CELEBRATIONS

I was so excited to be sent a copy of Danielle Walker's upcoming cookbook, "Celebrations." Her cookbooks are my absolute favorite, and I loove her blog "Against All Grain."

When my book arrived, my to-do list for the day went out the window! I instead spent the afternoon perusing the recipes and make lists of meal plans. There are sooo many great versions of the food usually found at parties and social events, that everyone can enjoy. I whipped up this easy skillet corn bread (page 131) with last night's soup, and it got thumbs up all around!

This book focuses on paleo-friendly meal plans for holidays throughout the year. Family and social gatherings are the most difficult for me when it comes to healthy eating. You don't want to be left out..but you don't want to feel yucky later. And guests are not often interested in your health food with ingredients they've never seen before. With these recipes, everyone is happy!

It comes out on September 27th, but preordering gets you *SEVEN EXCLUSIVE RECIPES* not found in the book!! Preorder now using the link on my sidebar! 
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. Check out a video preview of what's inside:

HOMEMADE PUMPKIN SPICE GRANOLA (gluten and sugar free)

I needed to use up some pumpkin, so I went into my kitchen and threw a bunch of stuff into a bowl. I was pleased when it turned out to be my favorite I've made so far. I've found that my granola is a little different each time I make it, based on what I have on hand at the time. So don't be afraid to omit or add your own stuff. I still may tweak the ingredients a bit in the future, such as adding a bit less sweetener. Honey is expensive, yo! And I've made granola before with less honey and it was still delicious. 

Also note, I like to make a LOT of granola at once and then eat it for several weeks. So you may want to half this recipe the first time and see how you like it. We'll eat it with apples and peanut butter (as pictured), or thrown in with fruit and yogurt (try adding canned pumpkin too!), or eat it like cereal with almond milk and blueberries (Andrew's favorite). Last night, I even used it when I ran out of coconut flakes to roll my chicken in...it wasn't bad. :)

PUMPKIN SPICE GRANOLA

In a large bowl combine dry ingredients:

• 5 C gluten free oats 
• 2 C almonds chopped in processor
• 1 1/4 C unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1/2 C whole sunflower seeds
• 1/2 C flax (I used ground, but whole seeds should work)
• 1/4 C chia seeds
• 3/4 tsp of sea salt
• 1.5 T pumpkin pie spice 

In a separate, smaller bowl whisk together:

• 3/4 C honey
• 1/4 C melted coconut oil
• about 1/3 C pumpkin
• 3 T coconut sugar (I don't think I'll do this next time)
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 drop of cinnamon essential oil

Stir in the wet ingredients until the dry ones are well coated. Spread mixture onto a cookie sheet with parchment paper (this recipe filled 3 pans). Bake at 250 for about an hour...but be sure to stir every 10-15 minutes! Store in airtight container after it cools. 

Let me know how yours turns out! :)

CINNAMON CRUMBLE MUFFINS (sugar, gluten, dairy free!)

I have been experimenting with this recipe for over a year. Each time got better than before, but it wasn't until this weekend, that along with a few minor changes, I got the idea to add a crumble topping. That made all the difference. What a happy general conference breakfast it made!

I would recommend doubling this recipe. Otherwise, it will only make about a half dozen muffins and believe me...you're going to want to want more than that. 

MUFFIN

2/3 C almond flour

2/3 C gluten free brown rice flour (minus 2-3 Tablespoons)

1/3 C gluten free oats

3 T coconut flour

3 eggs at room temperature

1/4 C almond milk (unsweetened)

1/4 C olive oil

1/4 C coconut glycerin or yacon syrup or honey

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp sea salt

1 packet of stevia

1 tsp vanilla

1/8 tsp ginger

1/8 tsp netmeg

1 tsp vanilla

CRUMBLE TOPPING

I just eyeballed everything, so these measurements are estimates! 

