Hello, Boredom. I Haven't Missed You.

Boredom and I hardly ever make acquaintances, but today, I had the pleasure of greeting my long-lost, unwelcome friend. The fact that I am writing this post mid-day should signify something. This morning, I was awakened at 5 AM by the pitter-patter of little paws on my floor. I managed to go back to sleep until 7, when claws tapping around outside my door could no longer be tolerated. I opened it to find 6 dogs, waiting rather impatiently for me to start my day. Reluctantly, I crawled out of bed, got my coffee, and chatter with my madre before she left for work.

Then I noshed on some breakfast, my favorite meal of the day.

Almond craisin tea cookies, egg puff with hot sauce, and a cuppa de strawbeezies.

 The tea cookies, or whatever you want to call them, were amazing. Just as Mama said.

Almond Craisin Tea Cookies

•  2 cups GF Bisquick
• 5 1/3 tbsp butter
• 2/3 cup milk of choice
• ½ cup almonds, chopped
• ½ cup dried cranberries
• 4 tbsp brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the butter into the Bisquick until you have pea-sized bits of floury butter. Then mix in the almonds, craisins, and brown sugar. Pour in the milk and mix well.  Pour into heading tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheet and flatten just a little (so you don’t have dough balls rolling around on your sheet). Cook for 13 minutes or until golden brown on top. Makes 20 tea cookies. Enjoy!! For making larger ones, use the same recipe, but cook for 16 minutes.

After breakfast, I got straight to work on a term paper for one of my classes. And I finished it. Ka-Bam! By 10:30, I was done-zo.

What to do, what to do? I cleaned out all of the clothes in my closet that I no longer wear in an attempt to make my upcoming packing a little easier.

Afterward, I made lunch and sat outside in the lovely Florida sun.

Tuna salad in lettuce boats with a crap load of carrots and a pickle.

 After that, boredom started to creep over me. I napped to cure it. When I woke up, the realization that I had the same lack of things to do as I did when I went to sleep made me feel a little restless. So, I had third meal:

Yes, that is a 20 oz. vanilla, banana, peanut butter, cinnamon shake. Complete with green nutrients.

 Confession time: I eat regular, hydrogenated oil-filled peanut butter. This is one of the few unnatural, (somewhat) unhealthy thing I eat, so I am totally ok with it. The fact is, I like it, and I don’t care to change it. And, it makes for one mean protein shake. As does this protein powder.

Take a look at those stats! Perfection! That would be my unnatural peanut butter covering the word "organic." Oh, the irony.

I just made my mother’s bed so that I don’t feel like a complete waste of space. The plan for the rest of the day is: doing Women’s Health workout, walking it out like a stunna with Mama, and finding something to do.

The possibilities are, well, limited. I have a feeling Netflix and I are going to be seeing each other again tonight.

Oatmeal Hotcakes

Hi guys! I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend! I usually don't post on the weekends, but I was so excited about this new recipe, I wanted to share it with you. We are currently having a freak cold snap, so I woke up craving something warm. My creative juices got to flowing and here's what I came up with:

Oatmeal Hotcakes

Although this makes one giant hotcake, you could also make several small ones. It's kind of like a pancake, but much thicker and heartier.

• 3 tbsp cottage cheese- If you aren't a fan, don't worry! The curds melt and it ends up being like ricotta cheese! Ooo light bulb! You could substitute the cottage cheese for ricotta to mix it up!
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp maple sizzurp (syrup)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup rolled oats (GF for my Celiac peeps!)
• 1 tbsp all-purpose GF flour
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• cinnamon
• nutmeg
• coconut oil

Whisk together all of the wet ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Combine dry ingredients with the wet ingredients. At this point you could add fruit into the mixture, like blueberries or banana slices, if you like.  Add about a tbsp of coconut oil into an omelet pan and heat on medium/low (4 or 5). Once the oil is hot, pour the entire mixture into the omelet pan.

Cook for about 4 to 5 minutes or until the underside is a dark golden brown. Then flip it like an omelet! Cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Top with jam, butter, more sizzurp, or whatever you like!

Devour. Enjoy!

Yummy Weekend Recipes

Ready for some good eats? Here are two brilliant foods that I ate over the weekend. One is a quick and easy snack, the other a breakfast/lunch/dinner/dessert. Make ‘em. Eat ‘em. Love ‘em.

Pumpkin Yogurt

• ½ cup plain yogurt
• 1 tbsp canned pumpkin
• Dash of cinnamon
• Stevia or other sweetener to taste
• ¼ cup dried fruit, nuts, or cereal (or all of the above)

Mix it up and enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Almond Scones

I used the same recipe I used for the Almond Raisin Scones with a few little tweaks.

• 1 ¾ cup GF dough mix (must have XANTHAN GUM) 
• 1 ½ tsp cream of tartar 
• ½ tsp baking powder 
• ¼ tsp salt 
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder 
• 3 tbsp sugar/Xylitol 
• 4 tbsp butter cold 
• 2/3 cup vanilla yogurt 
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten 
• 1 cup almonds, chopped 
• ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 
• \Rice flour (for dusting) 
• 2 tbsp milk (brushing on top) 
• Powdered sugar (optional) 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine flour, cream of tartar, baking powder, salt,  cocoa, and sugar. Pulse a few times in food processor. Add butter and pulse 15-20 times until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add egg and yogurt and run food processor for about 10 seconds or until it makes a large lump of dough. Transfer dough into bowl and fold in chocolate chips and almonds. Dump dough onto lightly floured surface (rice flour) divide into 8 to 10 equal parts. Make the dough into whatever shape you like (I chose triangles), about ¾ inches thick. Place on greased cookie sheet or one lined with parchment paper. Cook 25-30 min. Dust with powdered sugar.

