20 Questions…Age 5

20 Questions…Age 5

20 Questions for Madison 2014, Age 5.

1.       What is your favorite color? Blue.

       

2.      Who is your best friend? Addison-can I pick Whitney too?

       

3.      What is your favorite toy? Ariel.

    

4.      What do you want to be when you grow up? Ariel.

    

5.      What is your favorite book? Halloween.

        

6.      What is your favorite food? Chicken Nuggets and pancakes and egg.

      

7.      What is your favorite thing to do outside? Play-Ariel.

        

8.      What is your favorite fruit? Strawberries.

        

9.      What is your favorite show to watch? Ariel.

        

10.    Where is your favorite place to go in the car? Disneyland.

       

11.      What is your favorite sport? 49ers football-andGore (that's our girl!).

       

12.     What is your favorite snack? Gold Fish.

        

13.     What is your favorite thing to do with mom and dad? Snuggle and give them hugs-and Sofia too.

        

14.     If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? To the movies to watch Frozen.

        

15.     What is your least favorite food that I make for you? The green part on the watermelon-thankfully she didn't say anything I have control over :)

        

16.     What is your favorite drink? Orange juice.

       

17.     What is your favorite holiday? Christmas.

       

18.     If you could have any pet, what would it be? Cleo.

        

19.     Which superhero ability would you like to have? I want to be a girl super hero that can fly and go under water.

20.    Do you enjoy these interviews every year? Yes.

Well here it is folks my annual post!  LOL I really should be better about posting here but life is-well it's life and I forget I even have this blog!  Hope you enjoy this years Q&A :)

20 Questions...Age 4

20 Questions for Madison 2013, Age 4.

1.       What is your favorite color? Blue.

       

2.      Who is your best friend? Addison.

       

3.      What is your favorite toy? Princesses and a castle.

    

4.      What do you want to be when you grow up? Rapunzel.

    

5.      What is your favorite book? About a princess.

        

6.      What is your favorite food? Mac n' cheese.

      

7.      What is your favorite thing to do outside? Play with flowers.  And pick one for you, and daddy and my sister Sofia and me.

        

8.      What is your favorite fruit? Grapes.

        

9.      What is your favorite show to watch? Max and Ruby.

        

10.    Where is your favorite place to go in the car? Miss Michelle's house.

       

11.      What is your favorite sport? I can't pick.

       

12.     What is your favorite snack? Cookies.

        

13.     What is your favorite thing to do with mom and dad? Play.

        

14.     If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? Across the street.

        

15.     What is your least favorite food that I make for you? I can't pick. 

        

16.     What is your favorite drink? Juice and water...and apple cider.

       

17.     What is your favorite holiday? I can't pick again...it's too hard.

       

18.     If you could have any pet, what would it be? A puppy and a kitty.

        

19.     Which superhero ability would you like to have? You.

20.    Do you enjoy these interviews every year? Yes.

Well here are the same list of questions that I asked Madison last year when she turned 3.  This is such a fun little thing to do...I am so looking forward to seeing how much her answers change or stay the same over the years.  And I am also looking forward to sharing these with her when she gets older too...I do have to say I wish she would like to venture farther than across the street...and I LOVE that she thinks I have super hero powers <3

Shrimp, Avocado and Tomato Salad

I could eat this every day...seriously.  It is probably more of a summer dish since it is served chilled...so I might be packing this recipe away once the weather cools down, but since it was in the 90's today it was appropriate to make.  The recipe is incredibly easy and takes no time at all to throw together.

Recipe

1 (1 pound) bag of frozen (cooked) shrimp, thawed

1 tomato, cut into chunks

1 avocado, cut into chunks

1/4 cup red onion, diced

Juice from 1 lime

Cilantro, to taste, chopped

Dice red onion and put into bowl.  Squeeze lime juice over onion and let sit for about 5 minutes.  The lime juice will tone down the onion.

