Chocolate Pavlova

My mom and I made this dessert tonight.  I was inspired by a past issue of Martha Stewart Living in which they did an entire article on different meringues.  I thought "YAY desserts I can actually have!!"  The original recipe can be found at: http://www.marthastewart.com/317737/chocolate-pavlova  This is a fabulous naturally gluten-free dessert, our whole family was like WOW!!!  Definitely a must try, and different than the norm!


Ingredients:

• Meringue:
• 4 egg whites, room temperature
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• To make the meringue: Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or use a sil-pat.  Mix whites, sugars, and salt in a mixer bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugars dissolve and mixture is warm, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and whisk on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 8 minutes. ( I put mine in a stand mixer and checked it after 5-8 minutes, super easy, it ends up resembling marshmallow cream.)  Beat in vanilla.
• 1. Sift cocoa powder over meringue, and fold until barely any streaks remain. Using a large spoon, spread meringue into a round, 8 inch circle. (Be careful not to spread out too much; meringue will spread more during baking.) Form a well in center, being careful not to spread meringue too thin
• 1. 
     

• 1. Bake meringue until dry to the touch, about 30 minutes. Let cool on sheet on wire rack. Meringue will keep, covered, for up to 1 day.
• 
  
• Whipped Cream:
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks
• 
  
• Chocolate Cream Topping:
• •  4 large egg yolks
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • Prepare an ice-water bath. Whisk yolks and 2 tablespoons sugar in a medium bowl. Bring cream, milk, salt, and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Pour a third of hot cream mixture into yolk mixture, whisking until combined. Pour yolk mixture into pan with hot cream. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until mixture coats the back of a spoon, 6 to 7 minutes.
  • Place chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. Pour hot mixture over chocolate. Whisk until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth, reserve 1/4 cup in a separate bowl.  Place the bowl with rest of chocolate mixture then set in ice-water bath, stirring often, until cold & thickened.  Stir in 1/4 cup of whipped cream by hand to lighten mixture.

ASSEMBLE:

To assemble pavlova: Spread chocolate cream evenly in center of meringue, leaving a 1/2-inch border from edge. Spread whipped cream over chocolate cream. Garnish with reserved melted chocolate mixture (the 1/4 cup that was not cooled), and serve immediately.  Enjoy!!

Eat Organic Butter

I wanted to share some information I have been hearing, and coming across in my own research.  My hope is to share ANY nutrition information I discover with everyone so we can all work towards better health for our us and our families.

A Chiropractor was the first one to tell me that if I can only do one thing organic, make it butter.  Butter?!  I was a little skeptical if that was the first change I should make, especially since when I think of organic I always think of produce.

Why Organic Butter?
So apparently animals store all the toxins they ingest (pesticides, hormones, meds) in their fat, what is butter?  80% milkfat (http://www.eatwisconsincheese.com/wisconsin/other_dairy/butter/butter_faqs.aspx).  I found these clip very interesting:

"Most people get their fat from animal-based foods like milk, ghee, cheese, butter, and meat. In animals' bodies (and yours), built up toxins like pesticides, herbicides, antibiotics, and pollutants are most-often deposited in fat cells." http://www.thebodyshopsd.com/page/374662231


"Buy organic butter. It costs significantly more than regular butter but there’s no way of getting around the fact that toxins concentrate in the fat of an animal, and butter is pure animal fat."   http://www.newsmaxhealth.com/vera_tweed/toxins_making_you_fat/2010/02/16/312993.html  


Since butter has the highest concentration of toxins, we will be buying that first, it seems to be even more important than meat.  Just so you know we try to always eat organic: dairy(raw if possible), meat(free-range), eggs(free range), fish(non- farm raised).  Produce if I can, usually the last thing I buy organic if I can afford it, just be sure to wash with a good cleaner, like Grapefruit seed extract.

What about margarine?

