Destroyed ipod = Best Crepes Ever!!!

My 10 year old son left his ipod on the back bumper of my car.  Poof!  Gone.  He has been in a bit of a funk since that happened a few weeks ago.  I told him that he could earn the money for a new one if he did some jobs around the house.  I think he thought that we would just go buy him a new one because the whole earning money thing hasn't been of any interest to him.  Obviously he hasn't met us because if he had, he would know that we aren't in the business of replacing carelessly misplaced electronic devices.  Finally he got the message loud and clear tonight.  He kicked it into high gear and has been doing chores for me for the past two hours.  Hello blog.  I have you all to myself tonight and fortunately for me I will also have clean bathrooms and folded laundry.  That crunched ipod might be the best thing that has happened around here in a very long time.


In addition to cleaning and doing laundry, I had him help me make dinner.  But I knew the only way to get him to go along with it would be to make something he wanted for dinner.  Now, I'm not normally a breakfast for dinner kind of gal.  Waffles at 6:00pm just isn't my thing.  So when he requested crepes, I cringed just a little bit.  Besides, although I used to make crepes frequently I hadn't come up with an adequately healthified version yet.  But I decided to give it a go tonight.  Like I said, laundry done, bathrooms clean.  Not much to lose I guess.


Let's talk about eggs for a moment.  Several years ago when I fully jumped on the healthy living bandwagon, I considered eggs a no no.  I started out vegetarian and quickly morphed into a full fledged vegan although at the time, I'm not sure I had a good reason for the change.  I've always been kind of an all or nothing person so it just seemed natural to go to the extreme I guess.  Since then however, I've decided that eggs are in my "moderation" category.  They are after all, relatively nutritious.  

Nutrients in
Eggs
1.00 each (50.00 grams)

Nutrient%Daily Value

choline26.5%

tryptophan25%

selenium22%

iodine18%

vitamin B215.2%

protein12.5%

molybdenum11.3%

vitamin B129.1%

phosphorus8.6%

vitamin B57%

vitamin D6.6%

Calories (77)4%

I still don't eat them very often (once or twice per month) because they do technically contain saturated fats.  But as far as easy to digest protein goes, they are golden.  Which is good for me because my pancreas, while whore-ish, is extremely picky.  And we don't want her to throw a tantrum anytime soon.


SO back to the crepes.  I prefer to stuff them with veggies and herbs and savory dressings. The kids?  Not so much.  They're all about crepes breakfast style (fruit, whipped cream, syrup, etc.).  We've cut processed sugars out completely so the whipped cream was out of the question.  We settled on whole wheat crepes with berries, pecans, and a special little syrup I concocted (I used the juice from the berries and mixed it with a little bit of honey).  Jenny's 6 year old was over here playing pirates while I was making dinner so of course, I had to get his professional opinion.  Two hooks up!!!


Monday Night Crepes

2 organic eggs
1 cup milk (soy, rice, or almond - I used almond)
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons olive oil or grapeseed oil
1 1/3 cup whole wheat flour (or light spelt flour)
1 teaspoon honey
pinch of salt


Combine all ingredients with a wire whisk, and let sit for 5 minutes.  Pour a small amount of batter into a very lightly oiled (or non stick) frying pan, over medium heat, tilting the pan to spread the batter as thinly as possible.  Flip when golden and fry the other side for one more minute.  Serve rolled up with your choice of filling: fresh or frozen berries, maple syrup, apple sauce or apple butter, coconut yogurt, jam, honey, sliced fruit.
Makes 8 large, thin crepes.


Okay.  Now I'm going to level with you.  I suck at making crepes.  I tried and tried for several years but somehow managed to mutilate them EVERY single time.  Finally a few years ago I got one of these...

And now?  My crepes are a work of art.  If crepes are something you think you'll make frequently throughout your life, don't walk, RUN to to the store and purchase one of these divine creations.  There are tons and tons of different brands and models to choose from. And you'll be able to find something in pretty much every price range.  Mine was only $25.00.  We've definitely gotten our money's worth out of it.

