The way to a man's heart is through his stomach...

I have been realizing over and over and over (and over) lately that prior to my tenure as a "boy mom" I had no clue what boys were like. Sure, growing up I had one brother, but there's something that happens... some kind of synergy that makes a group of boys quite a bit different than one boy alone. A lone boy may love to wrestle, but give him 4 brothers to wrestle with and... well...wrestle-mania!!

Anyways, the point of my story is one of the things I have learned from being the mom of 5 handsome little gentlemen is that it is really true that "the way to a man's heart is through his stomach." One day last year I made cookies for my boys after school. I had never done it before, but ventured into new territory. I was amazed at their reaction. Suddenly I became, officially, the "best mom ever." I got more "I love you"s and more spontaneous hugs and kisses that day than I had in a long time. It was somewhat intoxicating... it kind of made me want to bake for them every day! Up to that point I would stress a lot about giving my kids super healthy after school snacks, but I realized it probably wouldn't hurt to make a treat every once in a while. So maybe every couple of weeks or so I would make them some cookies or something. 

Around the same time I discovered "Chocolate Covered Katie." (http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/) She is a Godsend! She blended my desire to get at my little men's hearts with my desire to feed them healthy food! It's kind of amazing. (Now, don't get me wrong, I am not that mom that hides healthy things in brownies in order to trick her kids into eating vegetables. NO NO NO! My kids make these things with me, they see what goes in them, and I still present vegetables and such to them at mealtime and fully expect them to eat them. Had to make sure that was clear ;) )

Aaaanyways, here are a few of our recent successes.

Comments in orange are from me :)

Copycat Chocolate VitaTops

(makes 12)

• 2 tbsp milk of choice (30g)
• 2 tbsp oil, or 2 more tbsp milk of choice (30g)
• 1/2 tbsp pure vanilla extract (6g)
• 1 tbsp ground flax (6g) or 1 tsp energ powder (Can omit; they will just be a little denser.) I used a heaping tbsp flax
• 1/2 cup pureed prunes or pumpkin (120g) I used pumpkin
• 1/2 cup spelt flour (all-purpose flour works too, and a reader says you can use Bob’s gf mix.) (65g) I used all whole wheat flour
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder (10g)
• 2 tbsp xylitol or sugar (25g) I used sugar
• 1 to 2 more tbsp sugar or 1 to 2 nunaturals stevia packets (scant 1/16 tsp uncut) (Add 1 tbsp if using prunes, 2 if using the pumpkin.)
• highly recommended: 1/4 cup chocolate chips or mini chips (mixed into the batter) 
• optional: 2-4 chocolate chips per muffin, for decoration

Preheat oven to 350 F, and grease a standard-sized muffin pan. In a mixing bowl, combine first 5 ingredients and whisk. In a separate bowl, combine all remaining ingredients except the decoration ingredient, and stir well. Now mix wet into dry and stir until just combined. Don’t over-mix. Distribute batter evenly among 12 muffin cups, and—if desired—place two or three chocolate chips on the top of each muffin. Bake 12 minutes, then allow to cool 5-10 minutes before removing from the muffin tins. Note: these bake in exactly the shape you put them in the muffin tin. I just threw mine in the muffin cup and they were ugly :) next time I might be more careful to make them prettier... http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2013/01/16/copycat-chocolate-brownie-vitamuffins/

Raspberry Vanilla Coffee Cake

(makes 10 slices)

• 1 cup milk of choice (240g)
• 1/2 cup vanilla-flavored yogurt (such as Wholesoy or Silk) (115g) All I had was raspberry-on-the-bottom greek yogurt. It worked well!
• 1 tbsp ground flax (5g)
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract (6g)
• 3 tbsp coconut or veg oil (30g) I used coconut oil
• 2 cups spelt flour, all-purpose, or Bob’s gf (250g) I used 1/2 all purpose, 1/2 whole wheat
• 2/3 cups xylitol or sugar (or sucanat) (130g) I used sugar
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/16 tsp pure stevia, or 2 extra tbsp sugar (or 2 NuNaturals packets)
• 1 2/3 cups raspberries (230g)
• 1/3 cup more raspberries (50g)
• optional: chocolate chips Um, no. It's unholy to mix chocolate in with a fruit coffee cake. ;)

