Guilty mom syndrome

Yesterday was Lowen's 4th birthday.  I made the cake of his choice along with the dinner of his choice (frozen pizza- I know, I've outdone myself), but other than that, I didn't do too much. No birthday banners or special breakfast. I even planned to wrap his gifts in Christmas paper since it was all I had on hand. Luckily, Jordan came to the rescue at the last minute and brought home some boy-themed paper. I poured him a bowl of raisin bran for his birthday breakfast, and sent him to preschool with a plate of homemade cupcakes, kind of thinking I'm a very cool mom for remembering to bring a treat to school. His teacher politely told me that due to food allergies they couldn't give them to the kids. GREAT. I love staying up until 10pm baking cupcakes for no good reason. OK, I guess I should know that sort of rule by now. Everyone is allergic to something these days. I felt annoyed and defeated. So, by the time I got home from work I was feeling guilty-mother-syndrome.

I don't know why I had to spend my day feeling like that. Lowen loved the stupid frozen pizza- hey at least it was organic, right? He ooh'd and ahhh'd over the chocolate cake I made for him. He was perfectly behaved all night and that NEVER happens. He smiled all night and said please and thank you without being prompted. He was genuinely happy, and it didn't take much from me to elicit that sort of joy. And I loved watching him explode with 4-year old giddiness.

I wanted to post this because I think there are a lot of moms like me who feel guilty for working or for not doing enough, whatever that means. I realized last night that kids are simple and so easy to make happy. We all just need to let it go, forgive ourselves for not being perfect, and set an example for our little ones that happiness is simple and inexpensive to find.

Happy birthday to the sweetest little boy, Lowen Bradley Kahn. A true blessing to me, and I'm so grateful for what he teaches me.

My favorite thumbprint cookies (vegan)

It's no secret that I love chocolate - it's a key ingredient in most desserts I make. But every so often, I crave something different, a treat that's a little fruit-forward (and yes, I could REALLY go for a glass of wine right now). I stumbled upon this thumbprint cookie recipe from the Kind Diet website when I was on the vegan wagon. I assure you, these cookies are for cookie-lovers regardless of diet. I wanted to share them with you because they are super easy to make, really cute, and everyone loves them. Perfect for the lunch box or a ladies luncheon. Did I mention they are nutritious, too? Full of protein, healthy fats with no refined sugars and could easily be made gluten-free. Happy baking!

NOT YOUR GRAMMA'S THUMBPRINT COOKIES, adapted from the Kind Diet
SERVES 10

INGREDIENTS 
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup almonds
1 cup spelt flour (I've also had success with whole wheat flour)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup corn or safflower oil (i think coconut oil would work great, but haven't tried it yet)
1/2 cup maple syrup (or half maple, half honey)
Fruit-sweetened jam of your choice (apricot is my favorite)

STEPS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the oats and almonds in a blender or food processor and blend until they have the consistency of flour.
Pour into a large bowl, and add the spelt flour and salt.
In a small, separate bowl, mix the oil, maple syrup and vanilla together.
Combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix well.
Make 1 inch balls with your hands and press flat onto a cookie sheet.
Make an indentation with your thumb into the center of each cookie.
Fill each cookie with a teaspoon of jam.

Bake at 350 degrees for ~15 minutes.

*I'd love to know how these turn out when modified for gluten-free diets. If you have a chance to test it out with a GF flour option, let me know. I wonder if coconut flour would work? Then we'd appease so many of us - vegan, paleo, and gluten-free. Now thats a pleasing cookie!

Deep, dark, delicious brownies

Everybody needs to have a good brownie recipe in their repertoire. It's right up there with chocolate chip cookies in my book. Brownies are even a little better than cookies in several situations - like when you are PMSing or company is coming over. All you need is some vanilla ice cream, raspberries, and perhaps a little caramel or fudge sauce and you have an impressive dessert. I've also gone a little overboard and cut the brownies into 2 big pieces and made a rectangular layer "cake" filled with chocolate ganache and raspberries. Holy frick that was so good!!

