this week's menu // whole30 dinners

two trend trains i'll gladly jump on any day: menu planning and whole30. i'm kicking off 2018 on both! 

menu planning is a SANITY SAVER for me. when i don't meal plan, i end up at the grocery store several times a week for last minute dinner decisions or random things i need for a quick recipe, and we tend to dine out too often which leads to not so healthy eating choices :-/

whole30 is honestly my favorite and preferred way to eat. it emphasizes whole foods and eliminates sugar, alcohol, grains, legumes, soy, and dairy. (sounds harder than it actually is) all it takes is a few days of eating like this for me to feel healthy and clean, and realize how my body rejects and reacts negatively to those things i'm eliminating. it isn't a diet, and i don't feel restricted. instead, i feel like i'm treating my body really well with proper nutrition, and my body thanks me with good sleep, healthy and substantial energy, healthy skin, mental alertness, and physical wellness.

here are the #whole30 approved dinners i'll be making this week, linked to the recipes:

1. crockpot herbed chicken
2. sloppy joe bowls
3. taco bowls
4. breakfast hash
5. hearty vegetable soup
6. grilled chicken salad (no recipe, just simple)

here's to happy, healthy meal planning & eating! 

DINNER IS SERVED 🥕 // our go-to menu

what's for dinner? 

i love/hate that question. 

i love it when someone asks me what's for dinner and i have an answer! i feel so accomplished and prepared! even better when the food is prepped and i've remembered to thaw the meat or put it in the crockpot. 

but when i hear "what's for dinner?" and i don't have an answer? it's the worst! i feel like a total slacker and failure, and why are you always hungry?! ;) as it turns out, my people like to eat dinner every night.

i used to be so good at menu planning - and blogging about it! (and apparently i need to read and heed my own advice for sticking to meal planning!) i'm not as consistent at it as i used to be but i'm trying, because it really makes my life so much easier when i have a week of dinners planned in advance. 

something that has helped TREMENDOUSLY is our go-to weekly dinner menu: 

monday // crockpot

tuesday // tacos!

wednesday // Asian or Italian

thursday // family date night out

friday // leftovers or something easy

the recipes vary week to week, based on the "theme" of the night. the "themes" are pretty much a given, and make it super easy to put together a menu. all i have to do is find recipes to fit the theme of each night. it's a dinner meal planning hack! 

here is how i use the go-to menu to plan our dinners each week:

my crockpot is my bestest friend on monday nights. mondays are currently the nights when we get home from kids' extra activities well past our regular dinner time, so it's nice to have dinner ready and waiting. my favorite sources for crockpot recipes is Make it Fast, Cook it Slow by Stephanie O'Dea, and by searching #crockpot on Instagram. 

tuesdays are taco tuesdays, duh. but it's not always tacos. it's always some variation of easy Tex-Mex: taco salads, enchiladas, burritos, nachos. basically anything that goes good with chips and salsa because let's be honest that's the real star of the show. 

on wednesdays i alternate between Asian food and Italian food. my family's favorites are chicken and veggie stir-fry, orange chicken, and honey seared chicken, served with rice. or, if it's an Italian week wednesday, i'll make zoodles, veggie pasta, turkey meatballs, spaghetti squash, or homemade pizza.

thursdays are our family date nights and we go out to eat. this is something we started doing years ago, when our kids were very young, because we realized 2 things: by thursday i'm done cooking, and restaurants are considerably less crowded on thursdays than they are on fridays. we all look forward to thursday nights because it's good quality family face time. plus no cooking and no dishes to wash. 

because sometimes we have plans and sometimes we don't, i like to keep friday night dinners easy peasy. if we don't have plans and we are eating dinner at home, i'll make sandwiches or breakfast for dinner, nachos (if we didn't have them on tuesday), or something from the freezer like chicken pot pies. the key here is to always have miscellaneous ingredients on hand to throw something together quickly. otherwise, it's leftover buffet! or pantry challenge! 

having this go-to menu makes it easier (and more fun) to try new recipes, takes most of the guesswork out of figuring out what to make for dinner, and helps me be prepared for the dreaded WHAT'S FOR DINNER question. because let's face it: they're going to want dinner pretty much every night forever! i might as well be prepared :) my go-to menu has been very helpful for my weekly meal planning, my family is well-fed, and that makes me happy! 

do you have a go-to menu? what are your meal planning hacks?   

"commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established."

