What the Heck is Quinoatmeal and Things that Make Me Smile!

Much to my chagrin it's still cold and I'm still mostly in the mood for warm breakfasts. You? I used to love oatmeal on cold mornings. I enjoyed the sweet start and the warming yumminess. When we went completely gluten-free that meant oats got kicked to the curb too. Yes, there are "gluten-free oats" and some gluten-free'rs opt for keeping oats in their diet, however oat (even gluten-free) proteins are still really hard for many people to digest. If you've gone gluten-free, but still consume oats and are still experiencing uncomfortable symptoms, try eliminating them completely. I really wanted a good oatmeal substitute and for me, quinoa does the trick! I call it quinoatmeal, I love this breakfast. It meets the sweet, warm, yummy and filling criteria required. Try it!

Ummmmm.....I was a little hungry and got excited before remembering to click a pic...here's what was left.

Quinoatmeal
Quinoa flakes (follow box instructions), can buy at Whole Foods, Vitacost, most "health food" stores.
Almond milk
Blueberries
1/2 scoop protein powder (I used a vegan vanilla)
Cinnamon
Top with hazelnuts

I'm feeling a little overly excited for spring and feel a STRONG need to be surrounded by all things colorful. This fun little $10 project makes me grin every time I see it (bought cheap vases at the dollar store and painted them funky colors). This makes me happy.

And so does this, my silly baby girl and all her hair (like mama like baby, her Nana thought it was funny too)....



Finding Joy in Plagiarism and Blintz Bliss!

What a great Friday it's been! Here's what a perfect Friday for me looks like...

Started the day with this....

I am finding GREAT joy in something I've never tried before - plagiarism (over a cup of tea)! A wise and inspiring friend was telling me over breakfast how profoundly she was being moved and improved by writing out the words of scripture, specifically the book of James. She explained how she'd tried everything to memorize scripture with little success, until now. I could feel excitement rising up in me over the thought of trying it myself. I cannot tell you how powerful it has been for me too. I'm hooked! I'm finding myself looking forward to any quiet moment to jot down a few more words. Feeling really thankful for the encouragement to try it and now encourage you - if you've never tried it, you will be changed!

Then did this....

Deceivingly hard and wonderfully addictive. I LOVE this workout!

After a workout, it was still early and I felt the urge to serve my crew something new for Friday breakfast, so I LITERALLY threw this together (excuse estimate amounts, you'll have to play with it). Protein Blintz's, oooohhhhhh, so yummy (and another cup of tea).

Put in the blender:
A heaping scoop of protein powder
About a cup of almond flour
1 egg
About a tablespoon vanilla
Two full squirts vanilla stevia
A bunch of cinnamon
Enough almond milk to make a thin batter.

Poured a small amount into a skillet, cooked, flipped and served with a scoop of Greek yogurt, scoop of cottage cheese, and a little bit of strawberry jam.

Did a little shopping with the kiddos to buy some craft stuff for the week and a new food processor (sad story!!), then came home hungry and had a little snack. Fresh, yummy, happiness....

Roasted (no oil) brussel sprouts, tomatoes and asparagus with a generous amount of nutritional yeast, hot sauce, sea salt and pepper. Drool.

What a fantastic Friday!! Tell me what a fab Friday you enjoyed!

Breakfast Baby!

Hello!! I'm back. Took a little hiatus from writing during the holidays, but glad to be back here with you!

Breakfast. It's my favorite meal. I love breakfast (often for dinner)! We all know that breakfast is "the most important meal of the day," but maybe we don't all know why (other than our grandma's said so). I recently ended a 5-day fasting cleanse that caused me to think of fasting in a whole new way and caused me to appreciate the idea of breakfast infinitely more. (By the way, the fasting cleanse was an amazing experience on many levels. One that I would recommend!) In literal terms, we refer to it as breakfast, because we are "breaking" the nighttime fast that occurs when we sleep. The period of time when we sleep allows the body time to digest and process all the food we've taken in during our waking hours. While all of our functions are at rest, the body can use that energy to work on properly moving our food through our bodies. It's a miraculous idea when you really consider it and just another testament to how intentionally our bodies were created. I could spend hours talking about that, I won't. So, why then is breaking the fast so important? Because when we wake our blood sugars have dropped and the fires of our metabolisms needs to be kindled with food. Skipping breakfast in an attempt to lose weight is not a good plan. You're more likely to eat something high in sugar and too much food because you've allowed yourself to become too hungry and the body is looking for a rapid blood sugar hit. Don't skip it! Eat a good breakfast and enjoy it! In my next few posts I'm going to be talking about some of my current favorite breakfasts, give them a try and let me know what you think!

Quinoa Breakfast Scramble

I simply adore this breakfast. It's easy, fast, super satisfying, well balanced and, of course, gluten-free.

In a pan I combine about 1/4 cup precooked quinoa, one Applegate Farms Chicken and Maple sausage, one egg, and soft scramble. Sprinkle with a tiny bit of cheese, salt and pepper, and serve on a big bed of arugula. Half a slice of gluten-free toast with a little smear of almond butter, cup of Yerba Mate tea and I'm smiling. Love!

Banana "Pancakes" and More Pinterest Lovin'

I mentioned that my Pinterest pins far out number my Pinterest creations. I am determined to change that (and get my dining room back - it's mysteriously turned into a Pinterest holding cell). Here is my latest creation - the ornament wreath. I am really happy with how it turned out, it's a little mesmerizing to be honest, so sparkly. A word of caution to anyone tempted to make one - it uses a LOT of ornaments, I couldn't believe how many. In hindsight, I'd wait to make it after Christmas when ornaments are on clearance and bust this beauty out next year!

