Giveaway from Bob's Red Mill!!

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. THANK YOU TO ALL WHO ENTERED. 
LOOK FOR THE WINNER ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2012!

I'm super thrilled to be ending the week with a fun giveaway from Bob's Red Mill.

I've had the pleasure and privilege of collaborating with them a few times developing recipes (with another to come in March) using their products and the quality is, in my opinion, as good as they get.

But you don't have to take my word for it because they are giving away a $50 gift card!! You heard me, like cash in your cupboard. And $50 really will go far with their reasonably priced products.

Like these monthly specials:





Needing inspiration in the kitchen? Check out their collection of cookbooks, then order the necessary flours or aids to go with it:





They also make it super easy for you (or to give as a gift) with gift packs to get you started:





If you're gluten-free (like me) their mixes are amazing. Welcome back chocolate brownies, cookies and bread! Not to mention the great care they take in making sure all their gluten-free products are free of cross contamination:





Say your all set with flours, or still have money left over, be sure to check out all of their merchandise. I'm definitely in need of their half gallon plastic jars to store all my flours:





Let's get down to the details. The giveaway will be open for one week. From today until next Friday, February 17, 2012.

There are 3 ways you can enter:

1. Head over to Bob's Red Mill website and look around. Then leave a comment below with what you would would spend the money on. Be sure to include your email in the comment so I can contact you if you've won!

2. Follow along with Google Friend Connect, by clicking at the top bar or there's a box on the right side bar. And leave a second comment below saying you've done so (if you already follow, leave a comment also).

3. Come on over to Facebook and like the Life:Styled page and join this growing community. Leave a third comment below saying you've done so (if you already have liked the page, leave a comment also).

That's it! Next Friday a winner will be chosen at random and will contact you if you've won.

Good luck!!

Menu Monday, New Years Vegetarian Kick Start

It's officially the beginning of the year and the un-official kick off to "diets" around the world. But I don't diet. My food intolerance list is quite long enough that I refuse to eliminate even more! What I do believe in is healthy eating and that sometimes the body can use a little recharge, a cleanse if you will. To rid the system of too many rich holiday food and drinks. And I have to get into a bathing suit in a week.

These recipes are all vegetarian, because I find I feel much better when I cut out meat. They're also seasonal recipes so you're sure to get the most flavor. Certain ingredients overlap too so you get the most bang for your buck. Join me this week and kick start your 2012 with taste!


{m: herb, chard, and feta soup, t: persimmon and hazelnut salad, w: quinoa, fennel, and pomegranate salad, th: kale-walnut pesto pasta, f: fennel, orange, and avocado salad, sa: citrus and endive salad, su: cauliflower steaks with olive relish and tomato sauce}
And no good cleanse would be any fun without a few treats and snacks. The Food Lover's Cleanse (see number 1) has a lot of fun suggestions in their 2 week menu like celery sticks with meyer lemon relish and chevre. Hello yum! I gathered up a few others that I'll be making for this week.


{1: the food lovers cleanse, 2: gluten-free, egg-free, rosemary crackers, 3: almond-cranberry quinoa cookies, 4: fruit and nut bars,
5: rosemary infused olive oil, dark chocolate, and salt popcorn, 6: garlic parmesan edamame, 7: no bake energy bites}

Easiest Chocolate Chip Cookies

These literally took fifteen minutes to make, including bake time.

This recipe makes a small batch. They will disappear quick and since they're so easy to make, feel free to repeat as necessary.

They're also gluten-free, egg free, and dairy free. But not taste free, promise!

Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies
1/2 cup gluten-free rolled oats (or quick cooking), ground
1/4 cup coconut flour
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon white sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon oil
4 tablespoons coconut milk (or other non-dairy milk)

2 tablespoons chocolate chips

Pre-heat oven to 375º.

Combine dry ingredients into medium bowl and mix. Add in oil and coconut milk to combine. Stir in chocolate chips.

Form into 1 tablespoon sized balls and place onto cookie sheet.

