homemade baby food

I've dreamed of the day that I would become a mom, and then I dreamt a little more about feeding my baby foods that nourished their bodies, but were tasty and satisfying, and also homemade.  I'm not quite sure when the "homemade bug" bit me because it wasn't exactly how I was raised.  But somewhere along the way I realized that my preconceived notion of "homemade" equalling "harder" was dismissed and I jumped head in on creating plenty in my own kitchen with my own two hands for us.  And that was before the baby came.  As I started learning how to cook I soon became pretty passionate about eating real food.  I'm talking about fruits and veggies that are so fresh you can still see the dirt and little friends that made it along their trek from the farm our CSA box comes from.  

So it made sense that when I had a baby, I would be passionate about feeding him real food.  

Now, I've quickly learned that everyone has their own way of doing things and some will quickly give you their own opinions.  I'm starting to figure out what it is that we want for our family and how to raise our son, but that doesn't mean it is the way.  So when I started researching what we would first feed Nathan, I came across Baby Led Weaning.  The idea seems so wonderful, but for my own peace of mind I wanted to start with purees and soft foods that didn't need to be cooked.  I started reading Super Nutrition for Babies and quickly realized that there were some things I would take and others that I just wasn't quite ready for (read: I'm not ready to feed him raw egg yolks or bone marrow).  Then there was the controversy over whether or not to give your baby rice cereal, and when I first fed Nathan some I immediately felt like I was a bad mom because it doesn't have much nutritional value and is hard for their bodies to digest.  Holy moly, it felt like everywhere I turned I was going to do something wrong!  

The good news is that I'm learning to let go of my people-pleasing tendencies (and this is going to be a forever-long process) and focus on what I want to stick to my guns on when it comes to feeding Nathan.  Organic fruits and veggies, pureed to start with, and providing a nice variety was where I landed!  

So our first foods were banana and avocado.  Naturally he is my child because he is crazy for bananas, and he is also obviously a Lafuze for his love of avocado.  These two foods are so easy to mash up and feed!  Plus, they are both very easy for our on-the-go lifestyle.  I love sharing my banana with Nathan after our park workouts in the morning, and he is able to now eat chunks of it instead of me mashing it up.  The same goes for avocado.  When we go out to eat, I will just order an extra side and give that to him.  He's been eating them for a good two months now, so I started giving him chunks as well and he gums them like a champ!

Purees have been super easy to make with our Beaba baby food maker, which steams and purees it for you!  Sweet potatoes were Nathan's first puree, and from there we went to carrots.  Now he has tried those along with parsnips, zucchini, pears, and squash.  After I steam the veggies, I add in a little bit of ghee so that he has fat to absorb the nutrients before blending it all up.  Someone asked me the other day what he likes and doesn't like.  It's kind of a silly question for this kid because he basically loves everything you give him!  His reactions when eating are hilarious, but he will always open wide up for the next bite.  

Making his baby food doesn't take much time at all, and I only do it once or twice a week.  I've figured out a pretty great system that work well for us, even when on the go.  After pureeing it, I pour it into these perfect ice cube trays I found on Amazon.  They make perfect squares that are exactly one ounce, and are super easy to pop out once frozen.  After the food is frozen, I then put the squared into large freezer bags with a label and date.  Then in the morning I just pull out 1-2 cubes of whatever he will eat that afternoon and put them in the fridge to defrost.  I don't heat up his food, unless it is still frozen, which makes him super easy to feed when we are out and about.  

My goal is to have him off of purees by 9 months.  Purees are wonderful at getting him used to the taste of different foods but I want him working on his pincer grasp and able to eat what we are eating so that I'm not always preparing a separate meal for him.  Making our meals accessible for him is my goal.  I also hope to not have a picky eater, and would love for him to have a taste of a wide variety of fruits and veggies while I can control it.  I'm sure the time will come (probably sooner than I hope) when he turns away from food, throws it on the floor, and will only eat PB&J.  But until then I'm satisfied knowing that the foods we feed him are healthy, organic, and easy for his body to digest and get nutrients from!  

