The Orange-Apricot Scones?! A.maz.ing. So light; mild sweetness; especially good slightly warm and with a fork :) Hubby-approved!

Today, I dove deeper into Elana Amsterdam's lovely cookbook, "The Gluten-Free, Almond Flour Cookbook". I made her Chocolate Cake and the Shrimp Fritters. Pictures posted here :)



Chocolate Cake with Marshmallow Frosting: definitely need to use a larger cake pan (it spilled over a bit during baking) but has super-delicious, light texture & flavor. The Marshmallow Frosting was fun to try as well. I made it with honey and egg whites - yes, only 2 ingredients! - although I would like to try it next time as the original recipe indicates: agave and egg whites.

Shrimp Fritters: a lovely change in palette - light and super-tasty on a leaf of romaine! We tried it with salsa and soy sauce on the side; both good - sweet chili sauce would also be nice :)

For inspiration or a link to the cookbook itself: www.elanaspantry.com

Enjoy!!

The little things ...

My husband is the light of my life. He is so patient, with me and the world, and teaches me something every day.
He also likes to surprise me!

A few days ago he surprised me with a new cookbook - "The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook" by Elana Amsterdam. (If you haven't read her blog yet, definitely check it out: www.elanaspantry.com - by far, one of the best in gluten-free and Paleo out there!)

My first recipe will be made out of it today, in just a few minutes in fact: Orange-Apricot Scones.

Stay tuned for how much we love them ;) Yes, I'm an optimist.

Today was a snow day.
So is tomorrow :)
We're working our way towards a foot apparently ...

The good thing about these days is that I get down-time. Down-time for me includes spring-cleaning/rearranging our master bedroom - yes, I actually get enjoyment out of this. Down-time also included my husband today! He had a snow day from work too so he graciously helped with the deep-clean; then we got out the Jeep and played in the snowy streets! So much fun to drive around [easily] - see the world as it comes to a near halt. So peaceful. We were able to help some who were stuck on slick streets or in big drifts. The world is both great and humbling in these moments.

Of course, food is a fun part of these days. I decided we would try to make our own tortillas for Shrimp Quesadillas. I borrowed the recipe from the Pork Avocado Enchiladas from a week or so back and voila! - one of our favorite foods is back in the house :) Of course, it's not entirely Paleo (that darn yummy cheese) but I'm pretty sure it'll become a once-a-week-er recipe around here. Life on the 80/20 keeps us cheery, for sure!

Weekends ...

Kale Bacon Egg Pie.
Pork Avocado Enchiladas.
Stir-fried Shrimp in Olive Oil.
Paleo Pie Crust.

This is how I spend my weekends. You wanna come eat with us?!

So one of the tricks I've learned in making a family switch to Paleo-eating is planning/thinking/cooking/baking ahead. I like to spend my weekend days doing this; most of all, it helps keep my sanity throughout the week given a family that is ultra-busy with cheer, football, teaching Financial Peace University, leading community events with our church, and - oh yeah - Paul and I try to contribute to the GDP throughout :)

I wouldn't want it any other way tho; really. Life is a gift and we are making our way beautifully - mistakes and all.

Be encouraged this week, friends; one of my favorite encouragements is the Psalms/songs of the Bible. May you find it blesses you this week, too:

Psalm 4: 6b-7a
"Let your face smile on us, Lord. You have given me greater joy ..."

Animals and Plants

Know what has excited me most the past two weeks?! Making my own mayonnaise ... thank you Melissa Joulwan! Paleo Chicken Nuggets ... Finding a Paleo Ranch Dressing recipe ... Paleo Zucchini Bread ... Catching the theme?! :) I'm seriously enjoying this food journey. I must give a shout out to the amazing recipe books, "Eat Like a Dinosaur" and "Well Fed". I've focused myself on these two books, just so I don't get overwhelmed in choosing recipes for my family. But, I'm excited about getting into http://paleomg.com/ - I ran across an amazing recipe there a couple weeks ago, Avocado Chicken Enchiladas. Haven't tried it yet but stayed tuned ... For now, I thought I would share my Feb menus. I spend an hour+, each month choosing recipes ahead of time in hopes of one, saving money and my sanity, and two, helping my kids love Paleo cooking with me :) Enjoy!

Happy 2013! My motto this year is "Eat well. Run well. All is well." We are becoming a Paleo family and are functioning on the 80/20 concept currently; 80% Paleo, 20% other. I'm very proud of my husband and kids for jumping into this with me - I feel so strongly about our family's heath and wellness, and truly feel the Paleo lifestyle is one we all 'get' and agree we can live! If you're not too familiar with what it means to be a Paleo family, I would encourage you to start with www.paleoparents.com. This family is awesome but super low-key & practical as well :) My husband and I are in the beginning stages of getting our running legs back aka building the base in prep for an April 20th trail half-marathon. I'm excited, and have also realized how much ground I've lost since the marathon we ran in November 2010. But, I am determined. One of my spiritual encouragements comes from Hebrews 12:11. It says, "No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way." (NLT) It applies to every aspect of who I want to be as a person, friend, wife, and mother. I've come to accept that nothing I truly want of long-term value in life will happen without the encouragement of this verse. May you find spaces of peace in your life as well as you journey on your strongest life!

What an exciting last 6 months for the Sidwell home! We really have hit the ground running; on 04 December 2011, I was challenged by my Pastor - well, really by God through my Pastor! - to pray daily for two specific miracles, one being financial and one being family-oriented. What a journey it has been! God has lead my husband to a new full-time career in manufacturing for a local tech company while continuing his construction business on the side. We have paid off over $20,000 in debt in the last 6 months and are right on track for being debt-free in December of this year! I am a new aunt - my nephew, Ezekiel (Zeke) Dekker, was born on January 27, 2012 and he is truly amazing! Check out this 4-month pic! This summer will be a whirlwind; Brendan will be a 6th grader in the fall and is super-ready to be in middle school - it's going to be a great fit for him. Summer School and Agility Camp for fall Football season fills his days. Lauryl will be in 8th grade this coming year and has her first 'real' job this summer; she is working at Northridge Horse Farm in the stables with some really beautiful horses, and getting a taste of farm life! Aubry will be our lone ranger at Renner as a 4th grader in the Fall. She and I are cooking and baking up a storm this summer, and she has made several new neighborhood friends lately that are keeping her bunk bed full on sleepover nights :) We are a truly blessed family and are looking forward to continued miracles!