... And Other Adventures: July 2012

From my kitchen: Almond Flour Snickerdoodle Cookies

I have had my fair share of baking mishaps in my transition into grain-free cooking. Sometimes it is hard to not want to throw in the towel and just give up on baking. Let me tell you... wheat flour, it is hard to replace.

But every once in a while, life throws you a bone (or in this case a wonderful recipe) that gives you hope again. For me, my Almond Flour Snickerdoodle Cookie recipe has become that magical bone.

Grain free, dairy free, egg free and easy to make, this recipe is like unicorn for those dealing with tummy troubles. And let me tell you, when you find a unicorn, you better take a picture of it to show all your friends!

So that is exactly what I did.

Meet my unicorn...

Almond Flour Snickerdoodle Cookies

(grain, dairy, and egg free)

2 cups almond flour (I use Honeyville)

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup coconut oil

1/4 cup honey

1 tbsp vanilla extract

2 tsp nutmeg
2 tbsp cinnamon

2 tbsp sugar

In a medium bowl, combine all the almond flour, nutmeg, salt, and baking soda. Mix well. In a separate bowl, mix the coconut oil, honey, and vanilla. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and combine until it is all mixed. If the mixture seems a little dry, add in a bit more coconut oil.

In a small bow, combine the cinnamon and sugar.

To form each cookie, scoop out the dough and form into a ball. Roll that ball in the cinnamon mixture until coated on all sides. Place the balls on a parchment-lined cookie sheet about 2-3 inches apart.

Using the bottom of a mason jar, cup, or measuring cup, gently press on each cookie so that it flattens out into a circle.

Bake at 350 degrees for 9-10 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet. When you pull them out of the oven, they may seem a little under baked at first. But once they cool, they will be perfect.

Freezing tomatillos

We are swimming in tomatillos from our CSA. I love me some salsa verde as much as the next girl, but it is getting to be a bit much to handle. I saw on Pinterest that you can freeze them individually and then just pull one out whenever you need one. Salsa verde in January... sounds delicious.

To me, tomatillos seem like something that would not freeze well, like tomatoes. But I have learned that it is best not to question Pinterest's wisdom. So I am gonna give freezing a whirl. I will let you know how they turn out.

Wish me luck!

Life lately

What I am loving (and not loving)

This week has been a roller coaster of emotions. Some things I am loving. And some other things that I am not so much loving. It is hard to not feel conflicted. On one side I want to allow myself to be so excited about things. But then it is hard to not let that excitement get pulled down by other forces.

Such is life. It is never perfect or imperfect. It just is what it is, a hot mess of all of the above. So on that note, I am listing both categories today: What I am loving and what I am not loving. You may ask why I list both. Well my answer to that is because it is real life. In all its craziness, real life is beautiful and bonkers all at the same time.

What I am not loving:

Heat advisories
The tragedy in Colorado
Our tree splitting in half during yesterday's storm that is now blocking my car in
Sneezing
Little B's temper tantrum today while at the aquarium
Going into work on a Sunday
That my latest experiments with CSA vegetables have been a flop
Uncertainty surrounding my husband's job

What I am loving:

The blast of the AC
The fact that our car was not in the path of the fallen tree (we are talking mere inches here, people!)
An unexpected phone call from my CIO saying he is impressed with me and that I have work there as long as I want it (hooray!)
New friends that feel like old ones
Happy anticipation of our beach trip that is coming up
Paying off debt
Red wine
Being right in a harmless argument with my husband (don't even pretend that doesn't bring you joy!)
My book club that teaches me the most random things every time I go. I am learning so much.
Bachelorette season finale on Sunday night. (I make no apologies for how excited I get over that darn show.)
Feeling genuine happiness with another friend's happiness... Love that!

So long as the Loving list outweighs the Not Loving list, then it is a good week. How has your week been?

A glimpse into the future

Do you ever just take a quick glance at your kid and for a split second see the adult that they will eventually become instead of the little baby/toddler that they currently are?

I have been having a lot of little moments like that recently with Little B.

Normally she is running around, goofing off, with a silly little kid expression on her face. But every once in a while, I will catch a look like the one shown above in the picture and all of a sudden I can see her older - As teenager negotiating for the car keys or as a grown woman telling me that she can't talk now because she has to go present her argument in front of the Supreme Court in less than an hour.

Okay maybe that last example is a little much, but you get the idea.

I can't really describe the feeling that it gives me. It is enlightening, a little weird, and amazing all at the same time.

Does this ever happen to you with your kids?

Summer CSA: week 3

Happy weekend!

via

Alas, another weekend. While it seemed that we just had one with 4th of July being on a Wednesday, I am more than ready for my second weekend of the week. It seems that recently my life has been non-stop busy during Monday through Friday. So I am loving that my weekends are the perfect balance with our lack of agenda. This weekend my only plans include:

:: Hanging with two of my favorite girls, Stacy and Jess, last night. It is always an instant party when we get together, especially looking at all the empty wine bottles left out in the aftermath. Ah, good times were definitely had.

:: Our weekly pickup of CSA vegetables. So much more fun to pick out our colorful veggies outside among fun people than heading to the boring ol' grocery store.

:: Movie night with my honey tonight. Not sure yet what we will watch.

:: Maybe a trip to park with the little one. Gotta go early before the temps get too hot.

:: Some time spent catching up on my reading.

:: And then there will for sure be time spent in the kitchen coming up with recipes that use up our CSA vegetables. I am finding that Pinterest is an awesome resource for some of these more exotic vegetables like lemongrass or Chinese okra.

What are y'all up to this weekend?

On my nightstand

As usual, my reading is all over the place this month.

In the Kingdom of Men is a book club read and I am really liking it. It did not take long for me to get sucked in.

I am listening to Dragonfly in Amber as an audio book. Not sure I am liking this one as much as the first book, Outlander (which I read the ol' fashioned way), because it is in audio or the story is just slow. Either way, I am hanging in there.

To Kill a Mockingbird is another one that I am listening to. It is narrated by Sissy Spacek. She is perfection. It is like she was made to read this book.

I’d love to hear what’s stacked on your nightstand. Any books you’re loving right now? Have you read any of the books I highlighted? What did you think of them?