Take thawed, cooked, shrimp and place in bowl with onion and lime juice.  Add tomato and avocado and stir.

Add chopped cilantro and stir.

Best served chilled

Chickpea, Tomato and Quinoa Salad

This is a such a yummy dish.  It can be a meal, a snack or a side...it is pretty light so goes with just about everything.  I found the recipe online one day and decided to add the quinoa in after making it a few times.  So keep that in mind when you make it...if you either don't like quinoa or don't have any in the pantry.

Do you use Quinoa?  It is one of my favorite grains...you cook it just as you would cook rice...I have made quinoa on the stovetop...but my favorite way to cook it is in a rice steamer.  It really doesn't get any easier than that.  Just like rice you use 1 part quinoa to 2 parts liquid, cook for 45 minutes in rice steamer, if you are cooking on the stovetop you basically bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook until liquid is absorbed.  The packaging will have cooking instructions as well.  You can use water or the stock of your choice.  I prefer to use stock because it cooks a little bit of flavor into the quinoa.  To me quinoa is kinda like tofu...it will taste like whatever you mix in with it...so the possibilities are endless.  It is also a HIGH source of protein and it is a complete protein comparable to that which is found in meat, fish, poultry, dairy etc.  

Recipe:

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

About 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

25 large basil leaves, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 TBSP red wine vinegar

1 TBSP apple cider vinegar

2 TSP olive oil

1/2 BSP honey

pinch of salt

I just eyeball the quinoa but for the above ingredients I would say 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa is good...3 cups if you double the recipe like I do.

I usually double this recipe but still only do the amount of basil called for above...it has plenty of flavor and come on 50 basil leaves...kinda overkill.

Take all the ingredients, mix together and chill in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes...then enjoy!

I {love} Hummus

I {love} Hummus

This recipe comes from the Cooking with Trader Joe's Skinny Dish cookbook.  Not only is it a super easy recipe, as many of them are from these books, but it can be made without tahini (sesame seed butter).  Sesame is one of the foods I am allergic too and hummus is such a great snack...with veggies or crackers.  The other REALLY great thing about this hummus is that the caloric intake is way lower than with traditional store bought hummus.  I am not sure if you know this but 2 TBSP is a serving size of store bought hummus...and we all know that we eat WAY more that 2 TBSP in a sitting!  A serving size of this recipe is 1/2 cup and is only 110 calories...need I say more?

Recipe

1 (15-oz) can garbanzo beans, drained with liquid reserved

1 (14-oz) can artichoke hearts, drained

1 TBSP tahini (sesame seed butter), or 2 TBSP olive oil

1.4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

3 cloves garlic, or 3 cubes frozen Crushed Garlic

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley (optional)

1 TSP cumin

1/2 TSP black pepper

FYI when an ingredient is capitalized (like the Crushed Garlic) it is a Trader Joe's exclusive product.  If the ingredient isn't capitalized it can be found at any grocery store.

1 Combine ingredients in a blender or food processor (I use a food processor) and process until smooth.  Add 2-3 tablespoons or reserved bean liquid for a thinner consistency (I haven't done this because I like the consistency of the hummus with out it).  Dip and go!

2 Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 6 days.

Makes 6 (1/2 cup) servings

Gluten Free

ENJOY!!

Tamale Bake

This is one of my FAVORITE recipes...it is super easy...and it is SO good!  The only problem is it has ingredients that don't fit into my food allergy diet.  Today I made this for our neighbor as a 'Thank You' for taking care of our dogs and fish while we were on vacation.  It is from the Trader Joe's Dinner's Done cookbook...if you haven't bought these books you should!  They are great and all the recipes are fairly easy...they are a must have in our house :)

