finally, recipes!

hey hey fellas! happy monday!

i survived my 21st birthday. thank you all so much for your sweet comments! it was awesome to see new faces around here, too! hi to all my new friends (welcome!), and old friends - you guys make the world go round.

it was an absolutely wonderful day, although 18-year-old rebekah would have hung her head in shame...

i hung out with my amazing family, went for a barefoot run, napped, went to church, and hung out with an old friend. i did have a birthday sip of bourbon, and quickly remembered why my wild-child days are over... i was home by 11pm. apparently between 18 and 21, i turned into a little old grandma :)

i finally have recipes for you guys!

i've been pretty worn out the last few days, so not too much kitchen wizzardry going on here.

but i am still doing my gluten-free trial (still going strong!) and my celiac sister needs bread for school, so i got off my lazy butt to make that gluten-free sandwich bread i've been promising you all for years and years. yes, i'm irresponsible... wanna fight?

i can't believe i'm saying this... but i wrote this recipe! me! klutzy, klutzy me! i didn't have any of the ingredients called for in the recipe i was going to use, nor was it animal-free, so i winged it. it actually turned out really good!

here's my gf version of your classic whole wheat sandwich bread - soft, pliable, and a nice background to fillings, because let's be honest, sandwiches are really just vehicles for hummus, right?

gluten-free sandwich bread
makes one 9x5 loaf

1 1/2 cups warm water
1 packet (or 2 1/4 teaspoons) active yeast
drizzle of honey/sprinkle of sugar
6 tablespoons ground flaxseeds
3 tablespoons sweetener (i used a mixture of honey and blackstrap molassas, but agave is fine)
2 cups gluten-free flours, for structure (i used 1 cup teff, 1 cup brown rice)
1 cup gluten-free starch (i used tapioca)
1 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 1/2 teaspoon salt

let's get cookin:
1. proof your yeast: heat your water to where it's warm to the touch (about 110 degrees), stir in a little bit of honey (or sugar), and sprinkle your yeast over top. after 5 minutes, do you have bubbles? score.
2. stir in your flaxseeds and sweetener.
3. in a separate bowl (or your mixer), combine your flour, starch, xanthan gum, and salt. sift with a fork until ingredients are combined.
4. add your wet ingredients in with the dry, and mix until you get a ball of dough (highly technical). if it seems really dry and crumbly, add a few splashes of warm water and try again.
5. plop that bad boy into a WELL GREASED 9x5 pan and let it rise until doubled (about an hour). my mom taught me to put it in the microwave with a cup of boiling water next to it so it's nice and warm... but DO NOT forget it's there and use the microwave! eek!
6. preheat your oven to 350 degrees. once it's risen, stick it in and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. let it hang out on a cooling rack for 10 minutes still in the pan, then take it out and cool it on the rack until room temp. enjoy!

i also made homemade larabars.

i've made them before, but it's been a while... and these were better anyways. i wouldn't even call it a recipe, and so many people make them i i feel silly even writing it out for you.

if you're interested, i made some with dried figs, raisins, cashews, and brazil nuts. i'm trying to expand my nut repitoire because i'm sensitive to almonds and peanuts, so they were unique! but so, so good - like healthy fig newtons (my childhood obsession).

basically, just process your nuts into fine "sand," dump them in a bowl, and process your fruit into a sticky paste. add to the nuts, and moosh together. divide into balls, and taa-daa! just make sure you use a little bit more dried fruit than nuts so they stick together. i keep mine in a container in the fridge so they don't get funky, and just throw a few in a baggie when i run out the door.

that's all folks!

tomorrow i'm gonna post an email about why i went animal-free. i wrote it in response to a sweet blogger's comment, and thought it might explain a little more about who i am and why i choose to eat the way i do.

i know people are very opinionated about vegans, and understand if you aren't interested in reading my story. i would ask you approach it with an open mind, though, because it's kinda unique! i never thought i would eat this way, either. just a head's up!

have you guys made anything interesting recently?
have you ever "winged it" and written a recipe?
-rebekah

back to reality...

hey friends -

i am heading home from the beach tomorrow morning... it's been a gorgeous, relaxing, and wonderful two days, but i'm so ready to get back home!

either tomorrow or thursday, i'll post some incredible sunset pictures and give you guys my thoughts on why i didn't want to go to the Healthy Living Summit - stay tuned!

