Gluten Free Mini Apple Crisps with Hemp Hearts

Mini Apple Crisps with Hemp Hearts

We're trying to eat less gluten.  There are several studies done regarding auto-immune disorders and the benefits of eliminating gluten.  However, I love fruit crisps and most include flour.  Since fall is approaching, baking season has started.  I made these in individual ramekins.  See guideline below for serving sizes.  Here is my flour-free Mini Apple Crisps.  They are reasonably healthy thanks to the oats, hemp hearts, and apples.  My 3-year old loved it!

Gluten Free Mini Apple Crisps

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Servings	1	2	4
Apples, peeled	½ apple	1 apple	2 apples
Splenda or sugar (I used Splenda)	¼ tsp sweetener	½ tsp sweetener	1 tsp sweetener
Melted Butter	1 Tbs	2 Tbs	4 Tbs
Raw Hemp Hearts (or you can used chopped Walnuts)	1 Tbs	2 Tbs	4 Tbs
Brown Sugar	½ Tbs	1 Tbs	2 Tbs
Rolled Oats (gluten free if you’re avoiding gluten)	1 Tbs	2 Tbs	4 Tbs

In a small bowl, mix the apples and Splenda (or sugar).  Scoop apples in individual 6oz. ramekins.  In the same bowl you had the apples in, mix together the oats, melted butter, brown sugar, and hemp hearts.  Spread evenly over the apples in the ramekins.  Place ramekins on cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes.  Serve with ice cream. 

Mini Apple Pie Bites

Mini Apple Pies

What American does not love Apple Pie?  Okay, in all honesty, I did not like it as a child but as an adult I love it!  A friend gave me the idea for these.  I took her recipe and used what I had and they turned out delicious.

Mini Apple Pie Bites Recipe

2 large apples
1 roll of crescent rolls
2 tsp Splenda or sugar
1-2 tsp melted butter (or use spray butter)

Peel and cut the apples into bite size pieces.  Roll out the crescent roll dough.  Sprinkle with butter and Splenda.  Wrap each apple bite around the crescent roll.  Tear it apart and make 3-4 apple bites per crescent roll.  Top apple bites with butter and Splenda.  Bake at 375 degrees for 11 minutes.  Serve warm à la mode!

How to make Walnut Milk

Walnut Milk

Walnuts are one of the 5 healthiest nuts you can eat according to Shape Magazine.  Studies show that people who consume walnuts have better cognitive function and healthier hearts.  Walnuts have the highest amount of omega-3 fatty acids, contain the antioxidant ellagic acid (which supports the immune system), and contain 16 disease-fighting polyphenols.

Given the nutritional benefits of walnuts, I decided to try and make Walnut Milk.  My family stopped drinking cow's milk about a year ago when Blue Rock struggled with anemia and his doctor said cow's milk can contribute to anemia in some people.  My husband is lactose intolerant so he never drank cow's milk and I figured I would try and give up my love of cow's milk too.  This was rather difficult but I can proudly say I've done it.  Typically we buy Almond Milk and I plan on making my own Almond Milk, eventually, but first I wanted to give Walnut Milk a try because walnuts are so healthy!

Easy Walnut Milk Recipe

4 cups of water (5 if you want it thinner)
1 cup of walnuts
4-6 dates (more or less depending on desired sweetness, or you can use an alternative sweeter)
1 tsp vanilla (optional)

Put everything in a blender and blend away! I have a Vitamix and it blended everything nicely. If your blender doesn't blend it as fine, put it through a strainer or milk bag. I put my first batch through a strainer since I had never made nut milk and everything went through. You can also add vanilla for taste. Pour into a glass container and store in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.  It was delicious and goes great on cereal! :)

Indian Garlic Chicken Legs

Indian Garlic Chicken Legs

Do you like garlic?  I sure do!  I'm always thinking of new recipes and this one turned out great!  Lots of garlic and turmeric make a delicious Indian dish in this easy, slow cooker recipe. 

Indian Garlic Chicken Legs

2.5-3 lbs of chicken legs
20 to 25 peeled cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 medium onion, sliced
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 teaspoons salt
1 tsp pepper

Put sliced onion in the bottom of a slow cooker.  Combine chicken, garlic, turmeric, oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl, mix well. 

Pour chicken mixture over the sliced onions in the slow cooker.  

Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours. 

Serve with roasted vegetables, greens, and a side of rice.

We have a Preschooler in the House!

Today was Blue Rock's first day of preschool. These past three years have really gone by. I am pleased to say that his first day went great! Blue Rock had a lot of fun and I think he is really going to enjoy his time at school. He didn't cry or come after me, he went straight to the table with where the other guys were and started making magnetic crafts. He has come a LONG way! This is the child who cried and cried and cried when I used to leave him in the childcare in MOPS and PWOC in Germany. He would cling to my leg and chase after me. I never "snuck" out because I wanted him to always know I would be back for him. I think part of that had to do with the childcare workers. Also more times than not, I would just keep him with me. I could not bear hearing my baby cry out. It was if he was crying for help. So this is really new to us. Since we've moved back to the U.S. he has really loved his Sunday school teachers and now his preschool teachers. Some of the childcare workers in Germany were really good and some were not. They were all paid for by the military chapel and it depended on who was working that day.

