Posts by admin:
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 flax seed “egg” (1 Tbsp flax seed meal + 3 Tbsp warm water)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice (see below)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups vegetable oil for frying
- powdered sugar for sprinkling
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 6 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice
- 1 1/2 pounds butternut, cut into 1-inch dice
- Natural cooking spray or olive oil, for drizzling
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- Salt and pepper
- A little freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 pound macaroni
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 3 round tablespoons flour
- 3 shallots, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- A few dashes Worcestershire sauce
- 2 1/2 cups low-fat milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable stock
- 3 cups extra-sharp cheddar, divided
22 weeks and 11 months
October 10th, 2012
So I realized I have not written any updates for my second pregnancy. There is a lot going on and embracing a new life is amazing.
Here is my 21 week ultrasound. It was VERY thorough and it was pretty amazing seeing our little girl. She has been moving in my tummy a lot more since having the ultrasound. Whew. Hi there!
I have been trying to communicate to Julianne about her sister but she smiles and laughs and pokes her finger in my belly button. Hahahaha.
She loves lifting up my shirt and poking at my tummy. I feel sad that she yet does not know but I know it is going to come sooner than later.
Julianne has been standing up on her own and climbing up on the couches and standing up strong. I am feeling so strong that she will be standing on her own soon.
Since I stay at home a lot I make an effort to dress as stylish as I can as this tummy grows. The last thing I want to feel is frumpy. I also have been trying to be dressed and made up at home. It makes the world of a difference how the day goes.
Feeding solids has been quite a task. We are still alternating with Julianne feeding herself and feeding her purees. As she was eating peaches one day I turned around and Julianne had placed a peach on her head. She is quite the funny girl!
It has been a week and a half and weaning is going strong in our home. I cannot tell if the lack of the evenings naps has anything to do with weaning but it is not consistent. We take a lot of walks and now that the leaves have been falling, Julianne has been really happy checking out the different kinds of leaves.
My little girl is growing up fast and as her one year approaches next month I am cherishing every moment. I see Julianne’s eyes glow and lighten up when she sees something she recognizes from books we read I am amazed at how God creates life. A little human growing before my eyes. Sigh…
Here is to the petting zoo and the goats we saw 2 weeks ago. Look at that smile!
What amazes you about life in general?
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Secret Recipe Club: Pumpkin Fritters
October 8th, 2012
AM I the only one that thinks it is pretty wild that it is October? I somehow want Thanksgiving to be here but not yet. We are finally getting some cooler temperatures and the leaves are definitely finally falling!
It is that time again for Secret Recipe Club where we are randomly assigned to bloggers. We are then to choose one of their recipes from their blog and make it. If you are interested in joining, check out how it all works.
This month I was assigned to the gorgeous blog called Delishh. While the site is beautifully designed the writer is also a beautiful person. She is originally from Sweden was raised in Asia and is currently living in Seattle. What a way to travel eh?
She has a lovely button for site if you are interested in finding out more about her here:
When I was perusing her recipes it was VERY hard to choose. I became very indecisive and almost made 3 recipes but my time flew away and I only had time to try these pumpkin fritters. What a sad excuse eh?
I have been hankering for doughnuts for a while but I thought that the process would be time consuming. This recipe took all but 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to fry. WOW!!
Yet again, this is a PERFECT recipe for a busy mom.
I have been hankering for doughnuts for a while but I thought that the process would be time consuming. This recipe took all but 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to fry. WOW!!
Yet again, this is a PERFECT recipe for a busy mom.
The recipe was like a cross between doughnut holes, beignets and fritters. I actually fried them longer than they specified and the recipe only made 12 fritters instead of the stated 24. I mean if they made 24 they would be small and that does not work.
I made this recipe vegan by making an egg substitute with a flax seed meal egg. One tablespoon flax seed meal = warm water equals one egg. I think this is why they required to fry a little longer.
We actually had these as a midnight snack. HA! My husband was so impressed that they fried so quickly. I enjoyed them with a glass of coconut milk but then in the morning I had some with a cup o’ joe. So delicious.
You too can quickly satisfy your doughnut craving by making this. It is a one bowl recipe and a quick fry up. If you have not started your pumpkin baking or cooking, you GOT TO MAKE THESE!