PS - GF angels, i start my gluten-free test run tomorrow, so expect plenty of complaining and recipes coming your way :)

thank you all for your sweet comments and tweets while i've been away!
-rebekah

checking in!

hey guys! happy weekend to ya!

just wanted to let all my gluten-free angels know i haven't forgotten about you! i know i said i was working on some gf wraps/flatbreads/tortillas, and i still am! i promise!

i've been running around like a crazy person, making my little sister's birthday cake and getting ready for my little family vacation. i will be baking gf bread, wraps, and granola bars soon!

and for those of you who have been hanging with me for a while (XXOO!), you might have remembered me thinking about doing a gluten-free trail. wellllllll, i finally decided to just do it. after cutting out other things i know make me sick, i'm still questioning gluten, so we'll see! i start wednesday.

thanks for being patient with me. does anyone have any recipes i should try?
-rebekah

gluten-free thoughts, and recipes.

hello friends! happy august :)

source.

i've been a bit preoccupied recently, mentally and physically, so my blog-thoughts have been limited. but you guys are wonderful, though, and really important to me!

as far as my chronic lack of comments, i'm going to attack my google reader today... seeing as how it crossed 1,000 unread posts day before yesterday (EEK!).

but more importantly, to the kitchen!

i'm always on the prowl for a good, hearty gluten-free recipe to bake for my little sister, but recently i've been trying to mix up my grains a bit, too. i think it's much healthier for our bodies to get a mix of grains, not only so we don't O.D. on wheat, but also to reap the nutritional benefits that each unique grain has to offer.

and if you're somebody like me who gets food boredom, mixing it up is crucial!

so all this lead to a freakin' amazing muffin recipe. naturally.

even if you aren't gluten-free, you should experiment with some of the amazing grains god has made! there are so many different ones, so why limit yourself to just wheat?

i took pictures, but for some reason, they won't load!

here's one of hers.

GF banana cinnamon raisin muffins
adapted from this saintly woman

combine wet:
- 1 c banana puree (2-3 big bananas)
- 3 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 2 tbsp maple agave, agave, or honey (thanks kelli!)
- 1/2 c canola oil
- 2/3 c brown sugar (1 1/3 c if you like really sweet things, 1/3 c if you want it barely sweet)

add in dry:
- 1 c buckwheat flour (so good with bananas!)
- 1 c sorghum flour
- 1/2 c tapioca starch
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp xanthan gum
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp nutmeg

stir in:
- 1 c raisins
optional: 1 c chopped walnuts or pecans

bake:
- at 375 for about 15 minutes.

tips:
- cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove from pan, and cool on rack until room temp.
- i wrap these individually in plastic wrap and throw them in a freezer bag.

what else do you need to make?

the easiest cracker recipe known to man... these were absolutely delicious! i'm still tinkering with the proportions, but here's my adaptation of the original.

quick "mary's" crackers:
from beautiful miss averie
- 1/3 c chia seeds
- 1/3 c sunflower seeds (i did half pumpkin, half sunflower)
- 1/3 c flax seeds
- pinch of salt

combine:
- pulse in food processor until you have coarse crumbs, not nut butter... although that's not a bad idea, really! i used pre-ground flax and added it after i mixed the first two.

add your flavorings:
- for sweet, try: agave, cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, carob powder, etc.
- for savory, try: nutritional yeast, cumin, fresh herbs, sundried tomatoes, garlic and onion powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper, etc.

add water:
- i think averie suggestes 2-4 tablespoons, but i used much more... maybe 1/2 a cup or so?
- my suggestion?: start with 1/4 a cup, and increase as need be. it should be loose, not like cookie dough or peanut butter, but also not like soup.

bake:
- the recipe says bake 30 mins on each side at 300 degrees.
- my suggestion?: i baked mine longer, on a lower temp. i baked mine at 250 for about 40 minutes on each side, and they were still a bit soft. it's a learning process!

i think i might add even more water next time to make them a bit thinner, and more like mary's crack(ers). i love realllllly thin crackers, though. if you like them heartier like pita chips, by all means follow the recipe!

these are also way more nutritionally dense than your normal, flimsy cracker. real women (and men!) need real food, y'all!

gluten-free cooking tips:

source.