Chocaroos

This recipe reminds me of the Scotcharoos I loved as a kid, minus the butterscotch.  I just took Annie's Almond Butter Rice Krispies recipe and changed/added a couple of things.  And let me tell you....O.M.GSH!  Being the type of person that prefers savory vs. sweet these days, it takes a really good dessert to make me go overboard.  I went overboard.  Maybe it's because growing up with Celiac Sprue, my go-to treat was a Rice Krispie treat made with Kellogg's Rice Krispies.  That was when Kellogg's Rice Krispies were actually gluten-free, but then they went and added malt flavoring to their ingredients, so now I use Crispy Rice cereal from the health store.  It's for the best, though, because the Crispy Rice cereal is 100% whole grain brown rice. (Update: I guess Kellogg's now makes a gluten-free Rice Krispies product which is whole grain, but it contains sugar, which I don't want.  Just FYI.  It was news to me!) 

Anyway, I seriously love Rice Krispie treats.  And I love this recipe. Thanks, Annie, for the inspiration.

Chocaroos

Treats:

3/4 cup honey
3/4 cup creamy Sunbutter
2.5 Tablespoons organic coconut oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract (I used this, but won't use it next time. )
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 cups organic Crispy Rice cereal

Chocolate Coating:

1 cup dairy-free, gluten-free chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life mini-chips)
1/2 cup canned coconut milk, full-fat
4 Tbsp. agave nectar


Use Annie's instructions for the first part:

Line a 9 x 13" glass pan with parchment paper that extends up along the sides. Set aside.

In a saucepan, heat the honey over medium heat and stir until it begins to bubble a little bit. Remove from heat and stir in the Sunbutter, coconut oil, vanilla and almond extract if using, and salt. As you stir the mixture it should thicken and become glossy and smooth.

Pour the rice cereal into a large heat-safe mixing bowl. Carefully pour in the warm syrup mixture, and stir to coat all the cereal.

Scoop the coated cereal into the lined baking pan and spread evenly, gently smoothing out the top surface.

My instructions for the second part:

Put in the fridge to chill for about 10 min.  While the treats are chilling, combine chocolate chips, coconut milk, and agave nectar in a saucepan on low heat, and stir until melted.  Be careful not to burn the chocolate.  When melted, pour the chocolate mixture over the semi-chilled treats and spread until coated evenly.  Then chill for at least 1-2 hours.  They are the very best (more crunchy and firm) when chilled all day or overnight.

After they are chilled, cut them into squares and wrap and store in the fridge.

My son liked them so much I decided we're going to make him a Chocaroo birthday cake, using an angel food cake mold, and using the chocolate coating like a frosting. I hope it works :)

Houston, We've Solved a Problem

Valentine's Day is next week.  I'm guessing you already knew that but I couldn't think of another way to start this post.  So there you go.  Anyway, I've been planning to make a big Valentine's dinner for Ryan and the kiddoes but haven't been able to settle on exactly what it will consist of yet.  I don't know what my problem is.  I can't seem to commit.  I was thinking this, or this.  But then there's this...

See?  Zero ability to make a decision.

Yesterday, I randomly decided to try out a new recipe for some brownies that I have to say, on paper, didn't look like anything very exciting.  I was bored and happened to have some extra cocoa powder lying around.  I figured I'd just prove to myself that the recipe was in fact, crap.  I tweaked it here and there so I could say I gave it some effort but seriously, meh, they didn't look great in their pre-cooked state.  I put them in the oven and pumiced my feet for 25 or so minutes.  I don't know why I told you that part.  It's late,  and I'm listening to Shane Harper (compliments of my 10 year old who has now taken over my itunes library).  Brownies.  Right-oh.  So, I was kind of shocked when I took them out of the oven.  The looked...good.  Fluffy even!  I let them cool and then busted out my heart shaped cookie cutter just for the hell of it.  Let me tell you my feelings regarding these brownies at this point.  "I'm in love I'm in love and I don't care who knows it!"  I've tried so many brownie recipes that it actually surpassed the point of ridiculous a long long time ago.  I'm telling you, I took all those recipes?  And fed them to my recycling bin.  This is the only brownie recipe I'll ever need.  It's that good.  

At least I don't have to stress about what we'll be having for dessert on the 14th...