Bake for 6-8 minutes or slightly browned. Enjoy!

Menu Monday, Back to School

School starts this week around these parts, and while some of you have already been back to the grind for a week or two, I thought I'd kick off September with a little help in the mealtime planning department, with a meal planner.

At the beginning of each month I plan on changing up this planner to get you into the mood for the month. This month, as you could guess, is geared towards back to school.

Print this off, one for each week in September, and hang it in your kitchen for everyone to see. You could even frame it and use it as a dry erase board. There's space to plan out your meals as well as snacks.


(click on the image to take you to the download) 
And since school is starting back, hectic schedules are surely in tow, so easy, yet healthy, recipes are in store this week. Ok, maybe the mac & cheese isn't the healthiest, but Monday's need all the help they can get!

Friday's your chance to get outside and enjoy the beginning of the weekend bbq'ing and enjoy the fact you made it through the week.

The kids will go nuts over Saturday's dinner of a ham and cheese sandwich made in the waffle maker. Get them in the kitchen with you and make them chef for the day.

As always, click on the links below to go to each recipe's website.


{m: crack-n-cheese, t: chicken and cheese sliders, w: smashed white bean and avocado club, th: greek quinoa and avocado salad, f: honey-glazed chicken, peach, and sweet potato skewers, sa: waffled ham and cheese sandwiches, su: fresh tuna tacos}

Quadruple Threat Ice Cream

Cinnamon. Cocoa. Chocolate Chips. Coconut milk.
Did you all know it's National Chocolate Ice Cream day? Well now you do and now you have to do something about it! How about the creamiest, chocolatiest, sweetest ice cream ever? Look no further.

Cinnamon Chocolate Coconut Milk Ice Cream
1 can coconut milk (not lite)
1/3 cup cocoa powder
2 tablespoons sugar (or to your desired sweetness)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients together minus chocolate chips. Pour into ice cream maker and then slowly add in chips. Mix until frozen and creamy, about 15 minutes. Freeze to harden or serve immediately.

Menu Monday

I love my iPhone. My husband thinks I'm insane for the amount of apps I have. He gets stressed out just looking at my home screen. But it makes total sense to me, and I use everything on there. Especially those in my food folder. It's my lifeline on the go. When I don't have the time to sit down at the computer to look a recipe up. Or in the kitchen while preparing a meal.



Most of the recipes for this week come from these apps. So I wanted to share with you what I use. For you to also have at all times. Most of them are free too. Bonus! If you're reading this on your iPhone or iPad, click on the links to take you straight to the download.

• Epicurious: FREE. A great app with shopping list option.
• Tastebook: FREE. Millions of recipes from top sites like AllRecipes, Better Homes & Garden, Bon Appetit, Food Network, etc.
• SparkRecipes: FREE. Healthy recipes for all dietary needs. Home cook recipes.
• FoodFaves: FREE. Rachael Ray's Everyday Food Faves.
• Essentials: $4.99. From Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Cookbook, it gives you all the essentials for how to make, well, everything! 
• AllRecipes: FREE. If you're familiar with their website, you can find almost any recipe you could ever dream of.
• Crock-Pot: FREE. Great recipes for the ol' crock-pot.
• Whole Foods: FREE. All that you love about the store, wrapped into recipes at your fingertips.
• Cook's: FREE. Just like the Cook's Illustrated magazine. Find dinner for tonight easily.
• Simply Organic: FREE. The Simply Organic brand supplying you with great recipes to eat a more organic diet.
• Jamie Oliver: $7.99. Twenty minute meals with gorgeous pictures, videos and stories. There is a free starter pack to get a sense of what it includes.

Click here for the recipes: m, w, th, f, sa, su

Favorites Friday, Farmers Market

(via quaillanepress)

Our local farmers market starts this next week and I am super excited about our proximity to it. You'll know where to find me every Wednesday from now until Labor day! I am giddy with anticipation of a fridge full of local produce. Maybe I'll even learn to can this year. Maybe.
But to have the most success shopping you need to be prepared.  We all know how hippies can get around sustainability. It's like a ravenous feast with turnips and baby arugula flying everywhere.
So I plan on being well equipt.