this week, i had the pleasure of catching up with christie from honoring health (one of the very best blogs out there!). she's been gluten-free for about a year, i believe, and just started tackling the intimidating job of baking bread for herself and her lovely husband. naturally, she came up against some difficulties!

the trouble with baking gluten-free is, not only are we not used to working with it, but that gluten is a tricky (but helpful!) little bugger.

wheat flour has two properies in baking: structure, and binding. when you bake GF, you have to get those properties from two separate elements. it's not difficult, but you have to know what to combine to get the texture you want.

i thought i'd give you guys a little run-down of my favorite gluten-free flours, and then tell you how to combine the different parts to make some truly bangin' bread.

flours:

millet: one of my favorites. physically similar to rice, but nutritionally similar to oats. mild.

teff, quinoa, and amaranth: high protein flours that work well in combination with other flours. have nutritional stats similar to cooked quinoa (obviously). strong tastes.

rice: one of the most popular GF flours. i only use brown rice flour because of the nutritients, but most frozen breads you buy use white rice flour. think of brown rice flour = whole wheat bread, and white rice flour = wonderbread. one of the most neutral tasting flours.

buckwheat: another of my favorites. ignore the name - it's not wheat! has a strong, nutty taste (similar to rye bread), and tons of nutrients (it's related to rhubarb!).

sorgum: a great neutral grain. good to combine with the stronger tasting flours.

chickpea/garbanzo: a new-to-me flour, i see this one a lot in ethnic recipes. has a great earthy taste, like hummus!

corn/tapioca/potato/arrowroot starches: sticky grains that act like glue in bread. most store-bought GF products will be based off of these, which is a shame because they aren't nutritionally solid by themselves. they are meant to be combined.

xanthan/guar gum: not flours, but what helps GF bread "set." if you've ever had a cake fall in or a bread recipe go flat, you know what i'm talking about!

there are other grains you can use, of course! these are just a few that are easy to find and i'm most comfortable with. 

now what?

now you know what some GF flours are, but what do you do with them? most recipes are written with the protein/starch combinations in mind, but just so you know, the "science" behind it usually combines:

a protein (structure) + a starch (binding) + a gum.

my point? to teach you what you can and can't substitute. if you don't have all the flours called for in a recipe, that's ok!

good protein subsitutions: buckwheat, amaranth, quinoa, teff, chickpea, and sometimes brown rice. these are usually about 50% of the flour in the recipe. play around and see what flavor combo you like!

ok all-purpose flour substitutions: sometimes you can sub in a mix of 50% rice flour, 50% starch, and a tiny bit of xanthan gum if the recipe doesn't call for that much all-purpose. i wouldn't try this in a bread recipe, though.

good starch substitutions: arrowroot, potato starch, corn starch, tapioca starch. all starches are pretty much interchangable!

other tips:

- try to find gluten-free versions of your favorite recipes. instead of trying to substitute GF flours in a pound cake, for example, look for a GF pound cake recipe!

- check out the library and barnes & nobles for GF cookbooks. they help you learn so much!

- make a list of your favorite foods, and see what you'd miss going gluten-free. instead of shelling out $10 for GF crackers, try to make your own. who knows - you might like your version better!

- scour GF blogs for their "tip" sections. many GF bloggers have been baking for years and have lots of helpful pieces of knowledge to make your food taste better.

- practice, practice, practice. the more you bake GF, the more you know what to look for and expect, and the better your food will be!

- adjust your seasonsings. GF flours often taste strong or "off" to those of us used to wheat, so it helps to really flavor your recipes. swap in stock for water, double your herbs, increase your cinnamon, add dried fruit, etc.

honestly, re-learning how to eat and bake can be scary! it's a life change, but you can do it. take baby steps. it taste different, but sometimes different can open us up to a whole new world of flavors.

i learned most of what i know today from shauna, karina, and bette hagman - stay curious, ask questions, and respect your resources, y'all!

i hope this helps. i'm certainly no expert, but if you need help, shoot me an email or twitter me!

tips? thoughts? questions?

-rebekah

transfer students, and the Fibromyalgia Diet.

hello beauties! and gentlemen... can't forget my boys!

so yesterday, i had my transfer student orientation!

i am thrilled to be back in school after my frustrating last year or so, but it was a really challenging day, actually. if all had gone "according to plan," i would technically be graduating this december...