Preheat oven to 350 F, and grease a 9 1/2-in springform pan. Combine first 5 ingredients (yes, the flax too) and whisk. Set aside. In a separate, large measuring bowl, combine all remaining ingredients except the final 1/3 cup raspberries, and stir well. Pour wet into dry and stir until evenly combined (don’t overmix). Pour into the prepared pan, then sprinkle the remaining berries on top. Bake 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out relatively clean. Cool the healthy raspberry coffee cake in pan on a wire rack, 15 minutes, then remove the sides of the pan. http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2013/04/02/raspberry-vanilla-coffee-cake/

Samoas Babies

• Packed 1/2 cup dates (90g)
• 2 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut (30g)
• 1/16 tsp pure vanilla extract
• scant 1/8 tsp salt
• 1-2 tbsp chocolate chips or bar (14-28g) I used 72% Ghiradelli dark chocolate

Put all the ingredients together in your food processor, and blend. (I like to make 1/2 a batch and use the Magic Bullet short cup.) You can reserve a few of the chocolate chips to add, post-blending, if you so desire. Roll into little balls. http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2011/04/11/girl-scout-samoas-in-larabar-form/

OH, and here's my modified peanut butter cookie recipe:

New PB cookie recipe

1 cup PB

1 cup oatmeal

1 egg

1 tsp baking soda

1 tbsp ground flax seeds

1/2 c. sugar

optional: Ghiradelli 60% cocoa chocolate chips, or mini chocolate chips.

Mix. Bake 10 min at 350.

And while I was writing this, one of the little man-creatures tracked little muddy footprints all the way across the kitchen floor.  

Happy eating :)

Easiest meal ever.

I got this meal from our church cookbook. It's so easy and every ingredient is shelf stable, so you can just keep it in your pantry for nights when you need a super, super quick meal. May I also add that George requested this tonight because he LOVED it when I made it last week, and he made it BY HIMSELF.

Four bean soup
from Beth Caskey

1 can garbanzo beans*
1 can black beans*
1 can kidney beans*
1 can Ranch style beans
1 jar salsa (I used PACE)

Dump ingredients together (DO NOT rinse or drain beans) and heat them up. Can be stovetop or crockpot. Serve with chips or crackers.

*I used low sodium beans and it was still good :)

The end.

Let them eat cake!

I asked Dan this year if he could pick any cake in the world for his birthday, what would it be. He told me something cinnamon-y and streusel-y  and carmel-y. So I typed those words into google and came up with this.

http://www.marthastewart.com/965160/cinnamon-streusel-coffee-cake

It didn't fit the carmel-y description, but I figured it would work. It was really delicious. I ended up making it again for book club with a few changes, and I think I liked it better my way. So, here's my way :) (basically no nuts, more cinnamon, less salt)

Martha Stewart Cinnamon Struesel Coffee Cake

Ingredients

• FOR THE STREUSEL TOPPING AND CENTER

  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • Coarse salt
  • 1 1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  • 
    

• FOR THE CAKE

  • 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • Coarse salt
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup sour cream

• FOR THE GLAZE

  • 1 cup confectioners' sugar
  • 2 tablespoons whole milk

Directions

1. Make the streusel topping: Mix together flour, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cut in butter using a pastry cutter or rub in with your fingers until small to medium clumps form.  Refrigerate until ready to use.
2. Make the streusel center: Mix together remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the cake: Butter a 9-inch tube pan with a removable bottom. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt into a bowl.
4. Beat butter and granulated sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, then vanilla. Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour. Continue to beat until well combined.
5. Spoon half the batter into pan. Sprinkle streusel center mixture evenly over batter. Top with remaining batter, and spread evenly using an offset spatula. Sprinkle streusel topping mixture evenly over batter.
6. Bake until cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack, and let cool completely. Remove cake from pan, and transfer to parchment.
7. Make the glaze: Mix together confectioners' sugar and milk. Drizzle over cake, and let drip down sides. Let set for 5 minutes before serving.

It was very tasty. After Dan told me how good it was, he said he imagined something more carmel-y and with apples (not in his original search terms!) Of course after we talked about it more, I realized he had a specific cake in mind that I had made once about 4 years ago.  This one is really delicious, too. Here you go:

Apple Cake


1 1/2 c. oil

2 c sugar

3 eggs

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

3 c. plain flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. soda

1 tbsp. vanilla

3 medium apples (2 large)

1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional) (I've never used the nuts)

Mix oil, sugar, eggs in a stand mixer 3 minutes on medium. Blend in dry ingredients and vanilla. Fold in apples and nuts. Bake in greased bundt cake pan at 350 for 1 hour and 20 minutes.

