New Year, New Blog!

NEW BLOG HERE

For the past few months I have been working on migrating my blog to a new platform. I chose to do this because I wanted the ability to customize my posts more. For the time being I will leave up this old blog. The big plan is to go through all of my old recipes and only transfer the best of the best with updated photos. For now you may come across links back to this old content.

NEW BLOG HERE

Enjoy!

Matcha Green Tea Vegan Ice-cream

My toddler made me pretty proud. His teacher told me that they colored ice-cream for a lesson at school and when she asked if his was green for mint chocolate chip he said "No, it's green tea". I am so happy that he's learning to associate healthy items with food and he knows what natural colors are. 
Of course I wanted to reinforce this lesson so I decided to make some green tea ice-cream. I have only recently tried matcha when our local tea shop started offering it 'bullet proof' style. It is so delicious and creamy, I like regular brewed green tea, but I love matcha! I made this recipe extra healthy by sweetening it with fruit. Matcha has some caffeine in it so we've been enjoying this treat earlier in the day. It is very rich and creamy so a small serving goes a long way. Enjoy!

Simple Pumpkin Spice Vegan Ice-Cream

As Fall approaches my inner teenage girl starts salivating with the possibility of pumpkin-spiced-everything. It's cliche and I don't care because it is also delicious. The apple, another fall favorite I'm uber excited for, does not fall far from the tree; our toddler is obsessed. 

I'm happy to oblige this fall favorite but I wanted him to have some healthy options. I've made a couple versions of this but finally settled on a simple, fruit sweetened, and vegan delight. If you want some instant gratification try the Paleo Mama's pumpkin banana ice-cream. I totally made some while I waited for ours to freeze. When I shared the sneak peek on Instagram @mommyandherlatte I think I said it has 4 ingredients, I guess it's technically 5, but either way its really easy to make and some clean ingredients. Enjoy!

Vegan Sweet Creamed Corn

Hi! I'm still here. I've taken a long break from posting because, well, life has been happening. A lot of good but also a lot of scary change. I am finally ready and able to get back to posting; I've missed this creative outlet. I will be sharing the full story in the future but for now I will just say it has been a stressful couple of months. I am completely the type of person that will stress eat. So I've been trying to make comfort food that is still healthy, but also easy to throw together. Not only does this dish have corn, which I have admitted my relentless love for, but it is also inspired by a dish my husband's Mema makes. Nothing is more comforting than Mema's food. This side dish was enough for two adults and a toddler so double for a larger family. It is very adaptable and comes together in about 15 minutes. It is the perfect end of summer dish. Enjoy!

King Cookies

Today I have a super decadent treat for you. I don't buy peanut butter very often because I really can't control myself around the stuff, but after getting into a passionate conversation with a friend about our mutual peanut butter love; the itch had to be scratched. Lately I've been working on making deserts that are only sweetened with fruit; bananas or dates usually work well. So, I had the peanut butter and I had the banana, but where was the pizzazz? Leave it to my husband to challenge me. He informed me that Elvis Presley was famous for making fried PB&B sandwiches so 'why don't you make it taste fried without frying it'. Mmmkay... well after a little "research" I found out he fried them in bacon fat. This was right up my alley because if you are a female on the mom's side of my family then you have a jar of bacon fat for making fried rice, its just a fact. If you think I'm totally bonkers for adding bacon fat to this then try butter, if you want them vegan then try palm shortening. These cookies have a delicious sweet and savory thing going on. I had to make 2 batches because my toddler and I ate them all before I could snap photos. Enjoy!

Twisted Carrot Chili

We've been staying pretty busy around here with our new addition. I've been tearing through my freezer stash of pre-prepped meals, but this week I felt like getting back in the kitchen and doing some cooking. There is something very grounding to me about standing in front of my cutting board chopping away. I'm also realistic that with a toddler and newborn my kitchen time is going to be limited so I thought a nice way to ease back in would be a soup. I love soups; I don't care if it's 100oF outside, there is something so comforting about a big bowl of soup. My husband and I went back and forth about what to call this because while it certainly isn't chili, it really has the flavor of chili. You could add some black beans to this and I think it would pass. This recipe was born out of the random items we had in our fridge and pantry so feel free to play around with the ingredients. Enjoy!

