Thanksgiving Ideas 2013.

Hello, everyone! I just want to say that, yes, I am alive. Medical school does not leave me much time for anything, including the necessities like vacuuming, much less writing a blog post!

With the holidays around the corner (Thanksgiving! Christmas!), I wanted to share some links with you of some yummy things I've been eyeing. This Thanksgiving I'll be spending with my friend S and her hubby and family and friends. She's relatively new to GF and paleo-ish, so it's going to be a fun time in the kitchen making delicious food.

Thanksgiving Ideas 2013 --> just click the links below!

Start your day of food prepping and cooking with this bright and light smoothie, just be sure to add some protein so you don't crash later!

Every Thanksgiving table needs...  Cranberry sauce, roasted veggies of all kinds, cauliflower garlic mashed potatoes, squash fries, some form of sweet potatoes, corn bread, corn bread, (yes two kinds is perfectly acceptable!), brussel sprouts, and green bean casserole, if that's your thing. And what about a broccoli-bacon salad? Or a light and easy spinach salad?

The main event... Want to switch it up this year? How about smoked turkey?

Who loves muffins? My mom's favorite snack and side for nearly any fall/winter holiday is these grain-free pumpkin muffins. If pumpkin muffins aren't your thing, or you want something to more easily please many different taste buds (young and old)... try these crowd-pleasing grain-free cranberry orange muffins, chocolate chips are optional!

This is my favorite pumpkin bread... Pst, it's unsweetened! ;)

Is there anyone who wants egg-nog before Christmas?

Dessert options are many...

My inner New-Englander loves any kind of grain-free apple crisp; this version has a crunchy delicious topping!

And of course there's vanilla ice cream, because apple crisp and paleo pumpkin pie always must be served with ice cream.

Cake, because it just may be someones birthday on or around Thanksgiving.

And for those of you who always need some chocolate, how about some brownies ;)

Lastly... After the main event... make some delicious grain-free waffle sandwiches using all your leftover turkey and cranberry sauce!


I hope you all have a warm and safe Thanksgiving holiday! Enjoy the time with loved ones, and don't forget to crunch some leaves if you have them :)

Spicy Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

If you're like me, you absolutely hate putting any kind of food to waste.  Leftovers must be given away, eaten or frozen for later.  My experience working in food has only increased my desire to never let anything edible go to waste.  The word edible, however, means different things to different people.  Some think that items like refined sugar, vegetable oils, junk food, processed foods, frozen meals, soft drinks, juices and conventional milk are edible.  To me, they only come up on my radar as "edible food like substances," items that never should be considered fit for human consumption.  It is the fresh and nourishing foods should never be wasted.  And so it kills me to throw away any kind of perfectly good food.  Lots of things like banana peels, veggie ends, avocado pits and red pepper seeds can be easily shoved into the compost bucket, but I like to salvage everything I possibly can.  This can be problematic because I hate throwing away burned food or cookies too, yet sometimes it's definitely necessary ;)  Cookie crumbles can be saved for ice cream topping later right?

In the past I have always put my scooped out pumpkin seeds in the trash.  I knew it was possible to use them for something, but had never tried to bother with the annoying orange stringys and was a bit daunted by the whole process.  Turns out using pumpkin seeds is way easier than I had ever realized.  I threw these together one day in an experimentation moment (this tends to happen a lot) and discovered that roasting seeds isn't so scary after all!

I've made these spicy seeds for a couple of times now and each time they are delicious!  I've used sunflower seeds, squash seeds from a butternut squash, and also store-bought pumpkin seeds.  In fact, the photo is actually of roasted squash seeds!  They are all so similar and work very well.

Mmm, naturally sugar-free, spicy and crunchy = the perfect snack!

Spicy Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
    makes a delicious spicy snack for several people

    2 cups soaked fresh pumpkin seeds (from a pumpkin!)
    2 Tbsp Frank's Red Hot sauce
    2 Tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
    1 tsp sea salt
    1 tsp black pepper

To prep your pumpkin seeds:
    1.  Open up your pumpkin using any method that makes you most comfortable.  I wash mine thoroughly and then cut it in half with a very sharp santoku knife.
    2.  Then pull out the seeds gently with your fingers.  If you're careful, you can get a lot of the seeds out string-free with this method.  Inside the pumpkin the stringies should still be attached.  Place the seeds in a small bowl and try to pick out as many strings as you can.
    3.  Cover the seeds with some lukewarm water and about 1/2 tsp unrefined sea salt.  Soak overnight.  In the morning, drain the seeds (they will have sunk to the bottom and some left over strings will be on top) and separate any remaining stringies.

