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?

Butternut Spiced Soup

I love winter squashes, as a group they are one of my favorite foods. They are sweet, creamy, and nutritionally and flavorfully quite a bang for your buck. You can't imagine how thrilled I was to see some varieties all ready showing up at the farmers market. It took me a long time to like squash soup. I used to make it often, because my husband liked it, but never really enjoyed the flavor. Finally I realized that every recipe I tried included heavy cream or coconut milk. For me, the squash are plenty creamy on their own. In fact I think the added cream takes away from the complex flavors in the squash. I made this recipe with butternut, but other varieties of winter squash would taste great. I recommend acorn, pumpkin, or kabocha; just make sure to roast whatever kind you choose as it brings out the sweetness of the squash. This recipe is very simple and adaptable. Enjoy!

Butternut Spiced Soup

Gluten Free, Vegan*
Makes 5 cups









1 large butternut squash (see notes)
2+ cups bone broth (chicken or beef) or vegetable stock*
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 inch by 1/2 inch piece of ginger, or to taste (1.5 tsp dry)
1 inch by 1/2 inch piece of turmeric, or to taste (1 tsp dry)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tbl sea salt, or to taste
3 tbl coconut oil

1. Preheat the oven to 375F. Split the squash and de-seed. My squash was large so I cut it into smaller pieces to make it more manageable. 
2. Rub the flesh with a little coconut oil and salt, and place flesh side down onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for about 1 hour until the skin can easily be piereced and the flesh has begun to brown. Set it out to cool.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of coconut oil in a medium size pot over medium heat. Add the diced onions.
4. Peel and dice the ginger and turmeric and add to the onions. Sauté for 8 minutes. If you do not have fresh turmeric or ginger then just use powdered kind but wait to add it until the next step. It would be about 1 teaspoon of turmeric and 1 1/2 teaspoons of ginger.
5. Once the onions have begun to brown, add the dry spices and sauté for about 30 seconds until they get very fragrant. Immediately pour about 1/4 cup of stock into the pot and turn off the heat. The stock will unstick any spices or onions and keep the spices from burning. 
6. Scoop the flesh of the squash (I got about 3 1/2 cups), into a blender. Add the onion and spice mixture, salt, and 2 cups of stock. Depending on the size of your blender and squash, you may have to work in batches. Mine exactly fit into my 5 cup blender. 
7. Blend until smooth and creamy. You can add more stock to achieve the consistency you like.
8. To reheat pour back into the pot and warm on low. If you refrigerate it for later then you may want to add a couple tablespoons of stock or water when reheating as it thickens in the fridge. 
9. Leftovers should be good for 5 days.

Notes and Substitutions

• You can use other varieties of winter squash interchangeably. I didn't weigh my squash, but I did get about 3 1/2 cups, if you end up with way more then this then just save some for another use or freeze it for later. You can look at the picture to get an idea of how big my squash was on a standard size cutting board.
• This soup definitely has a strong ginger bite, if you are sensitive to the flavor of ginger or do not want it so spicy then I would cut it in half and reduce the nutmeg to 1/4 tsp.
• I topped it with a little cinnamon, but it would be great with a dollop of greek yogurt.

De-seed squash and rub with coconut oil and salt.

Place the squash flesh side down and roast on 375F for 1 hour.

Let the roasted squash cool.

Saute onions, ginger, and turmeric for 8 minutes.

Add the dry spices and sauté for 30 seconds,
 then add about 1/4 cup stock and turn off the heat.

Blend squash flesh, onion mixture, salt, and stock
until smooth and creamy.

Gently reheat on low and enjoy!

Do you like winter squash?

Low Allergen Blueberry Cobbler

I love visiting my husbands grandmother. She is the sweetest woman I have ever met and one hell of a cook. She still cans and preserves food and has figs, pecans, and blueberries on her property. Last time we visited we picked a ton of blueberries and I brought them home and froze them to have this winter. Since blueberries are officially out of season here I have all ready broken into my stash. This recipe is really simple to make, low in added sugar, and free of most of the common allergens. It would be great with some coconut ice-cream. Enjoy!

Our little guy loved picking blueberries.
We found many in his pockets later that day!