Nathan is starting to eat some foods raw or steamed, which is fantastic!  We just started sharing blueberries and peaches with him, and he also began eating cut carrots steamed, so we are on  a roll!  

I'm pretty sure that his two solid meals are his favorite time of the day! 

meals for new moms

There are two things that I love big time.

Making great food.

Eating great food. 

When we had Nathan we were tremendously blessed by our close friends who put together a Meal Train through MealBaby.  This is a super convenient website where people can sign up to bring you a meal.  And let me tell you, it was better than I could've ever imagined.  I love to cook, but quickly realized I had my hands full with a little one.  And it never failed that dinnertime was the hardest to step away from Nathan, so it was such a treat to just pop something into the oven and chow down.  This helps both mom and dad stay nourished, too, ensuring they are getting enough to eat.  

Because I can't rave enough about how amazing it is being on the receiving end, I make it my goal now to take new moms a meal.  Plus, babies are popping up left and right currently in our lives.  I love setting Nathan up in his bouncer and talking to him about the ingredients I'm putting in (I'm secretly training him now how to cook me breakfast in bed one day).  I love packing everything up into my bright red basket.  I love writing a little love note for the sweet new mama, along with any directions she needs.  And I love giving her dessert…especially ice cream and fresh baked cookies because that really hits the spot after having a baby!  

Here are five recipes that are fantastic to make for new moms: 

Mushroom Kale Lasagna Rolls from Skinnytaste 

These are a great meatless option, and they freeze beautifully.  I'm not joking you, I have three sets of these in my freezer for new mamas I'm seeing over the next two weeks.  

Tamale Pie from Peas And Thank You

This is great when you don't want to give someone pasta and want to mix it up a bit.  I use ground turkey in mine. 

Chicken Enchilada Bake

The recipe I use is from Bread & Wine, but I'm sure you can find similar ones easily.  We are a bit obsessed with mexican food over here so this is something I always double.  One for them and one for us! 

White Bean and Turkey Chili from Cooking Light 

Chili just warms your belly amazingly!  Just be careful with how spicy you make it for the breastfeeding mamas. 

Roasted Tomato Tortilla Soup

Soups are nice and easy to bring to other mamas, and this one is perfect when you also bring over chips and an avocado!  My family personally loves this recipe, so I love making it for others. 

I like to buy foil pans and Ziploc tupperware to serve the meal in.  This keeps the new mama from worrying about returning it to you, or keeping track of whose is what.  Bags of plain lettuce are so helpful.  Then I include all of the toppings in a ziploc bag.  Cookies can keep from being crushed when placed inside of a mason jar, and it looks pretty cute as well.  

Can't wait to go bless some new mamas and visit their sweet babes these next few weeks! 

link love

Do you ever wake up and think about where you are, what has happened, and where the time has gone?  

Lately all this week (and really these past few weeks) I've just felt like a zombie.  And there has been a lot of "shift" going on in our lives, changes we don't have control over, and decisions that have to be made that make my head spin.  These have seemed to steal little pieces of my joy, and on top of feeling like a zombie, I'm left with ugghhh.  Yep, ugghh.  No motivation, no inspiration.  But I KNOW, and have faith, that it'll pass.  That these moments will become memories that we will learn and grow from. So while I'm lacking some mental inspiration over here, I thought I'd share with you some amazing posts that have either caught my eye, inspired me immensely, or motivated me to get busy in the kitchen.  

Enjoy! 

Naptime Diaries is where I go when my heart needs a pep talk and this week she posted on how we as women fuel ourselves with lies about our body, the worth of ourselves, and how it ultimately affects our health.  Currently I'm struggling a bit with the whole body issue with this pregnancy, seeing my body grow in places it hasn't before (hello love handles?!?!), and trying to stay healthy and fit when all I want is bread, cheese, and more bread.

Coffee Pancakes will be made this weekend!  Oh yes!  This delicious recipe looks too good to pass up from Eat, Live, Run.  We used to always have "Pancake Sundays" in our home, and over this past year we have stopped.  I'm thinking that needs to make a come back and these will work perfectly to kick start that!