To make your spicy seeds:
    1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
    2.  In a small bowl, toss soaked seeds with hot sauce, olive oil, salt and pepper.  Mix with hands to combine.  The sauce should cover the seeds and there shouldn't be much excess hanging out on the bottom of the bowl. If there is excess, or if the sauce doesn't fully cover the seeds, just add equal portions of hot sauce and olive oil, or more seeds, until the seeds are fully coated but with not much excess in the bowl.
    3.  Spread out seeds onto a baking sheet and bake for 7 minutes.  Stir seeds.  Bake for 7 more minutes or until seeds have crisped but have not burned.  This can happen easily so DON'T leave the kitchen!  When done, let cool and store in a sealed air-tight container.

These were definitely a hit with my family for Christmas.  They would also work as a great gift idea during any time of the year.  Who doesn't love a spicy crunchy nourishing snack?  They're a perfect introduction into healthy, real food, WAPF, and Primal eating for those who aren't quite there yet.

Enjoy!!

Thanksgiving ideas including CORNBREAD!

I have been a fan of cornbread ever since I was a child. I really used to enjoy almost any decadent homemade recipe which were staples of either friends or family, however, I would not touch any sort of dry cornbread. Crumbles everywhere? No, thank you. No matter what anyone tells you, cornbread should never, EVER be dry. This recipe stomps all over those notions and is full of nutrient dense saturated fats from raw milk and grass-fed butter.

Now I am revisiting my favorite recipe just a few days before Thanksgiving. It's simply the greatest recipe. For the past few Thanksgiving holidays, I've been responsible for making the cornbread. My "family" and friends have been so happy to help themselves each year. It's a real treat when it comes piping hot from the oven :) I created the original recipe back in 2009, and I've never looked back since. It's too good! And that's one reason I try to make it ONLY once a year ;) Someday I hope to created an even better version nutritionally by soaking or sprouting the corn. Making it GAPS legal would be a feat too. For now, I don't have time to mess with perfection. Maybe next year. Even though it is not grain-free and does not use soaked/sprouted corn, I think that once a year I can make an exception, a very tasty exception.

Golden brown top :)

Unlike most cornbread recipes, this bread is so moist that you don't have to slather it in butter to make it palatable. Another great thing is that it gets even better as it ages. Sitting in the fridge for a week (be sure that for storage, you refrigerate after you bake) only makes the cornbread better! It warms up nicely in the oven as well. That is if you have leftovers, which I doubt it ;)

Moist and buttery inside :)

The Best Cornbread

    makes one 9x13

    1 cup  uncooked polenta - I used Bob's Red Mill

    1 cup  MASECA "Masa" Instant Corn Masa Flour or equivalent masa

    2 cups   stone ground cornmeal - I used Bob's Red Mill

    2 cups  raw whole milk

    1 cup  organic cane sugar

    4 tsp  baking powder

    1 tsp  baking soda

    1 tsp  sea salt

    4  real eggs

    2  sticks unsalted grass-fed butter, softened

    2  heaping cups fresh cut off corn off the cob or frozen corn*

To make your cornbread:

    1.  Mix polenta, masa, cornmeal, baking powder + soda, and salt in large bowl.

    2.  In a small bowl, cream sugar and butter until fluffy. Add egg one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat on high speed until fluffy.

    3.  Add 2 cups of milk to the bowl of dry ingredients. Stir with a spatula until well combined.

    4.  Gently fold in the butter mixture into the bowl of milk/cornmeal. Make sure to FOLD in (do not stir) until combined.

    5.  Lastly, fold in the cut corn. You can leave it out, but I would not suggest it with regards to both flavor and texture of the cornbread.*

    6.  Pour into a lightly greased 9 x 13 pan (use coconut oil, old butter wrappers or olive oil spray MISTO and bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes. You will know the cornbread is done when it springs back like a cake in the middle, a poker will come out clean, and the top is a lovely golden brown.

