Paleo Strawberry Shortcake Muffins

This recipe is from The Food Lover's Make it Paleo Cookbook. These muffins are great for a snack!

1/2 Cup Coconut Flour
6 Eggs
1/2 Cup Palm Shortening
1/2 Cup Pure Maple Syrup
1/2 tbsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Baking Soda
3/4 Cup fresh strawberries, diced

Preheat oven to bake at 350*
In a large mixing bowl, blend coconut flour, eggs, palm shortening, maple syrup, vanilla, salt, and baking soda with hand mixer.
Stir in strawberries.
Place muffin papers into the tray.
Fill each muffin cup with 1/4cup of batter
Bake for 350* for 35 minutes.
Allow shortcakes to cool and frost if desired.

Gluten Free Eggs Benedict

On Sunday morning, my kids requested Eggs Benedict for breakfast. I have to be honest and say that on a lazy Sunday morning, I *sort of* regret not raising my kids on boxed cereal! Well, just for a moment anyway :).

Here is my super easy recipe:

4 Gluten Free English Muffins
Canadian Bacon or Turkey Bacon (Nitrate Free is best.)
1 Dozen Organic Eggs (I used Farm Fresh Free Range Eggs that my neighbor gave me, yum!)
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 Stick Un-Salted Organic Butter
pinch of Cayenne Pepper
pinch of Paprika
pinch of Sea Salt, if desired
1 Tablespoon Vinegar


Cook the bacon and set aside.

Toast the GF English Muffins.  On my toaster, it takes exactly 5 minutes.

For the sauce: Crack 4 egg yolks into a stainless steal mixing bowl.  Melt the butter on low in a small saucepan.  Be very careful not to burn it. Once, melted remove from heat. At this point I start my eggs. I will come back to the sauce in a minute...

To poach the eggs: I bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a shallow pan, add the vinegar and once it's boiling gently crack the eggs into it.  It normally takes about 3 minutes.

Ok, back to the sauce - Very slowly use a whisk and begin pouring the butter into the yolks.Whisk until it is all incorporated and it's thickened.  Add the lemon, cayenne and salt. If the sauce is too thick, add 1 tablespoon of warm filtered water and whisk again.

Putting it all together-  top one half of the English Muffin with bacon and place the poached egg on top.  Pour the Hollandaise Sauce over it and sprinkle with Paprika.

Delish!

Gluten Free Vanilla Almond Cookies

This is the best sugar cookie recipe! I made these for a Valentine's Day treat for my family.  The coconut flour is just delightful and it's such a quick and easy recipe. Enjoy!

1 cup Coconut Sugar
1/2 Cup Butter
1/3 Cup Almond Milk
2 tsp Vanilla

3/4 Cup White Rice Flour
1/3 Cup Coconut Flour
2 Tbsp. Potato Starch
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Cup Almonds, sliced

Preheat oven to 350*. Cream together butter and sugar with an electric mixer and beat two minutes.  Add Vanilla and Almond Milk and beat for an additional minute. In a separate bowl, mix together dry ingredients except Almonds.  Add dry mix to wet ingredients and briefly mix, then add Almonds.  Continue mixing until just blended. The batter should have a moist and fluffy consistency. Place by rounded tablespoon on greased cookie sheet and bake 10-12 minutes.  Makes 24 delicious cookies.

Hand Print Valentine Hearts

I made these with my Bookworms class after we read The Story of Valentine's Day. 

 They turned out super cute!

Here's what you will need:

Pink Card Stock 

Red Tempera Paint

Pink Tempera Paint

Two Little Hands

Paint each hand and stamp into a heart shape. It's a Valentine's art project you'll treasure forever!

Easy Crock Pot Chicken

Soccer practice? Work? Church? So many activities that keep us out in the afternoon. Fear not, you can still enjoy a home-cooked meal!

Ingredients:
2 packages chicken drumsticks
1 sliced yellow onion
1 bulb garlic, separate the cloves but do not peel them
2 tablespoons olive oil
Pepper
Salt
2 teaspoons paprika

Place the onions on the bottom of your stoneware. Mix all of the remaining ingredients in a large bowl to cover the drumsticks evenly. Place on top of the onions. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours. Yummy!

Crunchy Gluten Free Granola

My family loves granola.  If you are gluten free like we are, you're probably familiar with how expensive gluten free granola is.  I adapted this recipe from the Farm Chicks In The Kitchen Cook Book.

Ingredients:
6 Cups Gluten Free Oats
2 Cups unsweetened coconut
2 Cups Pecan Halves
1/3 Grape Seed Oil
1/2 Cup Coconut Sugar
1/2 Cup Crunchy Peanut Butter
1/2 Cup Honey
2 Teaspoons Ground Cinamon
1 Teaspoon Vanilla

Mix the granola: Heat the oven to 325*. Combine the oats, coconut and pecan in a large bowl.  Combine the oil, honey, peanut butter, sugar, cinamon & vanilla in a small sauce pan. Stir until smooth. Pour over the oat mixture ans stir until well combined.

Bake:  Line a large cookie sheet with foil.  Spread the granola evenly and bake for 50 minutes.  Stir carefully every 10 minutes to avoid burning.  Cool on the cookie sheet on top of a wire rack for an addiditonal 10 minutes. Then stir once more.  Store in air-tight container for up to two weeks.

Currently...

A huge thank you to Sasha @ Lemonade Makin' Mama  for inspiring me with her "Currently" Post! 

Currently loving... my scale every morning.
Currently adapting... to excercising twice a day.
Currently greatful...that although I have to work at my weight, God gives me strength to do so.
Currently trying... to learn patience as I try to let go of my need to control. Everything.
Currently praising... God for his continued provision. My husband's practice is booked solid daily.
Currently praying...for my son who will soon become a US Marine.
Currently looking... forward to booking our family vacation to Yosemite. 
Currently considering...switching to digital scrap booking, I'm only 6 years behind!
Currently have... 3 DIY projects in progress.
Currently been... 100% Gluten Free for 7 weeks and I feel fantastic! More on this later...
Currently humbled... by how much God grew me in 2011.
Currently more...in love with my husband today than the day I said, "I Do."
Currently priveledged... to still have my grandma who is always willing to help me with my sewing projects and always sends me home with a delicious batch of home made salsa.

I'd love to hear your status..."Currently"!