1. You need a good bag. This can make all the difference on how much you can take away.

Local and handmade option.

Vintage option.

Or a DIY to replace produce bags.

2. How about storage in your fridge for those delicate berries?

A reusable option that plays on it's paper counterparts.

3. Your food is nothing without some good recipes.

Already reserved this baby from the library (yes, I'm one of those).

Or make this gorgeous galette and salad.

4. Planning a wedding or summer paraty?

This farmers market wedding is just perfect for ideas and inspiration.

5. Wanting to inspire your kiddos towards more healthy eating?

Make them their own farmers market stand.

Then get them (or heck, make) some food to fill up those baskets.

6. Spread the word.

Take this guy. Douglas Richard is making an effort to connect people with their local farmers through great design.

7. You know I can't leave you without a beverage to wrap it all up in a pretty little bow. So here you go.

Strawberry Mint Spritzer.

Menu Monday

Oh it's been a long time since I last posted a weekly menu, I know. But I lost inspiration. So I stopped.  Here it is again! I'm still not full of recipe inspiration but Rich and I are inspired to eat better. Have I mentioned that we found out he can't eat corn/corn products? And me with gluten. That pretty much leaves...well, close to nothing fun. Have you ever noticed how many things contain corn? I think it's used as a filler more than wheat!

So why not take advantage of that plus more produce coming into season and just eat good food? But I'd love your help. Post some links to your favorite recipes in the comment section and we can all be inspired!!

A few notes about the recipes I chose. We try to stay away from meat most days because we've found how much better we feel when not overloaded on meat, plus it makes it taste that much more amazing when you do.

We're at family's house on Tuesday and are having pizza so I planned a quick throw-together salad that I can take along for me. Some spinach. Crumbled blue cheese (my newest obsession, watch out). Halved red seedless grapes. Toasted pecans. And balsamic. Make it big enough and you'll feel stuffed.

Wednesday is our anniversary (eeps!!). Since we already had our trip away to Portland (will post that soon) we wanted to do dinner in after the kids went to bed. We're going to make veggie rolls and chocolate mochi. Both gluten free delights!

Thursday is Tayden's dinner pick day and of course, he wanted mac and cheese, so I found one with a bit of nutrients. We always use rice pasta (Trader Joe's brand is by far the cheapest I've found) and substitute non-dairy products (nut milks) where able to. But no fake cheese please!

Friday we're having friends over for some fun-do and drinks. I have a recipe I typed out for you below. If you've always wanted to throw a fondue feast, check out this fantastically fun party from Lil Hoot via Amy Atlas. Someday I'd love to do a party like this. But in the meantime, I have some fondue pots that have never been used so it's high time to break them in. I grabbed some crunchy vegan bread, asparagus, sweet potato chips, radishes, broccoli, an array of apples, and bell peppers for dipping.

For the fish tacos on Sunday, I like the mahi-mahi fillets that are already seasoned, again, from Trader Joe's. Fill a tortilla with some bar-be-qued meat, tons of spinach, julienned carrots and make a quick dressing of Vegenaise (if you've never tried, you must) and lime juice.

I hope you find a new favorite and I'll try to keep up these each week. Make sure you leave yours below!




m,w,th,su

Cheese Fondue
adapted from Gourmet Game Night by Cynthia Nims

3/4 cups dry white wine
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
8 ounces Swiss-type cheese, grated
4 ounces fontina cheese, grated
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated
2 teaspoons arrowroot flour
array of fruits and veggies for dipping

Combine wine and garlic in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a slow boil.
Meanwhile, combine the cheeses and flour in a bowl and toss well to evenly mix. Add the cheese mix to the wine and cook gently, stirring often, until the cheese is fully melted and smooth in texture, 3-5 minutes. Do not allow to boil.
Pour cheese mixture into a fondue pot over burning flame to stay warm. Dip. Enjoy!