Thanks for posting such a delishhhh recipe Ewa!
Pumpkin Fritters
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 4 minutes a fritter
Ingredients (12 fritters)
(I used 1 tsp of Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Spice mix) but you can use original recipe for own mix
Pumpkin Pie Spice (makes 2 teaspoons) (from original recipe on Delishhh.com)
Instructions
In a medium bowl using a mixer, combine pumpkin, flax “egg” mixture, flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, pumpkin spice and salt. Mix until smooth.
Heat oil in a deep saucepan to 325 degrees. Drop batter by spoonfuls into hot oil. Fry until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, and serve immediately with sifted powdered sugar on top.
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Gone Pie Vegan Bakery Review
October 7th, 2012
This past week I received a box full of delicious vegan and gluten-free goodies from a New York-based bakery. Even though you might not have heard about this bakery it has been in business for 25 years. It is primarily been a wholesale / online business focusing on catering to those with dietary issues.
I just stood looking at all the goodies deciding if I should rip into all of them at once or slowly choose the best looking
Gone Pie has recently had a new label created for their brownies. I simply love the colors on each brownie flavor. Each vegan and gluten-free brownie was a sizable portion, enough to share with a friend if one chose to. 😉 If you are interested in the specific ingredients, check Gone Pie’s blog newest post about these brownies.
The chai brownie had the perfect amount of spice. It was very dense, moist and perfect amount of nuts. I still have half of it because I am still savoring each piece. I am going to make a chai black tea to add even more flavor. YUM!
Simply Fudge Brownies are for those brownie purists. It is very chocolatey, decadent, moist, and perfect for those who have not been able to enjoy brownies in a while. Imagine a whole pan to share with your family!
I leave the Coconut Brownie last because it was by far my favorite. I am not always a chocolate purist and enjoy having flavor when the chocolate can handle it. This brownie can handle it. It has flakes of toasted coconut on top and not even an overwhelming amount in the brownie. Add some coconut coffee to the mix and you can call it a night. Scrumptious.
This is another treat included in the box. I had seen it advertised on Gone Pie’s Facebook page and knew I was going to enjoy it. A Sesame Peanut cookie. It was almost a mix of a nutter butter cookie with added sesame flavor. It was a soft cookie with a sweet and salty flavor.I want more. Soft cookies are my favorite.
Now hold onto your hats cause Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups has nothing on Gone Pie’s version. Of course, the bakery has come out with several versions in the past. I reviewed their vegan Peanut Butter cups back in August 2011. What is funny is that I was pregnant with Julianne then. I love being fed whilst being pregnant AGAIN! Hee hee.
This time around I had a chance to try the Caramel Peanut Butter Cups. These are HUGE and at least 3 times the size of a Reese’s PB Cup. Look at the amount of chocolate! The caramel is vegan and is mixed with organic peanut butter to make for the most pure sweet and salty flavor. I actually shared this with my hubby. I so did not want to but he sure agreed that half a piece was plenty.
Do I have you drooling yet?
If you are suffering from celiac or are sensitive to gluten for other reasons these baked goods are for YOU! Are you vegan and gluten-free and tired of not being able to find great tasting treats to eat or to share with your loved ones?
Gone Pie Bakery has the best treats. They will not disappoint! If you are intrigued, there is an awesome deal for you to try.
There is a company called Vegan Cuts that is like Living Social or Groupon that has a great deal on Gone Pie Goodies.
Each sampler includes 2 Caramel Peanut Butter Cups, 2 Coconut Brownies and 2 Chocolate Chip Cookies for $14.40
If you tweet the offer, you get $1 off the order. This gives anyone the chance to sample the delicious vegan and gluten-free treats this bakery creates.
This deal is on until supplies last so go and order NOW and you too can enjoy these as much as I have.
Disclaimer: These are all entirely my own opinions
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Simply Bags – Custom Tote Bag Review
October 3rd, 2012
I can never give up having too many bags.
My husband calls me the bag lady and constantly has me getting rid of them. “Why do we need so many?” Yes, you know those recyclable bags from Whole Foods or any grocery store? I like those a lot.
These are perfect for travel and for toting things especially when you have a small child.
