Logan is a big boy and mommy is cooking up a storm!

So, the other day I wrote a pretty long post and for some reason I exited the program and lost everything I had written even though I saved it continually. Clearly I don't know how to use this program yet but I will continue on!

Logan has made a HUGE step in becoming a big boy and has finally made me realize that he is no longer a baby! The other day I threw his bottles in the trash! I wasn't really planning on this but I forgot to pack his bottle for Nani's house the other day and he survived without it! Haha. He has still asked me every day this week for it but I have been telling him that we threw them away because he is a big boy and he doesn't need them anymore. I have been amazed at his response to this and have realized that we definitely did the right thing. Yesterday, though when he asked me, he became really sad and cuddled up to me and was whimpering( I melted a little bit but had to stay strong!) Next step, potty training! Oh boy am I dreading that...

Ryan has been very busy with work, trying to do multiple jobs at one time, which has given me a lot more free time to be in the kitchen creating all sorts of messes. Cooking healthy can sometimes be frustrating; baking sometimes can be a frustrating process. I tend to avoid things that call for butter, white sugar, and white flour. A lot of times I even substitute unsweetened applesauce that I now make in my crock pot for some or all of the oil in a recipe. I do love using coconut oil though and it does have a lot of health benefits but since Ryan and I are still trying to loose a few more pounds, I don't like to use too much. Some of the things I have made in the last few weeks are: applesauce (Logan has a bowl for dessert every night so I made enough for a few weeks!), 6 pounds of granola, graham crackers, key lime fruit tarts, mini cheesecakes, protein bars, German chocolate fudge bites, flax crackers, berry muffins, lemon poppy seed muffins, and Mexican corn cake. Just writing that out made me exhausted! I'm sure eventually I will be able to write out each recipe that I have had success with and love but for now I will highlight a few. Of course, if there are any requests down the line, I will be happy to write those too.

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins (my favorite by far): I make 2 batches of mini muffins (easy for little hands) or you can double and use one regular size muffin pan. Adapted from Chocolate Covered Katie

•  1 tbsp poppy seeds
• 1-2 tsp grated lemon zest
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 c unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1 c spelt flour ( I just started using this flour and I like it! It's very healthy and easier to digest!
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1/4 c applesauce ( I make cinnamon applesauce so if you buy regular just add 1/2tsp-1tsp cinnamon)
• 2 tbsp coconut sugar
• 1/2 tsp ginger or nutmeg (optional if this suits your current fancy, sometimes I'm not in the mood)

Preheat oven to 355 degrees. Mix dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix liquid ingredients (and poppy seeds), then combine and stir until just mixed. Don’t over mix. Pour into mini liners or spray a mini muffin tin with oil, and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Makes 12 cute lil mini muffins.

No bake protein bars: I have made a change in my diet and it has been a long time coming; I am not going to buy protein powder again! I feel like every time I have used the powder I feel sick to my stomach. I do know people who love it but for me I am choosing to use natural proteins to fuel me up. In the last few months I have started running and I even signed up for my first race, a 10k in August. So, I needed something I could grab quickly to boost my energy before my runs; hence my first protein bar. Logan and Ryan also love them too!

Adapted from Nutritionistinthekitch.com

Apricot & Cashew Energy Bars

 

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

1 min

Total time

11 mins

 

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried Turkish apricots
• ½ cup raw cashews
• ¾ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
• ⅓ cup rolled oats
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 2 tablespoons hemp seed hearts ( I found them at Costco!)
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

1. Line and 8 inch baking pan with parchment paper or saran wrap, and set aside.
2. Pulse cashews in food processor until crumbly, place in a separate bowl.
3. Pulse apricots in food processor until finely chopped. Add all other ingredients to the apricot mixture and process until well combined.
4. Add the chopped cashews to the mixture and pulse until combined.
5. Firmly press the apricot mixture into the baking pan, using the flat surface of a measuring cup to create a flat even layer.
6. Place pan in the freezer for one hour, then remove and cut into 8 rectangle bars (or more or less, depending on desired size).
7. Place in an airtight container and store for up to one month in the fridge or freezer ( I love to keep them in the freezer)
8. Enjoy!

Whew, that was a lot for one post and someone is bugging me to take him outside :) I'll leave you with a few pictures I snapped yesterday.  Love to all!