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i know obviously my life was not meant to follow the "plan" of the typical american teenager, and i would never trade the experience and lessons i've gotten from not following the plan. i know this for sure, don't get me wrong... but it was still a challenge to not be a little disappointed, or maybe frustrated is a better word?

instead of starting as a second semester senior, i was transferred in as a second semester freshman. gotta love transferring from private, christian schools, yeah?

but you know what? that's ok. i'm excited to be back at it. i really am. and in hind sight - i am not the same person i was the first time i was a freshman. everything is going to be totally new and different, and that's exciting!

you know how sometimes, you have one of those situations where you smack your forehead and lament, "oh, i wish i knew then what i knew now!" well, i basically get the chance to "go back in time" and redo that now.

...venting session now over :)

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more important things now, yes? in the past week or so, i've actually gotten quite a few emails on how and what to eat if you are dealing with a chronic disease/Fibromyalgia/nerve pain/cancer recovery. i thought i would elaborate, because unfortunately, i think everyone knows someone who struggles with one of these.

part of why chronic pain is so tricky is: 1.) the doctors aren't sure how and why it happens, medically speaking, 2.) they aren't sure of how to cure or treat it, and 3.) everyone is different, and responds to treatment differently!

grr.

ok, well, you know i find it frustrating, obviously, but if the doctors don't have any answers, what can we do about it?

diet always matters.

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it's true. i don't care who you are - young, healthy, sick, old, overweight, underweight, an untra-marathoner - we all are humans, so food effects all of us.

unfortunately, if you are effected by chronic pain, be it from a car accident, Fibromyalgia, or rheumatoid arthritis, you don't have that "freedom" to pretend you are invincible. you can't pretend your diet doesn't effect you until you're 40 - you see the effects today.

this is good and bad. it's good because food does effects everyone, so you are more likely to take it seriously TODAY because you see how it effects you. being healthy is crucial. you cannot deny how important it is, and you don't believe in the saying, "ignorance is bliss." for you, there is no bliss in stupidity.

it's bad, though, because you can't be as carefree as your friends - when they just want to be young and eat like crap because they can, you can't, or you pay for it physically. it doesn't matter how much i want that ice cream cone, i CANNOT let myself eat it, or i won't be able to get out of bed the next day. period.

and trust me, i've tested it many, many times. you just can't cheat reality.

if the doctors don't have any solid, medical answers, though, how should we eat?

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here's where i wish i had an easy, clear answer for you. the truth is, i don't, and neither does anyone else.

but through a lot of blood, sweat, and tears, i do have some recommendations for you to try.

it's really the same advice i'd give for everybody, but unfortunately, most people don't want to take diet seriously until something life-changing happens.

tips for managing chronic pain through food.

1. for lack of a better term, just man up.
there's just no easy way to attack this... i'm gonna sound a little mean here, ok? honestly, you just have to bite the bullet, and start being accountable for your habits. you're dealing with big kid problems now, so time to act like a big kid.

if you eat junk, you will feel like junk. if you already feel like junk because of your disease, you will feel even junk-ier if you eat junk. yeah, it's a word... haha.

this is your responsibility, not your doctors. if you don't do ANYTHING else to help yourself, please realize what you eat can make a HUGE difference in how you feel. whatever your excuse to not eat better is - too busy, too expensive, doesn't taste good, don't like to cook, crappy grocery stores, etc. - it just isn't good enough anymore. you are fighting new challenges, so you have to adapt accordingly.

unless you want to live every second of every day with the reminder that you are sick, you MUST eat as healthfully as possible. i don't mean freak yourself out about it, and i don't mean you can't ever have a cookie... but the FOCUS of your diet should be clean, natural foods.

the good news? it's what you do eat that's more important than what you don't eat. aim for foods that are simple: fruit, veggies, nuts, whole grains, lots of water, organic dairy, eggs, and meat when possible. make it easy for yourself, ok?

eating like this won't cure you, but it will give your body the basics it needs to fight for itself. there are so many things about chronic diseases you can't control, but this is one area you can help yourself immensely!

