Coconut Nog French Toast

Guess what I found only a few days before Christmas? So Delicious Coconut Nog! I was so excited! It tastes just like egg nog but without egg, dairy or soy. And I can say that it is in fact delicious. A little sweet, but delicious. Today I made some French Toast following the guidelines on the carton - 1 very ripe mashed banana plus a cup of nog, dip slices of bread in this mixture and let them soak several seconds, then cook in hot coconut oil over low heat until golden brown on each side. We have not had french toast in ages and this version was very good!

(So Delicious, you keep rocking my world. When will you come up with cream cheese?)

Acorn Squash Dip

Happy Boxing Day! I must announce with some dismay that I am being assimilated. I've been trying to stave this off for years, flinging the word "wicked" around with abandon even in the face of raised eyebrows, to counter the effects of the "y'alls" I hear every day.

A friend: "How'd y'all enjoy your weekend?"
Me: "It was wicked good!"

Sadly, I have succumbed to the quirky charms of where we now live. I've given up. Belonging to a place is more official when you own a home there and are no longer transient. I resigned the other day when I heard myself say to a friend who was on vacation "Good grief, y'all have been gone forever!". I could have slapped myself in the forehead. It just slipped right out. I'm afraid the "fixing to's" and the "right quick's" are just around the corner.

It's not just the regional colloquialisms that are sneaking their way into every day living. It's the craving for food with heat. I keep throwing hot sauce, cayenne pepper and dried chilies in my food. "Gosh golly gee, this food I grew up with tastes bland!", I'll say to DH as I enliven my meals with Frank's Red Hot. DH just smirks at me.

Recently I found myself an unassuming recipient of a CSA-procured acorn squash. The last time I made acorn squash was to bake it, puree it and feed it to an infant Anna. I don't normally care for acorn squash - it's sweet, it's usually prepared on the sweet side, and I'm a definite savory girl. I like this savory interpretation on acorn squash better than any other acorn squash dish I've tried. A little cayenne pepper sprinkled on top might be nice too...but maybe that's just me!

1 small acorn squash
olive oil
salt
pepper

2 large cloves garlic
1/4 cup walnuts
2 - 3 tbsp. olive oil
splash of lemon juice
water or vegetable broth
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
parsley to garnish, if desired

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut the squash in half. Scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp and discard. Smear olive oil over the cut halves of the squash and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place cut side down on a baking sheet. Roast about 45 minutes or until the squash is easily pierced with a fork. Remove from the, turn the squash cut side up and set aside to cool. You can store the squash (covered in plastic wrap) in the fridge for a day or two until you are ready to make the dip.

Thrown the garlic cloves and walnuts into a food processor. Pulse until minced. Scoop the squash flesh from the skin and place in the food processor. Discard the skin. Add the olive oil and lemon juice to the food processor. With the food processor running, add enough water or broth to make a thick dip. Add the salt and pepper to taste.

Scrape the dip into a serving bowl and garnish with parsley if desired. This tastes best if it sits for a day in the refrigerator - serve it chilled with crackers and crudites.

What I've Been Up To

(The half-finished scarf is number 19 since October!)

I know. You are looking at the above picture thinking I've finally lost my mind. I have no time to do much of anything lately and yet, I've been crocheting my brains out making homemade gifts for Christmas. Every year I say I will stop making homemade gifts and every year I make them. You may think I'm a glutton for punishment, and you may be right. But I love to be busy like this. I can't help it. The crocheting in particular is addicting. It keeps me busy, it's challenging, it's mesmerizing, it's clarifying. I do a lot of thinking when I crochet and it's perfect, because I can keep moving. I love the fluidity of my hands as the hook and yarn weave their way into neat little rows. Hands have a memory and once you get the hang of it, you don't have to think much about it...your hands move and your mind is free to wander. I taught someone how to crochet recently and it was funny...she is addicted now too. I caught her watching me crochet and she had a faraway look on her face, like she was hypnotized. Someday I'll teach my girls how to crochet. I have a feeling Megan will like it more than Anna will.

Today DH and I took the girls out to see The Muppets in the theatre. We never go to see movies, so it was a special treat. It was a fun movie, and shortly into it DH shot me a look and started laughing at me. I was enjoying the spiffy seats...leather, big and comfy, and they rock back and forth without much effort. There I was, rocking and rocking and rocking without realizing it. When I stopped, my knee started bouncing up and down with a life of its own. Ah, whatever. I'm done feeling upset about the ADHD. As long as I'm not disruptive, it's fine. Megan did fine until we went out to dinner afterward. Then she was the one who could not sit still, constantly moving and shifting position in her seat. But she wasn't disruptive either. It's fine.

Speaking of dinner, we never go out to eat. We braved it tonight. There is an Asian place close to use that offers gluten free dishes and as long as we nix the egg and the tofu, we're good to go. The girls really wanted dessert. There was a coconut ice cream on the menu and I thought it meant coconut milk ice cream, so I asked our server if it was dairy free and egg free. She said yes. So the girls got ice cream. DH and I got spoons to share their desserts and after they had already dug in, I had a bite. I know dairy when I taste it. That was dairy ice cream with shredded coconut in it. The girls and I have not had dairy in 4 years, so I don't know what to expect. I guess we'll find out soon enough. Next time (not that they'll be a next time anytime soon), I'll know better!