When cake is almost done: Whisk together over medium heat: 1 stick butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 tbsp. milk. for about 5 minutes.. Glaze will be runny. Pour over top of hot cake.

ENJOY!

Spinach Dip!

I hosted a baby shower last night for a sweet friend of mine and made this artichoke dip. Lots of people asked for the recipe, so here it is! I doubled the recipe for the party, although I still wanted to eat it all by myself :) Soooooo yummy!

1 can 14 oz artichoke hearts
1 pkg 10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
3/4 cup parmesan cheese
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup shredded mozarella cheese
1/2 tsp garlic powder


Heat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients, spoon into 9 inch pie plate. Bake 20 minutes or until heated through.

NOTE: I buy the Marinated artichoke hearts. They come in 7 oz and 12 oz glass jars and are usually right next to the canned artichokes. They add a little more flavor to the dip.


Serve with chips or pita bread. Enjoy!

Resurrecting Curls! (or tip sheet 2!)

This post was inspired by two friends of mine, both of which mentioned brushing out their daughters' curly hair to fix it in the morning.

 Are you ready for the first commandment of curly hair??

NEVER NEVER NEVER EVER try to brush it once it's dry. That includes trying to wet it down after it's dry to brush it. Straight haired people do not understand this, because they're freaked out by not brushing their hair to fix it, but may I reiterate the first commandment of curly hair?? ONLY COMB CURLY HAIR WHEN IT IS WET FROM BATHING.

Now that we have that out of the way.... 

You may be asking, well then how in the world do we fix it? First of all remember that curly hair is easy, you just have to know how to work with it.

The secret to combing tangly curly hair is, once again, only to comb it after bathing. You can use fancy liquid silk products or expensive oils or whatever you like as a detangler, but I find that I have just as good of results (if not better) with plain, old, regular conditioner.  And I buy the cheap stuff...

This was less than 2 dollars.

The secret is not to rinse it out. "Leave in conditioners" are just more expensive. You don't need to use too much, start with a little nickel size dollop, then add more if you need to. Just work it all over the hair, not as much at the roots, focus more on the ends.

Next step is to take your comb or brush (am I the only one who wants to say "and a bowl full of mush"....?) and start gently brushing FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE HAIR. Please don't start at the roots. That's just not fun for anyone involved. Start at the ends, then you can work out any little tangles there, then work up a little higher and a little higher as you go. 

When you're done combing the hair, for little girls or curly hair that tends not to get super frizzy you can just add a little more conditioner for better hold, or leave it to air dry. For frizzier hair, add your styling product now. Click here for the styling products I like, or try different ones to see what you like.  Scrunch it up starting from the ends for added volume or twist strands around your fingers for definition. Air drying works best for curly hair, but you can use a diffuser if you want it dry faster. I usually do my hair before bed and sleep on it. 

I did this:

with just regular cheap conditioner and twirling tendrils around my fingers before I went to bed one night. I touched up messy spots in the morning with a little more conditioner, water, and twisting, but that's essentially how it looked when I woke up.

Aaaaaanyways.....

Sometimes when I take my shower at night I feel too lazy to do anything with my hair. Combing it and putting mousse in and all that takes all of five minutes. But sometimes, just sometimes, I am too tried even for that.

 Then this happens:

and I regret not putting my mousse in!

The pictures don't really do justice to just how awful it looks. Can you see why I hated my hair before I knew what to do with it? EEK. 

So if you or your child look like that ^ in the morning, here's how to save it, fast.

I will take this moment to reiterate commandment #1. DO NOT BRUSH IT ONCE IT'S DRY. All it takes is a little water, 5 minutes, and a little product. AND NO BRUSHES. :)

This is my favorite "second day" product. Don't use this right out of the shower, the hold isn't quite good enough for that. This is the "morning after" solution. You can also do it with a little more gel or mousse or whatever you use, or even a little more conditioner, but this product is my favorite for "touch ups."

Just put a little water on your hands and run your hands through the hair. Do it a couple times, until hair is a little damp. Then take about a quarter size amount of product (I hate the word product, but I had to use it, sorry...) and run through the hair, especially on particularly messy spots. Run your fingers through tangly spots if you need to. Do this a couple times until the hair looks presentable again. Scrunch it up from the bottom and/or twist curls for definition. I went ahead and did a little ponytail with a twist this morning to save time, but look at the hair in my ponytail and compare to the photo above ^:

This photo is immediately after, my hair is still a bit damp:

This is about 10 minutes later, mostly dry:

So there you go. Any questions?