*The addition of fresh corn "off the cob" into the batter gives the bread a whole other dimension of both taste and flavor. If you don't have fresh corn, use frozen corn, but be sure to look for NON-GMO and organic so you do not consume any genetically modified corn.

Now I also want to share with you some other great Thanksgiving ideas that I've found my own archives and from fellow real food bloggers. Because Thanksgiving isn't ONLY about the cornbread ;)

Easy pre-festivities breakfast
     Two versions of pumpkin pancakes: Pumpkin Pancakes, Primal Pumpkin Pancakes
     Grain-free waffles
     Pumpkin Smoothie

Before dinner munchies
     Grain-free crackers
     Nourishing Protein bars
     Grain-free pumpkin bread or grain-free pumpkin muffins
     Raw veggies with some savory dip and also guacamole
     Deviled pastured eggs with real mayonnaise
     Spicy nuts

Beverages throughout the day
     Eggnog (with raw milk, pastured eggs, raw honey and NO HFCS!)
     Fermented apple cider
     Hot apple cider
     Hot chai cocoa 
     Coconut milk dark cocoa
     Raw milk

Making the perfect turkey
     Brining [pre-roast prep]
     Making chicken (turkey) stock [for basting]
     Where to buy the perfect turkey (if you don't have a local farmer as a source)

And if you're feeling adventurous... TURDUCKEN! 
Check out this funny commentary:
     Turducken

Sides
     Roasted Brussel Sprouts with special additions
     Cranberry Sauce or Cranberry-Onion Compote
     Faux Potatoes
     Traditional Mashed Potatoes a little bit different
     Roasted Sweet Potatoes
     Vanilla Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Dessert
     Primal Pumpkin pie
     Maple Walnut pie
     Grain-free Crunchy Apple Cobbler
     Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream
     Homemade French Vanilla Ice Cream
     Homemade peanut butter cups
     Pumpkin swirled brownies
     Fresh whipped cream

Enjoy these Thanksgiving recipes! (Still looking for more ideas? Take a look at my recipe roundup from last Thanksgiving!) And remember everyone, this is not your typical dry cornbread. This bread is moist, decadent and lovely. Eat up! And of course, be sure to share some with your favorite people. I promise it will disappear as fast as mine!

Remember that our abundance ultimately comes from the Lord!

Isaiah 55:1-3 (NKJV)
¹ “Ho! Everyone who thirsts,
      Come to the waters;
      And you who have no money,
      Come, buy and eat.
      Yes, come, buy wine and milk
      Without money and without price.
² Why do you spend money for what is not bread,
      And your wages for what does not satisfy?
      Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,
      And let your soul delight itself in abundance. 
³ Incline your ear, and come to Me.
      Hear, and your soul shall live;
      And I will make an everlasting covenant with you—
      The sure mercies of David.


HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Grain-free Pumpkin Lasagne And An Update

It's been a while since I posted. I am back at school and am busy.

Here's a lightening fast update:

1. I live in an apartment now, not a dorm and that means I CAN COOK my own meals!

2. This vegetable lasagne was one of my latest. It features layers of spinach, cabbage, onion, pumpkin, ricotta cheese, mozarella cheese, organic ground beef and fresh italian herbs.

"Lasagne" - Primal/grain-free, gluten-free, soy-free, full of cheese and veggies and meat, complete with one side "ketchuped"

Here's a mini view of the kitchen - notice the saurkraut fermenting in the background!

3. The recipe is coming!

I miss blogging, but don't worry I am still here!
More frequent posts are hopefully in the near future :) Currently I am swimming in microbiology, genetics and several other fun classes.

❤ ♡ ❤ ♡ ❤ ♡

Thanksgiving Recipes

The BEST Cornbread

If it's your first gluten free Thanksgiving, you are probably struggling with knowing what you can eat, how to prepare it, and what is even going to taste good. Throwing other allergies into the mix, like soy and dairy, makes finding nourishing real food options even harder. Fortunately, with the right ideas, recipes and ingredients, Thanksgiving can be just as much as enjoyable as before.

Last Thanksgiving, the snack spread
where I spent Thanksgiving.