Mama Pea is gearing up to travel to Guatemala and she writes about what to pack...and it's not what you think.  Her heart is so beautiful, and she reminded me what truly matters.  It's not the items we are packing, but the ways in which we prepare our hearts.  Humbles me every time I read it.

My free yoga classes are running out, so I'm looking at doing this intense workout to give myself the little extra kick it needs.  It's call the "Depletion Workout" and I am deeply craving my muscles to ache, shake, and tell me "You did good!".

And the teacher in me just has to share how I want to do my word wall this year.  It includes ribbons and looks so simple!  I must get busy on this soon!

meal planning with our CSA box

That, my friends, is part of our glorious goods from our CSA box.  What's a CSA box?  I'm so glad you asked!

CSA stands for Community Shared Agriculture, and it is where local farms provide delivery services of their crops.  The boxes are identical, and you get fresh, organic produce straight from the farm.  We get our through Be Wise Ranch, and if you live in San Diego, I highly recommend it.  They have so many pick-up locations, and their produce is outstanding.  We pay $30 for our box, but we share it each week with one of my friends.  You never know what you're going to get, but it has helped us eat fruits and veggies that are in season and has challenged my cooking a bit.  Collard greens..I'm talking to you.  We got them for almost two months straight, and now I am a pro at coming up with recipes to use them in. 

Something that I am passionate about is cooking fresh meals, each day, and giving our bodies whole foods.  Rarely do our meals consist of processed food.  This may seem hard to find the time, but when you are passionate about something you make it happen.  I've been wanting to buy organic produce, but the prices just weren't affordable for us.  Our CSA box allows us to get organic foods at a much smaller price than the grocery store.  Daniel was never one for veggies, but he is more motivated to try something if it was from our box.  He gets all excited about it!  

Since we don't know what we get each week, I wait until we pick up our box before I meal plan.  I do my best to incorporate the items we get in the box in our meal plan for the week so that nothing goes to waste.  Meal planning makes life much easier.  After working all day, and possibly going to class, it is amazing to come home and know exactly what I'm making and have everything ready!  I thought I'd share our weekly meal plan with you!  If you're looking for a recipe to make, you should definitely try out on of these!

Our box this week included:

broccoli

asparagus

avocado

artichokes

spring mix

radishes

zucchini

kale

mustard greens

oranges

parsley

cabbage

And here's our line-up for cooking this week:

SUNDAY: Grilled steaks, artichokes with roasted red pepper dip, grilled zucchini, sweet potato fries

This meal was delicious, the picture doesn't do it justice.  And it was our first time using the grill this spring to commemorate the gorgeous weather we had! 

MONDAY: Skinnytaste Mushroom & Kale Lasagna Rolls with Asparagus

**Using the kale and asparagus

TUESDAY: Fish Tacos with Cilantro Lime Crema 

**Using the cabbage

WEDNESDAY: Skinny Baked Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese 

**Using the broccoli

THURSDAY: Mexican Quinoa with grilled chicken 

**Using the avocado 

Typically I try to juice any produce that is left over.  Beets and apples have been my go to.  Also, I use the spring mix for lunches to make salads, and toss some radishes on there.  

Hope you try out one of these recipes! 

currently...

Currently I am...

-talking in a cross between a british and souther accent y'all.  We all have Downton Abbey and Duck Dynasty to thank for that.  If you have already started asking yourself how on earth those two go together, there is not rhyme or reason.  Watching Downton Abbey just puts my soul at ease, my heart twitters a bit with the romance, and I love the storyline.  Oh, the drama!  Duck Dynasty...well, my husband tried forever to get me to watch it.  I'm not the fan of reality TV so I was extremely hesitant, and all I thought it would be about is a bunch of rednecks hanging around.  Well, those rednecks are hilarious!  And watching my husband watch it is hilarious!  And those wives that love on those men, with their scruffy beards and all, well..they are my heroes.  So supportive and loving.