2. check your foundation.
if you haven't already, have you doctor do a blood test to check for vitamin/nutrient deficiencies. if you have a chronic illness, chances are, even with a flawless diet, your body will be lacking in some areas because it can't properly absorb all your nutrients. if you do find you have a deficiency, you will be amazed how much better you feel just from correcting that one, simple problem.

i hate to push supplements, but a very good idea is to look for a natural, balanced, plant-based multi-vitamin. you need more help covering your bases than the average chick does - it's not overkill. an omega-3 supplement wouldn't hurt, either. and your skin and hair will look fabulous :) 

source

do some research on the internet, or check your local health food store. look for vitamins made from whole foods, not chemicals, if you can help it. if you need a supplement, you can get a bottle of that particular nutrient from whole foods for cheaper than a pair of pants! pretty good deal if it gives you your life back, right?

3. get checked for food allergies, if you are suspicious.
food allergies don't necessarily cause your issues, but they can make you feel much, much worse. you don't need one more thing to deal with!

if your allergist does find something, be kind to your body and respect it. i know it's not easy (i have many!), but in the long run, you will feel so much better.

everyone's body behaves differently. for example, i have a few foods that i just need to be careful with - i can eat them, but not very often. i also have some things i NEVER eat, because the reaction is so unpleasant. honor your body. test it. play around with your foods and see what makes you feel good, and what gives you trouble. this is a learning process, so give yourself some time to figure it out.

also consider: yeast/gluten, dairy, and nightshade plants: tomatoes, chili and bell peppers, potatoes, and eggplant. gluten and dairy are pretty common allergens (for those with a disease or not), and nightshades have been known to cause migraines/inflammation, so definitely worth looking at.

4. check your vices.
the little things we do and don't think about can make such a huge impact on us! one of those areas is our "guilty pleasure foods," which we allow ourselves thinking they aren't that big of a deal. unfortunately, they do effect us even if we don't notice, and if you have chronic pain, the reaction is exponentally amplified.... not cool.

foods to free yourself of today: artificial sweeteners (splenda, sweet n' low, sugar-free products/gum), chemical food additives (nitrites, preservatives, MSG), and too much caffeine (more than 1-2 8 oz. cups coffee per day). if you eat a natural diet, though, you won't have to worry! score.

also, don't forget about pesticides on produce and animal products. when you can, buy organic (when it counts!).

source.

really sucky, but really important: please watch your added sugars. yes, even "healthy sugars," like brown rice syrup, agave, honey, etc. i know it's a crazy-hard habit to break, but sugar makes everything hurt worse.

while chronic pain patients especially should avoid chemicals, caffeine, and sugar, everyone would benefit from staying away. they aren't natural, are questionably safe at best, and are proven to increase pain sensitivity... if you can help it, avoid them like the plague.

and caffeine isn't bad in itself, but it can cause cycles of fatigue if you rely on it too much. i believe in the powers of coffee (amen?), but try as i may, it cannot replace sleep (a common practice if you're hurting and can't rest). try to keep your coffee/tea in small amounts, and before lunch so you can catch those much needed ZZZs.

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most important? chill.
i know what you're thinking... "don't stress?!? i have a chronic illness and you just gave me a checklist 50 miles long!"

i'm really sorry about both. truly, i am. although eating healthy is important to feeling your best, freaking out about every little bite you put in your mouth will undo all the potential benefits! as much as possible, please don't worry... i promise you will become excellent at managing your disease, and eating for it will begin to feel natural. you should put a good effort into it, yes, but the whole point is to help you, not create more stress!

i know it feels overwhelming right now, but you can do this! you will learn so much on how to cope, and about yourself. you will meet amazing people who will support you, and you'll learn HUGE life lessons.

just don't give up when it gets hard. please, don't.

tips to share?
advice on how to manage healthy eating?
-rebekah

EDIT - check out melissa's amazing cookbook giveaway!

the leftovers.

ever have those few leftover pictures on your camera you don't feel like posting about? or make something and forget to take pictures? or just feel like talking about random things from your week?

well, you'll understand today's post just fine.

ready for the randomness?

last week, i got a much needed haircut.
pardon my sour face/man's t-shirt/myspace pic.

i also made gluten-free breakfast bars for my little sister.

i used Karina's quinoa bar recipe, but i subbed nuts in for the fruit, thinking my sister would appreciate a little protein boost before swim practice.

from the pro herself.

fatal mistake, because she said they had NO flavor. my real challenge was finding a recipe that wouldn't crumble, though, and that was a success!

next time, i'll double the spices, and add dried fruit AND nuts.

and yesterday, i drove up to D.C. to visit the beautiful and crazy-talented Mo of Mo's Kitchen. have you read her blog? the recipes this girl tackles are baffling! i am humbled by her kitchen finesse :)

she recommended lunch at this cute local place, Sweet Leaf Cafe, and who am i to turn down a lunch date? i ordered the "Berry Leaf" Salad, which is "strawberries, almonds, cranberries, cucumbers, greens, and strawberry balsamic vinaigrette."

very tasty, but since i am the tasmanian devil, i require a bit more food. thankfully, i never leave the house without a car full of snacks!