-proverbs 16:3

adorable stamped servingware from etsy: http://etsy.me/2yEpxZY

SUPER BREAKFAST // protein chia pudding recipe

pudding is not very photogenic, and i'm no food photographer, so you're going to just have to trust me on this one please. i believe that i have discovered one of my NEW FAVORITE SUPER BREAKFASTS! 

i had heard of chia pudding before but have dismissed it because i'm not a big fan of pudding. but i am a fan of stepping out of my comfort zone and trying new things, and since january is the season of all things new, i got brave and sought out a chia pudding recipe. i made it, i tried it, and yall, i LOVED it. 

here is what we know about chia: the tiny edible seeds are a legit superfood because of their incredible nutritional value. chia seeds are packed with vitamins and nutrients that promote healthy skin, reduce signs of aging, support the heart and digestive system, build stronger bones and muscles, and help heal diabetes. woah! they are so little bitty but they have a good amount of dietary fiber and healthy fats making them filling and substantial in the best of ways. a little goes a long way. google chia seeds for all the deets.

the basic chia pudding was so delicious but one day i opened my kitchen cabinet and was inspired to improve upon the original recipe. i amp'd up the protein content by adding two of my favorite protein sources and lo and behold, my SUPER BREAKFAST was created! 

// PROTEIN CHIA PUDDING RECIPE

ingredients for 1-2 servings:
- 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 1/4 cup chia seeds
- 1 heaping tablespoon almond butter
- 1 scoop of your favorite flavor Shakeology (mine is vegan chocolate)
- 1 scoop of collagen peptides (i use this brand)
- optional: toppings of choice

over medium heat whisk all ingredients in a sauce pan. continue stirring/whisking until the pudding starts to boil. remove from heat, pour into a bowl and serve. top with your favorite healthy toppings like sliced banana, slivered almonds, a dash of cinnamon, coconut shavings, apple slices, a swirl of almond or peanut butter, strawberries, blueberries...the sky's the limit. ENJOY!

// CLICK HERE TO PRINT THE RECIPE //

it is delicious and filling! and crazy healthy! chia pudding can be made the night before, refrigerated and reheated in the morning. i like mine warm but it's also good cold, like traditional pudding. store in mason jars and eat it on the go! by the way, i have been wanting a way to have my Shakeology warm during the colder months, and TA-DA! this is it!

tis the season for trying new (and healthy) things! give this protein chia pudding a try and let me know how you like it. xoxo

"God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. 

when you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you can endure." 

-1 Corinthians 10:13

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NEXT LEVEL COFFEE // super coffee recipe ☕

the recipe i am sharing today is going to take your morning (or afternoon, or evening, i won't judge) mug of coffee to the next level. i have been putting coconut oil in my coffee for a year or more now, but this? this is turning it up a notch. i call it my SUPER COFFEE because it transforms my average cup of joe into a mighty, energizing, fat-burning, kick-starting power juice. it's HEALTHY + TASTY. a liquid gold force to be reckoned with.

what makes this coffee so super? this coffee has antioxidants, anti-inflammatory ingredients, can lower bad cholesterol, promotes heart health, supports joint and bone health, aides in weight management, contributes to a strong immune system and healthy digestion, does good things for your metabolism, and so much more. hello, SUPER COFFEE. 

take a few minutes to Google "health benefits of coconut oil," "health benefits of raw turmeric," and "health benefits of collagen peptides." while you're at it, read up on the "healthiest way to drink coffee." all of that research and my findings is what led me to creating this recipe. if i'm going to be drinking coffee every morning (and believe me, i am) it might as well be doing something GOOD for my body. 

when you are ready to take your coffee to the NEXT LEVEL, try my SUPER COFFEE recipe: 

SUPER COFFEE INGREDIENTS**
// raw (green), organic, fair trade coffee beans, roasted and ground
// organic unrefined cold-pressed virgin coconut oil
// organic raw turmeric powder (not the spice)
// grass fed collagen peptide powder

// organic ground cinnamon (for flavor, optional)

brew a fresh pot of coffee, or a cup or two in a Chemex.
in your favorite coffee mug, pour 1/2 Tbsp coconut oil, 1/2 scoop of turmeric powder*, 1 full scoop of collagen peptide powder, and cinnamon* to taste. add hot coffee. blend well using a handheld immersion blender, or blend in a Magic Bullet. coffee will turn a pretty pumpkin color and have a little coconut oil froth on the top. *play with the amounts until you find the flavor you like best!

cheers and have a SUPER day!

