A Quarantine Haircut

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We have been thankful for SO many things during this time of Shelter in Place, which is still continuing here in Wisconsin until May 26th.

One of those things we are thankful for is that I have always cut the guys’s hair.

Blake tells me of all the guys at work who are shaggy and in desperate need of a haircut because the hair salons are not allowed to be open right now!

I usually do not cut girl’s hair, but I somehow, with Blake’s encouragement, talked myself into giving Eliza a haircut.

Her hair was so long, AND SO BEAUTIFUL!

Once the spring weather arrived and Eliza was outside more than inside, her hair became a constant battle and almost unmanageable.

After her bath one night when her hair was freshly washed and wet, I cut over five inches off of her silky long hair.

After I cut the length off going straight across, I blended the ends in hopes that it would lay nicely on her back.

We are SO glad I took this risk!

Eliza’s hair is very easy to handle now and we have not had any tears from her about taking care of her hair since that day!

Now if I could just figure out how to cut my own hair, ha, ha!

Quarantine life and its challenges, although the challenges are slight for us here at Twin Oaks, continue on!

I hope everyone is doing well – even if you need a haircut!

Praise the Lord for some warmer weather, sunshine, green grass and budding trees.

It’s easier to stay positive when you can spend hours outside in the sunshine!

Happy quarantine Monday, friends!

A Recipe//Grain-Free Ginger Snap Cookies

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This recipe is very special to me!

Not just because these cookies are delicious, but because the first time I had them our sweet Hannah had made them for me!

She was living with us at that time, and I love when things like a cookie remind me of a special person.

These cookies are a great snack because they are filling and have just a hint of sweetness to them.

We eat these cookies plain, we eat them with a dollop of coconut whipped cream on top, we use them as a crust for dairy-free cheesecake or ice cream cake, and we also break them into bites and put fresh strawberries and whipped cream on them for a delicious, simple dessert!

They are very versatile!

*I will add some other snack ideas to this post after the recipe.

Grain-Free Ginger Snap Cookies

2 cups of almond meal (also called almond flour)
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/3 cup honey
5 TBSP melted coconut oil
sea salt to sprinkle on top

Whisk the first six dry ingredients together in a bowl. Add the honey and the oil. Stir and press everything together with a large spatula or a wooden spoon. If the dough seems too sticky at this point, set the bowl in the fridge for about 10 minutes to make it easier to work with. I never have to do that step though. Using a small cookie scoop, scoop out cookies onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Press each cookie flat with the palm of your hand. Flatter cookies will be crispier, thicker cookies will be chewier. Sprinkle each cookie with a little sea salt.

Bake the cookies at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheets for a few minutes, and then on a cooling rack.

This recipe makes 22 cookies.

*doubling the ingredients in this recipe makes it difficult to stir and press the dough all together, so I would recommend just making the recipe twice instead.

OTHER SNACK IDEAS:

I think sometimes we over think snacks. I know I do! If you are trying to implement healthier choices into your diet, do not over think things!! Here are some simple options:

* a sliced apple with some nut butter for dipping
* bean chips or carrot sticks with hummus
* a diced apple sprinkled with natural peanut butter, raisins, granola, and shredded coconut
(we call this “apple nachos!”)
* organic corn chips or carrot sticks with guacamole
* organic corn chips with fresh, homemade salsa
* a smoothie (don’t forget to add a source of fat like an avocado or coconut oil)
* organic popcorn
* sliced oranges
* a plate full of fresh veggies with ranch dip

Hopefully this will spark some ideas of your own!

Enjoy those ginger snap cookies – they are a favorite of mine!

Happy snacking, friends!!

Spring Has Sprung!

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Some warmer weather has finally arrived here in south west Wisconsin!

We are SO thankful!

It helps with this whole being stuck at home thing tremendously!

The farmers are even in the fields!

IMG_20200421_120309The boys built a second garden bed for us.

I am so excited to plant them both – hopefully very soon if this weather holds!

IMG_20200421_115215IMG_20200421_155657We have been enjoying the sunny days to the fullest!

Long walks and bike rides on our road, meals on the deck, and just sitting outside to watch the kiddos play!

IMG_20200426_132031IMG_20200426_131850IMG_20200427_163211IMG_20200426_121825IMG_20200426_165616IMG_20200427_170054We started a new Sunday evening tradition three weeks ago, and hope to continue it through the whole summer.

We make homemade ice cream!

It is super fun to pick a new flavor each week, and it is delicious!

IMG_20200426_183118It seems we have a new resident of Twin Oaks now that spring is here.

The children named him Freckles!

I will admit, at first it was neat that he was hanging around our home.