So here's the recipe

2 (18-oz) tubes pre-cooked polenta, each tube sliced into 9 rounds
2 TBSP Olive Oil
1 large onion, chopped, or 2 cups refrigerated diced onions
3 zucchini, sliced
1 (12-oz) package soy chorizo, removed from casing, or substitute 1 pound ground meat cooked in 1 TSP taco seasoning or 1/3 cup enchilada sauce
2 (15-oz) cans black beans, drained
1/2 cup enchilada sauce
1 cup fancy shredded mexican blend cheese
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Sour cream as garnish (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Heat oil in skillet.  Sauté onion and zucchini until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add soy chorizo and stir.  Remove from heat.
3. Lightly oil a square baking dish.  Place half of the polenta on the bottom, overlapping when necessary.  Sprinkle on half of the chorizo mixture, black beans, enchilada sauce and shredded cheese.  Repeat with the second layer.
4. Cover and bake for 30 minutes until cheese is melted and casserole is piping hot,  Sprinkle cilantro evenly on top.  Serve with sour cream.

Serves 8

This is a HUGE dish perfect for when you have company...today I halved the recipe and it is still enough to have plenty of leftovers.

Enjoy!

Ally's Wild Stampede

Hey everyone I wanted to let you know about an upcoming event that benefits an amazing non-profit organization called Ride To Walk!  Ride To Walk (RTW) is a therapeutic horseback riding program for children and young adults with neurological disabilities.  My daughter Sofia is a rider in the program.  We were very happy when her physical therapist, the founder of RTW, let us know that she felt Sofia was ready to participate in the program.  Her first ride was the day before her 5th birthday...and what an amazing gift that was for our entire family.  Sofia really enjoys being on the horse each week.  Watching her up there is just amazing!  Sofia is so limited to the things she can do so to see her riding a horse, smiling and laughing is something truly special! 

This is Sofia and her physical therapist, Kris, riding at the program.  I think her smile says it all.  This program is something that not only we enjoy watching her do...but she LOVES it!

Ally's Wild Stampede is going to be on Saturday, July 21, 2012 out at the RTW Ranch in Lincoln, CA.  We have a great event including a 5k course with obstacles to traverse including a MUD pit!  Now don't worry if mud isn't your thing or you will be walking with a stroller or young children you can bypass the obstacles and still have a great time!  We are getting an expo together with various vendors for you to visit after you complete the course.  BBQ lunch will be served to each participant (included in registration fee) and there will also be music and a beer garden this year...you won't want to miss it!  We will also have some fun activities for the little ones too!  We are encouraging everyone to start teams to collect donations as well.  There will be lots of prizes awarded so make sure you get in the running for that!  If you want more information you can get all the information you need at 

www.ridetowalk.org/ally

There is a donation form that you can download from the above link to keep track easily!

If you would like to register here's the link

http://www.eventbrite.com/org/2239933541

Registration fee is $40 until Friday, July 13, 2012...same day registration is $45...registration fee is TAX-DEDUCTIBLE!

There are many ways to get involved, if you are interested please let me know

For those of you who don't know Sofia's story here it is...

My pregnancy and labor were totally normal...or so we thought.  At 5 weeks of age Sofia had an episode where she went limp and lethargic.  We called 911 and when they arrived Sofia had come to, but was still not 100% so we decided to take her to the emergency room to have her checked out.  The doctors told us that she was fine, that what had happened was perfectly normal for a baby and that we were basically over-reactive new parents.  Being that we were new parents we took their advice and went home.  For the next few days we were going into the pediatrician for follow ups and has several phone conversations because her health had seemed to get worse.  She began to projectile vomit after feedings and was not her usual happy self.  After 4 or 5 days I told myself we would be taking her into the pediatrician that Monday because something just wasn't right.  Unfortunately we didn't make it through the weekend...exactly one week after the first episode Sofia had another episode of lethargy and limpness...only this time it was much more severe.  Once 911 was called she was whisked away to the hospital, we were unable to ride with her.  Once we arrived to the ER it was like watching an episode of ER or Grey's Anatomy in real life.  She was having her onesie cut of, she had been resuscitated and was being intubated to help her breath.  The doctor noticed that her fontanel 'was tense and bulging'.  She was then rushed off to get a CT scan.  The scan showed that she had three separate brain bleeds...one that was dated back to pre-birth/birth trauma, one that was about a week old and one from that day.  That was the beginning to a very long hospital stay for us all.  She was transferred to the  PICU at Sutter Memorial Hospital in Sacramento.  After about a week she was strong enough to be taken off of the ventilator which was AMAZING!  Sofia was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy (CP) before she turned one year old.  She has had more surgeries than I can count on both hands in her short five years of life.  She has a shunt to treat her hydrocephalus (too much fluid on the brain), she has a GJ tube for feedings (she doesn't take anything by mouth), she is unable to walk, talk or move her legs independently. 

