strawberries + no bakes

[strawberry cake, made yesterday! fresh strawberries, perfect for the weather here!]

this week the sun has begun to shine a constant radiance through my windows. it's only encouraged me to bake more and more.

recently i've been on a major no-bake cookie kick! the oats + chocolate + peanut butter combination hit the spot when i'm craving something sweet!

I've been replacing my original recipe with gluten free oats rather then regular ones, and honey rather then sugar.
I also replaced the peanut butter with almond butter, and I'm making sure i'm using 73% or higher chocolate for a dairy free treat, and almond milk to give it an extra nutty taste.


[no bake dough]



[no bake's stirring]



[using 73% dark cocoa, dairy free!]



on another note, i absolutely love these people! they were a vital part of me becoming a woman. this wonderful woman Christie and her husband Stephen sang at our wedding and they have been such a blessing to know. These three munchkins Jaydinn, Rayna and Finn, make Robert and I actually want to have kids. I love these people and every time Robert and I go to Kansas we make sure to spend a good chunk of time with them. I cannot wait to see them again soon!






on another side note, Robert and I have been making these fun recycled wood words. He's been cutting them out and I've been either staining or painting them. We've been using them as baby shower/wedding gifts. really fun and 100% recycled. Really fun. ok wait, the paint isn't, so 90% recycled!




That's all, more bites later! I have chocolate oatmeal ball's in the oven right now!

weekend wolf down

my weekend has once again been full of food. these pictures explain it all:





[took another stab at my gluten, refined sugar, and dairy free brownies. they didn't turn out as great as I would have liked but it's a process]

~

cupcakes









[these turned out just marveous! bridal shower cupcakes!]




~

robert and I made gluten free pizza last night. his: pesto/tomato/goats cheese/chicken. and mine: goats cheese/pinapple







then on another note: a few additions that we got this weekend:




[bunk beds in the "spare" room for bands/guest]




[matching Clarks!]




[we also bought a new couch and so we are selling this beautiful vintage couch!]


i think that's it for this beautiful morning. it's a bit chilly here today, perfect for a spring bridal shower [kinda?] fruit tea, spring cupcakes, chocolate dipped strawberries, the works! I am happy.

his first cupcake.

i have to post these few adorable pictures that were from sweet Julian's 1st birthday.

here he is eating his first cupcake.

i am honored to say that it was my almost-perfected vegan chocolate cupcake!

isn't he so stinkin cute!

chocolate coma.

i went into a coma last morning.

the first bite of sugar in almost a month.

the one bite about gave me a stomach ache, the kind that are no fun.

it was so worth it!

i decided to continue with my quest to achieve a fabulous vegan cupcake-

that is simply delicious.

and i think i've mastered it!

so delicious!

they are not the most professional looking- but really i am focusing on what's on the inside!

no eggs, or dairy! oh man!

i have a party of 2 people who will be my taste testers in this activity, and the rest will be given to a sweet 1 year old baby boy who's birthday is today!

[cannot have any dairy]

i am so excited!

happy birthday Julian Harms!

such a doll!

[wish i could say i took this picture- but i did not]

expansion.

so the varieties of endless gluten-free,sugar-free, and dairy-free foods have just flooded my brain.

(and my kitchen)

i don't know how to stop cooking all these marvelous things!

(especially because they are all so healthy and delicious!)

so first this week we made:

gluten-free, sugar-free, egg-free, dairy-free chocolate cupcakes with a vegan, sugar-free icing!

[i am loving my fabulous mixer!]

then a few nights later i had a massive craving for pizza!

but no wheat + no cheese = no pizza?

nope!

gluten-free, sugar-free, egg-free, dairy-free pizza crust!

on my wonderful pizza stone!

then add some tomato basil garlic sauce

then sprinkle with some homemade vegan cheese and goat's cheese!

[this picture doesn't do it justice!]

wahlaa!

fresh salad with honey crisp apples, goats cheese and almonds and a yummy home made lemon dressing!

all this makes for a very happy husband!

peppermint bliss.

this Christmas was just fabulous!

as the kids are getting older, we've decided to make a few new traditions. it's been really fun.

the weekend started off with robert and I walking to our favorite little bakery in east nashville, Sweet 16!

fresh kosher cinnamon rolls and drew's brew's coffee!

this year we decided that on christmas eve we were going to walk down to the first franklin united methodist church.

walking 4 blocks...in the freezing cold.

normally shannon, my sister-in-love makes the dessert for Christmas eve, but this year I had the pleasure of making a "light christmas eve dessert" as our christmas eve meal is massive and there is never room for the dessert.

I make beignets! (french doughnuts!) i used the Cafe Du Monde's Recipe!

with some hot coffee, such a hit!

then of course my dad read the story and we opened our new christmas pajamas, and a book!

after indulging ourselves in the most fattening and sugary foods we all got into the hot tub then nestled into our new pajamas and cuddled into our beds.

despite my adult-hood, i still woke up at 6:30am ready to celebrate christmas.

my husband didn't agree and wanted to sleep in.

so i got up, made coffee and waited until 9 to wake up the rest of the siblings.

christmas morning!

~

after enjoying hot Costa Rican coffee from my sweet friend Jenny Deloach.

we opened our stockings!

filled with our "every year" underwear, hand picked godiva chocolates, socks, and much more!

then we enjoyed some of my mother's famous crepes!

complete with her fresh lemons, from her meyers-lemon tree inside our house!

i made homemade honey-butter.

top a crepe with honey-butter, lemon and raw sugar. oh my goodness!

then we opened gifts!

~

the next day we decided to keep the tradition's coming, we went to Pfunky Griddle!

You can go and get unlimited pancake batter and make the pancakes yourself!

blueberries, bananas, chocolate chips! they let your taste buds indulge!

robert + josh made a huge chocolate chip pancake!

oh and fabulous bottomless coffee!

my husband wasn't ready for the huge, Ellis feast and ended up passing out with our dog.