1/8 C gluten free oats

1/8 C unsweetened coconut

1/8 C coconut sugar

1/8 C cold coconut oil

1 T coconut flour

1 T cinnamon 

pinch of stevia

pinch of sea salt

Add cupcakes liners to muffin pan. Fill each liner 3/4 with batter. Cover each muffin with desired amount of crumble topping. Bake in preheated oven of 350 degrees F for 20 minutes. 

I like to cut it in half warm and smother both pieces with ghee. 

Holy Hannah CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES {sugar and grain free} updated

Yes, I still eat like a crazy person: no sugar, wheat, dairy, or soy products. I did take a break over the holidays, and enjoyed it...but definitely paid the price in aches and pains and other health issues. Now I'm back on track and trying to get my body to settle down and feel like it did back in November. 

Eating this way is not as difficult as it was in the beginning. I've found many great things to eat to keep from feeling deprived. These cookies were one of my favorite discoveries. 

A year ago, desperate for alternatives to carrot sticks and broccoli, I gathered a collection of cookie recipes from the Internet. Experimenting with ingredient combinations, I sought for something that might work for limited little me. The process yielded many failures: Cookies Andrew wouldn't touch and I nibbled at only to justify the cost of  the ingredients...cookies that made me gag and went straight to the trash with no hope of a future...

So, when I eventually pulled these out of the oven and tasted them for the first time, words welled up from deep within my sugar-impoverished soul: "Holy Hannah! These are delicious!" 

I very nearly cried. 

And my exclamation stuck. Several batches later, as I was jotting down the final recipe in my notebook of Candida-diet friendly foods, I labeled it in bold, joy-filled script: "Holy Hannah Chocolate Chip Cookies!"

These cookies, ladies and gentleman, are not just for health nuts. Soft, chewy, and full of flavor, they are enjoyed by little sisters, junk food lovin' husbands and picky brother-in-laws to boot.

Holy Hannah Chocolate Chip Cookies!

• 1 1/2 C almond flour
• 1/2 C GF brown rice flour
• 1/2 C oats (I use gluten free)
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp ground sea salt
• 1/2 C melted coconut oil (I prefer slightly less)
• 1/3 C coconut glycerin or Yacon syrup
• dark chocolate or carob chips to taste

Drop into large mounds on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 5-7 minutes at 350 degrees. Yields 1 dozen. 

{UPDATE: I found an alternative that is just as tasty. Rather than chocolate chips, I add about a tablespoon of cinnamon with a drop or two of cinnamon essential oil. They taste just like snickerdoodles!}

{UPDATE II: Try adding 1/8-1/4 cup of applesauce (no sugar added) if the cookies aren't holding together very well. I think they're much better this way.}

2 INGREDIENT PUMPKIN MUFFINS

I just had to share the good news of these muffins I saw on Pinterest. Easy, tasty, and healthy.

I made a batch to take on the road to the Oregon Coast and they were a huge hit with Andrew and our friends.

Take a yellow cake mix. 

Mix it with a 15 oz can of pumpkin (I only had a 29oz. can, so I used half and froze the rest).

Pour the batter in a muffin pan.

Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. 

That's it.

Maybe I'll experiment with a spice cake mix next time. 

Our friend questioned me several times about the truthfulness of my 2 ingredient boast:

"There are no eggs?" 

"You didn't have to add oil or water?"

"How did they get so moist?"

Let's count the ingredient together, people. One. Two. 

I'm not lying. 

Okay fine. I used three ingredients if you count that I added chocolate chips. But those are optional. The muffins are seriously tasty enough without.

And I was surprised to read that this is a weight watchers recipe with fewer than 100 calories. Not that I am a calorie countin' kinda gal...'cause I'm not. But I thought I'd share anyway for those who care. 

All the rest of you non-calorie countin' folk might try it with cream cheese frosting too.

MARSHMALLOW FONDANT CAKE DECORATING

For mutual this week, the older girls in our youth group got together to decorate miniature cakes. I've never used fondant before, so it was fun to learn about. It was easy too! Marshmallows, powdered sugar, and Crisco. 

Megan Plaisted was awesome enough to host the event. It blew my mind she actually has a fondant cricut! Am I the only one who didn't know such a thing existed? 




