Would you like some ... super easy and scrumptious biscuits?

I think I’ve made these beauties three times in the last week, and they get better every time.  They’re Almond Flour Drop Biscuits, courtesy of a beautiful and new-to-me blog called Roost.  Before I send you over to her for the complete recipe though, as I didn’t ask permission first, just let me say they’re utterly and moistly delicious (almost cake-like in texture), take 5 minutes to make and 15 to bake, and have all of 6 ingredients.  I don’t doubt you have 5 of them already in your kitchen, and the less-common almond flour is getting easier to find by the day, and is (believe me!) worth every stinkin penny that you pay for it.  I used to begrudge that entire stick of butter that went into my wheat-flour biscuits anyway, as we could easily use another whole stick of liquid gold when the batch was consumed, along with those requisite drips of honey.  These beauties have the sweetener hidden inside, and just need a dab of butter once they’re out of the oven.  They’re also healthy, and GF and dairy-free if it matters to you.  Last thought before I send you over … I’ve made them with both olive oil and coconut oil, and the coconut oil ones taste an awful lot like coconut macaroons, should you find that appealing.  So head on over to the recipe here at Roost, and scroll past her drool-worthy photos to get to the recipe at the bottom.  Trust me, it’s worth it!

On holidays and allergies and food ...

Holidays seem inextricably linked with food, which makes it joyous for some, torturous for others, and probably a mix of both feelings for most of us.  Spending more time in the kitchen, cooking things that you don’t make any other time of year, and eating more often and more heavily than usual.  It’s tough to keep it simple, and for many it becomes a depressing struggle with weight.  How is it going for you so far this season?

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Would You Like Some ... of Amie's No-Bake Macadamia Cherry Cookies?

Amie’s No-Bake Macadamia Cherry CookiesI would!  With the weather warming up (well, it was until this week, but I’ve not given up on it quite yet!) recipes that don’t use the oven are all the more welcome in my kitchen.  These no-bake cookies were created by Amie of The Healthy Apple, look utterly fab, and I’ll be making them as soon as I get to Sahadi’s to pick up some more dried fruit!  Let me know if you give them a whirl, and how they go over in your house.
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Q of the Week : Any dietary restrictions in your family?

Image courtesy of clevercupcakes via Flickr.I’ve been on a wheat-free/mostly Gluten-free diet for about a month now, along with my older son.  I started it because I’ve suspected he was intolerant for awhile now, thanks to itchiness and irritability issues, and I had an idea that my body wasn’t that fond of processing it either.  Also, it’s much easier to get him to cut out some of his favorite foods when I’m doing it with him!  I could see a big change in how I felt within two weeks, but it’s hard to get much quantifiable information out of him on how he feels. 
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Would You Like Some Queen Sparrow, Carrots, and Mother Teresa?

Fynn made Sparrow a crown the other day … hope you get a bit of the royal treatment this week too!I can’t find the words yet for Mother’s Day thoughts, so I’ll leave that alone for now.  Other than to share a quote, that is, which kfc sent me the other day. 

“The woman is the heart of the home.  Let us pray that we women realize the reason of our existence: to love and be loved and through this become instruments of peace in the world.”  — Mother Teresa

May the Be Loved part be especially true!

It’s grey and rainy here, which I’m enjoying to the hilt for some reason, perhaps it’s helping the residual effects of last night’s magaritas not hurt so much?! 

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Would You Like Some ... Gluten Free Apple Crisp?

It’s that time of year where the evenings are still sometimes chilly, and a warm dessert is in order.  Not to mention that apples are about the only fruit that’s still available (locally grown) at this time of year!  My friend Amie of The Healthy Apple has put together some delicious looking kid-friendly snacks for us, and the first one I’m sharing with you is her Gluten-Free Apple Crisp.  Looks yummy, doesn’t it? 
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Q of the Week : Favorite Holiday Food?

As I sit here with a mug of tea and leftover cookies in my belly, I have to ask one obvious question on this next-to-last week of the year.  What’s your favorite holiday food that you crave/dream of/beg/make once a year?  Is it decorated sugar cookies, Grandma’s latkes, honey-baked ham, rum balls, or the truffles that Uncle Jim sends every year?  I have one craving that I never seem to satisfy except at the holidays, and that would have to be the Lindor Truffles that come in a myriad of flavors, all delightful as far as I’ve managed to sample.
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Would You Like Some ... Sweet Potato Fries w/Avocado Dip?