Food Prep for Postpartum

When we had our son two years ago I did a lot of planning. I researched low toxicity baby gear, compiled lists of baby items parents said they used most, and made sure we had every possible thing we needed for when baby got here; down to nail clippers, emergency infant Advil, and this little thing that vibrated on his chest and made him chill out when he got his diaper changed. The one thing I didn't do was plan for my post partum time. I think the sum of my food prep was making banana bread, which we devoured at the hospital, and some mothers milk tea. Even though in all my research I read that you should freeze or arrange some meals, I somehow, either in ignorance or denial, just ignored the advice. We didn't starve but we ate pretty terrible for the first month. I had some family come by and make a few meals but it was mostly ordering out or me eating protein thin mints all day until my husband came home and cooked. Well lesson learned! This time around I have a full freezer and a plan. To get everything made in about a week I simply made the meal for dinner and doubled the recipe to freeze some. It was especially great with the deserts because we got a little desert every night!

Fudgy Pumpkin Brownie (Gluten Free, Vegan, Nut Free)

I was cleaning out my pantry yesterday (read: nesting) and I found a can of organic pumpkin puree. Even though the high season of pumpkin recipes is gone we are having some winter weather around here so I though it was fitting. I'm working on stocking our freezer with meals, snacks and treats for when our new addition arrives *hopefully any day now* so I thought pumpkin brownies would be perfect. I made these super allergy friendly since we are still working on figuring out our sons allergies. These are dense fudge style brownies, my husbands favorite. Enjoy!

Salted Carmel Protein Latte

I am long overdue for a a blog post. We have been busy around here getting ready for our new family member and doing the GAPS diet. You can read more about it here, but it is a gut healing diet that we are trying out for our son's eczema and my husband autoimmune diseases. It seems to be helping so far but it is a lot of work. I was used to preparing most of our meals but it requires that I prepare all of them plus extra things like bone broth and fermented vegetables. So how am I keeping up with everything while nearing the end of my pregnancy? I treat myself to one of these delicious lattes quite often. There is some debate about caffeine and pregnancy, I'm in the 'a little bit is okay' club but this latte works great with decaf or dandelion coffee too. Enjoy!

Homemade Avocado Oil Mayo

I love the new year and everyones sense of determination and new beginning (however short lived they may be). Though I try not to make any grand unrealistic resolutions, I do use the motivation this time of year to better myself and our family in practical ways. One simple way that our family has made healthy changes in the past is to start making 'processed' food items at home. Not only does this save money, but it is a lot healthier than most things I can buy in the store. I've talked before about how we make all of our own salad dressings, and I realized we've been making our own mayo for a few years now. I was never satisfied with the ingredients in store-bought mayo, most have a lot of unhealthy oils, preservatives, or unnecessary sugar or stabilizers. I was intimidated to try and make it myself though, and I admit there have been some flops, but after some tweaking and practice the results now are consistently great. It doesn't take much time to whip up your own mayo so why not give it a try? Don't worry if it's not perfect the first time, it may take a few times to get the technique right; the biggest issue I have had is not getting it to emulsify and thicken properly, you can still use it as a salad dressing when this happens. Enjoy!

Easy Chocolate Drizzled Kettle Corn

I don't think I've publicly admitted my love for corn and corn products yet. My name is Morgan, and I freaking love me some corn. Unfortunately, like most love stories, corn does not reciprocate my love. It's not that I'm allergic, but it certainly doesn't digest well. I've given up corn cereals, polenta, and even whole corn (except for a couple fresh ears in the summer, worth it!), but I refuse to give up popcorn. It would have to cause me more than a minor bellyache for me to quit. We gave away our microwave a few years back and haven't missed it. I absolutely love fresh popcorn popped in coconut oil with a little sea salt hot off the stove and have even found local organic kernels from Riverview Farms (they also have amazing meat if you are in the Georgia area). I certainly reserve it as a treat, but my toddler also got the undying-love-for-popcorn gene, so it is a more frequent treat now! If you've been to the grocery store at all in the past month then you've undoubtedly seen bags of this this stuff. I did purchase one for a holiday party and it was a big hit. A few days later my son came asking me for the "choc poppa-corn". I figured I could probably make a slightly healthier version for cheaper at home. And I was right! I used healthy coconut oil, organic popcorn, and low glycemic coconut sugar. Whether you need a last minute gift, something to feed the influx of guests at your house, or just a treat to watch a holiday movie with, this kettle corn will certainly hit the spot. Enjoy!