Low Allergen Blueberry Cobbler

Gluten Free, Vegan, Nut Free
Serves 4

2 cups frozen blueberries
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
coconut oil for the pan

2 Tbls coconut flour
2 Tbls tapioca starch or arrowroot starch
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch sea salt
1 tsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 tbl coconut oil, melted
1 tbl maple syrup

• Preheat the oven to 375F
• Combine the coconut flour, tapioca starch, baking soda, and sea salt. Mix out any lumps.
• Add the lemon juice, coconut milk, melted coconut oil, and maple syrup to the dry ingredients. Mix well then let it sit for about 5 minutes so the coconut flour can absorb the moisture. It should be like thick pancake batter.
• Oil a small baking dish (mine was 1 1/4 quart size, but I think and 8x8 or smaller would work, depending on how tall you want it, mine was flatter).
• Mix the blueberries, vanilla, and cinnamon together and place in the dish.
• Scoop the batter onto the blueberries. You can smooth it out but I prefer to plop it randomly over the top to get that 'cobblestone' look.
• Bake for about 35 minutes until the top is golden brown and the blueberries are bubbling up the sides.
• Let it cool slightly before serving.

Notes and Substitutions

• My blueberries were very sweet (as fresh picked sun-ripened ones ought to be) so I didn't add any sweetener to them. I recommend tasting a couple of your berries and adding a tablespoon of maple syrup or coconut sugar to them if needed.
• Sorry for the poor lighting on the photo's, it was really stormy this day and I had no natural light!
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Mix the dry ingredients

Mix in the wet ingredients, and let it sit for 5 minutes

Add blueberries, cinnamon, and vanilla to the oiled dish

Top with the batter sporadically

Bake on 375F for 35 minutes and enjoy!

What is your favorite flavor of cobbler?

Orange Cream Pop's For Tot's

I know I haven't posted in a few weeks. We had to be out of town for a death in the family and then out of town for a birth in the family. Life, it seems, has balanced back out for now and I've been able to get back in the kitchen creating. Today's recipe is inspired by a reader who reminded me about orange push pops that I used to love as a kid. My son has been pretty obsessed with Pudding Pop's for Tot's; as in he stands in front of the fridge, points at the freezer, and repeatedly says pop (even though he just finished eating one!) I was worried he may not like these non-chocolate, less sweet pops, but he loves them too. I love when other people enjoy my recipes but I'm proud when my son enjoys them. This recipe is super simple and you can adjust the orange juice to coconut milk ratio to suit your liking. Check out the notes and substations at the bottom for all my suggestions. Enjoy!

Orange Cream Pop's For Tot's

Gluten Free, Vegan Options
Makes 9 mini pop's

1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup canned full fat coconut milk
1 tbl grass-fed gelatin (omit for vegan or use agar)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp turmeric powder (optional for color)
pinch of sea salt
1 tbl honey or maple syrup (optional if you like it sweeter)

Blooming the gelatin

1. Add the orange juice to a small sauce pot and sprinkle with gelatin if using*. Let the gelatin bloom for a few minutes, which will keep it from clumping.
2. Turn the heat to medium and whisk in the coconut milk, vanilla, turmeric, and salt. 
3. Whisk until the gelatin dissolves. It should only take a few minutes. Then remove it from the heat.
4. Taste and whisk in sweetener if you would like.
5. Pour into 9 molds, and set in the freezer for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
6. Insert a stick into each mold, once it is firm enough to hold it upright and continue freezing for several hours until firm enough to pop out.
7. Store in the freezer. I like to leave them in the mold covered with a piece of plastic wrap.

Notes and Substitutions 

• I make these without any extra sweetener but it will just depend on how sweet your orange juice is and your families tastebuds.
• I use orange juice from a carton but it will work with fresh. You can also try other juice flavors or blends.
• *The gelatin is an optional step that keeps the pop's from melting so quickly. If you aren't using it then you don't need to heat it. Just mix all of the ingredients well and pour into the molds.
• Don't skip the salt and vanilla, they really help bring out the flavor.
• Affiliate Links Below:

Do you have a favorite childhood frozen treat?