This recipe is my take on Thomas Keller's brownie recipe from AdHoc. I've made his version and I can confidently say these are better. I think it has to do with the combination of cocoa powder and melted dark chocolate which gives a better texture and deeper flavor. The note I wrote at the top of my dirty, chocolate-stained recipe says "A+, Insane (triple underlined), recipe worth millions (with a smiley face and dollar signs). That's some enthusiasm, no? Either that, or you may just think me a wee-bit self-impressed.

Here is my favorite brownie recipe. Please don't start selling these, I'm still optimistic this recipe will make me millions.

Ingredients:

3/4 C flour
1/2 C cocoa
heaping 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips + 1.5 cups dark choc chips
3 sticks butter (yes, really)
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
3 eggs
1 1/2 C sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Melt butter and heaping 1/2 cup of chocolate chips over double broiler (or just very carefully in a saucepan). Set aside to cool slightly.
In a bowl, mix flour and cocoa and salt.
In electric mixer, blend eggs and sugar for 3 minutes. Add vanilla.
Add dry ingredients and butter/choc mixture alternately to the egg mixture in 3 additions.
Lastly, add the remaining 1 1/2 cup chocolate chips.

Bake for approximately 40 minutes in a 9 x 13 pan or whatever you want to use. I always line my pan with foil for easy removal. Best trick ever.

As a sidenote (and to really freak out any type-A bakers- hi Megan and Lisa!), I often will cut this recipe in half. I use 2 eggs and just estimate the rest. Sorry to be so vague, but they always turn out delish.

Peach agrees that this is a brownie beyond compare.

Paleo pumpkin muffins

I've never made two posts in one day, but after making some delicious spiced pumpkin muffins this morning, I felt compelled to share these with you. While definitely not a low-calorie muffin, these are high up there on the healthy snack scale for sure. I'm designating these my perfect post-workout snack because they are high in protein, healthy fats, fiber, and contain pumpkin, a nutrient powerhouse, low-sugar fruit as its base (hello there, pumpkin. I'm in love with you, in any form). As a forewarning to those not used to baking with almond meal/flour, the texture is a little different than wheat flour, but the "off" texture is made up for in incredible moistness and flavor. I gave these to my kids and they passed their test with no questions asked or weird "what the hell are those?" looks. So go ahead and whip up this quick, one-bowl, gluten-free recipe. I dare you to eat just one.

Paleo Pumpkin Muffins
makes 9 big muffins

1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup almond meal/flour
2 eggs
1/4 cup almond butter
1/4 cup honey
dash of stevia, if desired (I added about 1/2 tsp)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
dark chocolate chips, if desired (I always desire this option)
walnuts, optional (I did not exercise this option)

Preheat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients in a bowl- add a couple handfuls of chocolate chips, and/or walnuts if desired. Pour into muffin tins with cupcake liners or grease muffin tin well. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Let them cool and then eat them all.


*Next time, I will add walnuts or slivered almonds for some crunch, and will try flax "eggs" instead (1 Tbsp ground flax mixed with 3 Tbsp water= 1 egg)

*I tried these with 1/2 coconut flour and 1/2 almond flour and it worked great; I also tried them with raw agave nectar and there was no notable difference. Nice!

The wonders of chimichurri sauce

I have always been a fan of chimichurri sauce- if you're not familiar, it's an Argentinian sauce used to accompany steak, but it has so many uses. Made from loads of parsley, garlic, and chili flakes, chimichurri sauce has a fantastic kick to it. We had it at Easter with a lamb roast and it was divine- we all ended up pouring it over our roasted veggies and rice, and our eggs the following morning. So when I made some the other night for hanger steak, I wondered what to do with the leftovers. I added some to my salad for dressing at lunch, and then at dinner coated a roasted chicken with the remainder. I can't say that it was very recognizable with the roasted chicken but it looked beautiful and still tasted amazing. I highly recommend both recipes. Just take a look at the amazing color in the sauce! Oh, and did I mention chimichurri makes an addictive dip for ciabatta bread?

Roasted Chicken with Chimichurri and lemon

serves 4 ish

5 lb organic chicken, PRE-BRINED (brine yourself in the AM or Trader Joe's sells delicious organic, pre-brined chicken)

2 lemons, halved

salt, pepper

about half of chimichurri sauce from recipe below

Preheat oven to 450. Pat chicken dry. Fill cavity of chicken with lemons. Rub chimichurri all over chicken, especially under skin. Finish with a light sprinkle of salt and generous pepper. 