 Yikes!  I was tipped off to how bad it was when I heard from my mom that a past student of hers had a father who works at a plant where they make it.  He said "you might as well eat the plastic tub it comes in".  Here are a few things I found about margarine online (each link is fascinating and if you have time to check out, I think you will find it VERY interesting):

"Butter is a completely natural food essential to your health - especially when you eat organic. Also, please make the extra effort to obtain high-quality organic, raw butter.  Margarines, on the other hand, are a processed food, created chemically from refined polyunsaturated oils. The process used to make these normally liquid oils into spread-able form is called hydrogenation.  Margarine and similar hydrogenated or processed polyunsaturated oils are potentially more detrimental to your health than any saturated fat." http://bodyecology.com/articles/benefits_of_real_butter.php


"The foods that supply these dangerous fatty acids include: ....
▪ Bakery-made chocolate cookies made with cottonseed and/or soybean oil
▪ Chocolate cookies with crème fillings
▪ Commercial taco shells
▪ Glazed doughnuts
▪ Margarine
▪ Milk chocolate coated cookie bars made with caramel
▪ Popcorn made with soybean oil (although low-fat varieties contain 80 percent less 18: fatty acids)
▪ Potato chips fried in a mixture of oils (but not potato chips fried in just one kind of oil)
▪ Shortening, especially if it is made with soybean oil (28 times the 18:1 fatty acid content of lard)
▪ Snack crackers made with cottonseed oil, refined coconut oil, or soybean oil" http://www.anticancercombinations.com/

"Large amounts of trans fats are definitely harmful to our health, and processed products containing hydrogenated oils are not what you should be consuming.  Health authorities worldwide recommend that consumption of trans fat be reduced to trace amounts, because the consumption of trans fats increases the risk of coronary heart disease by raising levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol and lowering levels of "good" HDL cholesterol.  Since trans fat doesn't occur much in nature, our bodies don't know how to deal with it effectively. They act as poisons to crucial cellular reactions."  http://www.nahanniriverherbs.com/94,201 - 

When cells can't function normally they cause ALL kinds of health problems, that is why we try to stay FAR away from bad fats & oils.  "When cells fail to function properly, the effects may be barely noticeable or create health major problems. Abnormal or rapid cell growth are dysfunctions that lead to conditions such as psoriasis, endometriosis and cancer. Cell deterioration leads to a number of conditions related to the breakdown of vital organs and leads to a faster overall aging process." http://www.ehow.com/facts_7364135_cell-dysfunction.html

These articles, research prompted by chiropractor Dr. Jason Olafsson, were very enlightening.  Dr. J is all about a whole body health approach, not just back pain, but finding the root of the problem, could be diet, allergies, intolerance, spinal misalignment.   I'm so thankful he pointed us in the right direction and glad I was able to find good information to back up what I had been told.  It will be organic butter for us!  By the way the best deal I have found on that is Costco.   Here is a list of where I buy what: Ingredients

Banana Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie

This smoothie was sooo good!  It is gluten-free & dairy-free, but you would never know it.  A super easy dessert for when you are craving something sweet, but don't feel like making a big mess or waiting for a treat to bake.

Ingredients:

1 ripe banana
3 Tablespoons cocoa powder
3/4 cup almond milk (you can use any milk here)
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 1/2 Tablepoons raw sugar (or to taste)
10 ice cubes

Put all ingredients into a good blender.  Blend until smooth. It fills two 10 ounce glasses.  We topped ours off with fresh whipped cream & a sprinkle of cocoa powder.  Enjoy

Chicken Parmesan

I haven't had Chicken Parmesan in a while, I used to make it with crushed up crackers, but since going gluten free, we never eat crackers!  I made this with almond meal and it was great.  Very simple dish.

Ingredients:

3 boneless chicken thighs
1 egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup almond meal
1 Tablespoon shredded parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
2 Tablespoon grapeseed oil
A few of slices of white cheddar cheese
A few cups of homemade spaghetti sauce
Cooked brown rice pasta.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix Almond meal and the rest of the dry ingredients in a wide bowl or plate.  Dip chicken in egg, coating both sides.  Next place chicken in almond meal mixture, flipping over to make sure it is completely covered.  Put oil in glass 8x8 pan, coating the entire bottom of pan.  Place chicken in the pan, bake for 25 minutes, flip, cook for another 25 minutes, until the almond meal begins to turn golden and crispy.  For the last 3 minutes put cheese on top of chicken till fully melted.

To serve:  toss pasta with sauce.  Place chicken on top of pasta, add a few spoonfulls of sauce & top with freshly grated parmesan cheese.  Enjoy!