Pudding Pop's For Tot's

Our son loves these pudding pops even more than Cherry Cream Pops. He stands in front of the fridge and points at the freezer when he wants one. I designed these for toddlers by making them slow melting and low in sugar. There are about 3 grams of sugar per a pop but half is naturally occurring from the date and coconut milk. If you don't want to use gelatin then it will still work fine but will melt faster. Enjoy!

Pudding Pop's For Tot's

Gluten Free
Makes 15 1oz Pop's

1 can full fat coconut milk, unsweetened 
1 tbl grass-fed gelatin
2 tbl mini chocolate chips
1 coconut rolled date piece
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Pour the can of coconut milk into a small pot and whisk in gelatin. Let it sit for about 5 minutes for the gelatin to bloom. This helps to keep it from clumping.
2. Gently heat over medium, whisking until all of the gelatin is dissolved.
3. Turn off the heat and add the chocolate chips. Whisk until completely combined.
4. Pour into a blender with the vanilla extract and date. Blend until completely smooth. Be careful when blending hot liquids if your blender doesn't have a vent it could blow the top. Taste to make sure it is sweet enough.
5. Pour into 15 molds and let it set up in the freezer for about an hour.
6. Insert a stick once it is firm enough to hold it upright and continue freezing for several hours until firm enough to pop out. 
7. Store in the freezer. I like to just store them in the mold with a piece of plastic wrap over the top.

Notes and Substitutions 

coconut rolled date

• If you want these vegan then leave the gelatin out our use agar.
• I used a rolled date because they tend to be softer and blend up better in my cheap blender. They are also cheaper. You can use medjool dates but I would use 2 since they are a little smaller.
• You can pour these into regular size molds but I like the size and stick length of these smaller ones. 
• These are not extremely sweet. To make it sweeter you can add another date or maple syrup or honey.
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After gelatin blooms; gently heat and whisk until dissolved.

Turn off heat and whisk in chocolate chips.

Blend with remaining ingredients.

Pour into molds and set in freezer.

Once slightly firm, insert sticks and continue freezing.

What is your favorite ice pop flavor?

8 Satisfying Things About Being The Stay At Home Parent

I love being a stay-at-home mom, but it was definitely a big transition. My husband and I have both been working and in school since we met. There were times one of us worked more or had a brief lapse between jobs, but for the most part we've split the financial support. When we got pregnant we discussed our options, which for us was two: Daycare and me working full time, or me staying home. We can not afford a nanny and don't have a relative around to babysit full time. We even briefly discussed my husband staying home, but he makes more money than me (and frankly, has a better career plan), and he can't breastfeed. Daycare turned out to be more than we expected, and at my job at the time I would have to work 40 hours a week to only net $100 dollars a month. I feel for the single parents who don't have as many options and I know I am so lucky to have the support to make this decision. I was ready and excited to give it a try. We decided if I hated it then I would be honest with my husband and we would figure something else out. Lucky for me I truly do love being at home, but like any job, there are times I don't enjoy it. I was raised to be independent, and I still sometimes get that little voice in my head that tells me I should be working on my career. 
Now that I've graduated college everyone asks me what I will do with my degree? I hate this question because my answer is "...well we are planning on having more kids, so nothing for now." I'm happy with our choice, but the look on the persons face is like they are meeting a sad woman from the 1950's. I feel so lucky to live in a time and place where this is actually a decision that is up to me. Look, I know some woman have a career and kids, and they do a damn good job at juggling both, but ask those women if they haven't made a lot of sacrifices? You can not have it all. I see the struggle my husband goes through being at work all the time, and how hard he works in the evenings and off days to make up time with our son. I see all the things he misses. He is still the greatest dad, but I'd pick being home any day. So today I made a list for when I need a little reminder of why being the stay-at-home parent is totally great. If you are considering staying home I hope this list gives you some insight, and if you already stay home I hope this reminds you of how satisfying your job can be!

1) Moving Slow

Playing in the yard, picking dandelions

The biggest thing I've noticed about being home is my reduced stress level. If I'm driving and I get behind someone slow, so what? I'm not in a hurry to get everywhere. I ran an errand to the bank and they took a little while to get to me and the teller was so apologetic about the wait; I got to to tell her "don't worry, I'm not in a rush." She was startled by this and instantly relaxed. This happens to me all the time now. I'm not saying I'm not ever running late to something or need to get somewhere before they close but in general my schedule is pretty fluid these days. I spend the first part of most of my days walking my son around in his buggy and literally stopping to smell the roses. 


