Cake Pops

All my cake pop dreams have come true! And they are just as amazing as I imagined they would be!
I mean, they are IN-VOLVED - a high-maintenance, deconstructed cupcake of epicness on a stick - but
worth it!!! I made these for my kids for Valentine's Day (so I've got a dozen tucked in the freezer
for this weekend!), but we couldn't resist eating the batter, the chocolate... the final product!!!
Taste testing is a crucial part of any culinary process. And I take my job seriously.

We added some of our Young Living essential oils to flavor these yummies! I'm pretty sure that all
the sugar completely deactivated the healthy properties found in peppermint and lemon, but
NO ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS! I'm holding that close to my heart... and digestive track.
Seriously though - such vibrant, solid flavors!!!

So I made these with a gluten-free cake mix, but any cake mix you love will do.
Have you ever seen a gluten-free cake pop? Me neither... until now!

I love how people come over to my house and assume that everything gluten-free is "healthy".
I wish. And made you lose weight! Lol. I digress... it's the cabin fever talking.

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1// Bake cake mix according to recipe. Let completely cool.
I did 8 cupcakes in vanilla + 8 in chocolate because I like options!!!
Code for "I have a problem." Ha.

2// Crumble cake and set aside.

3// Prepare homemade frosting like me, the overachiever, or use canned frosting.

For my chocolate cake pops,
I added a few drops of peppermint essential oil
to my chocolate frosting.

For my vanilla cake pops,
I added a few drops of lemon essential oil
to my vanilla frosting.

4// Eight crumbled cupcakes used about 1/2 C. of frosting. I added slowly until the crumbled cake was
just moist and sticking together well enough to roll into a ball.

5// I used fancy shmancy $1 designer straws from Target for sticks. After securing a cake ball
on the end, I placed in my freezer to chill for about 30 minutes before dipping in chocolate.

6// While cake balls are chillin' like villains, melt chocolate of your choice! You want something
that dries solid at room temperature. Again, I added peppermint essential oil to my
melted dark chocolate and lemon essential oil to my melted white chocolate!

7// Dip those cake balls and coat them with something pretty! We used crushed peppermint candy
and tangerine zest!!! Let sit at room temperature for about 1 hour to set.

8// Eat all the cake pops. Don't leave a trace.


16 crumbled cupcakes + frosting made 16 cake pops!!!


I am happy. My kids are happy. Just wait til you see their faces below!
And my husband thinks an ordinary cupcake would do. No cake pop for you, buddy! Haha.
Happy Valentine's Day, loves!!! XO







MORE ABOUT OUR YOUNG LIVING JOURNEY

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

I love this time of year.
The air is rich with the aromas that remind us of warmth.
Cinnamon, balsam, peppermint, brown sugar -- all dancing in the air, calling us
back to the moments that have left smile lines all over our hearts.

Making candy cane cookies in grandma's kitchen.
Unwrapping a meowing box of kittens on Christmas morning.
Decorating your first tree as newlyweds.
Watching your footy pajama-ed children beam with joy
as the lights twinkle, the hot cocoa is poured,
and the nativity story retold.

The world tells me to "hustle and bustle,", but I can hear my soul
counter-offering, "Be still." I look at my children now and can't bear
the reality of the time passing; each moment slipping away with the diaper changes,
the bath time, the books that are read.

I don't want to miss it.

When they remember "home", I want them to see calm, peace, joy,
and the beauty that came from just BEING together;
breathing in and out the wonderful rhythm of

"us".

It brings me much happiness to recreate such warm recipes that will
someday hopefully conjure up special memories deep in the hearts of my children.
When they take a bite and their taste buds spin a tale of cinnamon and brown sugar -
I hope they feel loved.




|| GLUTEN-FREE PUMPKIN SPICE MUFFINS ||

In stand mixer, mix together:

1 C. of pumpkin puree
1/4 C. melted butter or oil
1/2 C. whole milk
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

In separate bowl, sift together:

1 1/2 C. gluten-free all purpose flour blend (I use Bob's Red Mill)
3/4 C. brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. kosher sea salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/4 tsp. ginger

Slowly mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients.