Walking upstairs to preschool with my cute backpack

His teacher said he did really good today. The only problem he had was keeping his shoes on. Welcome to my world. He takes his shoes off everywhere we go. We don't wear shoes in our house, we carried that tradition from Germany and I think it really keeps away germs. But we would like him to wear shoes out in public. If he's up walking and playing around he keeps them on but once he sits down at a restaurant or at church, for example, off they go. Hopefully his preschool teacher will be successful. She said she told him he couldn't play if he wasn't wearing his shoes and she said he was pretty good about putting them back on. Sometimes a little positive peer pressure helps.

Blue Rock said he had a lot of fun. The kids played outside, read stories, played with play-doh and did some crafts, and he said his teacher made him a boat. I asked if the boat was on water and he said no. Maybe it was a paper boat or something, I'm not sure. Meanwhile, I went to a doctor's appointment, had a date lunch with my hot husband, returned a faulty item to the grocery store, went by Lifeway, and enjoyed 45 minutes at home to get some work done before picking Blue Rock up. It's amazing how fast I can shop and return items when I am alone. I love having Blue Rock with me but I think he had more fun at school. I'm hoping this will help my stress level. Spending nearly every minute of over three years with your child is a lot of parent/child time. I have loved it but am a little run down and am looking forward to hearing stories from Blue Rock about his time in preschool.

Blue Rock and his teacher

Blue Rock with his art and music teacher

Meet the Teacher!

He wasn't interested in having his picture taken

We decided to send Blue Rock to preschool.  It was a tough decision but I think it will be a nice break for both of us.  I've been homeschooling him since he was born and will probably continue in elementary school.  However, since returning back to the States and because we do not have anymore children at the moment, I feel like he'll enjoy the social aspects of preschool.  He'll get to play with kids and I'll be able to get a few things done at our new house that I have not been able to do having a 2 now 3 year old around.  It can be tough having an only child, there are many days I wish I had more than one so someone could tattle on the other rather than me discovering the messes made, and have someone besides me to play with.  But it's all in God's timing.

On our picnic at the park

Today was Meet the Teacher at his school.  Ms. Susan is his teacher and was really nice.  She has a Bachelor's degree in teaching and a Master's degree in early childhood.  She has four grown children, a single and set of triplets!  Is she prepared or what?!  

We decided to send him to the accredited Christian preschool at our church.  It's less than 10 minutes from our house and he is familiar with the building, classrooms, and some of the kids.  There are only eight kids in his class and I love everything that they'll be learning.  Blue Rock loved exploring his new classroom today and meeting his teacher and some of the other kids.  Afterwards we went on a picnic before shopping for a lunch box, sneakers, and a few new clothes.  Here's hoping his first day goes really well. 

Vitamix Review

I recently bought a Vitamix.  I have been wanting one for quite sometime.  I first really heard about these magic machines while living in Germany.  One of our friends even spent the 800 Euros or so to get a 220v Vitamix.  He's an older, retired teacher who moves around quite a bit but really enjoys life in Europe.  He is in really good health and I think a lot of it has to do with all the raw fruits and vegetables he consumes.  

A Vitamix is a professional blender.  I was hoping to get a Vitamix for Christmas.  However, life changed when I went with my dad to Costco one afternoon and they had a Vitamix demonstration.  We tried about four different things.  I called my husband and he said to go ahead and buy one.  Thank you Husband!!  To my surprise my dad also bought one!  My parents have enjoyed theirs as much as we have ours.  Blue Rock is also enjoying morning and evening smoothies as well as homemade ice cream.

I will say that my first Vitamix broke within 5 days.  The start button stopped working.  Rather than sending it in to replace we returned it to Costco.  My new one has worked perfectly and hopefully it will continue to work great.  Thankfully they have a 7-year warranty.

Vitamix's are expensive.  We paid $499.99, for the Vitamix 6300, which is basically the Vitamix 500.  

My review of the Vitamix 6300:
- Easy to use
- Has three pre-programmed settings to make it easy to "walk away" when blending
- Blends everything perfectly
- Chops and dices
- Makes ice cream and soups quick and easily
- Makes perfect smoothies
- Easy to clean

One of the main reasons I have wanted a professional grade blender is because of the health benefits.  My family has been trying to avoid processed foods as much as possible.  However, getting enough fruits and vegetables everyday is challenging.  In Germany I had a blender and a juicer.  When you juice, you lose a lot of vitamins and minerals.  With the Vitamix I can blend many foods whole.  I have started a new blog where I'm posting all my blender recipes.  Join me as I blog about my blender adventures!  Please join me at: http://everydayblender.blogspot.com/.  Happy blending!