I have been a little hooked on these gluten-free, grain-free "pancakes" and thought you might enjoy them too. SUPER easy, and really satisfying. Top with fresh berries, yogurt, a little honey, or whatever your little heart desires! Enjoy!

Banana "Pancakes" (for one serving)


3 eggs (not egg whites, you WANT the yolk, don't let the egg white craze fool you!)
1 ripe banana
2 tbsp chopped pecans (I like to roast them in the oven for a few minutes to make them flavorful and crunchy)

In a bowl mash the banana until smooth, add eggs and beat together. Add pecans. Pour "batter" into a small skillet. Cook one side until the edges hold together, flip and cook other side.

Recipe Conversion Challenge - Bring it Baby....

It's almost a New Year. I love New Year's. There is something spiritual about it for me. It's very symbolic of the new mercies every morning idea. A wonderful, fresh beginning. While I'm not a big fan of New Year's resolutions, I do like the idea of New Year's restorations. What in your life do you hope to see restored in the New Year? One HUGE area of restoration in my family will continue to be the quest for radiant digestive wellness for my husband. After much prayer, we have decided that our goal for him this year is to be medication free and thriving. After nearly losing him last year to the ravages of Crohn's Disease it's an exercise in both trust and faith that the Lord is bigger than this disease and that He has led us to a doctor (ND), nutritional therapies, and diet that WILL heal my husband. I can't wait to give praise this year as we journey together! I desire increased health for you in the coming year too. I am learning more and more about how much the right kinds of food, vitamins, and minerals can literally work miracles in the body. Give the body what it needs and it will do amazing things!! I will share more about that in the months to come as well. However, for now I'm inviting you to make small changes to your diet to improve your health. Send me your favorite recipe, dish, food, etc. that you want to enjoy in a healthier version. I will work on them and post the recipe conversions on New Years day (submit as many as you like). Come on I dare ya - bring it!

"Cheesy" Chicken and Rice So Good it Will Make Your Cheese Cry!

Are you addicted to Pinterest? Ummmm....hello, talk about daily inspiration! It's like inspiration overload! I was getting so hooked, I had to regulate myself with a few self-imposed Pinterest rules. Rule #1 - you may not pin indefinitely. There must be actual creation in conjunction with pinning. I decided that until I'd created, implemented, cooked, tied, smeared, dipped, glittered, mod-podged, or worn at least one item from each of my boards, I would take a pinning hiatus. Yep, that motivated me to get moving! I choose this little cutie from my "holiday decorating" board. This cute, easy, inexpensive Lima bean wreath took me two hours and ten dollars. Incidentally, I also discovered why in the world God made Lima beans. Turns out they're for wreaths, ahhhh, no wonder (never been a Lima-lover! Gag.)

OK, on to cheese, well sort of. Tonight's recipe will be photo-less, because it was inhaled before I could snap a shot (always a good sign!). This "cheese" recipe is flat delish and even the pickiest cheese sauce lover would be hard pressed to detect that there is not a lick of cheese or dairy in it. So good it will make your real cheese cry! I use it for a lot of different recipes, pour it over chips for nachos, thin it out for broccoli cheese soup, pour it over enchiladas, and more.

Cheesy Chicken and Rice

"Cheese" Sauce  (adapted from Vitamix)

1/3 cup raw cashews

1 cup unsweetened almond milk (whatever non-dairy milk you prefer)

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp arrowroot powder

3 tbsp nutritional yeast

2 tsp lemon juice

3/4 tsp salt

Blend VERY well in Vitamix (or good blender) until completely smooth. Pour into a sauce pan over low/medium heat. Whisk constantly to desired thickness (it will be really runny and then all of a sudden get thick, don't stress). For this recipe, once thick and smooth, add 1/4 cup (or more if you like) sun dried tomatoes and stir into sauce.

Combine brown rice, chopped chicken, steamed broccoli, and sun dried tomato cheese sauce together and serve. Enjoy!

Nearly Sugar-free Peanut Butter Cups in Minutes!

There is one word in my vocabulary that evokes more conflicting emotions than I can number - chocolate. The love-hate relationship I have with chocolate has a plot thick enough to cast an impressive romantic drama. I really do love chocolate, I legitimately enjoy it. I often crave it. I sometimes indulge in it. However, it can also be a huge source of struggle for me. It is, without a doubt, the number one trigger that can lead me to a dangerous place. When you identify that you have an eating disorder, like any addiction, the most effective way to guard yourself from spiraling into an ugly (and sinful) place, it to avoid the source of addiction all together. I have learned about myself that I simply can't handle chocolate. In a few, well structured situations (mostly where there is a limited supply and I'm not alone) I can handle the indulgence. However, I have learned that I am setting myself up for failure if I have it in my house. That said, sometimes you just REALLY want something chocolaty right? Me too, so I've come up with a healthier, safer option that allows me the enjoyment without the risk. These are insanely easy to make and really, really good. I hope you enjoy them!

Nearly Sugar-free Peanut Butter Cups (adapted from a million places, renditions of this recipe are plentiful)

Here's the problem, I always sort of wing this recipe, so quantities will vary from batch to batch. If you desire more (or less) sweetness, adjust the amount of sweetener to your liking!

About 1/4 c coconut oil
About 1/2 c almond or natural peanut butter
About 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably raw cocoa)
About 2 tbsp honey (here's the almost sugar-free part, a little sugar in the honey)
About 2 1/2 - 3 squirts Vanilla Stevia
About 1 tbsp vanilla
(if you want add 2 tbsp real dark chocolate - this will add a little sugar)

*I've played around with flavors too, and would encourage experimentation. I've used orange extract, mint, added instant coffee, coconut extract - all yummy!

Melt all together in a saucepan on low heat until smooth and to taste. Pour into aluminum muffin pan liners. Freeze for as little as 10 minutes or keep in freezer for weeks.