Pistachio Reindeer Cups

My husband is in a band (sexy I know), and this year they decided to have a holiday party. I was excited for the chance to make a fun holiday treat, but was stumped on what to make. Unfortunately our son had an all nighter last week and in my 3am haze this idea came to me. It's fun enough for kids and sophisticated enough for adults. Enjoy!

Happy 1st Birthday Blog

So my blog turned 1 on November 13th, but I missed the celebration because I was sick. So as a happy belated b-day I want to share the top 10 posts on my blog from the past year. I am so honored to have support from my husband, family, and friends. I never imagined my blog would reach as many people as it does. I hope you find as much joy in it as I do and thank you for reading!

In Sickness and In Health

I haven't posted in a few weeks because I've had quite a month of sickness. It seems like every other week for the past 2 months I've had some ailment! Even as I type I am again nursing a cold. I believe it started when I got a severe stomach virus that put me out for several days; I think it really wrecked my immune system. Compile that with the never ending exhaustion of playing with a toddler all day and being pregnant and I set myself up for disaster. I have been thoroughly humbled by my own limitations and learned a few things about self-care that I want to share. Sometimes the simple things are easy to forget. Just a reminder, I am not a medical professional, this is just my experience. I hope it helps you in times of sickness or keeps you in a time of health. This post contains affiliate links which help support my family and are of no extra cost to you. Enjoy!

Raspberry Peppermint Creme Gelee

I love deserts, especially the super decedent ones that accompany this season. Although I think a nice slice of pecan pie or a piece of rich fudge is the perfect ending to a meal, sometimes I just don't have the room for it. I made this desert as a lighter alternative. It is easy to make but looks and sounds fancy! The peppermint is soothing and the perfect end to a heavy meal. Enjoy!

Oven Baked Apple Chips

When I was younger we went to north Georgia every fall to pick apples and eat all things made with apples. Now I get to carry on the tradition with my son. We gorged ourself on fresh apples and when we got home I worked on making anything and everything with apples in it. The best thing we made was definitely apple chips. They are very easy to make but you will have to be home for a couple of hours. You can make a lot at once and then try not to eat them all in one sitting. Enjoy!

He ate so many fresh apples

Loved getting them straight off the tree

Needed a little help from Mom with some of them

Pumpkin Spice Latte Chia Pudding

I have a bad habit of having coffee as breakfast; probably from the years of working and being in school. Even though I make my coffee "bullet proof" style with gelatin, grass-fed butter, and coconut oil, it still isn't a sound breakfast. Since PSL season is in high swing I decided to make a healthy breakfast with a caffeine kick. The best part about this recipe is you can make it at the beginning of the week and have a quick breakfast all week long. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Spice Latte Chia Pudding

Gluten Free, Vegan
Makes about 2.5 cups

1 cup canned full-fat coconut milk
1 cup strong brewed coffee
2/3 cup pumpkin puree
2 tbl maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
6 tbl chia seeds

Spice Mix
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger powder
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cardamom
-or- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1. Whisk together all of the ingredients except the chia seeds.
2. Once the ingredients are mixed well, whisk in the chia seeds.
3. Refrigerate for 2-4 hours until thickened. Stir occasionally while it is thickening to prevent lumps.
4. Alternatively, to make a smoother pudding, blend all of the ingredients and chia seeds in a high speed blender and then refrigerate.
5. Store in the fridge for 5 days.

Notes and Substitutions

• You can use decaf coffee or a coffee substitute such as Teccino or a Dandelion and Chicory Root Mix to fit your needs.
• This pudding will be the texture of tapioca if you don't blend it. If you aren't sure how you will like it; try making it unblended and you can always blend it once it is thickened.
• Affiliate Links Below. Thanks!

                  




What is your favorite breakfast?