Pour batter into a lined muffin tin. Yields 12.

Bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes.

Confessions + Gluten-Free Apple Crisp

Dear Diary, I am still pregnant. 40 weeks and 2 days. If pregnancy isn't long enough
already?! I know I shouldn't complain. Even today's reading from "Jesus Calling" was eerily
relevant to my life. I felt like God was reaching down from heaven and giving me a little spanking.

That's what's up.

"You have been on a long (true that), uphill (YES!) journey, and your energy is almost spent (almost?!).
Though you have faltered at times (who me?), you have not let go of My hand. I am pleased with your
desire to stay close to Me (well, good). There is one thing (great), however, that displeases Me:

your tendency to complain." - Jesus Calling 10/9/2014

I literally laughed out loud. The Big Man upstairs is funny and brutally honest!

Anyway. Some of my friends, earlier this week, were all like, "You are so calm and composed!"
And then my spiritual director texted me and said, "You seem so happy on FACEBOOK!"

Whoa. Red light. I swear I am not trying to live a façade, but apparently it is happening?
Of course I'm all smiley and happy - I'm a choleric/sanguine, extrovert that thrives on being with
people and keeping up my life as a party. But you guys, when this overdue momma goes home or is left
alone for any substantial amount of time -- it gets ugly. I am an emotional train wreck that cries
out to Jesus, but then backs off because there are "bigger problems" in the world than being pregnant
forever. Like ebola?! The Middle East?! I'm snapping left and right, teaching my kids cuss words
they should never be exposed to until... never.

I've had a couple other mommas/women mention that I should just be so grateful that I even get
to "carry life" - and I am! But seriously, I AM HUMAN. And humans get tired. Even life
with my toddlers - love them to death - but sometimes I lock myself in the bathroom and just stay
there until I feel better about the day, situation, etc. Again, human. Broken. Selfish. Vain. Whiney.

Fill in the blank. And that's just being honest.

I serioulsy just intended to deliver these pictures from our apple picking adventure a couple
weekends ago + a recipe for gluten-free apple crisp, and look what you got?! I'm sorry, y'all.

Oh and that's the other thing. I can barely swallow veggies right now, but sugar and carbs?
All day, baby. All day. Thus - you get awesome recipes like this one and I gain 50 aaaand counting
pounds!!! You're welcome for being pregnant. But yea - I really love my baby and my kids and my
husband. Just in case anything got lost in translation. I'm good now.





COMMERCIAL BREAK: I had to share this "real life" moment. It was all "cute and fun" until
both brothers decided that they HAD TO HAVE the one and only apple picker. Whose kids are those?!






|| GLUTEN-FREE APPLE CRISP||
PREHEAT oven to 375 degrees //

5-6 cups sliced, peeled apples || toss in 2-4 tbls of sugar (or pure maple syrup)
and place in 2 quart baking dish. Set aside.

MIX TOGETHER in separate bowl //
1 C. rolled oats (I used Chex brand instant gluten-free oatmeal)
1/2 C. packed brown sugar (or pure maple syrup)
1/4 C. Bob's Red Mill all-purpose gluten-free flour
1/4 tsp. nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon

A splash of fresh lemon juice and vanilla is great too!

CUT IN //
1/4 C. grassfed butter (or coconut oil)

Sprinkle oat mixture over sliced apples.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until fruit is tender and the topping is toasty golden.
Serve with massive amounts of ice-cream and a big cup of coffee!!!

Aaaaaaand bring some over to me. Ok, thanks.

Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread

I feel all warm and fuzzy inside when we slide a pan of this zucchini bread mix into the oven.
The cinnamon, fresh grated nutmeg and maple syrup - it smells like fall! I usually end up burning the
tips of my fingers as I try to "gingerly" slide a piece out of the pan well before it has cooled - so
that I can slather on some grassfed butter and celebrate Thanksgiving in my heart!

I always make two loaves - because the first one is mainly just for sampling purposes of course.
Actually, this bread freezes well (3-4 weeks) and I like to have a loaf or two in the freezer...
to make me and my family happy!!!

