Story Time with Cash

Cash is telling his own story....

"....and the angels said, 'Dont worry, God is cool.'....."

Cookie For Breakfast? YES, Please!

Since beginning my quest to get into shape, I have been getting up early... REALLY REALLY early... to go workout. Needless to say, I am not interested in a fussy breakfast before I go. I longed for something that I could eat in the car while drinking my coffee and driving to the gym. I tried some different types of protein bars, and they were good, but then I stumbled upon this healthy goodie that has everything to help me start my day.

Banana Oat Breakfast Cookie

Ingredients:
nonstick cooking spray
1 large banana, mashed (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup chunky natural peanut butter
1/2 cup organic honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup organic rolled oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup dried cranberries or raisins

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat two cookie sheets with cooking spray; set aside. In a large bowl stir together banana, peanut butter, honey, and vanilla. In a small bowl combine oats, flour, milk powder, cinnamon, and baking soda. Stir the oat mixture into the banana mixture until combined. Stir in dried cranberries or raisins.
2. Using a scant 1/4 cup measure, drop mounds of dough 3 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets. With a thin metal or small plastic spatula dipped in water, flatten and spread each mound of dough into a 2 1/4 inch round, about 1/2 inch thick. Once baked, each cookie will be about 3 1/2 to 4 inches in diameter.
3. Bake, one sheet at a time, for 9-11 minutes or until browned. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Store in airtight container or resealable bag for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months; thaw before serving. Makes 12 breakfast cookies.

I usually keep 3 or 4 out, and freeze the rest. Also, the last batch I made I used applesauce instead of banana because my 3 year old had confiscated the last banana for himself. They turned out just as tasty. OH! I haven't done this yet, and it's a total no brainer, BUT I think with my next batch I am going to mix it up a bit by adding dark chocolate chips rather than dried fruit. Why? Cause I am sassy like that. Hope you try these delicious guilt free morning treat!!


Nutrition facts per cookie: 227 cal, 6 g total fat, 0 mg chol. 77mg sodium, 37 g carb., 4 g dietary fiber, 6 g protein.

Luc Turned ONE: all about his party

I can't believe my baby turned one. As cliche as it sounds, it really does seem like yesterday we were bringing him home from the hospital. Now he is off of formula and demanding real (as we lovingly say, "human" ) food. He is running around the house getting into everything, and beginning to say words. He definitely has his own fantastic little personality, and he is definitely MY little cuddlebug. Ohhhh, how we love to cuddle.

Ok, on to the party. If anyone knows me at all....they know I am a sucker for a party. I think I have kid birthday parties more for me than them. I love to plan and execute. It doesn't always turn out the way it was played out in my mind, but I have never been too disappointed. This party was no different.

My husband's one request was that I make this a "healthy" party. He doesn't like the idea of filling the kids up with two tons of sugar, and really, I am not such a fan of it either. We don't really do a lot of sweets around here, if we do give one it's in small amounts. However, I just didn't really think about making it healthy. I was pleased with how it all turned out.


I made yummy yogurt vanilla cupcakes with chocolate frosting. Everyone seemed to approve, and the kids were never the wiser. hee hee. We added some apples/caramel, PB & J sandwiches, chicken salad sandwiches, and I hand dipped some pretzels to the spread. For goody bags, I made some trail mix, and also sent home a big colorful envelope stuffed with a big fat healthy oatmeal chocolate chip cookie. The cookies were my favorite.


The decoration inspiration came straight from Martha Stewart. There is always something on her website that gets me excited. For Cash's first birthday, I used her website's idea for a monkey party. It was pretty stink'n awesome.

The party went well. We had some last minute cancellations due to illness, but I suppose that is to be expected in the DEAD of winter. We'll probably encounter that a lot with Luc's birthday until he's a bit older. Overall...it was rock'n.

Cash...My Hero

My husband- "Son, we gotta go pick up mom. There's something wrong with her car. Go get your shoes..."