Sofia has taught me about love that I had no idea existed.  She is one of the most amazing individuals I have ever known and I know that she was given to us for a reason!  As much as our day to day life is not easy I wouldn't have it any other way.  We also have a three year old, Madison, and to see the way they interact is truly special.  I cannot wait to see how their relationship continues to develop over the years.  Sofia has taught our family so much without ever saying a word.  Sofia enjoys spending time with her family, being outside and music.  

One of my favorite stories to share about Sofia is that when she was first hospitalized her (now former) neurologist came into her room and told us all of the things she would never do...I know he listed of many things but the one thing that stuck with me was that he said she would probably never smile.  Now as strange as it might sound to hear, having him say she might not walk or talk really didn't effect me.  It was the fact that he said she wouldn't smile...you mean to tell me that our child will never feel joy and be able to express it through smiling?  Well, as you will see in these pictures that doctor was wrong!
It took about a year but she does in fact smile...not only does she smile she will full out laugh at times!  Many of the families that have specials needs children will say 'what do "they" know' because they have all heard different things from the doctors that their children weren't supposed to do...and they were also wrong.  Never say never, right?

{Dinner} Monday and Tuesday

I have made two really yummy dinners the past two nights.  Both of them are from the Trader Joe's Dinner's Done Cookbook.  It is available on Amazon.com and it is my favorite!  There are so many wonderful and easy recipes.  Since having my food allergies diagnosed it reduced the amount of recipes that I can make from the book...but there are still plenty I can make.  If you do not already have this book you should get it!  The chicken recipe is very flavorful.  I used boneless thighs and drumsticks to mix it up.  I had to cook the chicken in the pan a little longer than suggested as well.  The fish recipe below is SO good!  My favorite thing is that you can get any white fish you want, so if something is on sale you can get it...the relish you put over the top is what makes this dish delicious!

Chicken in White Wine Sauce

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs

1/4 tsp each salt and black pepper

1 tsp olive oil

1 (8-oz) pkg crimini mushrooms, sliced or 1 (10-oz) pkg Sliced Crimini Mushrooms

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup chicken broth

2 cloves garlic, crushed or 2 cubes frozen Crushed Garlic

2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary, plus extra for garnish

4 tbsp lemon juice or juice of 1 lemon

1 Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.  Heat oil in skillet over high heat and brown chicken for 1 minute on each side.  Remove chicken breasts and set aside.

2 In the same pan, sauté mushrooms for 2 minutes.  Add chicken back to pan.  Add wine, broth, garlic, rosemary and lemon juice.  Bring to a boil and allow alcohol to burn off for 2-3 minutes, stirring garlic into sauce.  Turn heat to low and cover pan with lid, allowing chicken to simmer for 8 minutes, or until cooked through.

3 Transfer chicken to plates.  To thicken sauce, reduce it by simmering with lid off for a few extra minutes or stir in 1 Tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 1 Tbsp water.  Remove rosemary sprigs and pour sauce over chicken.  Garnish with fresh rosemary if desired.