Bacon Cheddar Meatloaf

Always looking for new ground beef recipes, this is great one!

We tried this spin on our traditional meatloaf recipe this week, and it was wonderful!  I was referred to the original recipe at : http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/bacon-cheddar-meatloaf-recipe/index.html from a friend, thanks Joslyn!

If you are dairy free, just remove the whipping cream & cheese from the recipe.

Ingredients:

2 pieces of bacon, chopped (I used beef bacon)
1/2 medium onion, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 egg yolk
1/2 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 Tablespoon heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 lb ground beef
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Glaze: 2 Tablespoons tomato paste, 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 3 Tablespoons water- mix all in a bowl, set aside.

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.  Sautee chopped bacon in skillet.  Once crispy, remove pieces & place in a medium bowl, reserve fat in skillet.  Cook onions and garlic in grease until onions are translucent.  Add the cooked onions & garlic to the bowl, also add the rest of the ingredients (except the glaze).  Mix with hands until thoroughly combined and shape in a small log on glass baking pan.  Bake for 30 minutes, spread the glaze over the loaf and cook for 10 more minutes (until the inside is no longer pink).  Enjoy!

Bible Verses Make a Difference in Our Home

So Drew now has 3 verses under his belt, and he has already used them on me!  Wow, they learn quick!!  Nothing like a kick in the pants from your toddler concerning the things of God.  So he has learned First Thessalonians 5:16-18 "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks!" , and now we are working on Ephesians 4:26, "In your anger, do not sin".  I have always wanted to be better about memorizing scripture, and going over these with him through out the days has helped me retain the truths as well.  It is not only teaching him to "hide God's word in his heart", but also explaining what the verses mean, that encourages us both to live out what we learn.

I was in a funky mood last weekend, well I guess "bad mood" paints a more accurate picture.  I was being grumpy for who knows what reason, Drew walks up to me and says bluntly, "Mom, you need to rejoice always!"  Hahaha!  I immediately laughed, and it completely changed my heart and the tone I was setting in my home.  It is true : "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." Hebrews 4:12


I honestly thought teaching Drew verses would primarily encourage his walk in the Lord, I had no idea that God intended to use him to remind and spur me on to be more like Christ.  Love it!  Love God!  Love my family!

Crunchy Granola

Blog readers, I am back!!  Sorry it has been a busy, tiring week, and I have not been able to post as much as I would have liked.  I have some free time tonight so I hope to share a few of this weeks successful creations.

My 3 yr old son helped me with this delicious recipe.  I was inspired to do a tv-free day, so we did a lot together (cooking, cleaning, talking LOL).  It was nice and he LOVED being mama's big helper.  I have a chopper that he thoroughly enjoyed using to finely chop all the nuts.  He got so excited when I pulled the chopper out and he said "Yay, I get to chop, thank you for letting me do this, it is so special."  It was sooooo cute!!  It may take a little extra time to include your little ones while baking/cooking, but if I didn't let my Drew help, I would have missed that sweet moment.

I am a HUGE granola fan.  I have a hard time finding it without bad oils, and gluten free granola costs an arm and a leg.  So I decided to make my own.  It turned out AMAZING.  I hope you will try it, so easy to make and incredibly tasty.  I love to eat as cereal any time of the day, or sprinkled over yogurt.

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups gluten-free old fashioned oats ( or normal old-fashioned oats)
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds (Trader Joes has a 1 lb bag for 1.99 GREAT deal)
1 cup raw walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup raw almonds

3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup raw sugar
1/8 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup honey
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

3/4 cup rasins
1/2 cup dried cherries

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.  Toss oats with sunflower seeds, walnuts and almonds in a large bowl.  In a sauce pan bring the next 6 ingredients to a boil, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat & pour liquid mixture over dry ingredients in bowl, stir to coat completely.  Spread evenly on a rimmed baking sheet, bake for 15 minutes, stir, continue baking until oats start to turn golden.  Total baking time : 25-30 minutes.  Remove from oven, immediately stir in dried fruit.  Allow to cool completely, then place in a zip-bag or container with a fitted lid.  Enjoy all week!