2) Working A Little

Our son loves "helping" me blog.

I did actually go back to work for 5-10 hours a week. I hate leaving my son, but it is good for him to have alone time with my husband and it makes me feel like I am contributing. I know a lot of stay at home moms that work part-time, from home, or have a side business; so there is definitely a way to contribute to the finances.





3) DIY-ing

A game I threw together to entertain my son. 

Speaking of contributing to the finances, since I am home I have a lot more time to make household and toiletry items. I make our own toothpaste, hairspray, cleaning products, cloth wipes solution, bug sprays, and about anything else I can figure out. I do this because I enjoy crafting and I can make items without toxins, but it also saves us a lot of money. If this sounds fun to you then check out Wellness Mama, she has a ton of recipes for homemade items for free.


4) Eating Healthier

Sautéed liver over lettuce with homemade dressing

I love having time to plan and prepare healthier meals. My son loves hanging out in the kitchen with me, and we spend a lot of our day in there working on new recipes or tinkering. You can definitely eat healthy when you are busy and working but it is a lot less stressful when you can go to the grocery store in the middle of the day and actually have dinner made before 9pm. I also save us more money because I have time to look for sales or compare prices, and I tend a garden now that has given us a lot of free food.

5) Appreciating My Spouse More

I should also add to this that I feel more appreciated too. I realize that my husband has made the sacrifice to be away from his family in order to provide for us. I also realize how happy I am to be home with our son and it is because of his hard work. I appreciate him on a new level because of this. He is also so thankful to come home to a semi-clean home and an almost ready dinner. He gets to just spend time with our son when he is home and he knows it is because of how hard I work during the day to get everything done. Splitting the duties in this way has made us feel more like a team. Yes I still work sometimes and he still cooks and cleans sometimes but we have way more respect for the difficulty of each others duties.

6) Waking Up Slow

This is not a flattering photo of me
but I love the morning snuggle!

Before I tell you this and every parent on the face of the earth hates me, let me preface it by saying that my 18month old does NOT sleep through the night yet; he does however sleep until 10am most days. Instead of jumping out of bed and rushing to get ready and eating a granola bar as I run out the door, I get to lay in bed with my son and cuddle and nurse. We lay there for an hour sometimes while he snuggles and talks (toddler babbles) and points at things in the room. These moments will stick with me forever, our sweet quiet time that is irreplaceable. Now I'm not saying I sleep in that late. I try to get up with my husband and have breakfast with him, sometimes I work on my blog or do some chores, but most of the time I go back to bed until our son gets up. 

7) Making New Friends

At the Zoo for a meet-up!

One of the best things about being a stay-at-home-parent, is meeting other SAHP's. There are many online groups where you can find meet-ups or try going to the library for story time or to the park during the day. I have met some great and funny moms that have helped me learn a lot about being a mom. Other parents are so understanding of the daily struggle of child raising and it is nice to commiserate with other women who understand. I love seeing my son interact with other adults, make friends, and play with kids his own age. 

8) Feeling Empowered

Even though I have my degree now I feel prouder of my life skills. On a daily basis I take full time care of a toddler, run our household, and bust some serious dance moves. If we had to employ someone to do everything I do then we would need a nanny, an engineer, a chef, a maid, an accountant, a handy man, a chauffeur, a nutritionist, a personal trainer, an animal specialist, a gardener, a therapist, a teacher, and a stripper. I love all my jobs, especially that last one, but it is a lot of work. When I lay my head down at the end of the day I feel so proud of all that I've accomplished and realize that my self worth is found in growing my family in the best way possible.


I hope my list helps you get a sense of what being a stay-at-home-parent might be like or at least makes you shake your head 'yes' a couple times. I know everyone doesn't have this opportunity and I know some parents do all of the things I listed and still work full-time; to that I say you are obviously super-human and above us mere mortals (mom!).

Are you thinking about staying home? 
What do you fine satisfying about being the stay-at-home-parent?