Mo has the same medical issues that i struggle with, so we talked doctors for a while, then turned to more positive things - food, life, and Target!

um... she had never been to Target! i had to remedy this situation A.S.A.P.!

no joke, if i could pop a cot at Target and just camp out there, i would. it's my home away from home, and pretty much all my savings end up there (split with Trader Joe's, of course).

since i'm a grandma, it was time for me to head back to richmond. i really enjoyed my time in D.C., and can't wait to visit my sweet, new friend again. hang in there, girl!

about 4 hours of stop-and-go traffic later, i returned home, sweaty and hungry. if you've ever ridden in the car with me, you know how bad of a road-tripper i am... i hate the car. so as soon as i got in, i grabbed a snack, unpacked, and hit the treadmill to stretch out my cramped thighs.

and after the treadmill? um... i did... yoga (!!!).

Christie, i know i'm eating my words here, but can i make a confession?

i am a yoga convert.

let me explain - i HATED yoga. i've taken countless classes, all different types, and really tried to go in with an open mind... but each time, i ended up counting down the minutes until i was free. i hated every... S...L...O...W... second...

i thought it just wasn't for me, but after an especially painful fibro week, i was desperate. i caved in and tried some, "just to stretch," in my room after a run.

bingo.

i realized i was approaching it all wrong. i was trying to look at my practice like a workout... it had to be done for an hour, in a studio, with your game face on. serious business, this yoga thing. it was somewhere i challenged myself to be perfect, and couldn't be.

but yoga isn't about being perfect (like running). it's about bringing balance back into our crazy, hectic lives. it's about learning your center, your rhythm, and honoring your body.

and no one cares how long, how fast, or how often i practice when i'm alone, just honoring my body. i'm no jennifer aniston - just a girl doing the best i can with what i've got. it has become something i look forward to; something that balances out the intensity running brings to my life. and it feels soooooooooooooooo good after a long, hot, hungry car ride!

so if you haven't tried it yet, don't rush out to a studio or pop in a Slave-Driver-Jillian video just yet. how about trying a few poses on your own first, and seeing what you like? what feels good? what helps you just let go of the day? unwind?

i plan on hitting up a class here soon to expand my repitoire of postures, but there's nothing wrong with the basics. anything that works for you is perfect!

do you like yoga?

what does it do for you?

do you take classes?

HaPpY fRiDaY, y'AlL!

-rebekah

my week in pictures.

not a lot of words for today... just some long overdue pictures and recipes!

maybe this will give you guys a little peek into my day :)

the beautiful kelli sent me some goodies a while back, and deserves a hella shoutout! this girl is wicked creative... she made me maple cinnamon almond/peanut butter!!! enough said.

and i might add - the nut butter is almost totally gone...

and fig basalmic vinegar! gasp. thank you kelli!

i think i'm gonna go make dressing right, actually.

zee knees, post-run.

my rule? if you run for more than 30 mins, please ice, just in case!

and my foam roller... i love you.

don't know how to use it? now you can!

a random breakfast...

and a recipe!

this is some of the best gluten-free bread i've ever made. it's protein packed and super-nutritious, which can be rare in GF products.

the process:

the result:

seriously guys, make this bread! it's so dense and satisfying.

i'd choose it over whole wheat bread anyday... and that's sayin' something.

this runner knows her carbs.

next up? quinoa breakfast brownies.

the gluten-free goddess is probably the blog i'd credit to my success at GF baking.

she is a genius, and knows EVERYTHING.

i made these bars for my little sister (a celiac) to grab on her way out the door before 5:45AM swim practice - yes, seriously.

obviously, she deserves good grub.

i am to deliver.

the verdict? and i quote... "OMG THESE TASTE LIKE NAUGHTY COOKIES!"

victory is mine.