This was part of supper tonight, and I’ve been craving sweet potatoes for awhile.  Delish, healthy, and pretty fast to put together too!  The kids love sweet potatoes, and it’s yummy to keep them hot and crispy so you can dip them in a spicy/cool avocado concoction before devouring them in a single bite.  The kids might take two bites to get one down :). 

Sweet Potato Fries with Avocado Dip

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Would You Like Some ... Coconut Milk in that?

I heart coconut milk.  In just about everything.  I can eat it straight out of the can, and have been known to slice my finger when swiping the top of the can after I’ve opened it.  Have I ever been known to lick the lid clean?  Wouldn’t tell you if I had!  Moving right along …

Coconut milk is very good for you, and turns many soups and stir-fries from ok to fabulous.  Every time.  It’s warming, hearty, and turns thin broth into gold.  If you add the beautiful trio of garlic/ginger/lime to the mix, you’ve got a winner for sure!  Want to make it Thai?

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Would You Like Some ... Ethiopian-Spiced Butter?

Before you get scared off by the word butter, know two things … this will be the best butter you’ve ever cooked with (that’s what it’s for), and butter is good for you.  Please, read this before if you assume it’s to be avoided … I’d hate for anyone to miss out on this amazing stuff due to cholesterol fears!

This glorious golden flavor-burst is the basis of lots of Ethiopian dishes, and while I don’t expect you to go out and make all the required spice mixes and time-consuming condiments that go into a good Ethiopian stew (I’m insane like that about once a year), please give this one a try.  It will make your next stir fry amazing, zest up a meat stew, and turn seared chicken breasts into something truly fantastic.  Did I mention it keeps practically forever in the fridge?  ‘Nuff said. 

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Would You Like Some ... Quick Roast Chicken?

Image courtesy of Foodies At Home.com via flickr. I don’t know about you, but there’s no better fall food to me than crispy roast chicken and gravy, slathered over rice or potatoes, with a steamed green on the side.  Very much a comfort food in this house, and with this recipe it’s done in an hour, and super flavorful and moist to boot!  I got the recipe from The New Basics Cookbook, which my SIL gave me when I got married.  For some reason I never used until after it had been worn to tatters as a booster seat.  It’s now well-loved, and I have yet to find a recipe in it that wasn’t bordering on fantastic.  Truly.

The secret of the moistness is the marinating, which is easily done in 5 minutes the night before.  It also cooks much faster when seared, and you skip the stuffing and don’t line the pan with veggies.  Without further ado …

Roast Chicken Chez Louis

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Would You Like Some ... Tortilla Casserole?

My boys love tortillas in almost any form, and this quick casserole is a fall/winter favorite of ours. It’s hearty, has it’s spice added on the side for picky palates, and warms up beautifully if you manage to save any for another day. 

I got the recipe from a friend after she brought it to a potluck years ago, and fell in love.  She made homemade tomatillo sauce to go with it, which I think I managed once years ago, but now use whatever green chile sauce I can get my hands on cheaply …

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Q of the Week : What are you having for dinner? (now with a prize!!)

Image courtesty of kygp on flickr. It’s that time of year again, when my quick-list of favorite meals shifts into fall gear.  I made my first pot of soup a few days ago, and reveled in being able to simmer something for hours without sweltering in my kitchen!  It was another lentil-soup variation, which I’ll share later this week :).  In the spirit of quick answers and honesty : what is/was tonight’s dinner?  Mine will hopefully be a pasta/artichoke/chicken bake that most of us love (son #1 hates pasta), but in order for that to happen I have to run out for a box of pasta and some cream of chicken soup.  Here’s hoping that happens before everyone’s blood sugar drops below zero!
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Why I hate feeding my toddler (by Darah)

Let’s face it.  Feeding toddlers is no fun.  The parent must be completely “unplugged” as this is one stressful endeavor that demands our undivided attention.

My two year-old is too busy for food; sitting down to a proper meal is never on her agenda.  If it were up to her, she’d happily spend the day grazing. Getting her through a “sit-down meal” is exhausting and oftentimes, I wonder if it’s more trouble than it’s worth!

This precocious active kid has bounds of energy whether she eats her “square meal” or not.

I know, I know, the rationale extends beyond the actual nutrition and eating habits- it’s the cultivation of manners, table etiquette, establishing rituals, etc, etc.