- in LOVE with this workout.  I was a sweaty mess at the gym doing this workout, and my legs felt like noodles afterwards, and I loved every single second of it.  I've been in a workout rut lately, and when I stumbled upon Tina's blog I was instantly inspired.

-munching on this homemade irish soda bread like it is nobody's business!  This recipe was so easy to follow, and my picky belly hasn't had too many issues with this gluten-filled bread.  Toasted with some butter and jam (said in an accent like the Geico gecko) is where it's at.

-deciding on which outfits to pack for my upcoming trip to Seattle!!!  I'm traveling with a dear friend of mine to go sight seeing and have a fun, girls' trip.  I've never been to Seattle and have been dying to recently.  All I can say is that I am beyond excited to visit the first Starbucks, see Pike's Place Market, and eat some amazing food.  Me?  Love food?  NO!

-having withdrawals after finishing Bittersweet.  I downloaded it as an audiobook to listen to on my way to and from work.  It was my first audiobook, and I was slightly hesitant about it.  I soon found myself instantly turning it on over music.  My heart has felt emotions it hasn't felt before, my mind is thinking like crazy, and all I can see are the bittersweet moments in my life.  This book made me look at the tiny moments and realize they are part of my story, I have grown from each experience, and I couldn't stop telling people everything I was just in awe of.

-loving some peaceful time with my husband.  March did a doozy on us.  Between both of our busy work schedules, my comp exams and report cards, and various events, we finished March feeling like we had just run a marathon and hadn't seen one another in ages.  It feels good to finally have some downtime (thank you, spring break) with nothing to get in the way.  Having a break from work always puts some much needed rest time into my life, and as hard as a I fight it, relaxing has treated me well.  When I'm more relaxed I feel like I can give more of my time to Daniel, be more intentional with our conversations, actually listen to him, and be a couple.

1 zucchini = 3 recipes

Everyone loves summer, but for a while I used to dislike it greatly.  My pasty white skin would be forever sunburned.  As much as I tried to be tan like all the other girls, it was impossible.  Then there was the "b" word...bathing suit.  I dreaded summer when I was younger.  

Becoming a teacher totally changed this around for me, and given the fact that I've overcome all those silly insecurities that made me want to stay inside for three months.  Now summer is peace.  It is the time in my year that I get to breathe, relax, soak in all of God's beauty, get back to who I am as I sift through projects and just take some time for myself.  

One of the best things about summer is the produce.  Zucchini has to be my favorite vegetable.  Growing up we had a garden and zucchini grew like crazy each and every year.  Even when my parents didn't plant it, it would still come back.  I have fond memories shredding the zucchini and making zucchini bread with it, then grilling another one for dinner.  I probably love it so much because it brings back the fond memories I hold of summer as a child.  

I recently adopted a nice, large zucchini and was able to make not one, not two, but three different recipes with it! 

First up was Zucchini Tots from Skinny Taste.  Ann brought these to our Palm Springs trip and I couldn't get over how delicious they were.  As soon as I got home I looked up the recipe and found out I had everything on hand!  So, I got busy in the kitchen...

Friends-these are super easy, and amazing warm from the oven.  On top of that, four only have 104 calories!  The Mr. loved these, and he is not a big zucchini fan like me.  I couldn't help but think these would be great for kids as well, and they travel perfectly so I plan on making some of these for our trip this week!

Zucchini Round Two.

Grilled zucchini is a summer must have.  And paired with barbecue salmon is divine!  I felt pretty proud of myself Sunday night as I heated up the grill all by myself, made a delicious sauce for the salmon, and neatly grilled dinner while the Mr. was at work.

It was my first ever time making this salmon recipe and let me tell you, it did not disappoint.  The flavor was impeccable, divine, outstanding.  My taste buds were dancing.  I then paired it with my cilantro-lime brown rice (super duper easy recipe I made up and will share next week).  

I might have saved the best for last...

Zucchini Round Three.  

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread!

P.S: The following pictures are for your sheer humorous enjoyment.  (I had already been painting for hours and am insanely gross after all my cleaning.)  I just had to pose with the bread to show off my mouth watering creating.  

