Shadows

I took these pictures at the park this afternoon. The wind was blowing like crazy, the weather was awesome for a Sunday afternoon in December.





















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Pumpkin Patch Fashion

This is my 2 year old in her cupcake hat from the Gap. I finally put on my cowboy boots that I purchased a few weeks ago.






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Applesauce Muffins

Today, for our cooking lesson, we made applesauce muffins made with chunky, home made, unsweetened cinnamon applesauce.
Before we started, we recited a poem about apples first to get focused.






We made heart shaped muffins and mini loafs, too.


Fresh out of the oven:


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Superhero Stylin'

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Home Made Mash Ups

The kids have been eating lots of mash ups and other squeezable fruit lately, which gets quite expensive. I decided to give it a try and make them at home.

Mangos, pears, apricots and a little bit of lemon juice make a wonderful, portable snack. No sweeteners added.

I bought vapur fun size reusable water bottles, got a funnel and poured the mixture in.

To keep the bulk of the mixture, I used a Kilner jar.







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Cookies and Bread

Wholewheat Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies















and a loaf of oatmeal buttermilk bread...


None of the above lasted very long. The recipe for the cookies is from War Eagle Mills. My kids don't like nuts or raisins in their cookies, so I used chocolate chips instead.


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Homemade Power Bars

These are hands down the easiest to make granola bars!

adapted from theKitchn

I made my own changes to the recipe:

1 tbs vegetable oil
1 1/4 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup semisweet mini chocolate drops
1/2 cup oat bran
1 1/2 cups puffed cereal you like, pounded into smallish bits. I used Barbara's Multigrain Puffins and Kashi's Vanilla Island shredded wheat
3/4 cups dried cherries, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup dried dates, coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp dried, chopped crystallized ginger
1tsp pure vanilla extract
1/3 to 1/2 cup of agave syrup
1/4 tsp kosher salt

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix vanilla and agave syrup in a small bowl. Heat for 30 seconds in the microwave until slightly warm and little thinner in texture. Pour onto dry ingredients. Mix well. Press the mixture into a greased 8x8 pan. Freeze for about 45 minutes, until hardened. Cut slices as big or small as you like. Store in the fridge.




Dry ingredients.


Dry and wet ingredients well mixed.


About to go in the freezer.


Ready to eat.

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