"let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, 

for in you i trust, Lord. make me know the way i should go, 

for to you i lift up my soul." -psalm 143:8

**links go to Smile.Amazon.com and purchases support Mercy House Kenya

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wellness update + fennel slaw recipe

at the beginning of 2015, i set goals for my family to "prosper in health." we committed to making small but intentional changes toward being all-around healthier. i'm happy to report those changes became habits, and those habits became our lifestyle. 

in an effort to keep me and my family healthy, i committed to planning our meals every week, eat clean and feed my family healthy foods, and make exercise a priority every day. i invested in a Young Living Essential Oils starter kit and used them all year instead of medications for treating illnesses/symptoms, and instead of chemicals for household cleaning. we all took a daily dose of Elderberry Syrup and food based vitamin. i joined (and checked in daily with) an online fitness and nutrition accountability group. i invested in Beachbody membership, fitness programs, and nutrition coaching so that i could exercise every day and make super healthy meal plans. 

i realized there's a difference in living and living well. 

we made our health a priority in our pantry, our refrigerator, our calendar, our budget, and in our prayers. 

and you know what happened? we were well.

i just called my kids' pediatrician to ask for a record of our visits in 2015. no, not for insurance purposes. i'm just curious, i said, how many times they were sick? she pulled up our records on her computer and told me the only two times we were at the pediatrician last year were for the kids' annual well-check visits. neither of my kids were sick in 2015. 

that is major. i didn't ask (but should have) for our 2014 records for comparison, but i know for certain my son had at least one ear infection, and my daughter had the flu and strep throat that year. 

my kids are homeschooled, yes, but we get out enough for them to catch the random viruses and illnesses that go around. they are in the gym childcare every week, go to dance class, are in martial arts, and are around dozens of kids at co-op, not to mention our weekly grocery store trip, and we all know germs run a muck on the shopping buggy handles. 

there were days when my daughter said her throat was starting to feel scratchy, so i'd treat it with essential oils and hot tea. some nights i heard my son sniffling, so i put him in a steamy shower and diffuse oils in his bedroom. when my husband had a headache, he first reached for the peppermint oil and not the ibuprofen. i amp'd up the nutrients in our dinners and made smoothies with hidden antioxidants. and they would feel better. none of their symptoms ever escalated to the point where i thought they needed to see a doctor - and i'm not against going to see the doctor at all! i would have taken them if they ran a fever or didn't start feeling better after a day. thankfully, i didn't have to. our bodies responded well to natural treatment.    

we didn't deprive ourselves of burgers or fries, sweet treats, or even ibuprofen. but those things became the exception and not the norm. our bodies became more accustom to lean ground turkey and kale, frozen fruit for dessert, and oils on our pressure points.     

i'm not bragging, yall. and i'm not saying that we are perfect by any means. 

what i'm saying is this: we made a few small changes, made some well-thought-out investments, pushed our health up in priority, committed to living well, and it worked. we are well.

i am immensely thankful for our health and determined to stay well in 2016. jeremiah 29:11 says “for I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” i dare you to claim this in your life and to determine to prosper in 2016. 

and now for my current favorite recipe... i was a tad intimidated by the fennel but the flavor was so subtle and paired perfectly with the green apple! i was sad when our bowl was empty and i will definitely be making another batch soon! it's easy, clean, and delicious. #drool

Apple Fennel Mustard Slaw 

from DirtyGourmet.com 

ingredients:

• 1 head savoy cabbage, shredded
• 2 bulbs fennel, sliced thin
• 2 green apples, matchsticked
• 1/4 cup evoo
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• juice of one lemon, halved
• 2 Tbsp whole grain mustard
• salt & pepper

in a small bowl, mix the apple cider vinegar and half the lemon juice together. add mustard, and then whisk in the olive oil until well combined. set aside. mix the cabbage, apples, and fennel in a large bowl. rub with salt, and sprinkle with the other half of the lemon juice. dress the vegetables and mix well to coat. serve and enjoy! refrigerate and eat the leftovers all week like i did. ;) 

if you want to make changes for your or your family's health, but don't know where to start, i'd be happy to chat with you! feel free to reach out: eryn at mamahall.com 

here's to a well year, friends!