I seriously could not wait to get this in my belly.  I may have even told the bread "Get in my belly"!  

And there you have it!  So if you have a plentiful garden bursting with fresh zucchini or just love zucchini (or love trying really amazing recipes) try one of these recipes and let me know how they turn out!

a lovely productive weekend

Remember my little sweet and sour week?  Well, I'm so happy to finally be out of the funk and waking up with a smile on my face. 

Maybe all of the heat in Palm Springs helped me sweat it out.  

But I just feel so incredible happy, peaceful, content.  

This weekend was amazing, and there wasn't anything in particular that we did.  In fact, the Mr. had to work the whole weekend.  But I took some "Jamie time" and sanded and painted, and covered myself in paint, and sweated like crazy, and come Sunday night I was able to cross another item off my Summer Bucket List!  

I decided to be a little adventurous with our dining room table and paint it!  The table is white and the chairs are light blue.  It's not completely done, and I'm actually not that happy with the chair colors, but I think I'm going to work on them a bit more and see what happens.  

I searched high and low for a before picture and couldn't find a good one.  Our table was a hand-me-down from our great aunt.  I finally decided to just go for it and got to business on Saturday.  

This was my first ever project like this.  As I was doing it I felt like a true DIYer!  And, I was covered head to toe in forest green paint, primer, and blue paint!  

I promise to keep you updated once it is completely done!  I'm going to seal the table and am thinking about roughing up the edges of the chairs to see if that helps at all.  

Well, on Sunday after I painted all day I went to Target and Trader Joe's (my two favorite places) and they did not disappoint.  Some of my favorite purchases: a new planner, Bossypants, salmon, and kettle corn.  I was determined to make a scrumptious dinner, which I did (recipe coming tomorrow).  Then, as if I couldn't do any more in my day I decided to sweep and mop all of the floors to create a sparkly clean surface for the new table and chairs to inhabit.  And then-dessert!  Four little words: Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread.  Heavenly!!  I think I finally sat down at 10pm, but didn't regret it one minute as I looked over at everything I had done throughout the day.  

On a completely separate and random side note, my friend handed over a beautiful zucchini to me.  One would ponder what all you could do with such a large zucchini.  Me?  Never!  In fact, I made three separate recipes from this one zucchini and will be sharing them tomorrow will you all! 

i think i wanna marry you

I remember when I was little, exclaiming how much I loved something.  It could've been a friend, a boy, a popsicle from the ice cream truck, or a TV show.  After profession my love there was always that friend that would exclaim, "Well if you love it so much, why don't you marry it?".  And then we would all dream of marrying these people, objects, shows....oh to be young again.  

Well, it has been a mighty long time since I've thought about that saying and what pulled it back into my memory was the sweet finds that I recently found at Trader Joe's.  Fun fact about Jamie: I secretly love grocery shopping.  At times I have a love/hate relationship with Trader Joe's.  I know exactly what I want to get there, and so I rarely look for new finds unless they are right in front of my face.  As I was pursuing the chip isle for the Mr.'s tortilla chips I came across their quinoa and black bean infused tortilla chips.  I was excited and the Mr. was skeptical.  I took one bite and my taste buds were doing a happy dance.  They are pretty thick so I actually really like to use them like crackers, dipping them in hummus, topping them with a small piece of cheese.  The Mr. even liked them!  He won't claim them as his chips just yet, but he has been secretly sneaking them while I'm not home.  I don't mind sharing, just as long as he doesn't leave me with crumbs at the bottom of the bag.  

My other recent Trader Joe's find that I want to marry...

They have chia seeds!!!!

I know that you probably think that I'm such a dork, but you have no idea how long i've been waiting for this.  Sprouts has been out of them in the bulk section for weeks, and the bag costs a whopping $10-which I just am not yet willing to pay.  TJ's has this bag from $4.99 and it will last forever!  In case you don't know the benefits of chia seeds or how to incorporate them into your diet, read my post here!

And, lastly, I have a recipe that both the Mr. and I want to marry.  Of course the husband was skeptical because is was a vegetarian dish.  When he doesn't hear of any meat in the title of the recipe he definitely raises an eyebrow.  But I ensured him that everything would be okay.  Deep breaths....