It doesn't matter if you follow a gluten free diet or just eat real food, these recipes are delicious and will certainly make your kitchen the most favorite spot of the house. Some of these are classics, and some are a spin on the original. Don't be overwhelmed this Thanksgiving. I encourage you to pick up a recipe and bake some good, wholesome, real food, with no odd ingredients. Real butter, cheese, meat, eggs, fruits, veggies. Enjoy food the way it was meant to be eaten, with family, friends and made with love from nourishing ingredients.

Photo credit: Tasteto.com
Gobble, Goooble.

All of these recipes would make great additions to your Thanksgiving meal.

Gluten free Cinnamon Scones

Thanksgiving breakfast:
Cinnamon Scones
Grain free Pumpkin pancakes
Goat cheese and zucchini frittata

Guacamole

Pre-meal snacks:
Apples and Caramel Dip
Pumpkin and Feta Muffins
Nourishing Protein bars
Organic Basil Grain free crackers
Veggies to dip in - Basic Guacamole

Beverages:
Hot Apple Cider
good ole H2O

Photo Credit: Annie's Eats
Turkey Turkey Turkey...

Main event: Turkey

Photo credit: Simply Recipes
Brussel sprouts

Sides:
Almost Grain-free Crusty Gluten free bread
Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Chestnuts
Butternut Squash Gratin
Garlic mashed potatoes
Gluten free, grain free coconut flour bread - use this to make stuffing
The Best Cornbread - my most favorite recipe
Tossed green salad with Basic dressing
Root vegetables
Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Sweet Potatoes with parsnips and pecans
Sweet Potatoes with macademia nuts

French Vanilla Ice cream

Dessert:
Homemade French Vanilla Ice Cream
Pumpkin Cake Bars with Cinnamon Icing
Spiced Coconut Macaroons
Apple Crisp


What are you thankful for?
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Colossians 3:15
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

Powerful Protein

Photo Credit - Parade.com

If you are like me, you can't eat a meal without having some sort of protein. Protein is necessary but often under emphasized part of our diets. While too much protein is not beneficial and ultimately will turn to fat like an excess of any basic nutrient, we need an adequate amount of protein each day to sustain our bodies. Some people require more protein than others, and I am definitely one of those people. My typical meal is a protein and vegetables, or a protein on a salad. Fats always accompany the meal as well, so I absorb the most nutrients as possible. One thing that you will never see on this blog is a meal or dish without a sufficient amount of protein. Surprisingly, all these rich animal foods-- the eggs, full fat raw dairy, cheeses, real meat, and real butter, are all the foods the "diet dictocrats" tell us to avoid. Thankfully, we real foodies know better. Our bodies crave these extremely nutritious foods!

Photo Credit - Caviarmore.com

With fall around the corner, (or is it already here?) I find myself turning to richer, warm dishes which sound more appealing than simple summer salads. Recipes like oven roasted chicken, pot roast, baked eggs and hearty soups or stews. And of course, do not forget nourishing baked goods-- think stewed apples, fruit crisps and coconut flour based cakes. Also, there is "to die for" vegetable dishes like roasted brussel sprouts, mashed sweet potatoes with cinnamon, browned carrots and butter, and sauteed onions and cabbage. I encourage you to embrace the change of seasons. With the summer fruits going out of season, welcome the fall and winter vegetables into your meals instead.

Three Bean Chili with raw milk parmesan

Need some ideas? Here's a collection of some of my most favorite recipes out there. Maybe you will find a new favorite.

Bacon Wrapped Chicken

Goat Cheese, Red pepper, Zucchini Frittata

Photo Credit: Nourished Kitchen
Creamy Spiced Butternut Squash

Raw Milk French Vanilla Ice Cream with Maple Syrup

Red Vegetable Soup with Roasted Chicken

Banana Cake

Beef "Pot Roast"

Photo credit: Simply Recipes
Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Photo Credit: Real Food Digest
Three Ingredient Quiche with Veggies

Photo Credit: Smitten Kitchen
Sauteed Apples with Butter and Cinnamon

I love the foods of fall. Savory ever bite! (And of course I can't wait until I am home so I can have real homecooked meals!)

Is there any particular fall food that you especially miss since going gluten free, grain free, off dairy or finding out about food sensitivities?

