks, steak fries, and sauteed veggies. 

For the steak we just seasoned them with kosher salt and black pepper. For the steak fries we cooked them halfway in the microwave, then cut them lengthwise into the wedges before putting them in the grill basket. We then brushed melted butter and garlic salt on them. Give it a try!

We didn't get to the grill breakfast, but that will be coming I'm sure!

Grilled Pizza (Funk Grill Chronicles episode 1)

After how well the chicken worked, and how much Mike and I remember that we like grilling, we are now on a grilling spree. We'll have to see how many days we can make it in a row using the new grill. It shouldn't be too difficult, we love to eat.

Last night, it was actually nice here...go figure...and not raining. We were able to go for a great bike ride.   When we got home, we decided to make a grilled pizza. Yep, I mean a homemade pizza cooked on the grill. My dough was really sticky, and we had a hard time getting it on the pizza stone in the grill, but we somehow finagled it with only a minor, very small burn occuring on one family member. 

Adding chopped garlic, makes the pizza delicious and the kisses intersting

Parden the frumpy look. We had just got done with that bike ride and my hair was a mess and I just threw some clothes on so we could get dinner started.

Who said girls can't grill?

Mike is also sporting the frumpy look, which I believe for guys is called "homeless person." Now you know, frumpy is for girls, homeless is for guys. You don't really ever tell guys the look frumpy (you probably shouldn't ever tell girls they look frumpy, trust me, it will end badly every time). You tell guys they look like a homeless person. Not that I have anything against homeless people, but thats not what we're talking about right now, moving on.

Mike trying to get the pizza to move over. It was growing off the pizza stone into the grill grates.

Ain't she a beauty?

 I told you we were grill crazy. We also grilled some veggies to go with the pizza. They turned out awesome too, gotta loved sauteed veggies!

Michael got to the veggies before I could take a photo, hence the half gone plate

Our monster turkey sausage, garlic, onion, and mushroom pizza cooking up nicely. When I made the crust I also put cheese in it for a stuffed crust pizza!

It was delicious! If you had ever wondered what else you could cook on the grill, the possibilities are endless! I might need to start a series called the "Funk Grill Chronicles." Mike is talking about doing eggs, bacon, and hashbrowns tomorrow on the grill.  I'm thinking pancakes need to go in there somewhere. Who knows, stay tuned for another exciting adventure of the Funk Grill Chronicles.

First Dinner

Yesterday night was the first dinner cooked in our new place. I wanted it to be a nice dinner and hopefully special and memorable. Michael had worked yesterday from 5am-2pm so he was wiped out and I felt so proud of him as we sat down around our card table for dinner. He has only worked one day but he is working hard. The 5am mornings are not forever, they are only for the next week and half while he is doing a store reset (Don't ask me what that means :-).

Anyway:

I made oven fried chicken, green beans, and cheddar biscuits. It all turned out great! We love the biscuits from Red Lobster and I think I finally have come up with a recipe that may even be better than theirs! I'm not sure how long the card table will last. I kind of want a real table to eat at, but we'll see. That was our first home cooked meal in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.