***Alternate, easier version: 3 1/2 old fashioned oats, 3/4 t salt, 3/4 agave, 1/2 cup grapeseed oil, 1/2 T cinnamon, 3/4 cup rasins, 1/2 cup chopped roasted nuts.  Same directions, just add the nuts and raisins after finished baking oats.  Crunchy, tastes just as good!***

Weekly Dinner Menu

Monday - Chicken Stir Fry

Tuesday - BLT's with Sweet Potato fries

Wednesday - Birthday party for my nephew, Mexican food!  Brining homemade Chunky Guacamole

Thursday - Bacon Cheddar Meatloaf, Green Beans

Friday - Chicken Parmesan

Saturday - Beef Kabobs (Kafta) with Cucumber-Tomato-Hummus Salad

Sunday - Hurry-Up Black Bean Soup

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake

Yet another delicious gluten-free dessert (where you don't even miss the gluten).  I made this with my mother in law this weekend, I found the original recipe in Better Homes and Garden magazine, under prize tested recipes.  I tweaked it a little to fit in our diet, with the ingredients I like to use.  This is a rich dessert, not super sweet, just right!  Tastes great with a good cup of black coffee!

Ingredients:

Crust:
1 1/4 cups Almond meal (Trader Joes)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 baking soda
2 Tablespoons grapeseed oil (Or butter)
2 Tablepoons agave (raw sugar, preferred sweetener)
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted

Combine the first 3 ingredients in a bowl.  In a separate bowl whisk the oil, sweetener and melted chocolate.  Stir the wet ingredients into the dry until combined.  Press into a spring form pan, pushing up on the edges slightly.  Bake at 350 degrees for 8-12 minutes, the surface of the crust will lose it's sheen and start to look dry.  Allow to cool, while finishing the filling.  Reduce the oven to 300 degrees. This is an Elana recipe.

Cheese cake filling:

Two 8 ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1  cup creamy peanut butter (I use natural, just peanuts & salt)
1/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 Tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Peanuts (optional)

Beat one package of cream cheese with a mixer until smooth.  Add peanut butter, sugar and 1 egg, beat until combined; set aside.  Cube remaining cream cheese.  In a sauce pan stir chocolate over low heat until melted, remove from heat, stir in cubed cream cheese, milk & vanilla until smooth.  Stir in remaining 2 lightly beaten eggs.  Pour half of chocolate mixture onto cooled crust.  Carefully spread the peanut butter mixture over layer.  Evenly spread the remaining chocolate mixture on top.  Bake for 45 minutes, the center will look darker and wet, the outer 2 inches will be slightly puffed and dry when finished.  Remove from oven, sprinkle with peanuts.  Cool on a rack for 15 minutes.  Use a knife to loosen from the side, allow to cool an additional 30 minutes in the pan.  Remove the sides of pan, cool completely on rack, then refrigerate for 4 hours.  Enjoy!!!

Cheesy Lemon Buttered Salmon

I am always looking for ways to change up Salmon.  It is such a good protein for you, ideally I would like to have it a couple times a week, so I try to spice it up to keep my taste buds watering.  We had this tonight and it was really good!

Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees.

Ingredients:
2 salmon filets (About 4 ounces each) thawed (if frozen).

Stuffing:
1 ounce cream cheese
1 large garlic clove, minced
zest of 1 lemon

Slice a "pocket" on the top of each filet- stop the cut 1/2 inch from each edge.  If the fish is thin be sure to cut at an angle.  Mix all the stuffing ingredients, spoon into pockets.  Sprinkle salt over the fish.

Crust:
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup almond meal
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Mix topping ingredients, sprinkle over stuffed salmon fillets.  Bake at 425 for 15 minutes, until salmon is flaky.  I put it under the broiler for 3 minutes to lightly brown the top.

Strawberry Salad with Feta

Well I was going to make greek salad tonight, but I decided to use my fresh strawberries up.  This was a nice change from our normal veggie salad.

Ingredients:
1 head romaine lettuce, shredded
1 handful of strawberries, stems removed, sliced
1/2 cup of fruit & nut mix, (Got ours from Costco) chop the nuts (walnuts, pistachios, dried cherries, dried cranberries- any nut or dried fruit you have would work here)
1/4 cup feta

Toss ingredients together.  Serve with Homemade Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing.  Makes 4 "side salad" servings.