Serves 4

Mediterranean Baked Fish

1 lb (4 fillets) white fish such as cod, sole or snapper, thawed if frozen.  (I used tilapia)

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved or chopped Roma tomatoes

1/4 cup chopped Kalamata olives

1/2 small onion, chopped or 1/2 cup refrigerated Diced Onions

2 cloves garlic, crushed or 2 cubes frozen Crushed Garlic

2 Tbsp chopped parsley

2 Tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup white wine (I accidentally used 1/2 cup and it was fine...there was plenty of juice to pour over cooked fish)

1/2 tsp salt

1 Pre heat oven to 375

2 Place fish in a single layer on an 8X10-inch baking dish

3 In a bowl, mix tomatoes, olives, onions, garlic and parsley.  Spoon mixture evenly over fish

4 Whisk oil, wine and salt.  Pour evenly over entire dish.  It won't seem like enough liquid, but more juices will be released during cooking

5 Bake uncovered for 25 minutes or until fish flakes easily

Serves 4

A few {new} recipes

Tempeh Tacos

This was just a little something I whipped up for Mondays dinner.  It didn't come out of a cookbook...just out of my head!  What I did was take tempeh (from Trader Joe's in the section where you find the meatless foods in the cold case).  It is already cooked but I chopped it up into chunks and sautéed it until a little brown.  Then I added some Trader Joe's taco seasoning, a little tomato sauce and some chicken stock to moisten things up a bit.  Then I put the tempeh on lettuce wedges and topped with onion, tomato, guacamole and my homemade salsa.  These were delicious!  Fresh and crisp...and very filling!  

Macadamia-Crusted Mahi Mahi with Quinoa

This recipe is to of the TJ's Dinner's Done cookbook.  I have to be honest I am not sure if I have ever had Mahi Mahi...and I know I have never cooked it...and this was a super easy recipe for my first time! It turned out awesome...and I will definitely be cooking this one again!

Here's the recipe:

1 lb mahi mahi, fresh or frozen (thaw if frozen)

Pinch each salt and black pepper

1 Tbsp parsley, chopped finely

1 egg

1/2 cup macadamia nuts, chopped finely

1 Tbsp oil

1 Tbsp butter

1/2 cup refrigerated Fire Roasted Papaya and Mango Salsa

Extra parsley for garnish (optional)

1 Pat fish dry using paper towels.  Sprinkle salt and pepper on each fillet.  If using salted nuts, omit or adjust salt.  Rub parsley onto fillets.

2 Beat egg in a small bowl.  Place chopped nuts on a plate.  Dip each fillet into beaten egg then press both sides into nuts.

3 Place skillet over high heat and add oil and butter.  When hot, add fish and lower heat to medium-high, cooking each fillet about 2 minutes on each side, until fish is opaque and flakes easily.  Take care not to overcook, as magi magi becomes tough and rubbery when overcooked.  If fillets are very thick, preheat oven to 375 degrees and finish cooking fillets in oven until they are flakey.  (If you cook the fish on the stovetop for longer than indicated, the nut coating may burn).

4 Top each fillet with 2 Tbsp salsa and extra parsley

Serves 4

Miso Noodle Soup

I made this for lunch yesterday and it was really good...I actually ate the leftovers for lunch again today and it was just as good!  I use brown rice spaghetti and it worked nicely.  I am not a fan of brown rice spaghetti because it just becomes a clumpy, sticky mess...but for this recipe it is great.  The soup keeps the noodles a great consistency.  This recipe also comes from the TJ's Dinner's Done Cookbook...if you haven't bought it yet...BUY IT!  