Walnut Fudge Brownies (sugar-free)
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (WHOLE wheat, not white wheat - there's a difference)
1/2 cup blanched almond flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1 cup grade A pure maple syrup (I cut it down to 3/4 cup & just added a little stevia)
2 flax or chia eggs*
1/2 cup liquified coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice


Preheat oven to 350.  In medium mixing bowl combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and sea salt.  Add 1/2 cup of the chopped walnuts.  Add the maple syrup, coconut oil, flax egg, vanilla, and lemon juice.  Stir until combined.  Pour mixture into a non-stick 8x8 baking pan and spread evenly.  Top with remaining 1/2 cup of walnuts and bake for about 15-18 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Allow to cool completely before cutting into squares.  Or hearts.


*Flax egg consists of 1 Tablespoon ground flax mixed with 3 Tablespoons warm water. Chia egg consists of 1 Tablespoon ground chia seed mixed with 1/4 cup (4 Tablespoons) water.  After mixing well, let sit in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes until it gets thick and gooey.  There's your binder!  Add it to recipe just as you would an egg.

Hey guys, meet Sarah.  She emailed me a few weeks ago about my raw cleanse extravaganza.  Since then, we've been swapping stories and ideas and tales of woe regarding healthy living.  Last week she and her husband (who is my ex-boyfriend, which you'd think would add an element of weirdness to this but strangely does not - because Sarah is RAD) decided to go for it, and they completed their own 7 day raw cleanse.  Real quick, I have to tell you how mind boggling this is because I have very clear memories of her husband Adam and all his friends subsisting on nothing but hamburgers, french fries and coke for extended periods of time.  One time our friend put a cheeseburger down his football spandies and left it there throughout the entire game.  He claimed that if we won, he would take it out and eat it.  We won.  High school, sigh.....  Anyway, Sara emailed me a few times last week to let me know how their cleanse was going.  I especially loved this line she sent on Tuesday.


"Ok, we are on day 2. I think Adam hates me." 


All I could do was smile at that.   I find great solace in knowing that after years of teasing me about my "strange" eating habits, he married a woman like Sarah.  Karma.  It's relentless.


I've loved reading Sarah's emails about how determined they are to raise a health conscious family (they have 4 kids who are all absolute knock-outs).  We've talked extensively about how difficult it is in this day and age to do that.  It's time consuming and energy draining and WAY more expensive than loading up the freezer with Hot Pockets and ice cream.  It takes constant effort and attention.  I've been hitting her up to do a guest post for us because I think it's so important for moms who are trying to raise healthy kids to stay connected.  She is such a cute mama and has some great insight into how to maintain a healthy lifestyle.  She's also apparently a WELL of good recipes because she has sent me a few that have seriously blown my freaking pants off.  I tried her Lentil Tacos last week?  And have now made them THREE times.  Three times in 9 days.  So let's all blow a big thank you kiss to Sarah back there in Boston.  THANK YOU SARAH!!!


LENTIL TACOS (or taco salad)

1 c lentils sprouted* (takes 3 - 4 days, I used a combination of red and green)

2 T grapeseed oil

1/2 onion chopped

1 t minced garlic (I use more)

1/2 c water

Taco seasoning, I use: 

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

diced jalapeno or some tabasco

(Though not necessarily those exact quantities. I season to taste depending on how many lentils I am cooking)

Saute onions and garlic in oil until soft. Add lentils, water and taco seasoning. 

Serve with your favorite taco toppings: lettuce, tomato, avocado, cilantro, maybe the sour cream you make, salsa.  I prefer to eat this as a salad and usually top it with a bit of cilantro lime dressing. The kids like to eat it as taco's, so I serve it to them with corn or whole wheat tortillas. 

*To sprout lentils, place in large bowl, cover in water. Soak for 24 hours. These expand, so I am always checking to see if I need to add more water. After 24 hours, drain water. Keep lentils in a bowl out of direct sunlight. Check a couple of times a day, add a little water as needed to keep the lentils looking moist. Wait until day 3 or 4 to make.  Sarah also suggested keeping your lentils in a strainer next to the sink so you don't forget about them.  Let me just tell you, that was an excellent tip.

        *Here's another possible recipe for taco seasoning:
            2 Tablespoons chili powder
         1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
         1/2 teaspoon onion powder
         1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
         1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
         1 teaspoon paprika
         3 teaspoons ground cumin
         2 teaspoon sea salt
         2 teaspoons black pepper


Often times I just quadruple this recipe so I'll have some on hand.  It's GREAT to just sprinkle over any type of mexican food.


