Home Made Kettle Corn - Easy and Amazing!

Dudes...I will NEVER EVER buy or eat Kettle Corn from a bag again.   Who knew it was so simple to make?  The kids are chanting (as we speak) "BEST MOM EVER! BEST MOM EVER!".  

Ingredients: 
1/2 cup pop corn
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/8 cup sugar
salt to taste

Preparation: 
In a big pot with a tight lid, heat coconut oil over med/high heat.  When the oil is sizzling a little, add the popcorn.  Then sprinkle the sugar over the top of the kernels.  Put the lid on, turn the heat up to high, and the popcorn should start popping.  Swirl around the pot with the lid on to circulate the air.  All of the popcorn should be done in about 2 minutes.  Turn heat off and sprinkle liberally with salt.  Eat and orgasm.  OK, don't orgasm in front of your kids but you get the point.  YUM!!

Pumpkin Hazelnut Bread - BAM!

Dude.  Just made the yummiest Thanksgiving treat ever.  Ok maybe not THE yummiest but it's pretty friggin' good.   Toasted hazelnuts, fresh pumpkin from a can, lots olive oil and fall spices add up to heaven.   #NailedIt #HashtagsAreLame #OkI'mDoneNow

Ingredients: 

• 1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons toasted hazelnuts, divided
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Grease 9x5 inch loaf pan.  Place 1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts in a food processor and process until ground into a flour.  Don't blend too far or you will get hazelnut butter. In a large bowl sift together the hazelnut flour, flour, salt, baking soda, and spices. In a large bowl combine the pumpkin puree, oil, and sugar. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl and add in.  Add the dry mixture to the wet, mixing until everything is just combined. Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle the top with 3 tablespoons of roughly chopped hazelnuts (see how beautiful and perfect mine came out?!) and pop in the oven for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes in pan, then remove and cool on wire rack before cutting.  Serve anytime during the holiday meal - makes a great side (it's not too sweet), a dessert, or a next morning breakfast!  #F*ckYah

Quinoa Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes

I kicked motherhood's ass this morning!  Tired of the boxed pancake mixes, I took to the mean streets of Mom blogville and assembled this very easy recipe for a healthier pancake.   This is a very easy, gluten free recipe.  I even ate them guilt free.  Word to the mutha which I guess means word to me.

Ingredients:

2 cups of quinoa flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1 mashed banana + 1 banana thinly sliced
2 eggs beaten
1 tsp of baking powder
1 tsp of baking soda
1/2 cup honey
1 tsp cinamon
1 tsp vanilla

Preparation:

In one bowl, mix your dry ingredients: quinoa flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinamon

In another bowl, beat together your wet ingredients: eggs, mashed banana, milk, honey, vanilla.

Mix wet & dry ingredients together.  If the mixture is too tight, add some milk.

Heat your griddle with real butter.   Cuz life is short and it tastes better and is better for you than nasty Pam spray.   Drop pancakes into hot griddle and top with a few banana slices and 4-5 chololate chips. Cook til they are set and brown.  Flip.  Cook for another minute more. 

Eat hot with syrup!

Crazy Aunt Carol's Gluten Free French Toast

Holy shit, we've gone gluten free.

It's the mantra that's rattling around in my head.  I wish it would stop quite frankly.   But I'm excited.  I'm finally taking some positive steps to rid my kids of some potentially damaging foods in their diet.  So here goes......

Crazy Aunt Carol's Gluten Free French Toast

Ingredients: 

• Gluten Free white bread - We used Udi's and it was very yummy
• 2 eggs beaten
• 1/2 cup Almond Milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• butter for the pan

How To: 

In a wide shallow bowl, beat the eggs, almond milk, vanilla, maple syrup, cinnamon together.  Dip the bread into the egg mixture and let it soak for a while - about 2 mins or until the bread gets nice and soaked through.  Meanwhile, heat a griddle or sautee pan over medium heat and melt butter.  Fry up the french toast until it's brown and golden on each side.  Transfer to a plate and while it's still hot, brush some maple syrup on the top to caramelize it a bit.  Eat and enjoy.  It's legit yummy.