Ps - I am thick in the throws of studying and tests (especially Physics!) Pray that God would give me His strength and peace, so that I might glorify Him through my efforts (and hopefully get an A!)

Pps - Happy November!!

Two Delicious Dinners Out

This post is about a week late, but school was different this week. We had conferences with special speakers Wednesday through Friday, and classes were cancelled. Now I have so much to do! Going to the conferences takes up way more time then classes do.

Chang's Spicy Chicken with Broccoli, gluten and soy free.

As a college student, sometimes you forget about the simple things in life. Especially what it feels like to do nothing on a Saturday night except spend time with family and friends and occasionally go out for dinner. Well, my former roommate's mom was in town visiting (yay!) so we went out for dinner. She treated us, which was way too nice of her. I really appreciated it. And I loved my food! I have heard so many great things about PF Changs but have never tried it. I ordered off the gluten free menu and they easily made my dish soy free as well! Thank you PF Changs. I will definitely be by again soon.

Flourless chocolate dome with fresh berries and raspeberry sauce.

Also at PF Changs, they have this amazing gluten free flourless chocolate "dome" dessert. Her mom was so generous really wanted to get a dessert for me. In the end, we decided we would share, but she was so nice and really gave most of it to me. It was soo good, and I certainly didn't mind. I could have licked the plate!

Huge chocolate flourless brownie with pecans,
real vanilla ice cream, fresh whipped cream,
homemade real chocolate sauce and fancy chocolate shavings.

Then, the next Monday, I was treated out for dinner again with my "Aunt" who lives about 45 minutes to an hour away from me at school. I borrowed a friends car and we met in the middle at Outback's. Outback's has become a bit of a restaurant staple in my life, since they have an amazing gluten free menu and are very kind and knowledgeable about the diet. I have heard so much about the flourless gluten free chocolate dessert, The Thunder Down Under, and so we both decided to split it (perfect since we are both huge chocolate lovers!) The dessert was HUGE and perfect for splitting, or thirding, or fourthing! We were having such a good time talking that I forgot to take a picture of my steak, sweet potato and veggies. It was so good I couldn' finish it all. But demolish the dessert we did :)


I am not really used to being able to get dessert in a restaraunt! But since going gluten free I've been forced (but quite happy) to do research and I've found some great options! Do you have a specific dish or dessert at restaurant you really like, or want to try but haven't yet?

Orange Vegetable Soup with Chicken

Oh my goodness! Remember my Red Vegetable soup? Well, this is a similar version of that but with some fall flair and flavor. I used pumpkin!! I am so glad that pumpkin is now on the shelves, since I have been known to eat it out of a can for dinner. But when I make something like this, I don't have to do that. The symphony of vegetables and fall spices (cinnamon) really comes together in this soup. It is so filling and nourishing, but surprisingly light on calories.

Real food soup. Real foodies rejoice!

Both soups look orange, so don't be confused even though I named one soup 'red' and another 'orange.'

Orange Vegetable Soup

1 bag organic baby carrots or half bag large carrots

2 small golden sweet potatoes or yams

2 large red peppers

1 - 29 oz can Libby's pumpkin

4 cups chicken stock (I used Pacific brand)

1 - 10 oz can of dark/white chicken

kelp flakes

cinnamon

black pepper

garlic powder

Yes it's that easy.

To make your soup:

1) Throw all the veggies, minus the pumpkin, with the chicken stock into your favorite crock-pot. Simmer on high until vegetables are soft. Puree with hand blender.

2) Add in pumpkin and spices, blend again.

3) Add chicken and stir.

4) Simmer until all warm and bubbly and you're ready to eat!

5) Serve piping hot with some real grassfed butter on top and enjoy.

Of course, if you have either real homemade chicken stock, roasted chicken and real pumpkin, then go ahead and use that. Being at college I have to use what I can, and sometimes canned is a good option! If you can eat wheat, why not serve in a homemade sourdough bread bowl or with some toasted cinnamon pita chips? This soup is a good option for dipping! In the past I made roast chicken, and dipped the chicken meat into the soup before putting it in my mouth. So delicious!

Color contrasts of fall!