Homemade Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing

This is one of my favorite sweet dressings.  It goes great in any salad with fruit.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon oregeno
2 Tablespoons raspberry jam (Trader Joes has a great organic, sugar free kind - sweetened with juice)
1/2 Tablespoon Agave nectar, or preferred sweetener (honey, xylitol, raw sugar)

Pour all ingredients in blender, blend until smooth.

All About Birds

While looking out the window this morning I noticed birds fluttering around the front yard.  It is a sure sign of spring to hear the birds chirping early in the morning, finally returned from their hiding spots or migratory flights from warmer weather.  (Did you know that not all birds migrate?!  Click here for more info on what Michigan birds do for the winter.)

 The sun peaked through here and there today and lead to me believe that it was warmer outside than it actually was.  I got Drew all pumped up for a walk, and he said "Come on mom, lets open the door and see if it is warm!"  As we opened the front door a brisk breeze poured in our house and we quickly closed it, and I found a nice heat register to sit on...haha!  I woke up a little under the weather today and actually didn't mind that it was too chilly to spend time outdoors. ( I was thinking "shouldn't have sat on the couch with a jar of nutella & a spoon yesterday.  If only sugar didn't compromise the immune system!!")

Since we didn't have anything planned to do today, I decided to make it a theme day!  Inspired by the birds who seemed to come out when the sun did this morning and a cute craft I tore out of a magazine last week I began putting together craft & teaching supplies.  Once Emma was down for her first nap it was "Go Time".

This is a great time of year to learn about birds & do bird themed projects.  With Easter just around the corner, you will have lots of eggs around the house, now is the perfect time to tell where they come from.

First I had Drew cover 3 pinecones with peanut butter (organic- yay for the birds, just kidding, that is all we had on hand!)  Next he sprinkled sunflower seeds, some still in the shell, some not over them all.

I tied a string around one, and the other just left on the plate.  We headed out side to find the perfect tree to hang one "bird feeder" in.

  We chose a tree just outside of his window so he could sit on his bed and watch the birds snack.  (And hopefully not bang on the window & scare them away haha!)

 The other two we put on our table outside our master bedroom doorwall.  The kids like to play by that and look outside, so another good vantage point for our little ones.

After setting up our feeders I had Drew pick up a bunch of twigs so we could make bird nests.  We then headed back inside to do another project and get warm :)  (So I did end up outside anyway.)

For the bird nest project you need glue, twigs and a brown paper lunch bag.

Squish down the bag: 

Pour glue all over the smashed bag, break up the twigs and have your child place them all over.  Allow to dry.  Now when you make those cute eggs for Easter you will have a place to put them :)

Emma woke up shortly after we finished this craft, so she got to sit in on story time.  I found a bible story that coordinated with our theme.  It was of Elijah being fed by the Ravens.  Taken from: 1 Kings 17: 1-6.  I found this great site that gave ideas how to share this with your kids.  They used a Raven puppet, so I don't have one of those, but I did find a stuffed penguin, LOL, they're both black right?  Anyways he was way more interested in the story with "Pingu" telling it.  Here is the link for that site: Elijah & the Ravens

I also printed off a coloring sheet/project from that site for him to do.  Of course he ate 1/2 the food that Elijah was supposed to get, but the picture still turned out cute.  I love the "moral" of the story and the verse they put with it:  God may ask you to do some hard things, but he will always take care you & your needs.  "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus" Philippians 4:19  I do love all the cool stories from the bible, but I think it is important to point out to our kids what we can learn from it, and the truths of God found throughout, otherwise they are JUST stories.

A few other things we did: We watched "Are you my mother?" & Wonder Pets Save the Pigeon on You Tube.  Also, I got down a globe and talked about birds flying to warmer weather when it gets cold.  So we had a pretty fun, educational day! I hope this gets some ideas going for ya!

If you are thinking of doing a Bird themed day, here is a great site, filled with ideas & crafts.  I just used what I had on hand, but if you have time to plan there are some really cute things you can do with your kiddos!  http://daniellesplace.com/html/birdcrafts.html

Strawberries & Cream Oatmeal

Another oatmeal recipe!  I told you I love oatmeal, and I haven't had it in months, so I am going to be making it a lot.  When my husband came out this morning and I had this on the table, he said, "Oh this looks fun!"  Oatmeal is usually plain here, but I am trying to get more creative and have my 3 year old eat more fresh fruit.  After eating it, my hubby exclaimed "That was the BEST oatmeal I have ever had!"  Yay!!!!  I was really excited and couldn't wait to share with ya!

