Cat's Gluten Free oatmeal cookies

This recipe is based around one of my favorite Australian biscuits (that's what we can cookies in Australia), THE ANZAC BISCUIT! It is an Australian classic and whenever I have made them for friends they are a huge hit. I wanted to see if I coudl replicate it in a way that i could still eat it and it was "somewhat" healthy. In this recipe I substitute regular white flour for Arrowhead Mills Gluten free All Purpose baking mix and butter for Earths best (canola spread). You could try using apple sauce instead of butter and to use less sugar.

1/2 cup of brown sugar
1 cup of gluten free rolled oats
1/4 cup (4oz) of melted butter (or Earths Best spread)
1 cup of shredded coconut
1 cup of Arrowhead Mills Gluten Free All Purpose baking mix
1 level teaspoon of baking soda
2 tablespoons of boiling water
1 tablespoon of Maple Syrup (In Australia we use something called Golden Syrup that you cannot get here sadly : ( )
1/2 cup of cranberries, dried cherries or raisins
1/2 cup of slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 350 F
Mix all dry ingredients together. Pour in melted butter.
Add baking soda and maple (or golden) syrup to boiling water and mix well. Add that to remaining ingredients and mix together. Drop in small rounds (make sure you have enough space between each cookie as they will spread) on greased baking sheet. Bake for 15-20mins until golden brown.

Enjoy!

GRATITUDE

At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person.
Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.

I just love that quote. So true. I wanted to share it with you all today. You have all added to my life in more ways than I could ever express.
Gratitude
Love
Peace to you.... today and always

Cat's salad dressing formula

We eat a lot of salad in our house. I have experimented a lot with salad dressing and have been asked by several friends how I make my dressing. It is different every time and varies on what i have on hand. Just wanted to give you a few tips on how to make a delicious salad dressing with a simple formula that i use.

Choose your vinegar or citrus

Vinegars I always have on hand are White wine, Red Wine, Sherry vinegar, Rice wine vinegar and Balsamic.

There are so many vinegars to choose from. Infused vinegars make beautiful bases for dressings.

Choose an oil

I most often use extra virgin olive oil.

Other choices would be grape seed oil, sunflower oil, sesame oil and sunflower oil

Add a base flavor

Garlic or shallots

Binding it together

Dijon Mustard

(I have used other mustard's or horseradish if i don't have Dijon on hand)

Egg yolk

Avocado

Vegannaise or mayonnaise

Soft cheese such as goat cheese or blue cheese

Herbs

You can add herbs to infuse more flavor. Fresh herbs are always great, but i have used dry too.

Basil, marjoram, oregano, dill

Adjust the acidity

A little sweetness cuts the tartness of the vinegar or citrus

I use Agave nectar, honey, brown sugar or Apricot preserve.

I always make my dressings as guess-timates.I like my dressing less oily so i would guess I do about 1/2 cup vinegar to 1/4 cup oil (or maybe a little less)

All the other ingredients I do by tasting as I go.

When you are cutting the acidity with a sweetness such a apricot preserve, I use about 1 Tblspn.

REMEMBER....

-Trial and error makes a good chef.

-Always taste test as you go

-Don't be afraid to make mistakes. That is always how we learn the most.

-I have thrown MANY dressings away before I got it right.

Arugula with Fennel Salad

This is a great salad for the summer. Very refreshing. Fennel is so good for you. It is high in Iron and has also been proven to aid in digestion. It normally has quite a strong anise flavor but in the recipe you soak it in the dressing and it takes some of the bitterness away and just provides a crisp, freshness in contrast to the peppery flavor of the arugula.

Ingredients
Arugula
Red seedless grapes
Goat cheese (or Gorgonzola cheese)
1 fennel bulb ( green removed and sliced into 1/4 inch slices)

Dressing
1/4 cup White wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon Apricot preserve
1/2 shallot (chopped very fine)
1/2 cup of Olive oil
1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard

Whisk dressing together. Place sliced fennel in the dressing and let sit for at least 30 mins.

Mean while, slice grapes in half lengthwise. Toss greens, grapes and cheese together. After the fennel has marinated for at least 30 mins add fennel and dressing. Adjust how much dressing you add by how much dressing you prefer. you don't want to drench the greens or it will take away the crispness of the salad.

Let go, let God

I am reminded how much fear disables us from reaching our full potential.
I taught my first Pilates group class tonight.
I was really nervous leading up to it.
Before I started I said a prayer that I would focus on giving these people in the class what they needed and get the focus of me. I ended up really enjoying the experience of giving back and it was fun. I didn't allow fear and self judgement to get in the way of doing my job.