one of my favorite new snacks, jess-style.

melted cheddar + crofter's = bliss.

i seriously cannot say enough good things about crofter's.

organic, tangy, and not sweet? i like.

oats in a jar. at 5AM. on film. epic.

soft-fried egg + spinach + sauteed mustrooms + homemade guac.

i eat this quite a lot. no shame.

props to alton.

and iced tea, because i'm a good southern girl, y'all.

flowers from mom's garden... she's so talented!

everything is gorgeous, and she gardens organically - no sprays or pesticides.

i am so blessed to be able to pick chemical-free flowers and veggies from my back yard... thank you Lord!

last but not least, the recipe from last night's dinner.

really, really, good, and mostly healthy, creamy penne pesto pasta

(didn't photograph, but it looked like this!)

8 oz. whole wheat penne

1/2 box frozen spinach, thawed and liquids squeezed out

3 or 4 tbsp pesto (i used homemade!)

handful sundried tomatoes, packed in oil

8 oz. sour cream (i had leftover from a cookout, but this would be an ideal place to substitute greek yogurt!)

handful or two of grated parmesan, fresh if you can manage

few big pinches of black pepper, to taste

pinch of salt, to taste

optional: 1/2 lb grilled chicken, cut into strips

here we go:

DISCLAIMER: when i cook, i don't really measure. sorry type-A girls :)

started by cooking the man's chicken in a skillet with a tiny dab of olive oil. i just seasoned them up with salt and pepper and cut them into skinny strips. start with your heat up high to get a good sear on them, then turn it down to low to cook through. when they were almost done, i tented some aluminum foil over them to finish cooking through and keep them warm while the pasta cooked.

i boiled the pasta to al dente, drained, and returned to the pasta pot. i first stirred in my pesto, spinach, and tomatoes, coating all the noodles. once that was well-mixed, i stirred in my sour cream and parmesan cheese. things started lookin' pretty sexy in there, so i tasted it, seasoned it up with my S + P, and served my boyfriend who had patiently been hovering for an hour or so :)

i served it with crusty whole wheat bread and sauteed basalmic asparagus. if you and your dinner date are both omnivores, you should stir in the chicken after adding the sour cream and cheese.

i also brought him a batch of chocolate chip cookies to celebrate his track season ending (he coaches high school). i used this recipe from Allrecipes, but it wasn't my favorite. the Best Chocolate Chip Cookies from Dorie's book are still the best i've ever made.... if you love to bake, you need this book!

now your turn - do you guys have to measure to cook?

i don't even measure when i bake... terrible, i know!

-rebekah

coconut brownies, anyone?

guess what i finally got around to opening?

the tropical traditions coconut cream concentrate i won in miss stephanie's giveaway like two months ago!

i'm so on top of things.

so, what is it?

coconut cream is simply ground coconut meat. period.

just like how peanuts are ground up to make peanut butter, coconut meat is ground up to make coconut cream.

it's 70% fat, so it's similar to coconut butter, except coconut cream has all the fiber of whole coconuts... score!

ok, so what do you do with it?

the website recommends using it to make homemade coconut milk (my wallet rejoices!), as a spread on toast, a soup base, or blended into smoothies.

well, what did i do with it?

funny you should ask...

cocoa coconut brownies

adapted from the tropical traditions recipe blog

1 cup coconut cream concentrate

3 room temperature eggs

1/3 c maple syrup or brown sugar

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

splash vanilla extract

1/3 c cocoa powder (my favorite ingredient ever!)

and 1/3 c each add-in: nuts, chocolate chips, shredded coconut, dried cherries, etc.

mix all ingredients until just combined.

bake in a greased 9x9 at 325* for 18-20 mins.

um... aren't they gorgeous?

i couldn't help but drool.

these. are. so. good. these. are. so. good. these. are. so. good.

hey sexy!

i wish i had planned to be this awesome, but i also realized after i made these they are flour and gluten-free.

score. my little sister can now join me in snacking my face off.

and promise you won't laugh?

here's... um... dinner:

ohhhhhhhhhh mmmmmyyyyyy.

because really,

what's better than yogurt, fresh strawberries, chocolate, and coconut?

thanks again stephanie!

p.s. - check out the tropical traditions website.

they're a really cool company with an awesome story behind them. and hello coconut peanut butter!!!

- r