Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls

Thanksgiving morning consisted of sweat pants, Macy's parade, and the sweet smell of cinnamon buns in the over. These were AH-mazing. I added cinnamon and vanilla to the icing and would probably make more of the brown sugar filling next time but otherwise perfecto.

Recipe:  http://www.food-pusher.com/2014/01/gluten-free-cinnamon-rolls.html

Homemade Dog Biscuits

Because you can only bake for yourself so much without getting fat.

Ingredients
1 cup coconut flour
1 cup garbanzo bean flour (plus more for dusting)
1 cup oats
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 overflowing cup of pureed pumpkin
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
4 eggs
2 tablespoons tumeric

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl by hand. Add additional flour to help dough stick. Pat dough out to desired thickness and cut out with cookie cutters or cut into squares. Place on baking sheet and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or until slightly brown and hard. Allow to cool then let puppies dig in!

Favorite Things

Every once in a while it's fun to reflect on a few of my current favorite things. Lately I've been traveling every chance I get, hence the airplane. The marshmallows are from the James Island County Park annual Holiday Festival of Lights fun run that I do with my sister every year. The sushi is a cucumber wrapped roll at Zen Asian Fusion, and the amazing smelling bubble bath was gifted to me from Royal Labs, a plant that produces organic products for companies like Burt's Bees and is about 3 miles from my house. And all of the pictures were taken on my new iPhone (I've always been an Android user) which has a killer camera!

Paleo Turkey Butternut Squash Lasagna

I wish this looked prettier because it tastes OUTSTANDING. But no such luck. Next time I might make shredded zucchini noodles ("zoodles") instead of flat lasagna strips so I don't have to mess with the layering (as you can see, it doesn't really stay together). You could also layer them in single serve casserole dishes or ramekins (instead of one big dish like I tried) and it would probably hold together better. But either way, the flavors are great no matter how you present it. This has gluten free bread crumbs on top (not paleo) but you could easily leave them off.

Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb ground turkey
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 cups leaf spinach, chopped
1 cup goat cheese (optional)
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella (optional)
1 lb gluten free lasagna noodles (I used zucchini strips)

1. Heat oil, add onion and allow to brown. Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add turkey, sprinkle with dried herbs. Cook and stir until there is no more pink.
2. Remove from heat and add spinach and goat cheese to mixture. Cook lasagna noodles.
3. Preheat oven to 350 and make butternut squash filling:

    2 lb of cooked butternut squash, riced or mashed
    2 oz mascarpone cheese (optional)
    2 tablespoons unsalted butter
    2 oz goat cheese (optional)
    Salt and pepper

4. Using 9x9 inch dish, spread butternut squash filling on to bottom, line with noodles, then layer with turkey mixture, mozzarella, and squash filling. Add more noodles and repeat, finishing with squash filling and mozzarella. Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes or until cooked all the way through.

Recipe by Emily Lane, Personal Chef

Paleo Veggie Plate

After realizing I could roast veggies at a high temperature (500 degrees) for a shorter amount of time and still get some great flavor, I tried some additional options. This mix is carrots, broccolini, and asparagus tossed in avocado oil, salt, pepper, and onion powder, then roasted for about 20 minutes. The cabbage is sauteed in bacon fat with salt and pepper (OMG) and it's all topped with some rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. Delicious reheated too!

Homemade Bath Products

Spoiler alert...this is what some of you are getting for the holidays :). Got together with some crossfit friends and made bath products from scratch. My favorites are the bath bombs and the body scrub!

Chocolate Body Butter - http://momentswithmandi.com/diy-chocolate-body-butter/

Lip Balm - http://www.theseasonedmom.com/5-minute-diy-lip-balm/

Bath Bombs - http://www.beautybaronline.com/2015/05/diy-bath-bombs.html?m=1

Body Scrub - Coming soon

Desserts

Every few months we have a family dinner and this time we were celebrating my sister's boyfriend and mom's boyfriend's son (did you get all that?)'s birthdays. Their favorite desserts were carrot cake and chocolate caramel, respectively. The chocolate dish is a box of King Arthur gluten-free brownie mix topped with Trader Joe's caramel sauce and mini chocolate chips. Carrot cake recipe is below, don't be weirded out by the baby food, it actually turned out really well!

Ingredients
1¾ c. all-purpose flour (I used gluten free flour mix)
1¾ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground nutmeg
½ tsp. each baking soda and salt
2 jar baby food carrots
3/4 c. cup grated fresh carrots
¾ c. orange juice
½ c. sugar
¼ c. canola oil (I used olive oil)
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract

1. Heat oven to 375ºF. Line 13 x 9 x 2-in. baking pan with heavy-duty foil, extending it over sides; coat with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Whisk flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl to mix.
3. In another medium bowl, whisk baby food, fresh carrots, orange juice, sugar, oil, egg and vanilla.
4. wet ingredients into dry ingredients just until blended. Spread into prepared pan. Bake 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
5. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Using foil, lift cake from pan and cool completely on wire rack before icing.

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 brick cream cheese (softened)
½ stick unsalted butter (softened)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1½ c. confectioners’ sugar
Cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice to taste

Whip in mixer until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar and spices to taste.

Original Recipe:  http://www.womansday.com/food-recipes/food-drinks/recipes/a11073/mini-carrot-cakes-recipe-122475/ 

Balsamic Roasted Veggies

I chopped and roasted a pan of brussels and rainbow carrots in olive oil, salt, and pepper at 425 for about 30 minutes, then drizzled a few tablespoons of balsamic vinegar on top and roasted another 15 minutes (until tender). Fancy little upgrade!

Paleo Pizza Crust

Recipe to come...

Crockpot Chicken and Veggies

Good old paleo crockpot chicken three ways! First with some sauteed veggies (yellow peppers, broccoli, mushrooms, and spinach cooked in olive oil), a big scoop of salsa and green onions on top.

Next with lemony butter veggies (broccolini, yellow peppers, zucchini, carrots, and shallots sauteed in butter, a generous squeeze of lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

And finally with some sliced zucchini and spinach sauteed with butter, salt, and pepper and topped with sliced green onions. Never gets old!

Girls Weekend in Chicago

I needed to get out of town and clear my head plus catch up with my friend Kristin, who moved to Chicago several years ago. We had an awesome time with all-you-can-eat sushi, crossfit, improv, and walking all of the cool neighborhoods in the area. Can't wait to go back!

Bloody Mary in a Jar

This was a fun gift that I put together for a co-worker's birthday (thank you Pinterest!). It's a mason jar with a local bloody Mary mix, mini bottle of vodka, mini Tabasco sauce, snack pack of green olives, and a little tin of bloody Mary rimmer salt. So cute!

Sweet Potato Noodles

Ingredients
1 pound flank steak or top sirloin
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon sherry
3 nests sweet potato noodles (from the Asian grocery store), about 8 oz.
3 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 large yellow onion, julienne
1/2 lb broccoli florets
1 cup frozen tri-color bell pepper strips
5 oz tamarind water (from the Asian grocery store)
3 tablespoons fish sauce
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt
Sriracha (optional)
Cilantro (optional)
Fried egg (optional)

1. Freeze beef for 10 minutes and thinly slice, discarding fat (shave against the grain). Toss beef with cornstarch, salt, and sherry.
2. Simmer salted water, add noodles and cook until no longer chewy (about 6 minutes). Drain and rinse with cold water. Toss with 1 tablespoon of oil.
3. Combine tamarind, fish sauce, and sugar. Heat wok with 2 tablespoons of oil and allow to get hot. Add onion and cook until brown. Add vegetables and red pepper flakes, cover and reduce heat to medium. Cook about 2 minutes until veggies are cooked but crisp. Add beef, noodles and tamarind sauce to pan, cok 3 more minutes.

Recipe by Emily Lane, Personal Chef

Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

I subbed carrots for mushrooms and next time I think I'd add in some cauliflower rice to help make it more 'casseroley' but otherwise pretty tasty!

https://www.grassfedgirl.com/chicken-broccoli-casserole/

Warm Avocado Chocolate Custard

Ingredients
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small squares
1 cup avocado flesh
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine butter, avocado, sugar and cocoa powder in food processor until smooth. Put in sauce pot and add cornstarch and milk. Cook over medium lo heat until warm and thick. Remove from heat and add vanilla.

Great with whipped cream (solid part of coconut milk whipped with vanilla and powdered sugar)!

Recipe by Emily Lane, Personal Chef

Spaghetti Squash with Meat Sauce

A comforting bowl of spaghetti with meat sauce never gets old!

http://ohsweetthang.blogspot.com/2014/10/paleo-ish-bolognese.html

PaleOMG Two Toned Cookies

Recipe to come...

Butternut Squash Kale Baked Frittata

Ingredients
8 eggs
1/4 cup coconut milk
4-5 cups chopped kale, sauteed in butter on stove top until wilted
3-4 cups of roasted butternut squash (tossed with oil/salt and roasted at 400 for 40 minutes)
Garlic
Salt, pepper, parsley, onion powder

Roast squash and saute kale. Whisk eggs and coconut milk, then add in seasonings and veggies. Pour into greased dish and bake at 400 until set (no jiggling and cooked through), about 30 minutes.

Lamb Curry

Recipe to come...

Fall is Here

Well almost, but I'll be damned if I'm not going to try to usher it in sooner! I was itching to do some shopping and got it out of my system with a $10 clearance bag at Old Navy (to carry gym clothes in), some new all-in-one body wash/shampoo, pumpkin spice tea, and a mini pumpkin from Trader Joe's. Bring on the cooler temps!

Turkey with Celery Root Mash

This is a nice easy way to toss some odds and ends together into a tasty mash. The turkey is a frozen Butterball 3 lb.er that I defrosted and threw in the crock pot with a sliced stick of butter. It is sitting on top of a few small potatoes, parsnips, carrots, a chopped celery root, and about 1/3 cup of full fat coconut milk (seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic powder, parsley, and onion powder). After about 6 hours on low I removed the cooked turkey and mashed together the softened veggies, finishing it with an immersion blender to make it really smooth. I served the mash with some pulled turkey on top, garnished with a little leftover greenery from the celery root. Voila!

Gift Card Bouquet

After seeing an online success story from one of the area foster homes (a young man aging out, getting a good job, and moving into his own place), I asked if I could donate something for the apartment but it turns out everything was already covered and they said gift cards would be helpful. So I decided to jazz them up by making it a candy/gift card bouquet! Dollar store mug with a piece of foam pool noodle inside (fits perfectly!), then skewers stuck in that have the different items hot glued to them, then a little bit of shred to hide the noodle.

Pesto Spaghetti & Meatballs

Zoodles (zucchini noodles) + pesto + meatballs from Whole Foods = easy yummy lunch

Trail Mix Chocolate Bars

Life has been more stressful than I would like and instead of completely diving off the deep end I'm trying to find not so bad ways to indulge. This is melted chocolate (with a tablespoon of coconut oil) mixed with cranberries, pumpkin seeds, sliced almonds, sunflower seeds, and shredded coconut in a plastic mold and frozen. Great when the sweets cravings come!

Chicken and Peppers

I've been working a LOT lately and it's definitely impacted my meal planning and time available for grocery shopping and cooking. So I've had to go simple and accept that pretty good is better than nothing at this point. This is pulled chicken from Jim 'n Nicks with a sauteed CSA bell pepper and the Jim 'n Nicks white sauce (they sell it at the restaurant).

Indiana Conference

Okay, let's just start by saying that Colorado was a tough act to follow. I was home for not quite 24 hours before getting on a plane to Indianapolis to attend a national gymnastics conference. The conference was excellent--great speakers, learned about acro, and met some Olympic athletes! The city however, was just meh. We were there over a long weekend and it was just so...quiet. Not much going on. Clean, safe, just kind of boring. But I got to tick another city off of my travel list and had the opportunity to dive back into the gymnastics world, which was really fun!

Colorado, How I Love Thee

As we've done the last few years, my husband and I decided to book a fairly last minute adventure for my birthday. This time we flew into Denver, then rented a car and drove to Boulder, Rocky Mountain National Park, down to Silverthorne, Vail, and back through the Continental Divide to Denver. We hiked, ziplined, handstanded, and ate a lot of really good food. Perfect weather, amazing views, and I can't wait to go back!

Mexican Flatbreads

Okay I burnt the flat bread (the paleo naan recipe that I love so much), but it was still really good. This is just the naan topped with 1 lb. of ground beef cooked with an organic taco seasoning packet and fajita style veggies cooked with olive oil, chili powder, and garlic salt. Topped with scallions. Lots of slicing but otherwise pretty easy and tasted awesome.

Gettin' Figgy With It

I really wanted to do something amazing like make jam or a crumble with these but it was a busy week so I just ate them straight from the basket (after a quick rinse) and it turns out I like figs! Who knew?

Lazy Chicken with Sweet Potato Gnocchi

Not totally paleo because of the flours in the gnocchi (store bought gluten free sweet potato gnocchi) but still relatively good for you. Drop gnocchi in boiling water for about two minutes and drain. Saute a thinly sliced yellow squash in ghee until smooshy. Pour in half a can of coconut milk and puree with the squash using an immersion blender. Season with garlic salt and pepper. Throw in several big handfuls of fresh spinach once it starts bubbling and serve with gnocchi and torn rotisserie chicken (I topped with chives). Warm and comfort foody.

Eggplant Curry

It all started with some CSA veggies (tomatoes, onion, and eggplant). Instead of Italian, I toyed around with this delicious curry recipe. Roast grape tomatoes (tossed in olive oil, salt, and pepper) in a 250 degree oven for about 30 minutes, or until tender. While that was going I sliced the eggplant (skin on) with a mandoline and salted it for about 10 minutes each side (dabbing it with a paper towel after flipping), then sliced up two medium zucchinis and one baking potato also. Put the eggplant, potato, and zucchini on the tomato pan and turned the oven up to 375 and cooked about 20 minutes or until roasted and tender.

Meanwhile, I diced and sauteed the onion in some olive oil and once it was clear added a can of coconut milk. I seasoned away with every Indian spice I had in the cabinet, including curry powder, garam masala, cumin, and tumeric. I just kept seasoning it until it tasted good and then mixed in the roasted tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes, and zucchini. Really, really good!

Vinegary Coleslaw

I used to hate coleslaw. With a passion. But lately I can't get enough of it (IF it's made right!). I need to find the recipe but this was a bag of shredded cabbage, two shredded carrots, a bunch of diced scallions, and a sauce made of apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, salt, pepper, and mayo. I kind of tweaked it to taste but it was tangy and crunchy and oh so good!

Steak Salad

Ingredients
1/2 lb chopped flank steak
4 cups fresh spinach
3 seeded and diced tomatoes
4 ears of corn, shucked
1/3 cup coconut milk
Cumin
Garlic salt, pepper
Olive oil
Butter or ghee
3 teaspoons lemon juice

1. Combine 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 teaspoons of cumin, garlic salt, and pepper in a bowl. Add steak and stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight (I only did 30 minutes and it was still great!).

2. Heat grill pan on high heat and add marinated steak, grilling until brown. Let meat rest.

3. Saute corn in butter or ghee with garlic salt and pepper about 10 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and spinach and warm about two minutes. Combine with steak.

4. In a small bowl whisk coconut milk, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon cumin, and garlic salt. Try it and continue seasoning to taste. Drizzle on top. Serve with paleo naan!

Recipe adapted from Rachel Ray Magazine, July/August 2015

Roasted Shrimp with Broccolini and Butter Chive Sauce

Ingredients
1 bunch of broccolini, stalks trimmed
1 pound large peeled shrimp
4 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons minced fresh chives
Olive oil, garlic salt, pepper
Lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 500 with large pan in it while it warms up.

2. Toss broccolini with olive oil, garlic salt, and pepper. Place on large pan and put in oven for 8 minutes.

3. While broccolini is roasting toss shrimp with olive oil, garlic salt, and pepper. Add to the pan, flip broccolini, and cook for another 4 minutes with shrimp on the pan.

4. Melt butter in a sauce pan with garlic salt, pepper, a few tablespoons of water, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Bring to a simmer then remove from heat and stir in chives (don't let them cook or they will be bitter). Pour on top of shrimp and broccolini.

Adapted from Cooking Light Magazine, August 2015

Minion Basket

It's my friend Tori's birthday week and what better way to celebrate than with a basket full of her favorite things (minions!)?

Egg Roll in a Bowl

Totally got this idea off of Pinterest and then tweaked it a little. Really easy and good! Forgot to add sesame seeds but they would have been good on top.

Ingredients
1 lb ground beef or pork
Sesame oil
2 bags of shredded cabbage
2 carrots, peeled and shredded
1 cup bean sprouts
3-4 scallions, thinly sliced
Soy sauce
Fish sauce
Fresh grated ginger
Garlic
Coconut oil
Cilantro for topping

Brown meat in a tablespoon or so of sesame oil. Stir fry remaining ingredients over medium heat and add cooked meat. Top with cilantro and dive in!

Turkey Veggie Burgers

Really tasty but I would add some more fat next time to make them more filling, maybe fry them in coconut oil? The original recipe made these into burgers with roasted sweet potato slices and lettuce/tomato/mayo.

Ingredients
1 lb ground turkey
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
1 Tablespoon each of dried rosemary, thyme, and oregano
3 carrots, finely shredded
1 small zucchini and yellow squash, finely shredded
1/2 cup each of chopped cilantro and parsley, minced
3-4 scallions
1 1/2 tsp sea salt, cracked black pepper

Mix all ingredients together well and form into patties. Bake in 425 degree oven for 25 minutes or until firm and cooked through.

Salmon with Leek and Vegetable Succatash

Not strictly paleo because of the corn, but this is what we had in our CSA bag this week, so this is what got used! Shucked four ears of corn, cleaned and sliced five leeks, and peeled/sliced about 5 rainbow carrots on a mandoline and sauteed everything over medium heat in about half a stick of butter for 10 minutes. Added garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, and a single zucchini slided thinly on the madoline and cooked another 5 minutes or until everything was soft. Topped with pre-cooked salmon from Earth Fare (the hubby had chicken on his). Simple, pretty, and yummy!

Baked Chocolate Coconut Donuts

These did not turn out like the pretty picture on Pinterest but they tasted good and were actually stellar the next day after firming up in the fridge over night!

Donut Ingredients
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup ground flax seed
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup coconut sugar
5 eggs
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350. Mix coconut flour, flax seed, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in one bowl until combined. Beat eggs in separate bowl then mix in. Add coconut oil last.

2. Pour into donut pan and bake for 10 minutes or until done.

Glaze Ingredients
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup coconut sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
3 drops peppermint extract or other flavoring (optional)

Mix with whisk in sauce pan over medium heat until smooth. Drizzle over cooled donuts.

Original Recipe:  https://www.grassfedgirl.com/chocolate-baked-donut-recipe/

Paleo Tomato Pie

We got a bunch of colorful, ripe tomatoes in the CSA this week and they were screaming to be made into a tomato pie. I was worried about a paleo crust holding up and how the filling would work without tons of cheese (full disclosure--there are about two tablespoons of cheese on the very top here but it would work just fine without it). The crust was sturdy and flavorful and work well for a quiche too. Definitely doing this again!

Crust Ingredients
3/4 cup almond flour plus 1 Tablespoon almond flour
2 Tablespoons coconut flour
1 egg, beaten
1 Tablespoon ghee
Salt and pepper
2 Tablespoons basil (I used frozen cubes but fresh or dry would work too)

Add flours, salt, and pepper to food processor.  Pulse 5 or so times to combine. Add remaining ingredients. Pulse until ingredients are thoroughly mixed and dough resembles cookie dough. Press into a greased pie dish (dough will be thin) and bake at 350 for about 15 minutes.

Filling Ingredients
4 ripe tomatoes
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons almond flour
Garlic salt, parsley, salt and pepper

Slice tomatoes into 1/4 inch slabs and remove seeds. Place on folded paper towels and salt one side. After about 10 minutes (you can do this while crust is baking) flip tomatoes over and salt the other side. Press with paper towels on top right after they have rested on both sides. This should get the majority of the liquid out.

Combine mayo, almond flour, and seasonings, and place a thin layer on top of the pie crust. Layer tomatoes on top and spoon remaining mixture over tomatoes evenly. Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes, until slightly browned on top.

Original Recipe:  http://charlieeats.com/2013/09/16/an-obsession-tomato-pie-paleo-crust/

Paleo Crockpot Mashed Potatoes

Holy delicious, Batman. This is so easy and good. Fill the bottom of the crockpot with about an inch of broth. Add in a bunch of veggies (I used a sweet potato, three medium sized red potatoes, a head of cauliflower, and a few carrots) and a few giant spoonfuls of garlic. I added salt, pepper, ghee, about a 1/2 cup of coconut milk and a little more broth, then let it cook on low 6 hours. Mash or blend with an immersion blender and season more to your liking. Reheats really well and goes with everything!

Shut Your Face Birthday Brownies

My mom wanted brownies for her birthday so I scoured Pinterest looking for a good gluten free recipe. And boy did I find one! I used Trader Joe's GF flour mix and these were incredible (I'm sure regular flour is delicious too). Makes an 8 x 8 pan or you can double it like I did for a 9 x 13 pan.

Ingredients
½ cup granulated sugar
2 Tablespoon butter or ghee
2 Tablespoon coconut milk
2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅔ cup gluten free flour mix
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt

Instructions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease pan.

In a saucepan combine sugar, butter, and coconut milk; cook over medium heat until it comes to a boil.

Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips until melted.

Add in eggs and vanilla.

Add in flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir until mixture is smooth. Pour into greased pan.

Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not overbake.

Original Recipe:  http://www.yourhomebasedmom.com/gluten-free-brownies/

Paleo Shrimp and Grits

I really love this shrimp/tomato/garlic/zucchini combo and tried it over mashed cauliflower 'grits' this time. The grits are cauliflower steamed in broth and pureed with an immersion blender. I seasoned them with ghee, salt, and pepper and topped with sauteed shrimp, tomatoes, zucchini, sundried tomatoes, and roasted garlic. Yum!

July 4th Berry Bowls

Saw these on PaleOMG and decided to improvise a teeny bit. Instead of bars I made bowls and they were delectable. I think they would work with lots of other fruit combos also!

Crust Ingredients
6 dried dates, pitted
1 cup almond butter
¾ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt and cinnamon

1. Pulse dates in food processor until broken into small pieces. Add in remaining ingredients and blend until well combined.

2. Press down into 8 little ramekins or small bowls and put in the freezer while you continue working.

Filling Ingredients
1 (14 ounce) can of coconut milk (placed in refrigerator overnight), only use the cream on top
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Juice from one lemon
2 teaspoon coconut milk (the liquidy part)
½ cup raspberries
½ cup blackberries
1 tablespoon honey

1. Scoop out coconut cream into a bowl and stir. Combine with remaining ingredients and put back in fridge.

2. Put a few tablespoons of leftover coconut milk liquid into a pot on medium heat and add raspberries, juice from 1/2 a lemon, and honey. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Once it cools use an immersion blender to puree mixture until smooth. Stir raspberry mixture into the coconut cream bowl until combined and then portion evenly into the crust cups from the freezer.

3. Repeat step 2 with blueberries instead of raspberries. Cook over medium heat until just soft, about 5 minutes. Do not puree. Let cool, then spoon blueberries over top of filled crust cups and put back in freezer for one hour to set.

4. Serve and keep leftovers in the fridge. The coconut milk filling melts quickly!

Original Recipe:  http://paleomg.com/berry-cream-bars/ 

West Coast Trip

This was over a month ago, but I had to post! It had been about 10 years since I visited the Pacific Northwest, and my hubby had never been. So we spent a week at a technical writing conference (me) and on vacation (us). We had so much fun eating our way through Portland and Seattle, and driving up the coast. We attended a bunch of crossfit classes in new gyms and did some hiking. Such a fun trip.

Birthday Pressies

This is so overdue but better late than never! We had several birthdays at the gym when I first started and even though there wasn't much to spend, I still wanted to do something cute and fun. So here it is!