This Summer Lemon Vegetable Risotto from Cooking Light was absolutely superb.  If I could've licked the bowl I would've.  Yes, I just said that.  It was a little time consuming, and my first time ever making risotto so I was a little uneasy as to how it would turn out.  But, every step was worth it.  

To really show you how much the Mr. loved it I took a picture of his empty bowl before he went back from seconds.  This recipe will definitely be making a come back before summer ends! 

Well, there you have it!  Are there are amazing finds that you absolutely love at Trader Joe's??? If so, I'd love to fall in love with more!

summer pasta primavera

I am someone who loves structure, schedules, check-lists....

ahh, just the thought of taking my pen and checking off or crossing off something on my to-do list makes my heart swoon.  

Some may think I'm crazy, but then I'm sure there are many of you that agree with me 110%.  

That's why when summer hits I feel like a fish out of water.  No specific time to wake up for work?!?  No set place to be at 8am everyday?!?  No class to rush off to after work?!?  It teaches me to become more flexible and relax, which I still get antsy over.  Relaxing is something that doesn't come natural to me.  Meal planning is something I really love to do, but not having a set schedule or plans throughout the week can really put a kink in that.  

This past Saturday Kylee and Steven were out visiting friends, the Mr. was at work, and then there was me.  Just little old me.  And I though to myself, "what are you going to do with three hours all to yourself?".  Myself answered: "You're going to cook!".  And that I did.  

I started with a basic pasta recipe from the one and only Giada De Laurentiis and then went grocery shopping in my produce bin in the fridge.  I basically pulled out a ton of veggies and decided they would all work together in unison.  Sadly, I didn't take many pictures in the prepping area because all my mind could think about was cooking just to cook, to relax, to free my mind, to find enjoyment, and to love my "me" time.  

Summer Pasta Primavera

Ingredients:

3 carrots, peeled

2 medium zucchini

1 red bellow pepper

6 asparagus speers

1 ear of corn

1/4 c. olive oil

1 Tbsp. dried Italian seasoning

2 tsps. salt

2 tsps. ground black pepper

1 lb. brown rice farfalle pasta

15 cherry tomatoes, halved

3/4 c. shredded Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Cut the carrots, zucchini, bell pepper, and asparagus into thin 2-inch long strips.  On a large heavy baking sheet, toss the vegetable strips, oil, dried herbs, and salt and pepper to coat.  Arrange the vegetables evenly over the baking sheet (you can use two baking sheets if you need to).  

2. Bake the vegetables, stirring after the first 10 minutes, until the carrots are tender and the other veggies begin to brown, about 20 minutes total. 

3. Meanwhile, bring two large pots of water to boil.

4. Once one pot of water has come to a boil, place the corn inside, cover the pot and took off of the heat.  Leave the corn in the water for 7 minutes.  Cool and cut off of the cob.

5.  Add the farfalle pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, for 7-10 minutes. 

6. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. 

7. In a large bowl, toss the pasta with the cooked veggies to combine.  Add the cherry tomatoes and enough of the reserved cooking liquid to moisten.  Season the pasta with more salt and pepper to taste.  

8. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and enjoy!

I grabbed a fork, sat on the back porch, and enjoyed a nice little dinner all to myself.  

Bon apetit! 

4 more wake-ups and a recipe!

4 more mornings I have to set my alarm for 5am or earlier...

4 more mornings filled with desperately reaching for the start button on the coffee maker in the dark...

4 more long drives to work counting down the days till summer...

4 more days filled with crossing off the never ending to-do list and scrubbing paint off of the desks...

4 more days filled with little ones who accidentally call you "mama"...

Can you tell summer is almost here?!?!?  Next Tuesday is the day, the last day of school.  And as much as I can't wait for it to be here it is also bittersweet because some changes are coming.  That's right-next year I'm teaching second grade!  I've only taught kindergarten and I have the opportunity to teach second grade next year, and I couldn't pass it up.  So I'm trying to soak up all of the last kinder memories while also maintaining my patience and grace.