Lastly, a word of caution. If you have a plastic hand blender please exercise common sense. I actually ended up melting my hand blenders puree attachment a bit by not being particularly careful about watching out for the sides and bottoms of the crockpot which are scalding hot! In other words, don't be like me and melt your kitchen appliances. The thing is still useable though, thankfully, and I won't have to repurchase one. And also, (more embarassment) I also scratched the bottom of my crock-pot. Poor Cleo now has some battle scars, and from his very first soup!

We all need a good nourishing fall soup. Try it out and let me know what you think!

Grain-free, dairy-free Banana Cake III.

By now you have probably figured out that I love any baked good that has to do with bananas. That's obvious here, where I made some great banana cake with almond flour, and here, where I made a different version of it instead with soaked oats and coconut flour. Both recipes are very good. I also seem to be obsessed with brownies, but that is another story. Can you handle another version?

I think so.

You can see cinnamon specks!

I've been wanting to make a version of banana cake like this for a long time. Grain free and no dairy, but not lacking in flavor. Some of you readers can't eat any dairy, or live a Primal/Paleo lifestyle. You should be able to enjoy banana cake too. In my own life also, I have discovered that grains really aren't necessary in the human diet. I feel better without them. Believe me, you certainly won't miss them in this recipe!

Banana Cake III (three?!)

1 1/4 - 1 1/2 cup ripe ripe bananas (I used one normal/large banana and two small)

6 large real eggs

1/4 cup raw honey

1/4 cup coconut oil (I did not melt mine since it was soft, but not liquid)

1/2 cup coconut flour (I did not sift, mine was closer to packed)

1 Tbsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

To make your banana cake:

1. In a small bowl, puree bananas, coconut oil, raw honey, cinnamon and salt, together with a hand blender.

2. Last, add the baking powder and coconut oil, switch the attachment to the whisk and blend together. The batter should come together nicely, hold it's shape, but still be fluid and not stiff.

3. Grease your favorite 8x8 pan with a small bit of coconut oil.

4. Pour in the batter and smooth out the top.

5. Place immediately into a preheated 350 degree oven (I confess I am not sure if my school's oven is convection or regular), and bake for about 30-40 minutes, until golden and springy when touched.

6. Let cool before slicing and eating. For refridgerator storage, cut into squares and wrap individually with plastic wrap and store in a large plastic baggie.

Look at that texture!

I confess that I ate probably a 1/4 cup of the batter raw before the oven. It was too good! When I tried it straight out of the oven though, I wasn't quite a fan. Something was missing. But I decided to let it "age" a little bit (think the fridge overnight) and then see how it tasted. Some things are better a few hours later. After it had some time to rest and chill out, I really like the results. It is definitely cakey! That's a hard texture to acquire in gluten free baking. It also holds together very well and is not crumbly. You can really taste the banana and the cinnamon. For those of you who are averse to coconut, do not worry, this cake does not have a strong coconut flavor. In the end, I recommend letting this cool or eating it the next day for the maximum flavor and "enjoyableness." It made a scrumptious breakfast for several weeks :)

*This version is inspired by these recipes: Original Banana cake, Banana cake II, and Coconut Flour Orange cake @ Nourishing Days.

Try it out and let me know what you think! But try not to eat half the pan yourself. Believe me, I was tempted and I have good self control.

Crock-pot Chronicles

So last week when I told you about my crockpot coming in the mail? I never got to mention later that it actually came broken! I couldn't believe it! It is honestly not that hard to package something and ship it so it doesn't break; but because of poor packaging that is exactly what happened. Thankfully, Amazon has great policies, so I was able to send it back and get a replacement.


The replacement came not broken and beautiful (and quick, thanks Amazon)!

I took him on his "maiden voyage" last saturday by making some stewed apples. I haven't decided on a name for him yet and I'm open to suggestions! Here's the basic recipe:

Stewed apples

6 apples, ones that will hold their shape when baked, I used 4- gala and 1-granny smith

1/2 cup water

3 good dashes cinnamon

1 dash sea salt

walnuts

raisins

2 Tbsp butter

Instructions: Cook these on high for 2.5 hours, then stir in 2 Tbsp real grassfed butter, 1 large handful maple sugared walnuts and raisins at the end. Let cool and then store in the fridge. I ate the rest for snacks and leftovers over the course of the week! The apple-y liquid on the bottom tasted like apple cider. It was delicious! I suggest using less water next time, or before storing your finished product drain off the liquid and eat it like hot cider in a mug, while putting the apple portions back to the fridge.