Gluten Free Coconut Ginger Banana Bread

Whoa. That title is a mouthful, eh? Speaking of full mouths, let me finish my fresh, warm slice...
Ok. Now we can carry on.
I love quick breads. Those recipes you know by heart, can throw together, and is out of the oven in less than an hour. Then if there's any left come morning, you've got a quick grab and go breakfast you can feel good about feeding your family. Banana bread is one of those. But how sick are you of the plain old recipe? So you sit there staring at those nasty over ripe bananas on your counter, you know the ones, and think "Really? More banana bread?"
So came this recipe. Still easy, which is important, but with a bit of attitude. Oh yeah. Breakfast bread that bites you back! And what's more? It's Gluten Free. Egg free. Dairy free. SUGAR free. And still chock full of flavor. Don't believe me? Give it a try, then tell me.
But wait, there's more! This recipe not only makes one loaf, it makes two! Eat it. Freeze it. Gift it away. I know I'm going to be sharing it with some moms tomorrow.


Gluten Free Coconut Ginger Banana Bread
2 1/2 cups gluten free all purpose mix (if you're not ready, use your regular AP)
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (depending on how much you want to be bitten)
1/2 cup gluten free rolled oats (or old fashioned rolled oats)
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 tablespoon ground flax mixed with 3 tablespoons warm water (or 1 egg)
2-3 ripe bananas, mashed
3/4 cup coconut milk (not light)
1/2 cup local honey
3 tablespoons coconut oil (or vegetable oil)

Preheat oven to 350 and spray two loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray.
In a large bowl, mix the first 7 ingredients together.
In a medium bowl mix the flax mixture, mashed bananas, coconut milk, honey and oil.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry until combined.
Divide mixture among the two loaf pans. Bake for 40 minutes or until nicely browned and toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Slice. Serve. Savor.

Favorites Friday, Food & Drink

1. What a great way to make your favorite bitters!

2. It's the morning, but my mouth is already salivating for this pizza. Lots of favorite food combos.

3. Great idea for labeling your favorite homebrew!

4. Mmmhmm. Garlic. Fermented? Favorite sense: umami. Got.to.have.

5. I've decided if I can't master making macarons, I'll just get these.

6. Favorite new cookbook.

7. Rich doesn't like coconut so I'd be on my own here, but favorite weekly drink.

Macarons, the Next Gluten-Free Frontier

Welcome visitors from Bob's Red Mill Blog! Thank you for stopping by. I want to briefly introduce myself and my connection with being gluten and casein free. First of all, my name is Christen. Husband Rich, and my two kiddos (almost 3 and 1) are my driving force and inspiration in life. You'll find much more here than recipes. Some of what you'll see include hosting parties, creating things for my kiddos and our home, travel, and also share bits from the adventures in our lives.
My journey with being gluten free started four years ago when I discovered I had a thyroid issue called Hashimoto's. There's a huge correlation between gluten & a whacked thyroid that can make or break future health. Honestly, it was a reluctant change, but am astounded and encouraged at the choices available now versus just four short years ago. At that time I also found I had an intolerance for dairy and eggs so you will find most of my recipes omitting or replacing these ingredients. I hope you find some inspiration here to add to your arsenal and come back often. You can also find me on Twitter and Facebook so come connect and say hi!


Now. Onto my newest fear/obsession. Macarons. These delightful Parisian pastry's have me captivated at the sight of their colorful little selves. Not to mention that they are a gluten free delight, consisting of only 3 ingredients: almond flour (which Bob's carries), egg whites and powdered sugar. Sound easy enough? Welp, the ingredient list is where the ease of making these ceases. I can't fully vouch for how incredibly hard they are to successfully make, but in reading and researching them, the laundry list of steps is daunting. I got Hisako Ogita's i heart macarons as my guide in this plight. I've allowed myself a three-tries-and-your-out allowance, hoping it won't take that many. Anyone have advice they can give? Anyone else want to come over and we can pull our hair out together? Misery loves company!