Oh, and you probably want to see my little curly headed helper:

aaaaaand the new teeth Jack grew this week:

OK, the end.

FOOD AGAIN?

I was laughing at myself a little bit because of how much my blog relates to food. I postulate several reasons for this:

1. I love food.

2. I spend a lot of time making food for myself and others. Realistically 30-40% or more of my day is spent in food preparation or eating.

3. I get bored easily, so I'm constantly trying new recipes. 

4. I never really liked to cook, so trying new recipes makes something mundane into something more exciting. 

5. I start blog posts all the time about other topics. Then they take me too long to write down, since I really don't have time to sit and work on my blog and I'm not a good writer. Then they languish in my drafts folder. Recipes are fast and easy to post and it doesn't matter if I'm not a good writer. I am, however, a good eater :)

6. I am trying really hard not just to feed my family, but to feed them well. So I am constantly on the lookout for things that are truly good for the body but that my family will actually eat. I think even healthy food should taste good and be satisfying. No one will keep up a healthy eating pattern if they feel like they're being deprived. And I get all excited when I find healthy, delicious food.

7. I really love food.

Having said that, our Oreo cookie pancakes this morning, topped with real whipped cream and strawberries was deemed "the best breakfast ever." Happy Valentine's day to us. After our dinner of individual size heart-shaped pizzas, we had these brownies, recommended to me by my friend Karen, and they were universally loved by all. (My boys told me they loved me before, but now they really love me.) And there are some redeeming qualities about these brownies so I didn't feel like I was completely poisoning my children, (probably shouldn't have watched this the night before valentine's day).

No-Flour Black Bean Brownies

(gluten-free)



1 1/2 cups black beans (1 15-oz can, drained and rinsed very well) (250g after draining) (I cooked my own black beans and measured after cooking)
2 tbsp cocoa powder- dutch or regular (10g) (add a little extra if desired)
1/2 cup quick oats (40g) (I used old fashioned oats, worked just fine)
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup pure maple syrup or agave (75g)
2 nunaturals stevia packs or 2 tbsp sugar (or omit and increase maple syrup to 1/2 cup) (I did all real maple syrup)
1/4 cup coconut or vegetable oil (40g)
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup to 2/3 cup chocolate chips (115-140g) (Not optional. Omit at your own risk.) (I used mini chocolate chips and I thought 2/3c was too much. 1/2c would be plenty.)
optional: more chips, for presentation





Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine all ingredients except chips in a good food processor, and blend until completely smooth. Really blend well. (A blender can work if you absolutely must, but the texture—and even the taste—will be much better in a food processor.) Stir in the chips, then pour into a greased 8×8 pan. Optional: sprinkle extra chocolate chips over the top. Cook 15-18 minutes, then let cool at least 10 minutes before trying to cut. Makes 9-12 brownies.


My brownie pan is 9x9 so my brownies were a little thin, but that didn't seem to matter. Oh, and I forgot to mix the chocolate chips in with the batter, so I sprinkled them all on top. :)


wait, what? you wanted some other pictures from our Valentine's day? OK, OK....

 Sweet Ben sharing his school party treats with his brothers. A couple minutes later the homeroom moms brought the little boys their own cookies, so they each gave bites to Ben. Warmed my heart....

The big boys purposely dressed themselves in red, I had nothing to do with it.... but I did think it was super cute that they thought of it. :)

 Little man sitting with me while I made brownies.

 Brotherly, monster truck love.

 Good thing Dan could still send flowers, even from all the way on the other side of the globe!

 I had a lovely day with my little Valentines. I hope yours was good, too.

FOOOOOD

Today was a Chocolate Covered Katie kind of day.


 For breakfast: (things in BOLD are my commentary :)

Oatmeal Cupcakes To Go

(makes 24-25 cupcakes)

Adapted from: Cookie Dough Baked Oatmeal.

• 5 cups rolled oats (400g)
• 2 1/2 cups over-ripe mashed banana, measured after mashing (600g)
• 1 tsp salt
• 5 NuNaturals stevia packets (or omit and use 5 tbsp liquid sweetener of choice–such as pure maple syrup or agave–instead) (I used the real maple syrup)
• optional: 2/3 cup mini chocolate chips (not optional :)
• 2 2/3 cups water (640g) (If using the liquid-sweetener option, scale water back by 1/3 cup.)
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp oil (also known as 1/3 cup) (45g) (I really like coconut, but veg oil will also work. For lower-fat substitution notes, see nutrition link below.)
• 2 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• optional add-ins: cinnamon, shredded coconut, chopped walnuts, ground flax or wheat germ, raisins or other dried fruit, etc.

