Roasted Red Pepper Dip

1 clove garlic
1 strip of lemon zest (1 x 1/2 inches)
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp herbs de Provence
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 jar (12 oz) roasted red pepper, drained but not rinsed
2 oz lowfat cream cheese
1/4 cup plain yogurt (I used nonfat greek yogurt)

Add garlic, lemon zest, salt and herbs to a food processor and chop until mixed. Add rest of the ingredients and chop until smooth.

This is good with tortilla chips, pita bread, as a spread in sandwiches and today I tried it in with a grilled cheese, all super yummy!!

Yummy Gluten Free Cookies

The kids and I are going to a playdate tomorrow with their friends Jack (1 year) and their friend Max (8 months, not Taneka and Josh's Max).  I am having a playdate with their moms, Megan and Traci.  Megan can't have dairy, gluten, or cinnamon, so I adapted a recipe I found to make some yummy treats I can share with everyone.  Thank you King Arthur Flour for the inspiration!


Yummy Gluten Free Cookies

1 stick (8 T.) softened margarine, earth balance preferred
1/3 cup brown sugar, unpacked
1 tsp vanilla extract (gluten free!)
1 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 T. water

Beat these together in a mixing bowl till fluffy and well mixed.

1 cup King Arthur Flour Gluten Free Multi Purpose Flour
3/4 cup oats (check to see if gluten free!)
1/4 cup ground flax
1/4 cup golden flax seeds
1 cup dried blueberries

Mix into first mixture till it makes a cohesive dough.  Chill for 1 hour at least, can chill overnight.  Preheat oven to 350.  Scoop the dough into small balls and flatten slightly.  They can be pretty close together on the cookie sheet, as they don't spread or rise much at all.  Bake 12 minutes till lightly golden.  Cool a few minutes on the baking sheet then cool on a wire rack.

Summer Lemonade Craving

Okay I am terrible in the summer, I LOVE my countrytime lemonade mix... BUUUUT, in an effort to avoid food colorings and such I am trying to figure out how to replicate the taste and convenience of the mix with something a bit healthier...

Any suggestions??

Discussion Starter

I just would like some advice.  I want to know how you deal with other adults who disagree with your life choices, and how you are raising your kids.  I have some wonderful family, but they constantly destroy so many of the good things I am building with the kids.  An example:  My mom will NOT turn the tv off, and she won't even keep good things on the tv when the kids are there.  We try not to watch a lot of television for obvious reasons.  What tv we do watch I try to make educational in some way.  Another example:  Trying to instill good eating habits we often shop at farmers markets, and the kids picked out snow pea sprouts.  I put them in a salad when my parents came over for dinner and they asked why we were eating grass and told me it was disgusting.  They don't have to choose to eat or like what we do, but shouldn't they be a little less obnoxious about it?  CJ didn't want to eat them after his Meme and Pepe said they were yucky.  What do you all do when someone is sabotaging your efforts at responsible parenting?

Oven Free Banana Bread - Make Pancakes!

I had some perfect for bread bananas, but it is 90 degrees in my kitchen.  I wanted banana bread but the idea of turning on the oven makes me swoon, and not in a good way!  So what was my easy solution you ask?  Why make pancakes of course!  They were delicious bites of banana bread goodness on a plate with maple butter! (From the farmer's market, so yum!)  Here is the recipe:

2 very ripe bananas
2 eggs
3/4 to 1 cup milk, depending on if you like thick or thin pancakes
                          and whether you use white or wheat flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 T brown sugar, maple syrup or honey, optional but yummy
1 tsp cinnamon or Penzey's baking spice (my favorite)
2 cups flour (any combo of all purpose and white whole wheat)
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup quick oats
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Mash and mix the bananas, eggs, milk, vanilla, sugar and spice.  Mix well.  Stir in remaining ingredients gently.  Let sit while you heat up the pan.  If you are making anything else with breakfast let the batter rest while you do it.  This lets the liquid soak into the grains.  If you can't wait just know they might be a little denser but still delicious.  Heat a griddle over medium heat and grease lightly if pan is not nonstick.  Cook until bubbles appear and first side is brown, flip and repeat.  Don't flip more than once as this can make the pancake tough.  Serve with fresh fruit and maple butter or syrup.

These really taste like banana bread and the batch makes lots of little pancakes!  This is what was left after the kids and I each ate 3.  Did I mention they are really filling?