I'm extremely excited to be featured tomorrow on the blog for Bob's Red Mill. Partly because I'm obsessed with their products. I have yet to be disappointed with one of their mixes, especially in the gluten-free line. They're posting gluten and casein free recipes every day this month from different bloggers to bring options to parents of kids with Autism during Autism Awareness Month. This is something very dear to my heart. I used to work in early intervention classes helping children just diagnosed during those first formative years. So to give a little bit to that again is really great.
Be sure to visit tomorrow to get the recipe for some killer Blackberry Cornmeal Muffins.

Thought I'd also throw in another recipe we enjoyed last week. It's artichoke season which always makes me giddy. I adore artichokes but have never tried them stuffed. It's a super easy way to prepare them but with tons of flavor payoff.



Sun Dried Tomato Stuffed Artichokes
2 artichokes, stem and top trimmed and inside leaves & "hair" torn out to expose heart

2 cups gluten-free breadcrumbs
4 tablespoons chopped marjoram (or other fresh herb on hand)
1/3 cup chopped oil packed sundried tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
Olive oil

3 cups water
1 vegetable bullion cube
4 lemon slices
1 bay leaf
black pepper

Rub lemon slice on cut edges of artichoke to prevent discoloration.
Toss breadcrumbs, herbs, tomatoes, salt, pepper and enough oil to moisten in a bowl.
Fill the center cavity of each artichoke with the stuffing mix.


Place water, bullion, lemon slices, bay and some cracked pepper into large pot. Place artichokes in and make sure they're covered in water up to the bottom leaves. Let simmer, covered, for 30-45 minutes. If you tug on a leaf and it comes off easily, they're done.
Preheat oven to 350 and bake the steamed artichokes for 10-15 minutes until stuffing is browned. Serve immediately.

Dinner Tonight

The eternal question: What's for dinner? That time of day when you open your fridge only to come up with nothing. If you're lucky you're able to pull something together, just enough to fill your belly. Then there's those rare occasions when you come up with something that is extraordinary. Tonight was one of those rare nights.
The fantastic part was how simple it was. Sinful really. Two dishes. Both containing only three ingredients. Here's what I came up with but hopefully it will inspire you too!



Stuffed Mushrooms, Roasted Veggies & Pureed Cauliflower
1 pint baby portabellas
4 oz. herb & garlic Boursin cheese
Bread crumbs (used gluten-free)

Handful of heirloom cherry tomatoes and garlic cloves

1 head cauliflower
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Wash and remove caps from mushrooms. Stuff with cheese and top with breadcrumbs. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper and scatter stuffed mushrooms, tomatoes and garlic. Bake for about 20 minutes or until veggies are soft.

Meanwhile, de-stem cauliflower and cut into chunks. Steam in 1 cup water for about 15 minutes. Transfer to food processor or blender with some of the cooking liquid, butter and salt and pepper to taste. Process until smooth, adding more liquid as needed.

Serve both warm. Enjoy!

Homemade Gluten Free Cheez-its

Having an allergy to gluten is a road full of constant speed bumps. Taking away such comforts as a big fat slice of crunchy sourdough bread can be hazardous to ones well being.
Yes, being gluten-free has been made easier over the past years as awareness and available products have grown. However, certain snacks, like your classic Cheez-it cracker still remain irreplaceable.
Insert Ready Made Magazine. I adore this magazine. It is the essential go-to for your modern DIY'er. This past issue had a Cheez-it taste-off and the winner, no surprise, was a homemade recipe found here. Reading the article inspired me not only to make a gluten-free version, but also dairy free.
I was so anxious to get started. Would this simple recipe finally fulfill my need for a crunchy, salty, cheesy cracker? Or would it fall short of such high expectations? I went shopping straight away and believe the success to this recipe is a result of using high quality ingredients. This is not a time to cut corners!
As the first batch came out of the oven, I knew it would be an over-whelming win. And I wasn't disappointed. Neither will you.