Cash- After a thoughtful pause..."Well, I guess we have to get her. She's the only PRINCESS we've got."



Good logic.

Yummy Yummy Black Bean Soup

I found this great recipe for a healthy black bean soup that I just HAD to try. It turned out awesome. I even received high praise from my husband, who is quite particular about his food. It's pretty hearty, and feels like a chili without meat. Fantastic for these frigid winter nights. Try it out.

Follows these instructions to substitute a slow cooker for the Dutch oven in this recipe: decrease water to 3 cups. Cover and cook on high for about six hours, or until beans are tender.

Ingredients

For the soup:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium-size yellow onions, chopped
1 medium-size red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium-size green bell pepper, chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
4 teaspoons ground cumin
2 bay leaves
1 16-ounce package dried black beans
2 1/2 tablespoons chopped canned chipotle chiles
4 cups water
4 cups vegetable broth (chicken broth can be used as a substitute)
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

For the garnish:
1 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1/2 cup chopped seeded plum tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and bell peppers and sauté until beginning to brown. Add garlic, bay leaves, and cumin; sauté for just under a minute.
2. Transfer mixture to 6-quart Dutch oven. Add beans, chipotles, water, and broth. Simmer on stove top until mixture reaches a boil.
3. Turn off heat, cover, and remove from stove top. Place into the oven and cook at 275°F until beans are very tender, about three hours. Make sure to check on the beans while cooking. If they look to dry, add more broth or water.
4. Remove Dutch oven from stove and transfer two cups of the bean mixture to blender; puree until smooth. Return puree to Dutch oven. Stir in lime juice, salt, and pepper.
5. Top each serving with a dollop of yogurt, tomatoes, and cilantro

LOOK! They Deserve Your Wide Eyed Stare!

These felt flower pillows make me swoon... really swoon. Who can make them for me? They seem easy enough. Check out the instructions from The Purl Bee.

Ohhhhh, how sad that I have a sewing machine and no skill to use it! I shake my fist at the goddess of Singer.

Where Do I Begin?

Everyone always writes sappy crap about what the previous year has brought, and how this new year is going to be a year of...I dont know...freaking wonderful stuff or something. Everyone is always glowing with anticipation of this new unwrinkled future. I kind of feel that way myself, but I don't want to glow. This "glowing" reminds me of when I was a kid in Kentucky spending time with my grandparents for the summer.

My cousin, brother, and I would always stay a few weeks in Somerset. My grandparents lived in the country, and in the evening we would sit on the front porch with opened Mason jars and wait. We waited for the lightening bugs to come out to play. These little magical bugs would appear slowly at first...a blink here, and a blink there. Then all of the sudden, they would be everywhere. The boys and I would run around the yard jumping and shouting in the night air, with nothing but the echo of our voices and the crickets making noise. After a few minutes we would begin our attempts to catch a lightening bug. I can remember sealing the Mason jar, and staring at the bug so close that my nose touched the glass. No matter how many air holes we poked in the metal lids of our jars, the little burst of light never made it to morning. Instead of waking to a continued magic, we woke to nothing but a shallow vessel filled with silenced insects. The romance had worn thin through out the veil of our summer night, and left us void.

Maybe this description is kind of dramatic, but I find it a fitting illustration. I don't want to wake up on Dec. 31, 2010 feeling void from another year filled with hopeful dreams that lay flat in the wake of my real life decisions. The definition of glow is "a light emitted by, or as if by a substance heated to luminosity." Emitted. To give forth, or release. Well, this year...I don't want to give my light away. I don't want to release it. I want it for myself; to last all year long. I want to sustain my motivation that pushed me to make resolutions for myself.

After thinking it through, I have decided on some personal goals for myself this year. In order to sustain my light, they aren't crazy, out of control, never going to reach when thinking in terms of reality goals. They are simple and meaningful goals that I can take one day to the next, while leaving no luminescence behind. Only leaving "the void" behind to echo in the dark without me.