Pumpkin Pie Snack Squares

I'm pretty sure my son thinks dates are candy and I intend on reinforcing that thought. In order to refine his "candy" pallet (and honestly to get him to eat some fat and protein with the little carb jewels) I decided to make a seasonal treat. If you are familiar with Larabar's, this recipe mimics those. You have to store these in the freezer because of the pumpkin, but they can travel in a lunchbox for the day. I don't normally worry about macros in my food but since this is a treat for my son I was curious. If you make 30 snack squares (perfect size for a toddler) then they have 5 grams each of carbs and fat, 2 grams of protein, 1 gram of fiber and about 3-4 grams of sugar; not to mention the vitamins and minerals from the real food ingredients Enjoy!

Pumpkin Pie Snack Squares

Gluten Free, Vegan*
Makes 30 squares or about 12 bars

1 cup brazil nuts, raw
1/2 cup pecans, raw
1/4 cup sunflower seeds, raw
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted and salted
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
2 rolled coconut dates or 3-4 medjool dates pitted, chopped
1 tbl honey or *maple syrup for vegan

Spice Mix
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger powder
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cardamom
optional (use 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice instead of the spice mix)

1. Add all of the nuts/seeds and spice mix to a food processor (mine is a 2 cup and it was just big enough). Grind into a course powder.
2. Add the raisins, chopped dates, pumpkin puree, and honey or maple syrup to the nuts and process until combined. It may take a few minutes and I had to scrape the sides down with a spatula but it will get there.
3. Once you are happy with the mix, scoop it into a parchment lined pan ( 8x6 inches or whatever you have that is close) and press down. The mixture is pretty sticky so I find it is easier to press down if you wet your hand or use a piece of parchment paper to press it. Alternatively you can roll them into little balls.
4. Let it set in the freezer for a few hours before slicing. 
5. After slicing store in the freezer. You can serve these directly from the freezer.

Notes and Substitutions

• You can change the nuts and seeds to suit what you like and have; just try and use about 2 cups total. I think walnuts instead of pecans, almonds instead of brazil nuts, and salted and toasted pistachios instead of the pumpkin seeds would all be great. It's okay if all your nuts/seeds aren't raw or aren't salted and toasted. If none of your nuts/seeds are salted then add a pinch of salt to the mix. Let me know in the comments section if you try different combinations. 

Grind nuts/seeds and spices into a course powder

Add remaining ingredients and blend until combined

Press into a parchment lined pan, freeze, and slice.

What is your favorite natural "candy"?

Fall Spice Biscuits

Depending on who you talk to it is either pumpkin or apple season. To me I'd say it's apple season as the pumpkins haven't started showing up at the famers market yet, and the apples have made a grand appearance. Luckily for me though, the other winter squashes are in abundance. I like to make this recipe once a week and use it for breakfast sandwiches on busy mornings. Enjoy!

roasted butternut squash

Fall Spice Biscuits 

(adapted from Wellness Mama)
Gluten Free
Makes 5

1/3 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup mashed winter squash*
4 eggs
4 tbl coconut oil or butter, melted
1 tbl maple syrup
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp sea salt

1. Preheat the oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Whisk coconut flour, baking soda, salt, and spices together in a bowl. Make sure to get out any lumps.
3. Add the melted oil, mashed squash, eggs, and maple syrup. Mix well with a spatula and let it rest for 5 minutes for the coconut flour to absorb the moisture. 
4. Scoop the batter by 1/3 cup onto the baking sheet, forming 5 biscuits. The biscuits will spread quite a bit but not rise much when baking so make them the height you want with a smaller diameter.
5. Bake for 12-15 minutes until no loner shiny. Cool before serving.
6. Store in the fridge for up to a week.

Notes and Substitutions

• *I used roasted butternut squash, but acorn or pumpkin would be great. If you use canned then you may need a tablespoon more of coconut flour.
• You can use 1 tsp of pumpkin pie spice instead of the spices.
• I highly recommend serving these with fig butter and bacon!

Whisk together dry ingredients

Add wet ingredients

Mix well

Shape into biscuits

Bake on 400F for 12-15 minutes

What is in season in your area?