Homemade Gluten-free Cheez-its
8 ounces raw goats milk cheese, shredded
1/2 stick clarified butter or dairy free margarine, room temp
1 cup gluten-free all purpose mix (I used Bob's Red Mill)
2 tablespoons cold water
Coarse salt

Using a standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix goats cheese and butter until soft and combined. Add flour and mix on low speed (the dough will be dry and pebbly). Slowly add water and continue to mix as dough forms a ball.

Pat the dough into a disk (since using gluten-free, it was a bit drier so I really had to work the dough into a ball), wrap tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Preheat oven to 375˚F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Divide dough into two pieces and roll each into a very thin (1/8 inch) rectangle. Using a pizza cutter or knife, cut the rectangles into 1-inch squares. Use the tip of a chopstick to punch a hole into the center and make indentations around sides of each square. Sprinkle coarse salt over each square.

Bake for 15-17 minutes or until puffed and browning at the edges. Watch carefully as they can burn quick. Immediately move the crackers to racks to cool. Store in airtight container...if they make it that far.

Menu-ish Monday

Ahh Thanksgiving. A notorious week of non-cooking, leading up to the "big day". I'm too busy spending my time making and prepping dishes for Thursday. Instead we eat out and eat light.
So in lieu of a weekly menu, I thought I'd share what our Thanksgiving menu is going to look like this year.

Appetizer
You never want something too heavy or filling for an appetizer on this day. Usually a variety of cheeses to nibble fits the bill. However, this year I'm making an artichoke dip, because it's just too good.
For a pre-dinner drink we'll be having these bad boys.

Turkey
The crowning glory of any meat-eaters Thanksgiving meal. I've been doing the same recipe for 5 years now and it never tires. You know what they say: "If it ain't broke...". On top of that, the boys are doing their fried turkey, supervised.

Potatoes
Favorite dish of all time. It's chock full of sour cream, cream cheese then baked with cheddar cheese on top. Don't have a recipe for it since it's been passed down, but if you add all those into your already mashed potatoes, you won't go wrong.

Yams
Another yearly tradition is the Waller family's sweet yam recipe. However, if you're looking for something more savory with a bit of sweet, try this one out.

Cranberry Sauce
I've always been one of those cranberry-sauce-haters until I made this spicy number. Delish.

Stuffing
I'm not a bird-stuffer. And in fact, I've yet to find a bread stuffing I'm crazy about. I've tried them all. So this year I'm all about the wild rice, and it's gluten free!

Veggie
Oh what to do. Every year nothing really seems to fit in this category that suits well with the carb and cheese overload above. I refuse green bean casserole. But I found myself buying green beans. So instead, I think I'll make this and substitute the dried cherries for pomegranate seeds.

Bread
I usually make cornbread. These have some cornmeal in them. And look so wonderful. And comes from a great cookbook I recommend getting.

Serving all this with a few American varieties of Shiraz and Zinfindel...and some Waller brews too. (Rich just finished making Rogue's Dead Guy Ale.)

Dessert
I'll let the recipes speak for themselves:
Choco-Honey Crunch Pecan Pie
Pumpkin Banana Meringue Pie
A classic family recipe Cheesecake
Bailey's and Coffee

Leftovers
This is Rich's baby. And I look forward to it every year.

Here's a quick look at our Thanksgivings, since my first in 2004. Looking forward to another full table(s) this year!!
(Not quite sure why there's no photos of 2007, too busy eating to take pictures I assume.)

Pumpkin Bread

I've been scouring the internet looking for a good but easy gluten free, egg free pumpkin bread recipe. Come to realize, I didn't have to look much further than my cupboard. Found a recipe from Rich's Aunt for her famous pumpkin bread. So with a couple revisions, I was nervous for the outcome but it turned out great. That's the sign of a good recipe: you can tweak it and it's still delish.