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this week's menu: healthy comfort food

it's getting colder here. the leaves are starting to change. i turned the heater on in the house, and i pulled my coat out from the back of the closet this weekend. we're all craving comfort food to warm us from the inside out. this week i'm putting my crockpot to work and making healthier versions of some new and favorite recipes.

here are our dinners this week with links to the recipes or ingredients:

chicken quinoa soup this is a new recipe i'm trying this week. it looks so warm and delicious, perfect for these chilly Fall days! i'll modify to make it 21DF by using natural seasonings instead of the dressing packet, and mixed veggies instead of corn because of allergies.

slow cooker pork BBQ pork goes hand in hand with Fall, like football games and pumpkin spice and boots and scarves. this recipe is new to me but when i saw it i thought it was ideal for this time of year. i'm making it healthy by subbing the soda for La Croix and a Tbsp of brown sugar, and using Annie's natural BBQ sauce. serving it without bread, with coleslaw.

chicken soft tacos i'll need to give a the crockpot a night off so we will have warm corn tortillas with grilled chicken and chopped peppers. corn tortilla chips and organic cantina salsa on the side. super simple but yummy. taco night is probably my favorite every week.

gluten-free lasagna we are having company over for dinner one night this week and lasagna is on the menu! i wanted a big, warm meal that everyone likes. i found gluten-free lasagna noodles! i'll make it with lean ground turkey, natural, no sugar added tomato sauce, and natural cheeses.

looking for more meal inspiration? i posted some of my all-time favorite Fall recipes HERE and all my menu planning monday posts are HERE.

happy cooking, kitchenistas!

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peanut butter chocolate protein cookies

 

when the roads are iced over and we're housebound for 2 going on 3 days, we bake.

 

 



 

today i tossed some ingredients in some bowls, stirred them all together, popped it in the oven and hoped for the best. how can you go wrong though with peanut butter, shakeology, and cacao chips?!

 

the kids volunteered to taste test and we all agree these cookies are good!

 

 

peanut butter chocolate protein cookies [printable recipe]

 

ingredients:

1 1/4 cup softened peanut butter

2 egg whites

1 tablespoon melted coconut oil

1 1/2 scoops chocolate shakeology *vanilla would be tasty, too!

1 cup old fashioned oats

1 cup maple syrup

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons cacao chips *optional

 

preheat the oven to 350. line a baking sheet with parchment paper. in a medium bowl, mix the peanut butter, egg whites, and coconut oil until smooth. in another bowl, mix together shakeology, oats, syrup, baking soda, and salt. stir until well mixed. pour the peanut butter mixture into the bowl with the shakeology mixture. mix well. stir in cacao chips. drop by the spoonful onto parchment paper lined baking sheet. bake at 350 for 10-14 minutes. enjoy! 

 

to order shakeology: http://www.shakeology.com/erynhall  

*shakeology is a delicious, nutrient-dense, superfood-packed protein powder made with 70 ingredients and 23 vitamins and minerals. i typically mix one scoop with 6-8 oz coconut milk for a yummy shake once a day. you can buy it in a bag with ~30 servings and it breaks down to about $4.25 per shake. pretty cheap for the healthiest meal of the day!

 

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gluten-free chocolate chewy granola bars

even though i am well aware it's the most important meal of the day, i am not a breakfast person. my kids, however, are definitely little breakfast people. they take it pretty easy on me though. Big Girl likes to have either cereal, a bagel, toast, yogurt, fruit, oatmeal, or even a protein shake. Bubba's breakfast of choice is even simpler: granola bar. he's developed quite the breakfast granola bar addiction, in fact. and because he eats gluten-free, all-natural, and organic, i was spending $5 or more each week to support his breakfast bar habit. and then one day, the brand of bars i always bought was discontinued. the spot on the shelf in the granola bar section where we found HIS BARS was empty. vacant. tragic.

i searched all the other stores. i used the brand website store locator. i asked the grocery stocking guy to check in the back. nothing. Bubba's favorite breakfast bars were gone forever. we tried other brands but it just wasn't the same. Bubba holds pretty high standards for his breakfast bar- it is the most important meal of the day, after all.

well, you know what they say, desperate times call for desperate measures. i decided it was up to me. i had to make my own gluten-free chewy granola bars. i found a really great recipe and modified it a little bit, and yall, these bars have completely replaced Bubba's beloved $5 breakfast bars. they are a HUGE hit! i make a batch every week now. the whole family loves them. and not only for breakfast either - they make a yummy snack any time! i have told enough people about these delicious gluten-free chocolate chewy granola bars to warrant a blog post, so here you have it.