Here's the recipe:

8 oz (1/2 package) spaghetti, udon or soba noodles

2 packets Instant Miso Soup

2 cloves garlic, crushed or 2 cubes frozen Crushed Garlic

1 cup shredded carrots

1 (3.5-oz) package fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced, or 1 (0.88-oz) bag Mixed Wild Mushroom medley, hydrated per instructions

1-2 green onions, sliced lengthwise into strips or chopped

1 boil noodles according to package instructions, omitting salt in the boiling water (the miso soup is already seasoned).  Drain, rinse and set aside.  (I took my pasta straight from the water to my bowl because I used brown rice pasta)

2 Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, empty contents of miso soup packets into 4 cups of water.  Add garlic and bring to a simmer.

3 Add carrots and mushrooms.  Simmer for a few minutes until mushrooms look tender and cooked.

4 Divide noodles between bowls, ladle soup over noodles, and top with green onions.  Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Enjoy!

What's for Dinner {Sunday}

Herbed Cirtus Shrimp with Quinoa and Goat Cheese (no cheese for me)

This might be my new favorite dish!  It is light, flavorful and pretty easy to make.  I hope you are enjoying all these recipes because I really enjoy sharing them with you!  Finding out that I had food allergies has turned out to be one of the best things that has happened to me.  I have been introduced to a whole new world!  At first I was pretty worried, to be honest, about what this new diet would be like.  I was focused on all the things that I couldn't have that I was missing out on everything that I CAN have.  I enjoy cooking and trying new things and am having a good time with it all!

This recipe is from the Cooking With Trader Joe's Cookbook- Dinner's Done

1 lemon

1 orange

1 lime

2 Tbsp olive oil, divided

1/4 tsp salt

2 Tbsp each chopped fresh mint and parsley, divided

1 lb large uncooked shrimp (peeled and tail off), thawed if frozen

1 cup quinoa

2 oz goat cheese, broken into small chunks or Crumbled Goat Cheese

2 Tbsp fresh basil, cut into ribbons

1 Zest orange, lemon and lime, and then juice each.  In a large bowl, whisk together citrus juices, 1 Tbsp olive oil, salt and 1 Tbsp each parsley and mint.  Reserve 2 Tbsp of this marinade for adding to finished dish.  Add shrimp to juice mixture and allow to marinate for 15 minutes.

2 Meanwhile, rinse quinoa and cook according to packaging instructions.

3 In a skillet over high heat, add 1 Tbsp olive oil.  Using a slotted spoon, remove shrimp from marinade and place in pan.  Discard used marinade.  Cook 1 minute per side, until shrimp is opaque and firm.  Do not overcook shrimp.

4 Toss shrimp with cooked quinoa and add remaining fresh mint and parsley.  Drizzle with reserved marinade.  and goat cheese and toss to combine.  Garnish with basil ribbons and sprinkle with citrus zest mixture.

Serves 4

What's for Dinner {Tuesday}

Lentil Haystacks

This recipe is from the Cooking With Trader Joe's Cookbook Dinner's Done.  I cannot tell you how AWESOME this cookbook is!  Unfortunately there are quite a few recipes I can no longer make due to my food allergies...but it is still a favorite for me.  You can get the cookbooks on Amazon and there are several different ones to chose from.  Keep in mind the way these recipes are written are with Trader Joe's products, so they know how TJ's packages their products etc...you can by all means buy the ingredients elsewhere just make sure the amounts are the same.

My favorite thing about this dish is you get to dress it up just the way you want it.  And if everyone wants different toppings that's ok too...to each their own.  Tonight I topped ours with tomato, lettuce, avocado, chunk chicken, persian cucumbers, lemon juice and EVOO...yum!

Here's the recipe:

1 (17.6-oz) package refrigerated Steamed Lentils

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped, or 1 1/2 cups refrigerated Diced Onions

1-2 cloves garlic, crushed, or 1-2 cubes frozen Crushed Garlic

1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth

1/2 cup marinara cause or tomato sauce (I use tomato sauce)

2 pouches frozen Organic Brown Rice, or 4 cups cooked brown rice

Juice of 1 lemon

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Suggested toppings:

Feta Cheese

Avocado Chunks

Greek Olives

Chopped Lettuce

Persian cucumbers

Salsa

1.  Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Saute' onion and garlic until onion is soft, about 5 minutes.  Prepare rice while onion is cooking.