Pumpkin Bread

Dry ingredients:
1 2/3 cup gluten-free all purpose flour (I used Bob's Red Mill mix)
1 1/4 cup sugar (or whatever sweetener you use)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Wet ingredients:
2 tablespoons ground flax meal mixed with 6 tablespoons water (allow to sit for a minute)
1/2 cup oil
1 cup canned pumpkin

Preheat oven to 350 and spray a loaf pan (I did a bundt just to mix it up!) with non-stick spray.

In medium bowl sift together dry ingredients. Add nuts and mix well.

In a large bowl combine wet ingredients until blended. Add dry ingredients to wet and stir until blended.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 60 minutes. Enjoy!

The Monkey's Baby Shower

It's been a couple weeks but here's a look at how the shower for my nephew turned out.

The monkey cupcakes were super fun and easy to make. And just looked darn cute! Did green eyes for the regular ones and yellow for the gluten and dairy free.

We had the boys "test" out the monkey cupcakes, you know, just to make sure they were ok. Got the green light from them.

The rest of the food turned out good too. The table was yellow, green, blue and white. We had candy coated marshmallow pops, monkey chow, chips and guacamole, assorted fruit and veggies, and ice cream punch. The big hit were the oatmeal banana breakfast cookies. I'll post the recipe below. It's ridiculous how easy they are.

Bek got a lot of really cute monkey gifts, and some essentials too :)

I'm not a big one on games so we each decorated a onsie for Johnny. It was fun to see what everyone came up with.

Thank you to all the ladies that came to support and celebrate with us!

Banana Oatmeal Cookies
(these are sugar, gluten, dairy and egg free!)
3 medium bananas, mashed
1/3 cup oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups gluten free rolled oats
(a friend added peanut butter and loved it too!)
Whole pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. Combine bananas, oil and vanilla. Stir in oats. Drop by tablespoons onto greased cookie sheet. Press pecan onto top to flatten. Bake 10-12 minutes until golden brown. Makes 24 servings.

A Year of Travel

We love to travel. Like, love love to travel. The adventure. The spontaneity. The discovery. Having kids hasn't slowed us down either. They love it just as much (well, can't really speak for Sedae yet). Tayden's favorite game to play at home is driving his atv to the "hotel motel in Eugene". So cute.
It's been one year since Rich was promoted to Regional Manager for the state of Oregon (ya Rich!). So we (the kids and I) tag along when he travels around the state. Perfect right?!
This past week we were in Portland (with one night in Eugene) which is where we were last year when we found out about Rich's promotion. The first night we Chang'd it up, a favorite to hit every time we go to the city. We ate. Sedae slept.



On Friday, while Rich was in a conference all day, I did what's normal, find something to entertain the kids. Our first stop was to Slappycakes, a restaurant where you make your own pancakes at your table. Genius! Tayden did burn his fingers (yes, I warned him a gazillion times not to touch, but chocolate chips were involved). They were there with a burn pack in seconds. Screaming and crying aside, the 'cakes were delish! They have a gluten free batter that you seriously can't tell the difference.



From there we headed to the Children's Museum. What fun! We played for five hours and Tayden was still going strong. I was wiped. He face painted, molded with clay, lined up choo-choos, played in water world, Tinker Toy'd, and his favorite, dug with dump trucks. They even have a special room for the wee ones so Sedae was able to play too. Mostly though she just hung out with mom and inappropriately pooped everywhere.



That night found us with Rich in the hotel lounge with drinks and appetizers. Oh I have dreams of the fancy fries...Pizza delivered and cupcakes to top off the night. Food rules my world, don't judge.



And who can leave Portland without a trip to Voodoo Donuts? Not us. They disintegrated quite fast.



I haven't been that great on blogging about all our little trips we take, so here's a little glimpse of our past year. From a little kiddo, to eats, to pregnant, to two kiddos. All fun.



Here's a video of Tayden from one of the first trips to Eugene. It's crazy how small he was just one year ago: