Almond Butter Dream Bars

Ok, I'm being a little eccentric with the title of these bars - but they are seriously SO DELICIOUS. They are candy bar delicious, my friends. I have tried to make homemade granola bars before and failed in flavor and in form. I wanted a granola bar or a cookie or SOMETHING earlier today, but I wasn't willing to let myself succumb to the kids' cookies or leftover Christmas candy.

So, we went for it. I had to make some more almond butter, but it was totally worth it. To date, these are the best homemade granola bars I've made and tried. As I posted on my Instagram and FB page, these are not 100% clean. If I would have had Enjoy Life vegan chocolate chips on-hand, I would have used those. Alas, I had Tollhouse milk chocolate chips leftover from holiday baking. I added less than 2TB in the whole recipe; so, really, it's a pretty minor offense. Do what you wish; I don't think a few Tollhouse chips vs. 100% dark chocolate - in this recipe - will make or break your day.

This recipe makes about eight or so bars. Double it up if you want more or make as is if you're skeptical.

Here's what you need: 

• 2 cups raw old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 TB unrefined coconut oil, melted
• 1 TB chia seeds
• 3/4 cup almond butter - I used my own recipe, but any natural nut butter is fine.
• 1 tsp pure vanilla or vanilla extract
• Sea salt, just a conservative dusting
• 2 TB of unsweetened shredded coconut
• About 1TB of chocolate chips.
• Enough honey to coat the mixture together as you combine - giving it some stickiness.

Here's what you do: (ready? this is so challenging...)

• In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients listed above.  
• Press into an 8x8 baking dish, lined with parchment.
• Move dish to the freezer until solid. 
• Remove when solid; cut into bars or bite size pieces (better for kids) and enjoy!
• You may want to return the bars to the fridge for storage as they do get a little melty at higher room temps. 

Tips: 

• WAIT until they really solidify to serve. If you try to eat these soon after you make them, you will need a spoon. Don't say I didn't warn you.
• Don't over-do it on the honey. You really just need it and the peanut butter to bind the rest of the ingredients together. 

That's it! SO easy, so delicious and more or less guilt-free! I will definitely be making these again. They are an awesome alternative to store-bought bars and take very little time or effort to put together. Hope you enjoy them!!!

Garlic Pasta & Shrimp (On the table in less than 20 minutes!)

I had big plans for today. We were going to get school finished up early and then I was going to
overhaul the pantry. We did get school finished, but after lunch I made a mistake. I sat down. You never sit down when there's a laundry list of crap to get done. It's like sitting down in the middle of a race. You just don't.

At any rate, by the time I hoisted myself back up off the couch and got the baby down for a nap, I was a little behind schedule on the pantry issue. Then I got halfway through and felt like taking a nap. Alas, no nap - ever. Because? Four kids. Do I need to explain that to you? I didn't think so. Your current mental image is surely sufficient. Anyway.

I recharged with some Halloween candy and other random (likely expired) junk I found shoved in the back of the pantry and, we pushed forward. I got the pantry put mostly back together with one or two shelves left to go through (another today...like next year) and it was like 4:40pm. Dinner is served about 5:30 here. But, I really needed to take a shower.

So, quickest shower ever and back to the kitchen to start tonight's kid-friendly supper - garlic pasta and shrimp. VERY easy! The shrimp takes 12-14 min in the oven; angel hair pasta takes water-boiling time plus like 5 minutes and then sautéing some mushrooms with butter takes about as long as the noodles. It all goes together great. Unless.

You forget about the shrimp.
And set off the smoke detector.
Then your kids shriek in terror.
And the baby chokes on an apple because of said commotion.
And your husband has to save the day with the heimlich.

Friends, that little episode of "Mommy Burnt Dinner Again" terrified me. Alas, a few minutes later we were all sitting around the table, totally composed and enjoying the garlic pasta and shrimp before heading out the door to the next thing.

Sometimes it just feels like "a day." And then, in the midst of all the burdens we're carrying, we take a look around and see all of our people; all of our blessings; all of the sovereignty; all of the abundance and we have nothing left to say except - God is good. All the time. Even when nothing goes as planned. Even when we are let down; even when we are in need of a never-happening nap; when people all around are falling apart; when we are anxious; or making dinner on the crispy side, again... God is good.

Hope you enjoy the pasta. It's pretty phenom.

Here's what you need: 
-1pk crispy butterfly shrimp (you know, the kind from the freezer section that's good, but not good for you).
-Angel hair pasta (however much serves your family)
-Shiitake mushrooms
-Half a stick of butter (or more, if you dare)
-A bunch of garlic
-Salt and pepper.

Here's what you do:
-Cook the shrimp according to package
-Boil the pasta
-Sautee the mushrooms in garlic, lots of butter, salt & pepper.

Got all that? Throw it in a giant serving bowl when you are done and tell the kids it's fancy food. Hope you love it!

Maple Sweet Potato Casserole

With a vegetarian/clean eating mom and four kids who like all different things, dinner can quickly turn in to a debacle. We are just thankful that dad comes from a family of eight kids and will eat whatever is on the plate before him. We're working on getting the kids there, but realistically it may not happen for a few years with the littlest of our littles. I'm trying to keep track of all the kid friendly meals I've been making lately, but I wanted to record this recipe before I forget what I did to create it. :) It will come in handy for Thanksgiving, too, if you need an extra dish to bring.

I love sweet potato casserole and I always feel like mine never comes out quite right. You know, a lot of times it comes out like this.

But this time...gracious. It was SO good. I think I've finally cracked the code on sweet potato casserole mastery. 

Here's what I did. 

First things first. It's not because I'm lazy, it's because I'm left-handed. I don't like peeling sweet potatoes. It's a huge pain and I usually end up slicing my hand in one way or another or dropping a potato down the garbage disposal. So, I didn't peel the potatoes. I baked (four of) them in the oven (pierced and wrapped in foil - 400 degrees for like an hour or hour and a half). 

Once the potatoes were nice and tender (and only slightly scalding hot), I sliced them in half and scooped the potato out into my baking dish. Instead of egg (remember my irrational salmonella fear?) I added half a cup of Greek Yogurt (I didn't really measure it, but I was aiming for half a cup). Then I seasoned the tar out of all of it with cinnamon. After I cinnamonized it, I came to the moment of truth. Do I lace this sucker with brown sugar or try a "clean" alternative. I just so happened to have pure, local, maple syrup. I would say I used 1/4-1/2 cup of maple syrup and stirred to combine. Omgosh. So good. I added about 1/2 tsp of sea salt as well. Next, I scooped in the rest of the butter in the butter dish (about 2T and then added 1T of coconut oil). Mmm..... I stirred all well to combine and baked at 325 for about 30min or so. Once my salmon patties were about done, I added some mini marshmallows and allowed those to burn and set off the smoke detector melt beautifully on top of the casserole. 

It was SO delicious. I have to think the maple syrup and coconut oil had something to do with it. I hope you'll try this recipe. It was seriously the best ever...after I removed the charred marshmallows and made a second attempt. 

Here's what you need: 

• 4 big sweet potatoes
• 1/4c pure maple syrup
• Cinnamon
• 1/2tsp tea salt
• 1/2c plain greek yogurt
• 2T butter
• 1T coconut oil
• Tons of mini marshmallows

Now, go make it and enjoy!!! :)