Bluebirdbaby

A Day in Photos

:: Finally have a French press...thanks to Tara (you rock)! Morning coffee with my eggs is heavenly! ::

:: Learning numbers and how to dial. We've been working on phone numbers in case of an emergency and we made up a little song to remember them. I drew this gigantic phone so we could apply number learning to our everyday life. ::

:: Wool is wonderful. All dressed up for our nature walk. It was a cold and windy day today! ::

:: Lunch (cheese, carrots, apples, and rice cakes with almond butter), while planning for dinner. I adore this cookbook. It was a gift from Sasa. He has great taste! ::

:: I think Father Christmas is going to be very good to the little one and Sasa this year! ::

:: Dinner prep. Chicken breasts (we haven't had meat in months!) in white wine and tamari, with whole mushrooms and butter. Sides of brussel sprouts and rice. Yum! ::

:: Her felt people were walking to a field of buttercups (a yellow playsilk) and the animals were all following. Later they stumbled across a strawberry patch, a blueberry field, and the ocean! How fun! ::

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I thought it would be fun to document our day in photos. The little one and I are in full holiday mode. There is gift wrapping, some shopping to finish up, decorations to be made, and of course...the everyday life kinda stuff. So our days are full!

Top the above day off with getting the little one to bed at a reasonable time, which allowed me to join some gals down the road for a knitting night full of wine and chocolate, and you have a recipe for a very good day.

Now Sasa and I are relaxing on the couch, with our latest book, and looking forward to ending the evening on a quiet note.

I hope your Wendesday ends on a peaceful note too! Are any of you doing some holiday crafting? I'd love to hear about it!!

Birthday Parties, Craftiness, and Something for You!

My mother celebrated a birthday over a week ago, although we really didn't get a chance to celebrate. So we had her up for a birthday dinner, party, and sleepover. The little one just adores her Baba. The two of them are so similar and just watching them is amazing. So everyone was super excited when Baba arrived at the door and was greeted with a handmade birthday banner and a table full of goodies!

I made her an eye pillow filled with flax seeds and lavender. I added a bottle of lavender essential oil too. It can be heated up or frozen for a cold pack. These things are so handy and so easy to make! I got the eye pillow pattern from here. I downsized it a tad because it was huge. It was a hit with the little one. I'm just waiting for the request to make a purple one...

We enjoyed a yummy dinner made by the amazing Sasa. It was followed by the most delicious apple pie ever! (Should I mention I'm eating another piece as I type this? Yum. He is just so crazy awesome.) And Sasa finally wrote down that gluten-free pie crust recipe and wanted to share it with all of you!

So here it is. Enjoy!...

Sasa's Famous Gluten-free Pie Crust

Sift together ::

• 1 1/4c white rice flour
• 4/3c potato starch
• 1/2 tapioca flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp xantham gum

Blend in until it resembles cornmeal::

• 1 1/2 sticks butter (cold)

Mix ::

• 1 large egg
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 tbs ice water

Mix liquid into dry with fingers until soft dough that can be formed into a ball. Chill 1 hour. Enjoy!

Happy Birthday Mom!! You deserve the best one ever. xoxo

Fall Breakfast :: Baked Apple Pancake

Because this week has been incredibly crazy and busy and tiring and exhausting and just plain nuts, and because I don't want to completely neglect this space here, and because I really, really love this recipe, and because apples are all over the place right now, and because I love all my readers and want to share a treat with you, I've decided to post one of my all-time favorite breakfast recipes: the baked apple pancake.

This would be from my mama's recipe box. It's been a favorite of mine since I was little. I hope you enjoy it!!

You'll need ::

For the apples:

• 2 tbs butter
• 2 med apples, sliced thinly
• 1/2 c brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon

For the pancake:

• 2 tbs butter
• 3/4 c flour (we used 1/4 cp white rice, 1/4 c brown rice, 1/4 c potato starch)
• 1/2 c milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp baking powder

Mix apple ingredients in bowl. Melt butter in 9" pie pan. Combine rest of pancake ingredients. Pour into hot pan on top of butter. Spread apple mix in center. Bake 30 minutes at 425 degrees. Enjoy!!

Making Christmas Cookies

It's been a while since I've done any holiday baking (with the gluten-free challenge and all...nothing ever tastes the same) but living with a baker definitely has its perks! Tonight we decided to bake some sugar cookies. The little one was a great help and insisted on putting most of the sprinkles on herself. The end result? Definitely very yummy! Next week: gingerbread cookies!