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Preheat over to 350 and grease two bread pans //

Mix together:

2 C. finely shredded (drained if needed) zucchini
1/2 C. melted butter (coconut or sunflower oil works well too)
1 C. sugar (or 1 1/2 C. pure maple syrup)
4 eggs
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. fresh grated nutmeg (or 1/2 tsp of ground nutmeg)
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. xanthan gum

Then slowly add:

3 C. all-purpose GLUTEN-FREE flour (I use Bob's Red Mill)

Combine all ingredients well, pour into bread pans, and bake for 45-50 minutes.

Pumpkin Pie + Handling Food Allergies during the Holidays

You've got a couple dozen, hungry guests gathering around your table at various points this season,
and as easy as Ina Garten makes it look, truth is... most of us are sweating bullets, asking Google
for answers, and checking-in on Facebook to make sure that someone else's sweet potato casserole
doesn't look better than ours!

The holidays are like the tango; beautiful and intense with a dash of stressful,
tinsel and lights,
fa-la-la-la-la... love it!

Laughter, tears, filling hearts and stomachs to the brim...
tis the season for tender moments met with tinkling glasses of champagne,
happy reunions in the glow of the Christmas tree, and memorizing all the details
of such happy memories being made as you savor every bite of pie.

Honestly, I get a little anxious with all the festivities and gatherings during the holidays.
I'm that relative, a guest who wants to RSVP with complete abandonment to the culinary adventure
the host has planned, but reality is - WE HAVE ALLERGIES.

How does one tackle the topic of allergies with family and friends?

I'm not claiming to be a professional dinner guest by any means - but I've done a lot of hosting
and I know that I like to know AHEAD OF TIME if there are any allergies/preferences.
Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, here's a bottle of Benadryl!

I now make a habit of ASKING my guests, before they arrive, how we can best serve their needs.
Mainly because I know how awkward it can be to step up and address the situation.

If you have real allergies - just speak up! Do it with grace, thanks, and love...
and I know the host will understand and most likely be so willing to accommodate!
When a host does not ask, saying something along the lines of...

"We are so thankful for the invite! Looking forward to coming over. Don't know if you have heard, but
our family is allergic to *name your poison* and have to avoid it all together. Is there something we can
bring to "fill in" the meal you already have planned?" Don't want you to stress, so please let us help!

...can be a good place to start! And if all else fails, make pie.

PUMPKIN PIE
I found my filling recipe HERE //

2 large eggs
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp salt
1 (15-oz) can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 1/4 cups Silk vanilla soy, almond or coconut milk

I used 1 tsp. cinnamon + a dash of cloves and nutmeg instead of pumpkin pie spice.
And we went with vanilla almond milk - works like a charm!

Mix all together and set aside.


Namaste Biscuit, Piecrust, and More gluten-free blend is my secret weapon right now.
This is their crust recipe // more great recipes HERE.

(Makes two 9" crusts - freeze half the dough for later use,
double the filling recipe, or halve it like I do!)

2 1/3 C. Namaste Biscuit, Piecrust, and More gluten-free blend
1/2 C. butter or non-dairy substitute
1 egg
3-5 tbls of COLD water

Cut the butter into flour blend before adding egg and water.
Add more water if needed to pull the dough into a solid, but not sticky ball.
I also add a dash of salt to my crust because I like it that way.

TIP: Working with gluten-free dough can be hellish. Refrigerating the dough for
at least one hour before rolling out will save your sanity. Also, rolling the dough out between
two pieces of wax paper or seran wrap is highly recommended.




Peel off one side of seran wrap to lay and press the dough in your pie pan - with the remaining
seran wrap side UP. Slowly pull off the remaining seran wrap before filling with pumpkin mix.
It's just best not to touch gluten-free dough. If you touch it, you'll understand.

Fill with pumpkin mix and cover the exposed edges of crust with thin strips of aluminum foil.
This will help to keep the crust golden and not burned. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes - and
then lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking for another 40-45 minutes.
You can pull aluminum foil off for the last 10-15 minutes of the baking time if you want.
Let sit for 4-6 hours before serving for best results!




I hope you feel warm and fuzzy inside right now. Because I do.