When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears

Good Morning beautiful people,

Last night was one of those nights!!
I was frustrated, irritated and my whole family was subject to my mood.
When I tucked my kids in for bed, relieved that the day was over, I asked them if we could all try to have a better day tomorrow. Mommy would try to be more patient and kinder with her words and they promised they would put on their listening ears. That is the beautiful thing about children, they forgive you : )

I wanted to start today fresh and optimistic. So, I began focusing on what I was grateful for and it filled me with joy. Gratitude is so much more than just saying the words "Thank You" in a prayer or to another person. Althought that is lovely and important, gratitude goes so much deeper than that. It is a practice; a way of living your life. Gratitude is not just being grateful for the blessings that come your way, but for the trials that build your character and make you stronger too. It is our attitude that makes the day right? If you submit to those frustrations that come your way throughout the day, you are losing sight of your gratitude. Breathe gratitude in and out. Cling to it. Negativity is like a weed that takes over if you let it.
Choose joy and gratitude today. Let it flourish in your life and you will see and feel change.
I love this quote by Kahlil Gibran

Wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving

Chicken Salad

CHICKEN SALAD
Please remember all of my measurements are guesstimates so taste test as you go!! 

1/4 C Mayonnaise
2 Tbs Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 Green Apple chopped
1 small Red Onion chopped
2-3 Radishes Chopped
2 tsp fresh Dill plus more to garnish
Salt and Pepper to taste
about half a boiled Chicken shredded. If make your own stock you will always have tender chicken on hand.



Mix all ingredients together. Serve on toast or bed of greens. Fresh and delicious and yes all 4 of my kids 5 and under gobbled it up asking for more...one even claimed it was better than PB&J!

Serves 4 hungry kids and a Mom! :) Takes 10minutes or less

Nigella Lawson's Slow Roasted Lemon and garlic chicken

My beautiful friend Erin is my go to girl for quick easy recipes for a busy momma. Everything she makes is nutritious and healthy without compromising flavor and has very little prep time. We love those kind of meals right?
She just sent me this recipe (her new favorite) and I tried it tonight. I was missing a few ingredients so I improvised and it is truly delicious.

My whole family really enjoyed it.

Slow Roasted Lemon and Garlic Chicken

Ingredients

1 chicken cut into 10 pieces

1 head of garlic (peeled and separated)

2 unwaxed lemons, cut into chunky eighths

(I used oranges as I didn't have lemons and it gave a slightly sweeter flavor.)

Small handful of fresh thyme and rosemary (i used dried thyme as I didn't have fresh on hand)

3 Tblspn of olive oil

2/3 cup of white wine

Black pepper and sea salt to taste

Method

Serves 4-6

Preheat oven to 325 F

Place chicken in roasting pan add all ingredients except wine and toss to mix well. Make sure all chicken pieces are skin side up. Add wine salt and pepper and cover tightly in foil. Bake in oven for 2 hours.

Turn up oven to 400F and remove foil from pan. Bake another 30-40mins until chicken is browned and sauce is more of a syrup consistency.

Accompaniments

Roasted Sweet Potato

Cut sweet potato into 1/4 inch circles. Sprinkle them with olive oil and

salt and pepper and roasted them at 400F for about 30 mins. If you prefer them to be crunchier cut them thinner and cook them a little longer. You can also sprinkle garlic salt on them which is yummy too. Make sure you line the baking sheet with non stick foil or they will stick!

Sauteed Spinach

Heat olive oil in pan

Add 1/2 diced shallot or 1/4 red onion

Saute until translucent

Add spinach

(yes, my kids even ate the veggies )

A naughty but nice recipe I had to share

One of the lovely mommies in Callum's mommy and me class brought this dish to hare with us one morning. Being that it has all the things I am not supposed to eat, I naturally had to try some : )

This recipe is AMAZING!!!

This is a great dish to serve as an appetizer at a party or for a brunch. You can play with the filling but the nutty flavor of the Gruyere cheese combined with the tang of the mustard is heavenly.

Anything wrapped in puff pastry tastes good right?

Although this really isn't a healthy dish I loved the recipe and thought some of you might enjoy it.

Ham and Cheese in a Puff Pastry

Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients

1 package(2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, defrosted

2 Tblspns Dijon Mustard

1/2 Lb black forest ham, sliced

1/2Lb Gruyere chees,sliced

1 egg, beaten with 1 Tblspn water, for egg wash

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place a piece of parchment paper on a sheet pan.

Lay 1 sheet of puff pastry on a floured surface and carefully roll it out into 10x12 inches. Place it on a sheet pan and brush the center with the mustard, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge. Place a layer first of ham and then cheese, also leaving a 1-inch border. Brush the border with the egg wash.