A Little Bit of Everything

So much has been going on the last week that I haven't had a moment to sit down to post. First of all, I know a lot of you have asked how the little one is doing with preschool. Well, she's not too enthusiastic about it when I drop her off. The first day I got a call 3 hours later asking to come pick her up. Although I was at work, so she had to stick it out the whole day. The teachers tell me she's getting better and better, although why my normally social, outgoing, fearless little girl is the only one who puts on quite a show when mama leaves, is beyond me. She's going through a new phase (which started the week prior to preschool) where she is very clingy, needy, and whiny. So add that to being away from mama for 7 hours, two days a week, and you have a recipe for some hard moments. I'm sure with time it will get easier.
The food sensitivities have proved to be challenging. She's been exposed to gluten twice. We're still trying to figure out how to deal with that. Any suggestions?

I'm really enjoying my job at the natural food co-op. It's such a break for me and I adore the people working there. I also end up buying lots of yummy food and I'm pretty sure I've (unfortunately) now doubled our already high grocery bill. Oops. I have a weakness for their gluten-free turkey sandwiches that are (gulp) $7.

We supposedly had our first frost last night. The weather is so cool and crisp. It's definitely fall now. I cleared out the raised beds and picked all the basil, carrots, summer squash, and herbs. All that's left are the beets and onions. Apple picking is coming up and there will be applesauce and cider. Tomorrow I'm making a huge batch of pesto. Does anyone know if it's possible to can pesto? Those small canning jars are the perfect size for one meal and I love the thought of not dealing with frozen pesto.

I made this fall jacket for the little one last week. It's my own pattern. I lined it with soft flannel. I wanted to wait and get action shots, but it seems we are always in a rush when she has it on. I'll try again this week. It went together quite quickly, although I always have a hard time with the arms, especially when it is lined. The holes are too small to fit around the arm of the machine, so I don't get as neat of seam as I'd like. But thankfully the messy part is always the part you can't visibly see! I'm pleased with the end result though and the little one seems to enjoy it.

Tomorrow will be more birthday celebrating and Sunday starts another work week for me. I hope you all enjoy your weekend!

She's Two! (and the winners...)

Boy, what a morning! We had a little, laid-back party at her favorite hang out (the bookshop) after toddler time at the library. We just announced that there would be yummy cake and had quite a few toddlers that came to check it out.

So we officially have a two year old on our hands. The last year went by so quickly. She woke up to a table full of goodies, her birthday banner, and her Papa and I went in to her room this morning to sing "happy birthday" which she loved.

Her party at the bookshop was much fun! She got some great gifts, including a handmade wooden chair (thanks Lisa!) that I'll have to snap a picture of later today. The cake was amazing. Thanks to a fabulous co-worker at the co-op, we had a delicious gluten/dairy/sugar/egg-free cake. And quite possibly the best chocolate cake I've ever had.

And because there isn't enough to announce, there is a cute pair of pants in the shop today. I made the above pair for her on Sunday and completed a second pair for the shop. You can find them here!

And the winners...

The random number generator picked numbers 27, 26, 20, 11, 38, 13, and 22. So that's Mary-sue, Michelle, Pam, Torie, Kate, Tara, and Lee-Ann. The first three numbers will get the full-length c.d.'s and the last four will get the shorter selections. Please e-mail me with your addresses and I will mail them out to you!

Week 6

For the Six One Way flickr group.

I've had a frustrating two weeks of reacting to gluten. The source is a mystery. I even cut out orange juice to see if it helped, but it didn't. (Has anyone heard of orange juice being contaminated with gluten? I thought I read that somewhere...) So every morning I wake up feeling more tired than I was the night before, and by the afternoon I feel as though I could pass out. My motivation has completely disappeared and is replaced by an achy body in desperate need of sleep and rest. Add to that an almost 18-month-old who has hit the "terrible twos" a tad early. Oy vey.

Welcoming Home Friends

Our neighbors just returned from their yearly trip to Cambodia to do some amazing work with the foundation they started. I hope to interview them soon about their work for a future post. They truly are a very inspirational couple and we've been so lucky to have them as friends and neighbors. I decided to put aside my work in the green room for some baking while the little one was napping. I used my favorite gluten, sugar, soy, dairy, egg-free chocolate chip cookie recipe. It's amazing and always produces delicious results.

Can you read that recipe above? I hope so. I'm much too lazy to type it out. Basically you mix all the wet ingredients separately from the dry. Combine and stir well. DO NOT taste the batter. It is absolutely revolting and you will never believe the cookies will actually be edible. I use this mix which I think provides good results. I also use agave nectar or honey in place of sugar. Bake at 325 degrees F for 15 minutes or so.

They look like real chocolate chip cookies, don't they?! They taste a lot like the real ones too.