The one thing that I love waking up to in the morning is breakfast, especially since I have THE best granola in my pantry.  And it didn't come from a box, or a bag, but straight out of a tupperware filled with the love from my hard work. I was always frightened by making granola, the ingredient list just seemed so long.  But once I made it I was a changed woman, the thought of spending money on granola at the store makes me cringe. 

Here is my current favorite granola recipe from yours truly: (and don't be intimidated by the ingredient list)

Vanilla Cinnamon Granola

4 c. gluten-free rolled oats (I buy the big bag from Trader Joe's)

1 c. sliced almonds

3/4 c. raw pepitas

3/4 c. raw sunflower seeds

1/2 c. ground flaxseeds

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

2/4 tsp. salt

1/4 c. canola oil

1/4 c. plus 2 Tbsp coconut sugar crystals (purchased at Sprouts)

1/4 c. unsweetened applesauce

1/4 c. + 2 T. honey

1 Tbsp. vanilla

3/4 c. dried cranberries

3/4 c. raisins

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.  Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl,  mix together oats, almonds, pepitas, sunflower seeds, flaxseed, cinnamon, and salt.

  3. In a microwave safe bowl, combine the oil, 1/4 c. sugar, and 2 Tbsp applesauce.  Microwave 20-30 seconds and stir to dissolve the sugar, then stir in 1/4 c. honey and the vanilla.

4. Pour the wet ingredients onto the dry ingredients and mix well until the oats and nuts are completely covered.  Spread evenly onto the prepared baking sheet.  Bake for 30 minutes.

5. While baking, mix together 2 Tbsp. sugar, applesauce, and honey.  Set aside.  After 30 minutes, remove the granola and drizzle the remaining wet ingredients on top.  Use a rubber spatula to press the granola firmly onto the baking pan.

6. Bake for an additional 30-35 minutes.  Let cool and then break apart.  

At this point you can just start chowing down and this sweet goodness, or you can store it in an airtight container and enjoy on top of a scrumptious bowl of greek yogurt and blueberries or slice bananas.  

Enjoy!

breaking tradition

When I married the Mr., I married into a tradition:

a carrot cake tradition!

The LaFuzes LOVE their carrot cake, and they have a family recipe to back up their love.  In my quest to eat healthy and keep the Mr. on a healthy track, I had to break the tradition in order to make him a special birthday treat.  That meant finding a recipe with not nearly as many calories as the original but with the same great taste.  And looking at the picture above is just evidence to how moist and carrot-y they are.  

 
Waist Friendly Carrot Cake Cupcakes (as long as you eat just one)

Ingredients:

2 1/4 c. flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

2 c. grated carrot (about 4)

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. packed brown sugar

6 Tbst. softened butter

3 large eggs 

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 c. low-fat buttermilk

As I was baking I realized that I only had Christmas cupcake liners. Let's just call it Christmas in July err...June!

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees.

2. In a medium bowl mix flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt together, stirring with a whisk.  Stir in the grated carrot and set aside.

3. Place sugar, brown sugar, and butter in a large bowl.  Beat with a mixer at medium speed until well combined.  Add eggs, one at a time.  Stir in the vanilla.  

4. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour.

5. Pour batter into a lined cupcake pan.  I use a 1/4 c. measuring spoon to ensure they are all pretty much equal.  

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-23 minutes.  

(I first baked them for 18 minutes and they were still goey, and at 22 minutes they were perfect!)

Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 oz. light cream cheese

2 Tbsp. softened butter

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/8 tsp. salt

3 c. powdered sugar

chopped pecans

Combine cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and salt in a medium bowl with a mixer.  Gradually add in powdered sugar and mix until completely combined.  Try to get just a bit on your fingers so you can gladly lick it off :)

The end product: delish!

At first he was pretty apprehensive and not too thrilled that I broke tradition.

But the taste test proved worthy of a giant smile.  He consumed 2 more!  Eeks..well I guess they're good for a pretty picky carrot cake consumer.  

Bon appétit!