The only problem was, it was too pretty to eat afterward. I admired it for 3-4 days before working up the nerve to cut into it. The edible glitter was my favorite. I finally justified ruining my masterpiece by pulling out the ol' camera to document it first. 

If it didn't involve eating an exorbitant amount of sugar (very little self control here when it comes to sugar), cake decorating is a hobby I could totally get into. 

HEAVENLY HOMEMADE SYRUP

My cousin dropped off a bottle of homemade cinnamon plum syrup, and I ate the whole thing in a week. By myself. 

Holy Hannah. The combination of sweet, tart, and spicy was perfection, I tell you. It was so good I felt the need to document its consumption. 

Yes, I need help.




Next chance I get, the juicy details of my cousin's recipe will be mine! Until then, I googled a possibly similar recipe/tutorial here. I can't imagine it would vary too much.




THE END.

OF LATE

1.)

My sister who just moved in is very talented. She can read her novel, watch a movie, text, work on homework, and Facebook all at the same time. 

2.)

I love lists. I think I've mentioned this twenty separate times on the blog before. To help organize them all, I bought this board from a thrift store, painted it, and hung it in the kitchen.

We are already very happy together.

3.)

The sight of rain clouds is so refreshing. Especially, after a winter of suffocatingly low, foggy, cottony, snow clouds. But not much white left 'round these parts! 

4.)

I think Becca's presence in the house has made us reckless and irresponsible. Saturday night, we made a cookie monster like this. 

For each of us. 

Cookie Monster:  Chocolate chip cookie dough baked at the bottom of a pan. Then, straight out of the oven, vanilla ice cream is dropped on top before whipped cream, chocolate, and caramel. 

Ooey, gooey, delightful dessert. 

Let me suggest, however, making one to share. The three of us got about a quarter of the way through our individual dishes before we were sick and wondering what possessed us to attempt it in the first place. 

WE TOSS 'EM, THEY'RE AWESOME

This weekend, I enlisted the help of my bread maker to prepare pizza dough. Then we each created our very own, personal pan pizza. 

I thought it was only appropriate to display Andrew's pizza tossin' skills in this way...to give you the full effect. Don't you love his satisfied smirk at the end?

And I must give credit where credit is due for the *ahem* cheesy title at the top. It's what Andrew chanted to himself as he worked. 

Never a dull moment with my love. 

And the tasty end result. 

Next time, we want to try fun styles like chicken and ranch, Philly cheese steak, Pesto, white sauce with spinach and chicken, or BBQ wing.

Any other suggestions of yummy, unique kinds of pizza?

TOP 3 CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN

Some good things happened at our house on Christmas. Let me fill you in on the top three favorites of the holiday...

#3.) The  family game we opened on Christmas Eve this year was Ticket to Ride. Many hours of cross-country train adventuring followed. 

#2.) Chocolate. Fondue. Enough said. 

Except for one thing. You can't go wrong with chocolate. We dipped bananas, pretzels, brownie bites, strawberries, marshmallows, and dried pomegranates! And the verdict?

All good. All favorites.

And while we're on the topic, just let me add: it only took whipping cream and a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips melted on the stove. I found the recipe HERE and simplified it.

Oh, and I would recommend halving it. Even after the exorbitant amounts of chocolate we ate, there was still a LOT left over.

On a side note--for all those out there who raised their eyebrows at the mention of dried pomegranates--it was just our attempt at recreating this insane sweet (insane meaning TOTALLY FREAKIN AWESOME) shared by some certain fine family members of ours.

Really hard to keep on the fondue forks...but otherwise, delicious.

I think we found a new Christmas Eve tradition. 

And finally...#1) The top favorite holiday moment was opening this most treasured of gifts. Wrapped in tissue paper and mailed from Washington...a necklace and bracelet set handcrafted by my nephew Braxton.

This is Braxton. 
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Five years old and already in tune with what the ladies love. 

Funky, sparkly, made out of pipe cleaners, and completely fabulous. You can't go wrong with jewelry. Thanks, Brax.