So when the little one awoke, we packed up the cookies and a card I made (using a photo of Fred's lovely woodpile) in her favorite basket, grabbed a cookie for the road and bundled up.

We took a lovely walk down the road to drop off the "welcome home" basket. The little one insisted on her bike and not the stroller or carrier. Thank goodness it has a handle for me to push it. We had a great visit with Fred and Kitty and heard some fabulous stories about their trip. And to top it off, they loved the cookies and didn't have a clue they were gluten-free until I told them.

Stay tuned tomorrow for the winner of the Bluebird Bag giveaway!

Pancakes and Pianos

Pancakes and pianos? Yes, that's all I've got this Monday morning. It's that time when we're deep in mid-winter: the light is lacking, the photographs feel uninspired due to the lack of light, there isn't a whole lot of outdoor exploring, our daily routine is becoming a tad mundane, and well, it's cold and it's Maine in late January. But nevertheless, things have indeed been going on here. Perhaps I just feel they aren't "blog worthy." So if this post comes across as a bit of hodgepodge, let's just roll with it, okay?

You can bet that on at least one of the weekend mornings blueberry pancakes will make an appearance. The little one knows exactly what needs to be done to get these pancakes on the table and is always willing to help. She does the stirring, the blueberry eating, the batter testing, and always tries the first pancake. Since we are gluten/dairy/egg-free, we use this mix. It has cultured buttermilk in it, but the little one seems to tolerate it fine. It calls for eggs, so we use this egg replacer.

On Saturday we made a trip to our favorite local bookstore and found this fabulous wooden piano on sale. The little one has taken to climbing up on the real piano and stomping on the keyboard with her feet. So we thought this "Schroeder-sized" piano would keep her attention diverted. She adores it.

She either has to have that fancy black shoe on the top, or a book of music which she thumbs through until she finds just the right piece to "play." I really don't think I've ever mentioned her intense love of music. I would even go as far as saying it's in her soul. Anything that produces a beat will get her up and moving. She started conducting out of the blue when she was 10 months old. She'd never seen anyone do it before. Yesterday she successfully sang "Twinkle, twinkle" never missing a pitch. Of course, words were not included, just some cute humming. But boy, we were so proud. I wouldn't be surprised if she figured it out on this little piano before too long.

And I have to leave you with this gorgeous sunset from last night. Isn't it amazing?! The entire sky was a mass of pink and orange. So very beautiful.

The Aftermath

Three stuffed bellies.
Lots of dishes.
One very sleepy and worn out babe.
More than enough leftovers.
Feeling pretty darn good about making a gluten-free Thanksgiving dinner.
Did I mention lots of dishes?!

 

I hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful and that your weekend be filled with fun!

Giving Thanks

I'm grateful for little moments of quiet play,

a package from a friend containing the most beautiful hat I've ever seen,

a cozy fire on a chilly night,

a gluten-free pumpkin pie,

and Stephen remembering dish soap (we've been out for two days!) so I could finally tackle all the dishes. Ah, there's nothing like baking in a clean kitchen.

And I'm most certainly grateful for all of you; for those of you who take the time out of your days to stop by and say hello. Here's wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving, from our family to yours.

Yum

As the weather gets colder and we end up spending more and more time inside, soup has been showing up for lunch more days than not. Our favorite? Butternut squash. The enthusiastic clapping as I light the burner is a sure sign this soup will be around for a while. This soup is so good that we actually don't want to waste precious time with spoons, so the bowl becomes a rather large cup. There's much slurping, lots of "mmmmm!"-ing, and of course, the traditional licking of the bowl at the end. Have a look for yourself...

And of course, there is more baking going on these days. Cookies and muffins being things the oven sees most.  The above were some delicious banana-quinoa muffins topped with raw honey and Earth Balance. Ah, delicious.

We Love to Eat

There are times I feel like it's quite unfair for a family who loves food to live with so many dietary restrictions. I mean dairy I could deal with, but add gluten, wheat, soy, eggs, citrus and other things to the mess and finding a meal we all like and can eat is so very challenging. However, after finishing Gluten-Free Girl I don't feel so bad anymore. I did love the book in many ways and it certainly inspired me to be a little more adventurous in the kitchen. The biggest thing we struggle with is the time it takes to cook those nice meals (with a little one climbing up your leg) and the money it costs to purchase the food.

All those years of passing on bagels, cinnamon rolls, bread fresh from the oven, cookie dough from the bowl and Flatbread pizza (okay, I really never passed on that...) makes me want to turn back time and eat them all when I had the chance. Now, I can't. Now I go into the cafe and stare longingly at the people biting into their chewy bagels and wish I could be them, just for one bite.