Roast for 15 minutes, breast side up. Flip bird, and roast additional 15 minutes. Reduce oven temp to 375, flip bird back over so breast side is up. Roast for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for at least 10 minutes. 

Bon appetit! Some of the best chicken I've had! I would definitely not skip the brining step. It makes for a super moist, flavorful bird. 

Chimichurri Recipe (from SimplyRecipes)

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INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup firmly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, trimmed of thick stems
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 2 Tbsps fresh oregano leaves (can sub 2 teaspoons dried oregano)
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 Tbsp red or white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

METHOD

1 Finely chop the parsley, fresh oregano, and garlic (or process in a food processor several pulses). Place in a small bowl.

2 Stir in the olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Adjust seasonings.

Serve immediately or refrigerate. If chilled, return to room temperature before serving. Can keep for a day or two.

Yield: Serves 4.

Sweet Potatoes with Rosemary Chickpeas and parmesan

I'm constantly baking, but I really do love to cook, too. When we were first married, I'm pretty sure I was the primary chef, but when Jordan discovered Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, followed quickly by a Thomas Keller obsession, and now charcuterie, he pretty much assigned me sous chef status which is fine by me, so long as he doesn't steal my baking princess crown. 

I love how flexible cooking is compared to baking, the way colors blend together in a big pot, and the way your house smells (sometimes I'll even step outside and come back in so I can re-smell my food- is that weird?). I hate all the dishes I'm left with, the ridiculous amount of time a good meal can take to pull off, the flecks of parsley that stick to my counter and don't see for a week and by then it's crusty and impossible to remove, the concept of mise en place because organization and planning make my head hurt, the multiple trips to various grocery stores because Trader Joe's doesn't have everything, and then there's the fact that my kids will rarely touch what I make. My favorite is that Georgia will actually point to food we've made and say "Eeeew, That's disgusting"- charming little button, isn't she?

But that didn't stop me from making a delicious vegetarian dinner the other night. Jordan was working late and I was craving something fantastic but it also had to be super easy. Not a problem here, because I hit the jackpot that day and found a fantastic blog @ afarmerinthedell.com.  Not only is Andrea adorable- and her dog, too- but her recipes all look so good, and the pictures are healthy food porn. You know, the kind of food porn you don't feel guilty about (unlike those Slutty Brownies I'm dying to make from Pinterest- c'mon, you know the ones I'm talking about, with an Oreo cookie layer sandwiched between a layer of chocolate chip cookies and brownies). I want to try all of her recipes, but I commenced with her sweet potatoes with rosemary chickpeas because I had all the ingredients on hand, it was *pretty* much in adherence with my 28togreat "clean eating" I am trying to do this month, and I'm all for Meatless Mondays, or Wednesdays. Another reason to check out her blog is that she and her husband moved to Oregon from the East coast to become farmers which is so romantic and gutsy! Threaded between her recipes are awesome little farming (mis-)adventure stories that make you crave a simpler life. 

I followed her recipe except I added a tablespoon or so of kalamata olives into the bean mix for some punch and a pinch of fresh thyme. I also nuked the potato in the microwave instead of the oven method. Works like a charm and shaved off 40 minutes.  I served it with a side of sautéed green beans and leftover asparagus/mushrooms. Since I only made one potato, I used the leftover chickpeas in my salad for lunch the next day. That's my sign that this dinner will be added to my quick-and-clean, as opposed to quick-and-dirty, dinner rotation. Let me know if you like this recipe. Do you think it's missing anything?

Rosemary Parmesan Chickpea Sweet Potatoes (serves 2)

*adapted from afarmerinthedell.com

2 sweet potatoes

3/4 cup cooked chickpeas

3 cloves of garlic, minced

3 tbs finely grated parmesan cheese

1 tbs minced fresh rosemary

pinch of fresh thyme

2 tbs olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Kalamata olives, sliced in half, optional 

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Wash and scrub your sweet potatoes. With a fork poke a few holes in your taters. Place in the oven for about 45 minutes to 1 hour (or until potatoes are tender. Depending on the size of your taters this will take longer or shorter than my recommended time)

Meanwhile, saute your garlic over medium heat in a little olive oil in skillet. After about 2 minutes add the chickpeas. Cook until chickpeas are slightly crispy. Then add the rosemary, thyme, and olives (if using). Cook for a minute or two longer. 