I have some sweet potatoes that I might make into a stew this weekend. I'm just itching to make some soup! I love fall.

October and Cupcakes

It's October already? The beginning of October always finds me with mixed emotions. In one way I am happy because October means that fall is officially here, and in another way I feel sad because my favorite month is September! Why? Because it is the start of new things, like school, new seasons (I love fall), seeing friends again and hopefully ending the summer well... and of course, my birthday!

It's been along time since my initial birthday post and I owe everyone an update on what happened on my birthday. And here it is, as promised!

Basically I have never really been surprised on my birthday, so for a year or so I've been talking about that with my friends hoping that I would get surprised in some way on some day eventually. I enjoy surprises when I have no idea what is going on and when the surprise is good. It's generally hard to surprise me though because I figure out things quick.

On the day of, after our first two morning classes, my friend N said, "Meagan, let's get lunch to go from the cafe because we are having a picnic."

This came as complete surprise for me, and I continued to wonder in my head what they were plotting. So N and I and my our friend E too, got our lunches and walked out a secluded "secrete" spot on campus that people generally don't know about. It is grassy and has a rope swing! They had to stop by their dorms to "get something" so I waited for a few minutes and then we walked to the spot. We put out a blanket and started eating our lunches. They gave me a birthday pin, and we ate with party pink and white polka dotted plates and napkins! They know me so well. The main event was when they pulled out a gluten-free Sprinkles cupcake, whipped out a candle and sang to me.

Sprinkles cupcake, gluten free :)

SPRINKLES! These cupcakes are so good. They are made by a bakery that has a couple different locations now. They use all natural, premium, or organic ingredients in their cupcakes; nothing artificial. About six months or so ago they debuted their first gluten free cupcake, which I was so happy about since now I can get a cupcake with my friends when they go, whereas before I couldn't participate in the cupcake goodness.

A few more of my friends joined us at the picnic and we hung out for a little bit. After we left, I went off to do some homework, talk to my parents, and get ready for class. It was a long night. Wednesdays are my worst day with two early morning classes and then two later night classes (the last one being a long lab). I go from before 8:30 in the morning to over 9:00 at night with classes with a 3-4 hour break in between, but no break between night classes for dinner.

After lab, I was soo done. I hadn't eaten dinner, I just wanted to go back to my room, find food and do nothing! N walked with me to get some hot tea from Common Grounds, the on campus coffee shop, and we walked down to lower campus to our dorms. N came up to my room with me, I can't really remember why, but when I opened the door, I saw streamers! I thought, "Oh this is nice, they decorated my room when I was gone" but before I knew it people were jumping out of the darkness and blowing party things in my face and shouting "Happy Birthday!" I was surprised!! But I must admit not 100% surprised, since N was texting the whole time we were walking to my dorm and I knew there was chance something could be up.

When I walked into my room there were pink streamers everywhere, with pink and white balloons scattered about on my bed, the floor, the walls. They made me a poster with pictures of us all, gave a photo album so I can put in more pictures of our fun times and also a photo frame with personal notes from each of them. I was so touched! They did so much to make it special. After they presented me all those things, they pulled out another Sprinkles cupcake. They bought me two!! I put in the fridge for later :)

We all sat in my room talking for the next couple of hours. Soon I was tired, and hungry so we said good-bye and I ate and went to bed. It was a very different birthday than anything that I've every had. But it was definitely one of the best.

ALSO, Looking to make some of your own cupcake goodness? Try some of these cake recipes, spoon them into muffin tins and make some cupcakes! Some of these are standard gluten free cake, while other use real food and are grain free, sugar free or dairy free. Check them out:

Upside-down Blueberry cake - Already in mini size!
Banana Cake, original - My famous banana cake.
Carrot-cake bread - A delicious healthy college creation.
Coconut flour Orange cake - I've been wanting to try this for a long time!
German Chocolate cake - I made this delicious thing this summer!
Red, White and Blue cupcakes - (but no food coloring!)
Vanilla Bean cake - With a secrete ingredient you'd never guess!
Double Vanilla cupcakes - Be sure to edit to make gluten free
Coconut cupcakes - A perfect combination!