When I was asked if I would like to review one of these custom tote bags I definitely said yes. Since our move from Michigan I realized I had gotten rid of too many bags. Ha ha, such an excuse right? Well, my real excuse was to have another tote for Julianne, our baby girl. 🙂
We currently use this Carter’s diaper bag in a giraffe design.
While it is great, I have started noticing that I would like an overnight bag to go with her diaper bag. This would include space for more toys, clothes, and towel.
I was happy to see that Simply-Bags carried a tote in the same green shade as
the diaper bag I owned. I was given the opportunity to have it embroidered too! I then decided to have Julianne’s initials embroidered. How great!
When I received the tote I was so surprised by lightness of the bag. I did not doubt that it would serve its purpose. I have been using it for the last 3 weeks to carry the Ergo, along with her food for the day and some toys. It is not a burden to carry that bag along with the diaper bag. It is truly light and it matches the diaper bag.
The bag is lined, with an inside zip pocket and snap closure. This particular tote is available in green, turquoise and autumn orange.
While I am not using this bag as a diaper bag, the company does carry their own line of diaper bags, which can be embroidered. What a nice gift this would make!
Check out their website to see the VARIETY of totes they offer. Here are a few more to choose from:
How cool are those? I hope you get to check them out. Christmas is coming up soon and these would be great gifts. 🙂
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Roasted Butternut and Carrot Mac ‘n’ Cheese + Winner
October 2nd, 2012
October is here and it is the end of the Whole Grains month. Thanks to everyone who participated in the Vita-Spelt goodie package giveaway the last 4 weeks. I cannot express how delicious their products are so remember, if you did not win go to Nature’s Legacy and fill your cart with goodies.
This week Terri Cole won the goodie package. Please check your email and send me your info. Thanks!
On to a delicious recipe. I cannot believe the amount of cooking I have been able to do the last couple of days. I remember when I was pregnant last that I just was not able to be inspired or I was going through food aversions.
Even though I found out yesterday we are having ANOTHER girl (yay!), the symptoms have not been the same, which comes to show you that one can never predict what one is going to have. Ryan’s grandmother thought I was having a boy. 🙂
Anyway, I find that I get inspired to cook when the hubby is out on his longest day. I should be eating leftovers and not doing so much work but then I figure I have so much time and I see a recipe with ingredients that I already have and I am a lost cause.
What makes this recipe quick and delicious? The roasted veggies. I already roast veggies for Julianne and her mealtimes so this was an easy task. It is the spices in the recipe that bring this dish together. Thanks to Rachel Ray.
Add a big green salad and this meal is complete. We still have some and can go for several meals. We have even added chili on top! Definitely some comfort food going on here.
Roasted Carrot and Squash Mac ‘n’ Cheese
Roasted Carrot and Squash Mac ‘n’ Cheese
by Noelle Kelly /slightly adapted from Rachel Ray’s recipe
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Keywords: bake boil roast side entree lunch vegetarian vegetarian recipes on recipage butternut squash pasta carrot cheese winter fall
Ingredients (8 servings)
Instructions
Place racks in upper and lower third of oven. Preheat oven to 425ºF.
Arrange carrots and butternut on separate baking sheets and lightly coat in oil. Season the carrots with cumin, turmeric, paprika, salt and pepper. Season squash with salt, pepper and a little freshly grated nutmeg. Roast carrots and squash until tender, switching the trays in the oven once, until golden at edges, about 25 minutes.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil for pasta. Add salt and under-cook pasta by a minute or two — it will continue to cook in the oven.
Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook a minute or two. Add shallots and garlic; season with mustard, salt and pepper and stir for a minute or two. Add Worcestershire then whisk in milk, bring sauce to a bubble then thicken to coat spoon.
Place half the roasted squash and carrots into food processor with vegetable stock and purée. Whisk purée into milk sauce.
Stir 2 1/2 cups of cheese into sauce; combine with pasta and half the remaining carrots and squash. Transfer to a casserole dish and top with the rest of the roast carrots and squash and cheese.
Brown casserole in the hot oven or cool it and store for a make-ahead meal. If storing, bring the casserole to room temperature before baking at 375ºF until brown and bubbly.
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