2.  Add lentils, broth and marinara to skillet.  Cook until lentils are heated through and sauce is combined.

3.  Assemble haystacks by putting brown rice in bottom of each bowl.  Top with lentils and your choice of toppings.

4.  Sprinkle with lemon juice and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.

ps.  I am still full from eating at 5:30...enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Scones {yum}

Chocolate Chip Scones

This in one of my favorite new recipes.  One of the things that I am missing in the evening is a little dessert or snack once the kids have gone to bed.  Gil and I use to eat popcorn while watching TV and drink hot coco or apple cider...all of these things are now out due to my food allergies or at least until I find a substitute.  These scones are from my Gluten Free Almond Flour Cookbook and they definitely hit the spot...I usually have one with some strawberries.

Here's the recipe:

2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/3 cup grapeseed oil

1/4 cup agave nectar

2 large eggs

1 cup coarsely chopped dark chocolate 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

in a large bowl, combine almond flour, salt and baking soda.  in a medium bowl, whisk together grapeseed oil, agave nectar and eggs.  Stir wet ingredients into almond flour mixture until thoroughly combined, then fold in the chocolate.  Drop the batter, in scant 1/4 cups 2 inches apart, onto the prepared baking sheets.

Bake 12 to 17 minutes, until golden brown or a toothpick inserted into the center of a scone comes out clean.  Let the scones cool for 30 minutes on the baking sheets, then serve.

Here are my variations to this recipe...I have used chocolate chips and not chopped them up...I mean chocolate is chocolate, no matter how you chop it :)  I also put the batter in the refrigerator for about 45 minutes to an hour before I scoop it onto the baking sheet.  The first time I made these I thought I had chocolate chips (but Rosco had eaten them) so I put the batter in the fridge and went to the store to get some.  they baked really good and looked just like the ones in the above picture.  I made these last week and didn't put them in the refrigerator and they smoothed out and looked like big cookies...they tasted the same, but didn't have the look as my first batch.  This time I put the batter in the refrigerator and got the same look as the first batch.  Also I have gotten about 8 scones total, so I have only needed one baking sheet...maybe do one at a time so you don't waste the parchment paper.

Enjoy!

{Sides}

I haven't made anything different lately so that's why I have not posted the past few days.  I wanted to share a few sides that I did make over the weekend.  

Paleo Dirty Rice

This is so good!  It isn't actually rice...it is grated cauliflower with bell pepper, onion and spices (I will link the recipe).  I made this last week with shrimp and it was more a meal than a side.  It has amazing flavor and goes with everything!  It is even good cold :)  The most time consuming part is grating up the cauliflower...you can either use a box grater or a food processor...I have used the box grater because I am worried the food processor will make it mushy...little more work using the grater but I really like the end result.  I have to omit the celery but it definitely isn't lacking any flavor!

Link to recipe: www.elanaspantry.com/paleo-dirty-rice/

Roasted Asparagus

Honestly I have never had roasted asparagus...until now, we have either steamed or grilled it.  Roasting it is so easy and the flavor is AMAZING!  And it is so easy...just a little Olive Oil and sea salt...that's it!  I even ate some of the leftovers, cold, yesterday and it was super yummy!  

Link to recipe: http://www.elanaspantry.com/roasted-asparagus/

I hope you are trying some of these recipes out...they are so easy and so yummy!  

Enjoy!

Baking, baking and more baking!

Since I have started my new diet it is opening up lots of doors for me.  I am cooking more than I have before, using lots of fresh ingredients, shopping more frequently and baking more too!  I thought I would share some of my recent baked goods...