Eat them alone...

...for breakfast...

...or as dinner.

Enjoy the deliciousness.

Bringing Back Memories

Wednesday was just another day of Christmas break “relaxation”, A.K.A. Boresville. I don’t do well with this thing they like to call “relaxation” over extended periods of time. Cabin fever sets in pretty quickly with me. I woke up early for whatever stupid reason (I can’t manage to sleep in because I haven’t done enough activity during the day to warrant tiredness), and as per usual, one of the first things that came to mind was breakfast...

Tuesday night, we sat around the table talking about things I miss that aren’t gluten-free. One of them was English muffins. My step dad and I were gushing over Thomas’ “Nooks and Crannies” and how the topping of your choice wiggles its way into the little holes creating pockets of flavor explosion. Meanwhile, my mom was looking at us like we were nuts. We didn’t care.

I must’ve gone to bed thinking about these delectable goodies, because Wednesday morning, the Ener-G English muffins came to mind. So, I excitedly ran to the kitchen to grab the package.

I pulled them out, and being the weird food lover that I am, I smelled them. It was like a cross between sourdough and Hawaiian sweet rolls (another thing I miss). Guess what else was in this muffin- nooks and crannies. YEYAH!

Check it.

I was so excited about it I made a mad dash for the peanut butter. I toasted the muffin for the usual length of time. When I pulled them out, something interesting occurred to me. The muffins got softer in the toaster. Huh? I am not quite sure, but I think they make it a little doughy so that when you toast it, it seems fresh baked. It was strange, but I wasn’t going to question it. To my further delight, when I bit into it, it was flakey and almost biscuit-like. It was super fluffy and moist. The taste was like a very mild sourdough bread.

Muff with peanut butter and an orange.

I don’t know how they manage to keep their products so moist and also give them a long shelf-life. It’s amazing. Needless to say, I enjoyed these English muffins. With companies like Ener-G around, there is no need to go without your favorite breads and other usually gluten-filled goodies. Thomas’ still have a special place in my heart, but I think I might be able learn to love again.

After breakfast, I did the usual sprucing up of the self. It was rest day on Wednesday, so I went for a leisurely stroll with the poopers. After that I had lunch, wasted time, recorded, wasted more time, cleaned the kitchen, AND wasted more time.

Lunchtime eats: sweet potato and curry rice.

I would go out and do something, but where I live, there is nothing to do but shop, and I am on a no-money-spending kick so it’s a no-go. I guess all the time wasting made me tired, so I took a little nap.

The afternoon wasted away and the evening crept up in me. To my surprise, I received a package in the mail (I am popular these days). My fiancé and I decided that we were not getting Christmas gifts this year, so I wasn’t expecting anything. But I opened the package and got this:

Estee Lauder Sensuous. Luurve it.

Within a few minutes I found myself twirling in my room like a 5 year old in a ballerina costume smelling my new perfume. I am so lucky (and spoiled). It made my night. The night was made complete with this classic soup and sandwich combo.

Tomato soup with grilled cheese sandwich.

Tomorrow I am going to find something fun to do. I don’t care what, but this staying home doing nothing thing is killing me. Stay tuned.

Pumpkin Pancakes

I am going to warn you. These are very dense. I could only eat one and a half and I was stuffed. They are super delicious and sans oil! 

• 1 ¾ cups Bob’s Red Mill Pancake Mix
• 3 tbsp canned pumpkin
• 4 tbsp xylitol or sugar
• ¾ cup almond milk- For thinner batter, use more almond milk or water.
  
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• Optional: Coconut oil

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix well. Heat large frying pan to med high heat. Add ½ inch worth of melted oil to the pan (if your pan is non-stick, this may not be necessary).

I made the rest of these without oil. No stick!

 Put 2-3 tbsp of batter into pan (about 4 inch pancakes). When the batter begins to bubble, flip and cook for about 2 more minutes or until golden brown. 

Sweet enough to eat by themselves! I dipped mine in almond milk!

  Makes about 8 pancakes. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

In keeping with the pumpkin trend of fall, I decided I wanted to have some pumpkin flavored breakfast. This is awesome.

• 1/2 cup oat meal
• 3/4 cup water (you can do half water/half almond milk for a creamier taste)
• 2 tbs. canned pumpkin
• cinnamon
• nutmeg
• agave

Bring liquid to a boil and add the oatmeal and pumpkin. Turn to med/low temp and let it simmer until it absorbs the moisture.

Add cinnamon, nutmeg, and agave to taste.

Now, the oat meal is good like this. However, it was missing that little wow factor that I always strive for. As i searched through my fridge, it came to me.

 

BAM!

A splash of vanilla creamer completes the deliciousness. Enjoy.