vegan applesauce muffins

with bella being off the eggs i need to get back into my vegan baking. i made these applesauce muffins today. moist, perfectly sweet and easy to make. simply delicious!

2 cups flour (i used spelt, but feel free to use gluten free. next time i am going to try replace some flour with protein powder and see how those turn out. keep you posted.)
1/2 tsp salt (i used himalayan pink salt)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup milk (i used unsweetened almond milk)
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp oil (i only had olive oil but usually use grapeseed)
1/3 cup maple syrup (i love the grade C maple syrup and pick it up in bulk from noah's. it's the best ever.)
1 cup applesauce
chocolate chips, of course.

preheat oven to 375F
sift flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon
mix milk, apple cider vinegar, oil, maple syrup and applesauce
mix wet into dry and add chocolate chips.
voila. bake for 15 min.
done.

New Kicks

I first started playing tennis when I went to sleepover camp in Maine. I was almost 12. I had lessons there for 4 summers. I continued dabbling in the game in my 20's and then life got busy with kids and starting my career that I just simply did not have the time or the inclination to play.

But this summer I started playing again and fell in love. It's been a great way for me to be active, meet new people and develop a skill. I see alot of busy moms in my practice and I know how hard it is to find time to be active but I also know how important not only for our physical well being but emotional as well. Tennis makes me happy.

All that being said, I can't believe I actually wore out my cross trainers this summer!

They look horrible!

 These are my new tennis shoes. 

My intention was classic white but after viewing a large selection, alas these were the only ones in my size.

Oh well, hot pink it is!

a food sensitivity test.

since august bella has been getting these wicked stomach aches about once a week. then she poops and all is better. i really don't think it is from constipation. she goes daily. it's quick and easy. i have been thinking there is something more. i decided to do an IgG food sensitivity test to see if there is anything she could be reacting too. this is not an anaphylactic allergy test (that is an IgE test), this, rather shows a delayed reaction to a specific food 24-48 hours after it is consumed. it can result in numerous symptoms such as; digestive complaints, headaches, congestion, and joint pain.

so here are a few pages from her test. 

 dairy panel- no issues. see how all the bars are in the 0 range. can't get much better than that!

 ouch. eggs. anything in the IV or higher category you want to avoid completely.

bye bye scrambled eggs, french toast and the most beloved of breads, challah.

 grain/gluten products and nuts; safe

I have taken her off most gluten and dairy over the last few weeks and she has not had a stomach ache but that being said she also has not had any eggs. i'm going to put the dairy and wheat back in and keep her off the eggs for awhile and see how it goes.

wart be gone...

bella had a plantar wart on her 2nd toe. (i wish i took a before picture). we only noticed it a few weeks ago, so not sure how long it had been there. it looked like a classic plantar wart; raised and calloused with dark specks throughout. it did not bother her. we got it assessed and were told to leave it and it would take months for it to go away.

i have a bottle of colloidal silver from this woman that has a machine and makes it. i started soaking her toe in a tiny cup filled with the colloidal silver last week. we did this for 4 days. the other day i came home from work and greeted with excitement were both A and B, saying the wart fell off! yeah for colloidal silver......

and then he was 8.....

this is the morning of november 13th, opening a few presents. bella got him a pokeman box he really wanted and i love the joy you see in his expression as he opens it and the happiness in his sister's face when he thanks her. each year he gains confidence as he grows and continues to be his funny, smart, kind, thoughtful and sensitive self (mixed with the right amount of trouble). we are lucky he chose us to be his family. xo

45/52

a week with Che and Fidel

Aidan: happiness is opening presents on your 8th bday
Bella: the ballerina
Kai: oh, to be the little one. so sweet

quinoa salad made easy.

Quinoa is not actually a grain - it's a seed, which means it's high in protein and fiber, provides balanced energy and fills you up. One cup of quinoa has about 8 grams of protein.
Quinoa contains all nine essential amino acids used by the body as building blocks for the development of muscle tissue and necessary metabolic enzymes. Protein is also necessary for the absorption of calcium into the bones and the development of collagen.
One cup of cooked quinoa provides 15% of the recommended daily intake of iron, 5 grams of fiber and is also an excellent source of magnesium.

All I did for the above salad is cook quinoa, add whatever finely chopped vegetables I had, and topped with steamed broccoli and pomegranate seeds. I then topped with a tahini/cilantro dressing I made (quickly hand blended tahini, fresh lemon, garlic, some water to thin it out and a good handful of fresh cilantro). 
yum yum. enjoy!

44/52

A: the last few days of 7. making his bday lists (and never impressed)
B: hanging with her "girls"
K: notice his little haircut? a quick cut in the front (and a party in the back....oh my)

43/52

Harry Potter
a Princess
and an excited Kai, refusing to wear a costume and screeching for treats.

42/52

somehow i missed A this week.

this was B and K practicing for halloween 

he does love his dog....

41/52

I'm a little behind in my weekly postings. my card reader broke and i finally got a new one. 

here are the 3 rugrats at fiesta farms. they have each loved that digger since they were wee. 

aidan has the 'attitude' look, down.