Preheat oven to 380 F, and line 24-25 cupcake tins. In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients and stir very well. In a separate bowl, combine and stir all wet ingredients (including banana). Mix wet into dry, then pour into the cupcake liners and bake 21 minutes. I also like to then broil for 1-2 minutes, but it’s optional (I did this- it made a nice little bit of crispiness on top. Yum.). These oatmeal cakes can be eaten right away, or they can be frozen and reheated for an instant breakfast on a busy day.

http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2013/01/08/breakfast-oatmeal-cupcakes-to-go/

For dinner we had:

Sloppy Loes

(Lentil Sloppy Joes)

• 2 15-oz cans lentils, drained and rinsed (about 3 cups cooked lentils) (I cooked my own lentils. 1 1/2 cups dry lentils turned out to be about the right amount, cook according to package directions)
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 1/4 tsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1-2 stevia packets, or 3-5 tsp sugar or sweetener of choice, or to taste (I used 2 stevia packets)
• 14 oz tomato sauce (I used no-salt-added)
• up to 1 cup water
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp soy sauce (or soy-free alternative)
• optional: 1/2 an onion (diced) and 2 tsp oil (I used a whole onion)

If making these on the stovetop: sauté the onion and garlic in the oil until onion is translucent. Add lentils and spices, stir, then add all other ingredients and cook uncovered (stirring occasionally) until thick like sloppy joe filling. If making this in the microwave: add all ingredients to a large microwave-safe dish (minus the onion and oil, which you won’t use with this method). Microwave until it boils, stir, then repeat the process until it is thick like sloppy joe filling. Makes about 5 cups.

http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2012/10/26/super-healthy-lentil-sloppy-joes/

The boys were doubtful at first, but once I convinced them to try it, it turned out to be a hit.  Some even had seconds. I used those little slider buns- perfect size for the kiddos.

For breakfast tomorrow:

Oreo Cookie Pancakes

(serves 1)

• 1/2 tsp white or apple cider vinegar (2g)
• 5 tbsp milk of choice (75g)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract (4g)
• 1 tbsp coconut or veg oil (sub applesauce only if you like the taste of fat-free pancakes.) (10g)
• 1/4 cup spelt flour (or all-purpose or gluten-free all-purpose) (34g)
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder (7g)
• 1 stevia packet or 1 tbsp sugar (or 1 tbsp agave and decrease milk by that amount)
• 1-2 crushed Oreo-style cookies or Healthy Oreos
• 1/2 container vanilla yogurt of choice (I used SoDelicious coconut) (80g)

In a small measuring glass, combine first four ingredients and whisk. Set aside. Combine next 5 ingredients in a bowl and stir well. Place a non-stick pan, greased with either oil or oil spray, over medium heat. While it heats, turn your attention back to the food: pour wet into dry and stir until just mixed. (Don’t over-mix.) Then cook your pancakes (I did mine in two batches), adjusting the heat a little lower if necessary. Flip when bubbles appear and the sides are just cooked enough to flip without breaking. Meanwhile, combine the final two ingredients, then spread on cooked pancakes. Recipe makes 7-8 silver dollar pancakes, as shown in the photos.

http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2013/02/11/healthy-chocolate-oreo-cookie-pancakes/

I'm not going to use any oreos in it. I figure the pancakes with vanilla yogurt will work just fine. But I'm going to have to at least quadruple the recipe, though :)

OK fine, I'll do it for you: (quadrupled)

• 2 tsp white or apple cider vinegar (2g)
• 1 1/3c milk of choice (75g)
• 4 tsp pure vanilla extract (4g)
• 4 tbsp coconut or veg oil (sub applesauce only if you like the taste of fat-free pancakes.) (10g)
• 1 cup spelt flour (or all-purpose or gluten-free all-purpose) (34g)
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 6 tbsp cocoa powder (7g)
• 4 stevia packets or 4 tbsp sugar (or 4 tbsp agave and decrease milk by that amount)
• 4-8 crushed Oreo-style cookies or Healthy Oreos
• Vanilla yogurt to serve

I hope they are as good as they look. :)

Have a good week!