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups dry gluten-free oats
water
5 strawberries, stems removed & sliced
agave nectar
coconut oil
heavy whipping cream (Costco has the BEST deal on organic whipping cream 1/2 gallon for 5 something)

Cook the oats according to package directions.  I usually just barely cover the oats with water, bring to a boil, stir and simmer on low till ready to eat.  Add coconut oil to the bowls first, about a tablespoon each.  Add the cooked oats, sliced strawberries, drizzle with agave and pour about 1/4-1/2 cup whipping cream (or milk of choice) over the top, mix & serve.  It was fabulous and will be making many appearances at our breakfast table!

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

I was at a local shop and almost bought gluten-free cookies this week, they looked sooooo good and I wanted a dessert right then.  However, I checked the price tag, $7.00!!!  NO WAY!  I do sometimes pay a little more for convenience foods, like peeled baby carrots occasionally, but not that much more!!  I just couldn't do it.  So I picked up a gluten/soy/dairy free package of chocolate chips instead.  I used Bob's Red Mill gluten-free all purpose flour to make these cookies and they turned out amazing!  Not crumby at all, and soft in the middle, a fun treat for our family.  My poor boys, all they want is a nice hostess cupcake, and here I am making these gluten-free, bean flour desserts!  We are having a good transition though, and my goal is to make the best tasting desserts so they don't even like the taste of the processed junk.  Andrew (my former culinary-arts hubby) said, wow these are actually good, so I took that as a BIG complement!  (Also beware- the batter isn't as good as "normal" cookie dough tastes, but after baked the cookies are delish!)

Ingredients:

1 2/3 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons arrowroot powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup raw sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 egg
1 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips, gluten/dairy/soy free is what I used they are awesome!

Cream the butter & sugars.  Add the egg, mix until smooth.  Add the vanilla, baking soda, arrowroot powder,  salt, and last the flour.  Finally blend in the chocolate chips.  Drop the dough in mounds (about a tablespoon each) on a slightly greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes till the edges are slightly golden.
Remove from oven, let set on sheet for about 2 minutes then remove to a cooling rack.  Eat warm :)
Makes about 30 cookies.

Meatballs with Maple Barbecue Sauce

Meatballs are a great way to use ground beef.  I try to use free-range, grass fed beef, and ground seems to be the cheapest way to get it.  I am always looking for different recipes that use ground beef.  I find there is a lot you can do with meatballs.  I usually will make a double or triple batch at once, cook them up earlier in the day and freeze whatever we are not going to eat that night.  I thaw them and pair with spaghetti, I can break them up and use them for taco meat or in a shepherds pie, or keep them whole and cook them in a tasty bbq or white sauce.  Today I made extra and invited family over for lunch.

Meatball Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs of ground beef
1/3 medium sized onion, diced small
2 medium sized cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 eggs

Mix together in a bowl until thoroughly combined.  I usually use my hands.  Shape into balls place on baking sheet.  Bake at 450 degrees for about 15 minutes, or until starting to turn dark brown on the tops.

Barbecue Sauce Ingredients:

3/4 cup ketchup
1/4 maple syrup
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

Put all ingredients in a sauce pan, bring to a boil, stirring constantly, reduce to low & simmer until ready to serve.

You can place the finished meatballs in the pot with the sauce to coat, or simply serve the sauce on the side or over the top of them. Serves 5-6 people ( I consider this a double batch for our family) Enjoy!!

A week of Dinner Ideas

Monday - Crock Pot Chicken with Spicy Lemon Glaze with Greek Salad & Quinoa

Tuesday- Hard Tacos with Homemade Chili Bean Beef, Chips & Salsa

Wednesday- Omelettes, Fruit Salad & Toast

Thursday- BBQ Chicken Sandwiches, Sweet Potato Fries

Friday- Cheesy Lemon Buttered Salmon with Broccoli

Saturday- Family Dinner at In-laws

Sunday- Spring Braise with Chicken