29 August 2012

gluten free. dairy free. peach cobbler.

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It has officially been two weeks that I've gone without gluten. The verdict is I feel pretty good. I'm interested in seeing what the next two weeks shall bring. My energy seems to be up and my tummy is feeling somewhat normal. I have to say, I thought I would lose a bunch of weight by going gluten free, but I have a feeling that is not the case. Recently, I've been baking up a storm and trying out several new recipes. This gluten free dairy free (can be vegan if you want) peach cobbler turned out, surprisingly, well. Add a heaping spoon of vanilla coconut ice cream and you are good to go. I adapted my recipe from Karina's based on the ingredients I had in my pantry. If you get a chance make sure to check out her blog Gluten-Free Goddess. I can't wait to try more of her recipes.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease an 8x8-inch baking dish.

Ingredients:
About 4 cups of sliced ripe peaches (I didn't peel mine but should have)
2 tablespoons organic light brown sugar
2 teaspoons potato starch

Begin with the peaches:

Pour the sliced peaches into a pot and stir in the light brown sugar and potato starch till coated. Heat over medium heat until the peaches start to bubble a little around the edges. Turn the heat to low and cook for eight to ten minutes.

Meanwhile whisk together:

1 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
1/2 cup almond meal
1/2 cup potato starch
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1/2 cup organic cane sugar
1/2 teaspoon organic vanilla extract


Beat in:

6 tablespoons of light olive oil
1 egg
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk

Beat until just smooth. Not too sticky, but not too wet. Don't overbeat!
Spoon the hot peaches into the prepared baking dish.
Plop spoonfuls of the dough on top of the peaches.
Sprinkle with a little dusting of organic cane sugar.

Bake in the center of a preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until the juices are bubbling, and the biscuit topping is golden brown and baked through. Cool for five to ten minutes before serving.

Serve warm.
Makes four servings.

You can see the original recipe here.
Bon Appétit!

27 August 2012

making sunday special...

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In our home, Sundays are special. It is a day dedicated to family. Time that we set aside to nurture our relationships and grow together as one. We don't need television and there are no video games. On this particular Sunday the kids and I packed up a picnic (ok ok, we made a quick stop at Starbucks and loaded up on drinks and pastries) and headed out to watch Jon play soccer. We came home to work on the house, open our windows and pick up our toys. Jessica helped with laundry while the boys worked together to put together legos. We made up games with sidewalk chalk and balls. I think I was more excited than Jonas and Joshua. We ran in the front yard and played endless games of tag and walked across the street to try out our new toy boat.

And, as evening settled upon us we cooked up a feast. Together. Little neck clams, lobster and a fresh salad with local produce. Beets, tomatoes, roasted garlic, pickled red onions, hearts of palm and organic greens. Bedtime brought new books to start (Magic Tree House) and stories to tell. After our school cloths were laid out and teeth brushed little ones were tightly tucked into bed to rest the night away. Jon and I worked in the basement for a short period of time then headed up to enjoy a glass of wine and an episode (or two) of Breaking Bad.

Jon has been busy working away in the basement to make me a new work bench. He is so creative and handy! I love the work and dedication that he puts in for me and my hobbies. He truly is supportive of me on all my little adventures. I'm so excited to put away all my tools and get to work in my new "studio."

And, is anyone else watching Breaking Bad right now?? We can't get enough! We find ourselves wanting to watch just one more episode...every night.

25 August 2012

keeping busy.

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Happy Weekend Friends!

Our busy week went by so fast I feel that I need to sit and catch my breath for a moment. With the start of school brings the start of several other activities. We have soccer practices, cub scouts, board meetings and more. Plus, Jon and I have set a date for when we would like our house to be in order. There will still be plenty of projects on our hands, but we are hoping by September 23rd the kitchen will be done, pictures will be hung on the walls, the garage will be clean and the basement will be organized. Can you believe it's been four months since we moved?? Four months and I still haven't shared any pictures with you.

I have lots of home pictures lined up in the near future, some before and afters and a giveaway for next week. I'm also hoping to have Yellow Finch Designs jewelry up and running with my new pieces, so make sure to check back.



22 August 2012

a little bit of silly.

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Those first days of school tend to bring out the silly bug in these kids. To celebrate entering first grade and pre-kindergarten I took the boys to Benders for a quick dinner. We got to visit briefly with dad and share some stories from school. I must say, these little guys are awfully excited about school starting. I couldn't get anyone to sit still, hence our short dinner. But we managed to snap a few photos while we were downtown and enjoy some good food. Then it was home for our new bedtime routine. Baths, bedtime snacks, brush teeth and books. We finally finished our most recent Magic Tree House book and have moved on to another one. Then it's lights out and sleep. After our late night summer evenings it's been a bit tricky getting those lights out by 8:30, but I'd have to say we're doing pretty well.

21 August 2012

and a few more from kelley's island.

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