I am very glad I read Shauna's book. I have been beyond tired for months. When I stopped nursing Elisabeth because of her mulptiple allergies (she is now on a medical formula), I slowly started slipping gluten back into my diet. But I became so tired. I would have to lie on the couch in the afternoons, my eye lids drooping and feeling every last ounce of energy drain from my body. I didn't know what was wrong. I knew it was so much more than the normal motherhood induced exhaustion.

But Shauna explains this phenomenon as if I had called her up and told her my sleepiness woes. She put it all into words and even found the culprit: gluten. So the book did inspire me to take those oats and barley products back out of my diet and I was a whole new mama in two days. I feel terrific. Beyond terrific. In fact, I have so much energy that many nights I am lying awake until 1 a.m.

But sometimes that gluten slips back in. The other night Stephen made chicken with Dijon mustard and honey. The mustard was made using grain vinegar, which neither of us registered as "gluten." I was up all night with a bad flare up of eczema. I woke up the next morning and checked everything I had eaten the night before. It's things like this that make me a little crazy. I don't want to have to scrutinize everything that goes in my mouth, but I have no choice.

The little one has it much worse off than I. I struggle to find foods she can eat. More often than not, even the foods marked "allergen free" will cause a reaction and we're dealing with blistering rashes and a babe screaming in pain. It's not fun. And the fact that I was the one who handed her the food makes me feel horrible. But I'm confident that as she grows older, we will find new and better foods. Foods that will make her tummy happy, help her grow big and strong, and foods that will make her close her eyes and say "yum!" as she takes that first bite.

Well really, we have no choice because this girl just loves to eat. But with people like Shauna getting the word out about Celiac's, I really have the hope that one day Elisabeth and I will be able to walk into a cafe and have that bagel. Thanks Shauna.

Happiness

Before becoming a mother, I often did things that provided my life with a healthy dose of happiness: dinner with friends, a trip to Videoport in town for a movie, the ferry ride home, hiking, drinking Monte Antico with a side of Green and Blacks, and my favorite...performing in front of hundreds of people. But I never thought of these things as the moments in life that fill me with joy. I never really acknowledged that fact until I became a mother. Now there is no time for most of these. I certainly haven't performed in front of hundreds of people lately and Videoport is a long ways away now.

When you spend all day with a little person who can't communicate her needs very well, wakes up very early (yawn) and proceeds to drain every last ounce of energy from your body in the first two hours of the day, sometimes happiness seems a long way off. In the past I found it hard to think about anything positive when my life seemed so full of negatives. But now, the little things that would have gone unnoticed are getting attention and are filling that happiness hole left when this new motherhood adventure started.

A new sweater paired with my favorite orange shirt.

Watching the completely fearless little one climb on anything she can find.

A dreary October day that really makes you appreciate the amazing color of the trees.

A special order that just arrived at our local bookstore. I've already made it through a few chapters and feel like I could have written it myself.

An easy, but oh so tasty, supper. (Rice pasta, pesto, sheep's cheese and broccoli.)

Working on a gift for someone special.

May you find happiness in the little things today...

All About the Carbs...

'Tis the season for tea and carbs. My jeans are getting slightly snug because I'm putting on those extra pounds in anticipation of the cold season ahead. Regardless of the fact that yesterday reached 77 degrees according to the Subaru thermometer while in town, and the little one is running around in short sleeves while the stink bugs reign the house, I have simply decided to deal and do what I do best come October: bake.

You see, I used to bake all the time: cookies, muffins, bread, cakes...everything. Going gluten-free has put a slight damper on my baking joys. Most of the time the end result is disappointing and, more often than not, inedible. Trying to find recipes without dairy or eggs or sugar is even more challenging. But it can be done. And almost everything tastes better with a little Earth Balance on it.

Elisabeth is always very curious when it comes to mama baking. Her favorite thing to do is watching the oven. I have to leave the light on during the entire baking process so she can keep peeking in.

There have been many disasters in the past. Many. It's hard not to get frustrated and just give up. I'm always trying more because I know I will find a keeper someday.

And then, just like that, the gluten-free gods will look down and shine a ray of light on the perfect recipe. One that has been sitting in front of my face for months. So now, my friends, I share this recipe with you:

Tapioca Honey Cookie

1/2 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup honey
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 large egg (egg replacer does not work in this recipe)
3/4 cup tapioca flour
1-1/4 cup rice flour
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Whip coconut oil, honey and brown sugar together until fluffy. Add egg and mix until creamy and fluffy. Add remaining ingredients and mix for about 1-1/2 minutes. Place on baking tray the size of 1 tablespoon. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

These are really yummy with a cup of tea. Enjoy!