Remove your potatoes from the oven. Slice the potatoes lengthwise and squish the ends together to open. Stuff them with the chickpeas and garlic. Drizzle with remaining olive oil, parmesan, salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Primal Fudge -healthy homemade candy?

A few weeks ago I saw a post on Pinterest for Primal fudge - which basically means that if you are following a Paleo diet, you can eat this chocolate crack. It has no dairy, no refined sweeteners, and the fat source is coconut oil and nut butter, which are overall healthier for you than the usual butter/whipping cream combo found in traditional fudge.

Can I nerd-out for a minute?

Coconut oil is a saturated fat, just like butter. However, the primary buzz-worthy difference between the two is that coconut oil contains medium chain triglycerides (MCT). So, you ask? Well, the MCT found in coconut oil (lauric acid) has been found to raise HDL levels, the good cholesterol, which is the good news. The bad news is that it also raises your LDL levels (just like butter) = so it's slightly better for you than butter but still not great for your arteries. All the other claimed health benefits are just that at this point, so treat coconut oil as you would any saturated fat, and make sure it's less than 10% of your calorie intake. I've heard coconut oil can improve Alzheimer's symptoms, improve metabolism, prevent cancer and heart disease (the list goes on) - but until good research can confirm these findings, I'd use it sparingly and focus on liquid fats, like olive oil and canola oil. That said, I fully endorse keeping some in your cupboard as a butter replacer - it can make some mean cookies and stir-frys.  As for the nuts, I think most people feel pretty confident saying that nuts are super healthy for you- they contain "good" fats but if eaten in large quantities, will make you fat! Thats's because they are not a low-calorie food, but still an excellent source of protein, vitamins, and fiber. I eat a ton of nuts, and feel very little guilt about that. Since I'm already on my soapbox, I will also comment that I do in fact feel that unrefined sugars are a smarter way to go. I know many RD's will disagree and site the fact that sugars are all metabolized virtually the same way, so a teaspoon of sugar is the same as a teaspoon of honey once it hits your mouth (and hips). But what about the antibacterial/antifungal and antioxidant properties that have been found in honey? Or the vitamins and fiber found in dates? Not to mention the legitimate desire of many of us to seek out foods found in their natural state rather than fresh from the factory. In a world that has preserved, pre-packaged, pre-cooked, sterilized, and refined EVERYTHING, there are a growing number of us who crave food in its original, pure form without added junk. Some of us don't care if the shelf-life of our bread is 5 days rather than 3 weeks. In fact, some of us are no-joke, flat-out scared by Wonder bread, because bread was never meant to last that long on the shelf (of course Hostess completely disagrees with me on this, I'm sure). I think the potential health benefits of the unrefined sugars are worth further exploration in research and definitely a smart consideration if you are adding sugar to a recipe. And I'm off my soapbox for now.

OK, back to the recipe. It is super simple to put together. The hardest part is waiting the 10 minutes for them to harden in the freezer. As a side note, these are best eaten right out of the freezer or refrigerator, as they tend to melt fairly quickly. Not great for traveling but who needs to travel with fudge??

PRIMAL FUDGE

1/2 cup extra virgin coconut oil
1/2 cup smooth nut butter of choice (I used a peanut/almond butter combo-salted)
1/2 cup good quality cocoa powder (I love Trader Joe's brand)
1/4-1/3 cup honey (agave also works)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Over low heat, melt the coconut oil. Add the nut butter, vanilla, and honey. Whisk vigorously until combined. Finish by adding the cocoa powder and beating well. Pour into paper cupcake liners and freeze for at least 10 minutes before devouring. Store in airtight container in freezer or fridge.

Alternatively, you can melt coconut oil and blend all ingredients in your VitaMix or Cuisinart.