In spite of the above, the five reasons I dread feeding my beloved two year-old are:

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Would You Like Some ... Fresh Salsa?

It’s rather hard not to make salsa this time of year, with tomatoes overflowing everywhere, fresh onions, and hot peppers ripening on the back porch.  We had tacos tonight, and it was the perfect topper.   Every year it’s part of my canning job, which has been pared down to two things … whole tomatoes, and salsa.  The salsa is so easy to make it’s a crime not to if you can find a spare hour, has infinite variations, and can be kept in the fridge, frozen, or canned … whatever you have time and space for.  I canned some tonight, using up the rest of the bushel of tomatoes that I (for some unknown reason) thought it would be easier to buy on vacation and haul home, thanks to our minivan rental and cheap Ohio farmer’s markets.  I didn’t factor in the need to can them as soon as I got home, on top of unpacking from two weeks, and the other jobs filling my plate at the moment.  I won’t regret one iota of lost sleep however, when I open a jar of fresh tomatoes in February!
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Would You Like Some ... Dill Pickles?

This super-fast recipe from Catherine Newman is a big hit in this house.  Honestly they’re soooo easy, and my farmer’s market has big boxes of little cukes that are perfect for it right now. For about $2 I can make a big quart jar of delicious home-made dills in about 5 minutes.  You don’t have to be pregnant to enjoy them :).  The basics are below, visit the original recipe here for all the details.

World’s Best (and Easiest) Dill Pickles

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Would You Like Some ... Veggie Potato Salad?

This potato salad was my favorite of the three salads I made for a BBQ we had this weekend, and wanted to share it while it’s still summer salad season!  It’s brim-full of veggies (and could have had more), and is another great find in my becoming-tattered copy of the The New Moosewood Cookbook.  Of course I’m not eating the dregs of it that are still in the fridge as I type this, I opted instead for the very stale chocolate cupcake with frosting mounded on top to moisten it up a bit.  Chocolate crumbs are less deadly to computers than mayo, aren’t they?  Not that I need lame excuses.  I best get back to the recipe before you all go off dreaming of chocolate and forget entirely about nice cold Potato Salad full of crunchy veggies …
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Friday Roundup ...

Happy Friday all, hope your week has been a good one?  I’ve found a few gems this week, check ‘em out and stay cool …

  • ThredUp is a gently-used clothing exchange, and though I haven’t tried it myself their interface looks super easy to use, and if you’ve got a pile to swap give it a try!  Most of my kid’s clothes are beyond ‘gently used’ by the time they’re done with them :).
  • Cassie Boorn is hosting something cool : 20-something Self-Letters.  The idea is you write a letter to yourself, at age 20.  There are some great ones to read on there already.  I think I need to do it myself, and if I do I’ll try to get up the nerve to post it here!  Thx to Wedje for the tip. 
  • The EWG’s Shoppers Guide to Pesticides is super handy and a great idea … a list of the best/worst foods when it comes to pesticide residues.  Avoid the Dirty Dozen if you can’t buy organic or unsprayed, and choose the Clean 15 instead.  Take a look and grab the printable too, I was surprised by what I saw!

Catch you Monday!

Friday Roundup

It’s the 4th of July weekend, and I’m betting most of my U.S. moms are in the thick of either travel, plotting parties/outings, or looking forward to a bit more down time than normal.  Happy Indepencence Day!  I’ll be taking monday off in honor of it all, and will catch up again on Tuesday.  Before I go, some great finds from the week, and thanks as always for coming along for the ride!

Have a fab weekend, and may it be restful enough and long enough to find a quiet corner to yourself!

XO,

Sanemom

Would You Like Some ... Cool Summer Drinks?

I’m all for a cold beer or cider in the evening, but it’s nice to have some alternatives around when you’re simply thirsty and looking for something other than water!  The easiest by far is to stick a few teabags in a jar and put it in the sun (along with some fresh mint if you have it) and stick it in the fridge when it looks dark enough, about 8 hours or so for me.  Mint iced tea!  It’s easy enough.

Another biiiig fave in our house, though I don’t make it often, is Lemon/Mint Punch.  It takes a bit of prep, but as it’s a concentrate it take little fridge space, or even better you can freeze it in ice cube trays and just use a few cubes at a time.  Recipe after the jump …

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