Happy Easter!!

The easter bunny was good to my little family this year, he's so smart he found us at our new home!

Dev's basket

Chels' basket

Maui's bone which she rejected

Tinkerbelle and her new catnip ball!!

Little inspirations!!

I was at a craft store the other day and a lady who was in her late 80's was telling her friend that she finally completed her craft room.... 62 years after starting.... she went on to say that her husband better learn to cook and clean because she's dedicating the last years of her life to sewing!! It made me think of the things I always put off for a later day when we have the money, space or time and how wrong that is! What is life if you're not doing things that excite and bring joy to your life?  So I started small and have started drawing again and when the rain finally stops i'll start horse riding lessons.

Of course everything can be compared to cooking, so with that story in mind I've been having a difficult time trying to make praise worthy gluten free bread. I don't want to be overheard in William and Sonoma when i'm 88 yrs old telling my friend I've finally mastered gluten free bread! So I got busy and after many many attempts produced my first delicious gluten free bread..

This bread has a light texture, it tastes like "homemade white bread". It's not the most attractive, but it tastes heavenly!

Gluten Free white bread recipe

4 tbsp butter (or ghee) softened
1/4 cup raw cane sugar (or palm sugar)
1 tsp maple syrup
5 egg whites
1 cup plain yogurt (or coconut yogurt)
1 1/4 cups potato starch
3/4 cup millet flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp xanthan gum
1 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

*Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a medium sized loaf pan.

*Cream the butter, sugar and maple syrup together in a medium sized bowl or in a stand up mixer with whisk attachment until light and fluffy. Add egg whites and beat until frothy. In a separate bowl, sift the dry ingredients together and add to the wet ingredients along with apple cider vinegar. Gently place the dough in the prepared pan and smooth the top.

*Bake for 45-50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Chocolate Avocado Pudding

An Avocado is a perfect food in itself. It's a powerhouse full of nutrients and healthy fats. Avocado's have 60% more potassium then banana's and are also a rich source of vitamin B and E. A study was conducted that had individuals eat a seven day diet rich in avocados and resulted in a 17% reduction in cholesterol. You can boost your fat burning metabolism by eating avocados because they contain L-carnitine. L-Carnitine is an amino acid which occurs naturally in body, Its primary purpose is to help the body metabolize fat and promote fat loss.

Avocado's are a "fast food" in our house, if I need a light meal or snack i'll grab one on my way out for a satisfying pick-me up. Since I try to incorporate avocados in creative ways I was playing around one night and made a delicious dessert with avocados!!

 Chocolate Avocado Pudding Recipe

1 ripe avocado 

1/8 cup coconut or almond milk

2 Tbsp agave nectar

2 Tbsp coconut oil

3-4 Tbsp cocoa powder

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 tsp pure hazelnut extract (optional)

pinch of sea salt

Combine ingredients and blend using an immersion blender, processor or regular blender. Add more coconut milk if too thick. I find it depends on the size of the avocado and ripeness, I sometimes add a little more agave nectar and cocoa powder. Can be eaten immediately or cover and chill in the refrigerator.

For the love Bread

After doing a saliva, hair and GI test the specialist met with Dev and I and went over the results. I could handle the fact I had an undiagnosed parasite for the past 2.5 years  from going to Mexico for my honeymoon, but my heart fell when she told me I tested positive for gluten intolerance.... In life rarely do things give me as much pleasure as a warm crispy baguette smeared with ghee or dipped in fruity olive oil and tangy balsamic vinegar. But now my life will have a void that I will long to fill. I'm not a vain person but I know I am a talented cook and baker, but now I have to begin from scratch because the true test will be if I can master the art of gluten free cooking and the dreaded baking!,
Chels

The weekend recap

Devon and I had a really good weekend..... well the best you can have when you're on antibiotics that make you severely nauseous 24/7 ... I can now talk about it because I have one pill left and i'm excited to resume my normal life after 10 days of misery. This weekend was Conference and it was amazing, so motivational. It was the first time Dev was able to watch all five sessions since we've been married ( he always worked on Saturdays). We also took Maui on some fun walks and watched a ton of movies. The weather was amazing yesterday it was like 28 degrees and SO humid I don't think we shut our balcony door once this weekend. I also bought my first plant of the year a tulip plant...maybe living in a new climate will help my track record of killing all plants.. i'll keep you posted. For being so sick I ended up still making two really good dinners, cedar plank maple salmon and herb crusted roast beef. It taught me a good lesson that sometimes less is more in term of ingredients. I generally use a lot more ingredients when making my salmon but both Dev and I couldn't stop eating it. I also made Ghee (a.k.a clarified butter) and am converted for life! I made it because I can't eat dairy but have refused to let go the most amazing substance in the world.... butter... but it doesn't love me back and margarine is taboo in my world. If you haven't made Ghee you must it's nothing like store bought. If you have a lactose/dairy intolerance this is your dream come true! I will start posting recipes soon so you can enjoy some of my delicious creations!
chels