What we should have done was to come home and have nut brittle for dessert. This has been a real treat this year. I have not attempted a dairy free, corn free, peanut free nut brittle until just this past week. I've made regular peanut brittle for other people, but not something that is safe for the girls. This year I decided to get brave and replace the dairy with Earth Balance, the peanuts with cashews and the corn syrup with brown rice syrup. This brittle behaved exactly like brittle should behave, but the brown rice syrup leaves a little to be desired. I will need to experiment more with nut brittle. It will be a bee in my bonnet until I get it done. And that's not a bad thing at all.

Apple Spice Muffins

It's the holidays and I have yet to make a single batch of Christmas cookies. I've been so strapped for time lately that the girls have had nothing but boxed cereal for breakfast for days upon days. In this house, that's just not popular. The girls have been begging for muffins and I could not ignore their plaintive pleas any longer. Late last night I finally made a batch. These are good and whip up in a flash which is very helpful for busy days. You could, if you wanted to, call them a holiday muffin...the cinnamon makes the house smell like Christmas. That's what I tell the girls, anyway.

Dry Ingredients
1 3/4 cup GF flour blend
1/4 cup flax meal
1 tsp. xanthan gum
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt

Wet Ingredients
1 cup applesauce
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1 small apple, peeled, cored and diced (if desired)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with baking cups, set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients, set aside. In a medium bowl, stir together the applesauce through the vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until combine. Fold in the diced apple, if desired.

Fill the muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake about 20 minutes or until they smell really good and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the muffins from the tin to a wire rack to cool completely. Makes 12 muffins.

The Christmas Crazies Stike Again!

We are knee-deep into the holiday break, and we are stuck in the Christmas Crazies. Somehow this surprises me every year. Silly me expects that as Anna gets older, she will miraculously transition smoothly between being at school and being at home. Normally she does really well, segueing between the school week and the weekend and back again without any major issues. But without fail since preschool, Christmas break and summer break really trip her up. Twice a year we are treated to much drama - crying, tantrums, hissy fits, meltdowns, and hyper-sensitivity to small stuff. I took her to the dentist the other day and the noises the machines were making really bothered her. She covered her ears and cowered in a way I have not seen in a long time. She's also been chewing on her fingers nearly non-stop - a clear sign she's seeking sensory input. Sure, all these things drive me crazy, but it is hard to be overly frustrated with her when it's clear that her response to these big transitions are beyond her ability to cope. We've already come so far. It might take years, but she'll one day be able to manage transitions with aplomb, I just know it.

So Happy Holidays, everyone. I am now going to attempt to do some holiday baking!

(Even the cat is crazy. She's been batting ornaments off the tree and
running helter-skelter through my lighted village like a deranged monster cat.)

Wilted Kale Salad

I have not baked anything interesting lately. This is stressing me out, since Christmas is just around the corner. I have not had the time - I've been working. Yes, that's right...I landed a part-time retail job - a year ago! I've been snapping up as many hours as possible during the holiday season while they are available. This is good for the bills, but not so good for the baking. Sigh.

I made this kale salad (based on this recipe by Sarah Kramer) for Thanksgiving and it was amazing. I've made it again since then and I'm making it for Christmas too. It's healthy, delicious and really quite pretty. I love any leftovers as a kale and (Daiya) cheese quesadilla for breakfast the next morning. But then, I'm weird with my greens like that.

1 large bunch kale, washed and spines removed
1 small raw beet, peeled and grated
1 medium carrot, peeled and grated
1/4 cup thinly sliced onion
one generous handful of chopped walnuts

2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp. dry white wine
2 tbsp. olive oil or sesame oil
salt and pepper to taste

Slice the kale thinly into strips. Put into a large bowl and add the beet, carrot, onion and walnuts. Toss to combine.

Whisk together the vinegar through the oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour the dressing over the kale mixture and toss to coat. Toss every 15 minutes or so for the first hour. Then, toss once an hour until ready to serve. It will take a couple of hours to wilt, and it tastes even better the next day. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Curried Sprouted Beans

I've been busy sprouting things in my new spiffy Victorio three level sprouter! I love it - it does not take up a lot of space in my small kitchen and I can keep the moisture level consistent so my sprouts are neither moldy nor dry.

My favorite thing to sprout so far are alfalfa seeds simply because Anna loves them so much. She'll grab great hulking handfuls of them and eat them on the run. I'm lucky if I get any alfalfa sprouts at all.

Here are some "tic-tac" sprouts (I've no idea what they are actually called) - a friend gave them to me after she got them from an Indian market. She puts these sprouts on top of salads but I like them better sauteed in coconut oil and seasoned with salt and pepper.

I also like to sprout a mix of lentils, green peas and chickpeas and had some handy when Ina posted a recipe for Curry Pate that called for sprouted beans. I used her recipe as a guide to make Curried Sprouted Beans. DH and I enjoyed them plain and Anna enjoyed them with pasta for dinner. I think even Megan had some, and that makes this dish a winner in our house. Thanks, Ina, for the inspiration!

1 1/2 cups fresh sprouted legumes (chickpeas, green peas, lentils, mung beans, etc.)
1/4 cup diced onion
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup white wine
1 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. minced fresh ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
dash of lemon juice, if desired

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over low heat. Add the onion, garlic and sprouted beans and stir to coat. Cook for a few minutes, until the onion begins to soften.

Add the white wine, curry powder, ginger, salt and cayenne pepper and stir to combine. Cover the skillet and cook for about another 5 minutes, or until fragrant. The liquid should be mostly absorbed. Taste and adjust the salt and cayenne if needed. Add a dash of lemon juice if desired. Serve warm.