5 Surprising Toddler Foods

Toddlers are notorious for their picking eating. Our little guy (19 months) definitely has a strong opinion about what he will and will not eat. He never liked pureed food and still won't touch yogurt or cheese; all things I thought were typical toddler foods. Of course he'll eat crackers and ice-cream but at this stage in life kids aren't eating a lot so we try and make what does make it into his mouth count. To do this I simply try everything. I don't assume he won't like something just because it isn't a normal food I would think of for a toddler. So here is my list of healthy foods he loves, even though I think they are odd. These items may not be weird to you because your kid loves them too. I'd love to hear about in the comments section. Below the list is more tips for feeding your toddler.



1) Bone-In Meat

Turkey leg

My son is definitely a carnivore, and I'm not talking about chicken nuggets. He loves bacon (not suprising) and will pick meat out of a meal and just eat that. However, what he loves most is bone-in meat. I'm talking about chicken or turkey legs and ribs. He loves being able to hold it and he gnaws on the bone and cartilage. Obviously keep a watchful eye if you do this as pieces of the bone or cartilage can come off.





2) Bone Broth

Egg drop soup

To go along with all the bone-in meat we are eating, I like to make bone broth once a week. Bone broth is just stock made out of bones and vegetables. I put about 2 pounds of bones (chicken or beef) with a gallon of water, a quart size freezer bag of vegetable scraps, and a couple of tablespoons of apple cider vinegar (which helps to draw out the minerals in the bones) in my slow cooker and cook on low for 1-2 days (here is an easy recipe to follow). The result is a broth rich in protein, specifically gelatin. There are numerous benefits of cosuming gelatin (read about it here). The best part is that my son adores it. I will make soup with it but he prefers some warm broth straight.



3) Coconut Oil

You've probably heard about all the benefits of coconut oil. It certainly has a place in our home both as a food and a beauty product. Coconut oil was one of the first foods I introduced to my son. I mixed his probiotics into a small amount and he ate it off a spoon. He also like these banana stacks. We all need healthy fats, but especially little ones. I also cook most of our food in it, or make "bullet proof" coffee (or herbal tea in his case).



4) Herbal Tea

My son loves his herbal tea (and coconut oil!). Herbal tea's are not only a great sugar free alternative to water but they can also be used medicinally. I give my son a mixture of chamomile and catnip tea in the evenings to improve sleep. Chamomile is naturally sweet so he loves it. Read more about some good tea's for tot's here.



5) Seaweed

My son loves toasted nori sheets. They sell small snack packs of them but he prefers the regular size sheets for making sushi. I'm guessing he thinks it's paper that he's allowed to eat, and I'm happy about the minerals and iodine he gets from them.



















Other Tips

1) Like I said before, don't assume your toddler won't like something just because it isn't typical toddler food. My son loves raw spinach and sardines. He will eat sauerkraut and snack on green olives. I know all this because I just let him try those foods. I've had plenty of items spit back at me but I'm happy to let his palate develop naturally and not hold anything back. 

2) My son has recently gotten into dipping. He will eat just about anything if he can dip it. Think beyond honey mustard or ketchup; you can use thick soup or hummus as a dip for vegetables, yogurt as a dip for fruit, or I like to make homemade fig butter or date caramel as a dip for sausage. I do often catch him just eating the dip, so I always make sure that the dip is just as healthy as the dipping vessel.

3) You know that saying "out of sight, out of mind?", well the reverse is also true. I leave lots of fruit out in our fruit basket. My son will inevitably walk by and ask for a 'nana' or an 'appa'. This way my son choose a healthy snack that he will actually eat because it was his idea. I also leave is cup of water out so he'll swing by and take sips, because you know, he's got very important playing business to attend to!

4) Speaking of "appa's" (which is an apple for those of you who don't speak toddler), my son prefers them whole not sliced. He's been able to handle a whole apple since he was 9 months old, thanks to his rapid teeth sprouting (lucky us). If your toddler doesn't like a food initially, try cutting it (or not cutting it) a different way. Sometimes in all in the presentation.

5) This is probably an age old wisdom; "try and try again." My son loved eggs for awhile and now he won't touch them. He used to hate spinach and now loves it. Our pallets never stop developing so we try to always offer our son whatever we are eating. He won't always sit still for dinner but he always gets a plate of whatever we are eating with a little bit of everything.


Do you have any tips for feeding toddlers?