NOT so much anymore, ha, ha!

He is LOUD.

At 5:00 a.m.

He likes to stand on top of our vehicles out front and cackle at us!

Or right under our master bedroom window.

Mostly he likes to peck at our sliding glass door and taunt our dogs!

Crazy bird.

IMG_20200427_064803IMG_20200423_125013So….if anyone would like to adopt a pet pheasant, please let us know!!

Sadie and Ruby (and someone who is typing this post!) will thank you!

I sure hope you are seeing glimpses of spring where you are too!

Just look at this sky!!

IMG_20200426_132103It has been a rainy and somewhat stormy day today, but the air smells so fresh and clean now!

Hopefully the rain is washing all the sand off the roads from this winter.

May is just around the corner, and we are looking forward to the season change VERY much.

Here’s to spring!!!

Hope you all are doing well and looking forward to May too!

Let’s Talk About Food

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Through Instagram and this little blog of mine, I am contacted most often with questions about food!

I do post a lot of photos of food on Instagram and on the blog because it is a big part of our lives here at Twin Oaks.

Not only do I love to cook, bake, and work in our kitchen – but there is a constant need for it because of Celiac disease, food allergies and just the number of mouths that need to be fed here everyday!

I will be posting more recipes here on the blog!

I also had some wonderful help and have that recipe page back at the top of the blog again!

You can find all the recipes I have ever posted by clicking on the word “recipes” at the top of the blog.

Today, let’s talk about some food related things – starting with lunch time!

Can I encourage you to think simply when it comes to lunch?

Snack plates are easy, nourishing, and filling!

Here I have some protein in the meat, some veggies, a fermented veggie, some fat in the avocado ( avocados are so good for you!), and some more fat, protein and a tiny bit of sweetness in those peanut butter coconut balls.

Win, win!

IMG_20200401_124215If you would like to eat healthier here are three things you can try to change:

  1. buy more whole foods – that are sold the way God intended them to be – do most of your shopping in the produce department
  2. cut out sugar and sweets
  3. drink water

Lunches that look like these are also very satisfying and nourishing.

You can put SO many different things on a salad!

IMG_20200405_122134IMG_20200413_123509IMG_20200415_180718Focus on those whole foods for dinner too!

I will be posting some of our favorite dinner recipes soon!

IMG_20200404_181718IMG_20200407_183754IMG_20200411_172151IMG_20200414_171615We roast so many things on a sheet pan!

It is an easy way to make a large quantity of vegetables quickly and deliciously.

IMG_20200416_170214IMG_20200411_095540IMG_20200407_172515As far as serving your kiddos snacks, don’t have things in your home you don’t want them to eat.

Set out the good stuff – especially those whole foods – and if they are hungry they will eat it!

IMG_20200416_171749IMG_20200417_095214Homemade popsicles are a fun snack idea.

Our popsicles are just a smoothie poured into a mold.

Easy, simple, and such a treat!

IMG_20200414_134715IMG_20200405_081616IMG_20200402_125641IMG_20200419_073845You can still bake and eat healthy.

It has been trial and error for us in this department over the years because of having to live gluten-free, dairy-free, and egg-free, but we have found what works and enjoy baking very much!

IMG_20200414_143255IMG_20200413_081829IMG_20200411_084438IMG_20200405_074356IMG_20200405_081142IMG_20200411_111457Doesn’t that bread in that last photo look amazing?

It is pretty, but it fell completely apart as soon as we sliced it.

We still have flops!

Don’t be discouraged if you do too.

We do have treats too – things that are an exception to our norm, but fun to make and have.

This Dalgona coffee treat was FANTASTIC – but it is full of sugar and not a norm for us!

Isn’t it pretty though?!

IMG_20200401_103839We have three refrigerators here at Twin Oaks.

The one in our kitchen holds our everyday things.

The one in the garage holds our nuts and flours which we buy in bulk, and our leftovers.

The one in the basement holds our dairy products, non-dairy products, and produce for the week.

Feeding a big family mostly whole foods does need some storage space!

The first shelf has bags and tubs of lettuce, and bags of asparagus, leeks, and zucchini.

The third shelf is full of apples and the fourth shelf has carrots and oranges.

The drawer at the bottom is filled with our salad fixings.

IMG_20200410_103744Hopefully this post will inspire you the way looking at photos of food inspires me!

I am so thankful for my love for cooking and baking – look how the Lord prepared me for what was to come when we were diagnosed with Celiac disease!

Our daughters love to cook and bake too.

Addie Mae started a food blog at the end of last year – something you should definitely check out!

You can find her here.

Stay tuned here on this blog for some recipes coming soon!

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