Good Food

Guess what? It is 11 AM and Natalie is asleep. She has been sleeping for an hour and a half and she is STILL asleep. We normally just get 40 minute naps around here. It is so crazy I *almost* don't know what to do with myself. Almost.

First I made some yummy snickerdoodle cookies. See the recipe here. I thought I would only get through part of the process, but nope. Here I am!

Oh wait. Here's a tip. Don't blog about how your baby is still asleep because then she will wake up. Oh well. We got an hour and a half!

Anyway, I wanted to blog about some of my kitchen experiments! I'm trying to be healthy and all and still enjoy dessert so here's the latest. Sorry my pictures aren't that great but oh well.

Yesterday I made some fudge! I adapted it from Katie's recipe. I used coconut butter, banana, 1 TB chocolate chips, a little rice milk, cinnamon, salt, and a little agave. I would like to try a version without banana because it was VERY banana-y. But good! And fudgey. Very fudgey.

I made a green smoothie this morning! Yeah. Sorry for the picture. Maybe I should have omitted? Anyway, I had mangos and pineapples and so I googled for a green smoothie with those ingredients and found this recipe. I had all the ingredients so I gave it a shot. And it was YUMMY! I used to buy these creamy mango Popsicles from our local mexican store and I loved them. This tasted so similar! Even with spinach. Yep. It is true. Creamy dreamy mango smoothie: green edition. I also thought for sure I would be adding sweetener (you know me), but this was great on its own. And though the picture doesn't show it this way it was a bright PRETTY green smoothie. And I thought, hey I should make this around Christmas time for Natalie, nieces, nephews, etc. and call it a Grinch smoothie! I thought I was super clever and then googled it just to see. Nope, I am not super clever. Oh well. I still think it is a fun idea!

Sorry no pictures of the cookies. They are super delicious though. And if you follow the link above you will find some pictures there. They are yummy!

Cajun Pasta

So last week was Sama's birthday! We planned to go out to dinner. He chose T.G.I Friday's because he loves the cajun pasta from when he used to always get it when I was a server there. So we found some awesome 2 for 1 coupons online and went on our way. Only we soon discovered that T.G.I. Friday's near us was closed. Forever. Sad day. So we went to Olive Garden instead and Sama promptly sent me some an email with some links for the famous cajun pasta. Tonight we tried it!

Yeah, it didn't really taste the same. But it was delicious! Sama says the original was creamier. Mine wasn't at all creamy. We have some leftovers though so tomorrow I am going to change it up with some coconut milk. I think it will be yummy!

This is the T.G.I version. I didn't get a picture of mine but will try to remember to tomorrow. I'll post the recipe if it turns out!

Chocolate-Covered Katie

So a few weeks ago my sister found out she has Hashimotos disease. Now she is eating gluten free. I have had a lot of fun experimenting with gluten free recipes for her. Her son has dairy and corn allergies. So there are a lot of tricky things to adjust with recipes sometimes. As I have mentioned before, I am trying to eat healthy and lose weight. A lot of people told my sister that they lost so much weight being gluten free, but that wasn't happening too much for her. Probably because I kept baking her cakes... So I started looking online at some healthy gluten free blogs. I came across some I really like. These are my three favorites so far:

1. Chocolate covered Katie: Oh how grateful I am to Katie! She has such yummy looking recipes that are HEALTHY!Yay! Not all gluten free, but many of them are. I made her Ultimate Chocolate Fudge Pie today. It is great! It does have tofu. I know what you're thinking....tofu? In chocolate pie? Umm....no thanks. But seriously, it makes it great. And I am not a tofu person. I don't eat tofu! So if I am okay with it, then anyone can be :) I didn't have the same kind she mentioned and I did get a very very slight aftertaste, but it probably wouldn't if I had had the right kind :) There are a lot of things I am looking forward to trying on here!

2. Elana's Pantry: I found this because I was looking for healthier cake recipes since I am into cake decorating but don't want it to be quite so unhealthy. They look great, but I haven't tried any yet. She also has a cupcake recipe book out that I would love to get! The only trouble is that since it is gluten AND sugar-free/low sugar the ingredients in some of the recipes can get a little pricey. That's because it uses alternative (not synthetic) sweeteners that have a lower glycemic index than refined white sugar. Oh and almond flour. THAT is pricey! Sounds like they are worth it though if you can afford it.

3. Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Sugar Free: So this is more extreme since it is without so many things I am used to eating. But it does actually have some yummy looking recipes! Desserts plus lots of others. I really like her views on how she eats and why and why. Very interesting to read about.

Hope you enjoy checking out some new blogs. I was excited to find out there were "sugar free" sugars. Does that make sense? No of course not. I just mean sugar that is sweet and (so I have read) delicious without being as bad for you! Who knew?

Photo Updates: It's Been Too Long!

Well, it has been a really long time since I posted! So since I can't really go over all the latest, here are some photo updates.

 My first attempt at fancy cookie decorating. The frosting needs a bit of work :)

 Taken on Mexican Independence Day. We walked around a fair they had in Portland and Natalie loved it!

We went to Canada. Natalie had a lot of fun! She liked this little car.

 Natalie likes the high chair. We got her one of her own when we got back!

 Our little niece decided it would be fun to do my and Natalie's hair. Cute huh?

 First attempt at climbing stairs. Her 2 year old cousin didn't want her to. It was funny.

Natalie all dressed up. So cute!

 She likes to climb in the cupboard. Mommy's little helper :)

I started cake decorating!! I am not great or anything, but I really enjoy it. I just have to be sure to give most of them away :)

My best cake so far and my first attempt with fondant. I think it turned out pretty well :) This was a gluten free cake for my sister.

 We went to the pumpkin patch with my dad, my sister, and her boys. I don't know why but this is the only picture I got.

 Just a picture of Natalie looking oh so adorable.

 Halloween cake! I am pretty proud of this one :)

 Dead finger sugar cookies

Halloween cupcakes. I liked these. I learned how to twist two colors of frosting.

 Halloween party at my sister's house. This was the delicious food we had out.

 My mom was a kitty just like Natalie!

 Natalie helped Daddy pick out some new soccer shoes

Natalie loves the bathtub!

 Natalie and me at the church Halloween party

 Natalie and Daddy

All of us together! Happy family!

Little kitty!