Yesterday I made Blueberry Muffins...and they turned out really good.  I didn't have a sifter so I am not sure how much of a difference that made...and the consistency of the muffins were different-but still good.  Gilbert ate 2 of them so to me that is a good sign!

Muffins baking away!

I was pretty proud of myself because I felt like the muffins were 'rising' pretty well...cooking with these different ingredients is taking some getting use to.

Finished product!  

Link to recipe: www.elanaspantry.com/blueberry-muffins/

I just made Breakfast bars for the second time and they are good!  The first time I didn't have an 8x8 pan so I think they cooked unevenly...but this time I used the right size pan and they are looking good!  

Here's what they look like before they are baked...

If you make these...just a little heads up...they seem like they have a ton of sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds, raisins and coconut- but once it is baked they don't at all!  They have GREAT flavor!  My first batch was really crumbly.  Not sure if it is because the pan size was wrong or if I hadn't let them cool long enough- none the less they were really good to snack on.  I put them in individual baggies so I could quickly grab them on the run!

And this is the finished product (fresh out of the oven)!

Yum yum yum!

Link to recipe: www.elanaspantry.com/breakfast-bars/

Enjoy!

What {was} for dinner last night

Stuffed Peppers 

 Last night we had Stuffed Peppers w/ Jasmine Rice and Carrot Fries

The picture above is pre bake of the peppers.  This dish is so yummy!  I made it last weekend too, but this time I did things a little different.  I put the turkey meat in the bowl and added the seasoning only...this way the meat was evenly seasoned (last week I felt like the meat was lacking flavor).  This time I also added a little bit of Garlic Salt and it really made a difference!  I made rice because the bell peppers get very juicy as they cook so it gave something to absorb all the yummy juices.  Yes...I made carrot fries...again!  But they are so darn easy and delicious I just couldn't resist myself!  

Link to Recipe: www.elanaspantry.com/stuffed-peppers/

Carrot French Fries

This picture is also pre bake...if you haven't tried these already...you should!  They taste nothing like a carrot and EVERYTHING like a sweet potato!  The thinner you slice them...the less carrot like they turn out!  Try them...you will like them, I know it!

Link to recipe: www.elanaspantry.com/carrot-french-fries/

What's for Dinner {Friday}

Herbed Turkey Loaf

Holy smokes this was REALLY good!  It is in one of my new cookbooks 'The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook' by Elana Amsterdam.  I will be honest I think it cooked a little weird because you don't use a loaf pan you form the loaf on a cookie sheet and because the turkey was juicy it was a little messy...next time I might try to cook it in muffin tins or a loaf pan.  Gilbert is really enjoying my cooking...he requested that I make this again tomorrow...but I already have plans to make stuffed bell peppers...so he will have to wait for the Turkey Loaf :)

Here's the recipe

1 pound ground turkey

1 tablespoon grapeseed oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 cup shredded zucchini

2 large eggs, whisked

1/4 cup ketchup

1/2 cup blanched almond flour

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

in a large bowl, combine the turkey, grapeseed oil, onion, garlic, zucchini, eggs and ketchup.  in a medium bowl, combine almond flour, salt, pepper, parsley and thyme.  Stir the almond flour mixture into the wet ingredients, then knead with your hands until well combined.  Form the mixture into a loaf approximately 10 inches long by 3 inches wide anyplace on prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 50-60 minutes, until browned around the edges and cooked through.  Remove loan from oven and allow to sit 5 to 10 minutes.  Slice and serve.

Enjoy!

Green Chili Turkey Burgers w/ Carrot Fries and Salad

This is what we had for dinner {Thursday} night.  The Carrot Fries are a hit...they are so yummy!  I am really happy to have found a substitute for sweet potato fries...that actually tastes like a sweet potato!  The burgers were really good!  I didn't put any condiments on it because I really wanted to taste the flavors.  The green chili gives it some kick!

Link to recipe: http://www.elanaspantry.com/green-chili-turkey-burgers/

Good night everyone!