I made Sarah's lentil taco salad for dinner on Monday.  I cut up a mixture of lettuces (romaine, collard greens, and kale) as the base, then added the lentils.  I also made my favorite guacamole and salsa to add to it.  And just for fun I came up with a creamy cilantro lime dressing.  I sent some over to Jenny via my 8 year old son and within seconds she called me up and said, "HOLYFREEKINGCRAPILOVETHISICOULDEATITEVERYDAYNOMNOMNOM" or something to that effect.  But it was loud and enthusiastic and OH, how we love thee Sarah.


Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing  
2 c. macadamia nuts
enough water to cover
3 cloves fresh garlic (I like more)
1/4 cup gluten-free tamari
juice of 2 limes
1/2 cup cilantro (loosely packed)
1/2 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
smidgeon of lime zest


Put everything except cilantro in the blender and blend on high until it reaches desired consistency.  Add cilantro and pulse until just combined but you can still see specks of cilantro.


One other thing I discovered on my third time making this (because we can NOT get enough) is that my kids also like to eat it sort of like loaded nachos.  I made some brown rice tortilla chips and let them layer the chips with lentils, salsa, guac, and Daiya cheese.


And because I love you all so very much, I'm going to give you one more recipe.  And one more story.  A quick one.  


During our (my husband and I) raw cleanse I came up with a bajillion different shake recipes.  Some were good, some were okay, some were downright pitiful.  The one I'm about to give you has quickly become more precious to us than our 4 children combined.  It's sweet and tangy and tastes like tart frozen yogurt.  And get this, I perfected this recipe the DAY before my thrill seeking brother decided to sever his entire top lip whilst performing an acrobatic soap opera of sorts on skis.  If he wasn't such a damn freaking awesome skier I'd tell you it was destined to happen.  But he is in fact an INCREDIBLY damn freaking awesome skier, and really, this was just a total fluke.  One of his bindings came undone and the tip of his ski nailed his face as he landed a jump.  Which knowing him was probably not a jump so much as a mind blowing precipice, but for semantic's sake, we'll call it a jump.  But never fear, because as his top lip dangled from a thread, he skied down the mountain to find help.  I'm going to say that again, he SKIED DOWN THE MOUNTAIN!  I'm sorry, but that part of the story was by FAR the most jaw dropping part for me.  How would one do that?  I just can't envision how it would work.  But he did it.  And eventually he found help and that help led to the emergency room where they re-attached said facial component.  When I talked to him on the phone he sounded like he might have had a hot dog stuffed between his top lip and his teeth.  Wasn't a hot dog.  Just a massive amount of swelling.  He said, "I caht eat anh I caht tauk buh I OK".   I was all, "yes, you sound peachy."  "Would you like me to bring you soup or a smoothie?"  He said a smoothie.  And considering he's a HUGE fan of sea buckthorn I worked up a little raw Sibu elixir for him.  He LOVED it!  Since then it has become the family favorite.  Hands down.


Bro?  If you're reading this, next time (and we all know there will be a next time), wear a face mask.  And I love you.  And I think you are crazy.  Both at the same time.

ORANGE SIBU ELIXIR SHAKE

1 orange (peeled)

1 banana (peeled)

2 carrots (cut into chunks)

1/4 sweet potato (peeled and cut into cubes)

1/2 cup coconut, almond, or rice milk

1/3 cup sibu RAW (buy here)

3 Tablespoons ground flaxseed

juice of 1 lime

1-2 drops of stevia

1/4 teaspoon fresh ginger

1/2-1 cup frozen mango or pineapple

few shakes of cinnamon (seriously, it's the secret ingredient)

6-8 ice cubes

blend on high in powerful blender.

*For a totally raw version of this, use water in place of milk and add a bit of raw shredded coconut.

ONE more thing I have to tell you about.  3 weeks before my brother sliced his face off while skiing, my OTHER brother shattered his collar bone.......wait for it.............while skiing.  I kid you not.  I could write an entire blog about stupid things my brothers have done.  And still do.  Obviously.  

He's going to kill me, but for those of you who know my family, you HAVE to watch this video of my little bro right after he came out of surgery to fix his collar bone.  Sorry Mase.  Don't hate me.