Place the second sheet of puff pastry on the floured board and roll it out to 10x12 inches. Place the second sheet of pastry on top of filled pastry, lining up the edges. Cut the edges straight with a small,sharp knife and press together lightly. Brush the top with egg wash and cut a few slits in the top to allow steam to escape.

Bake for 20-25 mins, until puffed and golden brown. Allow to cool for a few minutes and serve hot or warm.

More Peas Please!

English Peas are second only to lima beans as fresh vegetable source of protein. You will get more protein from three-fourths of a cup of peas than you will from a tablespoon of peanut butter and you will have consumed less than one-half gram of fat and only 100 calories.  Green peas are also a reliable source of omega 3 fats, as well as a good source of vitamins C and K and oh so kid friendly! So lets have some more peas, please! 
 

English Pea Pasta
All measurements are guesstimates.  Sorry, I don't measure anything.
1 box pasta of choice (I use GF Quinoa noodles)
Peas
2 Tbs red onion minced
A handful of cilantro chopped
4 long sprigs of fresh mint chopped

A spoonful of honey
A pinch or two of sea salt
1/3 Cup Olive Oil
3 Tbs Apple Cider Vinegar

Make pasta according to package instructions.  While pasta is cooking mix all ingredients together except peas. Add peas to pasta with 3 minutes cook time remaining. Drain peas and pasta, rinse if needed. Add sauce. 
Serves Approx 5 (4 hungry kids and a mom!) Takes 15 minutes

Happy Monday

Good morning Ladies,

Just wanted to start the week off in gratitude and joy!
Here is something I read this morning that inspired me.

Life today is difficult.
Problems challenge us, and we worry about our children's futures. It's easy to fall into the trap of taking ourselves too seriously, of worrying about success, jobs, acceptance, parenting, illness, and so on. It's easy to lose our ability to laugh. It's easy to forget simple ways of purely enjoying one another. Friendship keeps us balanced in a difficult world, renews our perspective, and enables us to recapture joy.

Susan Yates

Cat's Gluten Free Granola

I have always loved granola. One of my favorite breakfasts was always Granola with thick creamy greek yogurt and fresh berries...yum!
When I was told by the Doctor that i was intolerant to Gluten and allergic to dairy i thought Wow, I have been having both of those things every morning in a bowl!! No wonder I felt nauseous every morning. I thought I was just eating too fast r drank too much coffee, as us mother's do : )
I discovered sprouts and was so relieved because there is so many choices and options even for a restricted diet. Food doesn't have to be flavorless. I love to eat and love to feed others. I make this Granola with gluten free oats and have given it to my friends who have asked me for the recipe. I usually make a big batch but you can adjust the portions to suit your needs. I just store it in airtight containers in the pantry. So here it is girls!

Ingredients
5 cups of gluten free slow cooked oats
1/2 cup of brown rice flour
2 cup walnuts (I have made it with pecans but walnuts are better for you)
2 cup of almonds (I like to use slivered almonds but you can use whole too.)
1/2 cup of milled flaxseed
1/2 cup of chia seeds
1/4-1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper (gives a nice little kick. You can make without)
1/2 tsp Sea salt
3/4 cup Agave nectar (depending on how sweet you like it. You can also use honey if you don't have Agave)
3/4 cup of Canola oil or Grapeseed oil (or olive oil if you don't have Canola)
1/4 tsp vanilla essence

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
Mix all dry ingredients together
Heat Agave and oil together in microwave for 20-30 secs until heated through. Remove from microwave and mix in vanilla essence.
Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix thoroughly.
Line baking sheets with non stick foil. Divide mixture evenly between 2 baking sheets. Bake for 35-45mins stirring occasionally so the edges don't burn (believe me that has happened to me a few times when i don't pay attention). Remove from oven and let cool on sheet trays.
Once cool store in airtight containers.

I love to eat it with Coconut milk yogurt but if you are lucky enough to be bale to enjoy dairy it would be amazing with greek yogurt. I have also made it with egg whites as a little omlette. Sounds gross?? Try it....you may be pleasantly surprised : )
Let me know what you think!!

Celebrating

Thanks you all for celebrating Lily's 5th birthday with us today.

As I looking at all of you today; this beautiful community of families we are fortunate to be a part of I feel overwhelmed with joy and gratitude. What a gift god has given to me to share this parental journey alongside women that inspire me, support me and love me even when I am not so loveable : )

Mother's Day Weekend

Celebrating all the beautiful mother's out there this weekend. Children are a gift from God and you are a gift to your children.

Cat's Request

Another beautiful day at the park watching my four blessings run around and play in the sand when Cat suggest we start a community blog to post recipes and share words of encouragement and inspiration. Seeing how I am neither known for my words of encouragement or inspiration I will leave that to my fellow blogger. I will however do my best to post healthy gluten free and casein free recipes our family loves.