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Thursday, February 28, 2013

Clean Cookie Dough Balls

I have been meaning to blog my delicious cookie dough balls for a while. But, I'm not blogging about those today. Why? I have recently discovered something far more amazing! If you are a regular follower then: one, you are surprised that I've posted twice this week, and two, you know Honey and I are devoted to clean eating.

I can assure you that when you are focused on eating clean cookie dough is not on the menu. And I love cookie dough.


I mean I really, really love it. And cookie dough balls are such an amazing treat! So when I discovered that a clean version existed I set out to make them immediately! (Another benefit to clean eating is that you usually have all the ingredients you need for trying new recipes!)


Even if you aren't into eating clean these Clean Cookie Dough Balls are a wonderfully healthy alternative to the real thing!

The recipe I used is based on one I found here but I modified it slightly. 

Here is what you will need:

  • 2 cups almond flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil (melted)
  • 2 tablespoons pure honey
  • 1 tsp vanilla 
  • 1/4 cup soy and diary free chocolate chips
Here are the steps to deliciousness:

Combine the almond flour and salt in a bowl. Add the melted coconut oil and blend well.

 Next, add the honey and vanilla and mix until well blended.


Pour in the chocolate chips mix until evenly distributed. (At this point the dough should resemble a very moist cookie dough.)

I used a cookie dough scoop but you could use a spoon our your hands to scoop out the dough and form little "balls". Mine looked similar to unbaked cookies as they were somewhat dome-shaped!


Place the balls on wax paper and then refrigerate for 30 minutes. (I flash froze mine for 10 minutes then put them in the fridge for an additional 5 minutes. I was desperate to try them!)

Now at this point you could dip them in melted chocolate but I opted not to do that step. They are so delicious as they are that I didn't want the extra chocolate. Now Honey would surely love me to dip them so I will try that at some point.



There you have it. These are delicious and so easy to whip up! I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. Now if you'll excuse me my second batch is currently in the fridge begging me to come try one!


Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Traditional Hippy Mommy

I've noticed in the mom-club that like high school there are categories we are expected to fall into. 

You have your hippy-granola-crunchy mom's who co-sleep, baby wear, give choices instead of discipline, cloth diaper, and make baby food. Then You have your traditional mom's who put the baby in the crib, discipline, disposable diaper and buy baby food.

I think most of the mommy's I know don't fall into one category or another. Instead they blur the lines. So it got me thinking, where do I fall I in the spectrum?

I DON'T co-sleep. In fact Parker Bear went to his crib his first night home from the hospital. I still got up every 2.5 - 3 hours to nurse him but he always went back to sleep in his crib. My reason was once he started in our room he would never, ever leave. I was too afraid I wouldn't be able to do it. So I never did.

+1 Traditional / -1 Hippy

I DO baby wear. I absolutely love nothing more than wrapping my moby wrap around my body and securing Parker inside! I wear him around the house, on outings, afternoon walks, pretty much every where and every chance I get! It's more fun for both Parker and I since I get to see him experience the world!

-1 Traditional / +1 Hippy

I DON'T make baby food. Although I would like to and I fully intended to! One time I pureed carrots for a dish I was making and held some aside for Parker. Whenever I make squash I mash some just for Parker. He has had mashed banana and avocado. But I have not ever made and frozen large batches of pureed sweet potatoes or peas which would securely hold my place in the "baby-making" category. No. Instead I buy organic baby food in a jar.

+1 Traditional / -1 Hippy

I DO cloth diaper. This was a decision I made before Parker Bear was born and although I didn't start until he was 3 months old I have never looked back! I absolutely love cloth diapering! The extra chores that go along with cloth diapering are certainly worth it to me to keep his baby bum in soft cloth diapers.

-1 Traditional / +1 Hippy

The final category is discipline. Since Parker is 9 months old we haven't started this yet. He's not to the point of doing anything he shouldn't. Or doing anything that requires us to teach him not to. Parker is still very much a baby and probably acts more like a seven month old than a nine month old due to his 5.5 weeks premature birth. When he reaches for something he can't have (coffee mug, wine glass...) I simply tell him "No, you can't have that" and we move on. He doesn't know what I'm saying and he wasn't doing anything to garner a punishment. So for now discipline is on hold. I won't rate myself on what I think I will do because we all know what you think will do simply doesn't count.

I'll have to come back to that one.

So where does that put me? Am I a traditional mommy or a hippy mommy? Well based on these four categories, I am right square in the middle! I'm one part traditional with one part hippy. 

And that sounds like a good mix to me.



Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Am I Normal


Am I normal because... I have to wash grapes before I can touch them much less eat them? They feel so strange before they're washed!


Am I normal because... sometimes if I'm driving behind a super slooow car I want to gently nudge them along using the front bumper of my car?

Am I normal because... I cannot tell you the plot line of any Star Wars movie? They were confusing to me back in the 80's and now with all the remakes I am even more confused. 

*Little Known Fact about me: I was Princess Leia in a princess contest once. Double buns and all.

Am I normal because... I cannot stand to lick and seal an envelopes? If I have more than a few to seal I use water and a sponge.

Am I normal because... I've never met a batter I didn't like? Cookie, cake, you name it!

Friday, February 1, 2013

Love Them When

They're... Sleeping?

I love my babies. Daphne Doodle, Cash Dog and Baby Parker. I love my husband, Honey. I love them each differently and deeply. Although since becoming a mommy I've noticed that in public it's most "appropriate" to talk about your love for your baby. (People don't want to hear your undying love for your husband and well, I get it, some folks think it's weird how much I love my dogs. I'll save that for another day.)

So I must have been sharing this new found mommy love I have for Baby Parker and on more than on occasion I've heard people say to me something to the effect of, yes you love them now but you really love them when they're sleeping.

Huh? When they're... sleeping? Because that's somehow... different?

This bothers me. Am I normal? (Also a topic for another day, but I digress.)

Parker sleeps 12 hours every night (9pm - 9 am) and takes two hour-and-a-half naps every day. His sleep is very important for his growth and development and I am sure is largely to thank for his happy demeanor. 

His sleep is also very important for mommy. This is the time that I open the mail, fold laundry, prepare dinner, answer emails, run the vacuum, blog, you get it. You are or you know a mommy or two and you know that this time is important.So I take full advantage of his nap time to get things done.

When Parker is awake I don't just want to be there, I want to be present. I want to be an active part of his playtime and his awake time. To do that I need to have my mind clear of all the other stuff, all of the business-of-being-a-mommy, so that stuff has to happen during nap time. So yes nap time is important for mommy too.

But I find that I miss him when he's asleep! *Gasp* 

I find that I glance at the clock to see when he's going to be up again. I don't start anything I can't immediately walk away from as it gets closer to time to go get that precious baby up! Throughout his nap in the back of my mind, while I'm bustling about, I am thinking about him and looking forward to when he will be awake again.

But I certainly do not in any way love him more when he's asleep. 

I love him awake, I love him asleep. I cherish the time he is awake, I busy myself with to-do's while he is asleep.

Love him more when he's sleeping? A sediment I do not understand.

Am I normal? I don't care. Parker's awake time during the day is my favorite time. Those are the moments that our life is made of.



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