<< click here to print the recipe >>

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups gluten-free quick-rolled oats
• 2 cups gluten-free Chex cereal (any flavor, crumbled)
• 1/4 cup chopped almonds
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons organic coconut oil
• 1/3 cup natural brown sugar
• 3 1/4 cups marshmallows (small size)

TO MAKE:

• line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper & set aside.
• clear space in your refrigerator for the cookie sheet. 
• in a large bowl, combine oats, cereal, almonds, chocolate chips, and salt. mix well.
• IMPORTANT: your kitchen is about to smell amazing. melting coconut oil and brown sugar is the scent of heaven, i'm sure of it. dear Yankee Candle: Melting Coconut Oil and Brown Sugar. you're welcome. 
• in a large saucepan, melt coconut oil over medium heat stirring constantly. add the brown sugar and keep stirring. 
• IMPORTANT: keep stirring and do not walk away from the stove because you do not want this to burn. trust me. 
• when the heavenly melting coconut oil and brown sugar reaches a thick paste-like consistency, add the marshmallows and reduce heat to low.
• continue stirring constantly and inhaling heaven's aroma. you want the marshmallows completely melted and well combined with the oil-sugar. it'll be thick and gloopy.
• turn off the heat and pour the marshmallow mixture into the oats mixture bowl. 
• stir stir stir until well mixed together.
• spread the sticky granola onto the parchment paper lined cookie sheet, patting it down with the back of your spoon or spatula to make it flat and even.
• refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• when you take them out of the refrigerator, slice into bars with a pizza cutter or sharp knife. if they crumble or fall apart, refrigerate for longer. 
• store cut bars in an air-tight container (separating layers with parchment paper so they don't stick together) in the fridge.

enjoy!

red, white & blue summer salad

this salad is super easy and very delicious. light and summery and might i add PERFECT for Fourth of July! take this to the BBQ Potluck and it'll be the star of the show. unless someone brings s'mores. s'mores are always the star of the show. 

  

Red, White, & Blue Salad
ingredients:

organic fresh spinach or greens of your choice

sliced organic strawberries

organic whole blueberries 

all natural crumbled feta 

to make: 

simply rinse produce, toss, top with feta & serve. yum

*for a dairy-free option, exchange the feta with jicama, white beans, or even sliced grilled chicken.

chase with a s'more. and have a happy 4th of July!

"if My people who are called by My name put away their pride and pray, and look for My face, and turn from their sinful ways, then I will hear from heaven. I will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14

farmer's market homemade strawberry cream cheese

my daughter loves bagels with cream cheese. she also loves strawberries. so you can imagine her sheer glee when she saw a strawberry-flavored creamy spread on bagel sample at the grocery store the other day. sheer glee, yall. she tried it and said it was "deeee-licious" and in her sweet little way, convinced me to buy her the strawberry-flavored creamy spread.

we made our way to the dairy aisle and found the product on the shelf. the first thing i had her do was read me the list of ingredients. (we do this a lot before we buy food. i highly recommend.) and basically it was this:

chemical, flavoring, unpronounceable, chemical, additive, preservative, unpronounceable, chemical, flavoring, high fructose corn syrup, Red 40.

uh, no thanks. her face fell. i shrugged. we know better than to put that junk in our bodies. so we put that stuff back on the shelf and moved on. and it made me mad and sad that my sweet girl couldn't have her strawberry cream cheese. and then i had a brilliant idea. because ideas that are born in love are usually brilliant, amiright?!

we can make our own strawberry cream cheese! #recipehack

i remembered we bought 2 pints of fresh strawberries from the farmer's market just the day before, and in the store, i found some plain organic cream cheese. that's it. mix the two together and YUMMY! 

// farmer's market homemade strawberry cream cheese //

ingredients
8 ounces plain organic cream cheese  
5-6 fresh strawberries

recipe
puree strawberries in food processor / blender. i pulsed in my Magic Bullet about 4 times.
empty the cream cheese from it's original container into a large bowl. (set aside the original container don't throw it away) pour the pureed strawberries into the bowl. mix the strawberries and cream cheese together. i used a potato masher, a fork, and a spatula to get it well combined. return the cream cheese to it's original container. seal and refrigerate. spread on toasty bagels and enjoy your chemical-free fresh farmer's market homemade strawberry cream cheese! 

gluten-free fresh mint chocolate chip cookies

the mint in our garden...it's really taken off. some might call it invasive, aggressive, or intrusive. but every week when we go to harvest our homegrown veggies, lettuces and herbs, and i see that mint growing like crazy, i call it abundant, plentiful, and healthy.

we bring home 8-10 bunches of mint each week so it doesn't block the other plants from getting sun. there's always a big pile of fresh mint on my kitchen counter and i'm always looking for new and creative ways to use it. we eat it plain- chew a few leaves for fresh minty breath! i put some in an ice cube tray with water to make mint ice cubes - so yummy in water or tea! and there are a lot of recipes on pinterest for mint salads, mint dressings and marinades, and minty desserts. 

this week? mint chocolate chip cookies! i found a couple different recipes that i liked and modified to come up with a gluten-free low-sugar version. these cookies turned out SO YUMMY! the mint flavor is subtle, and when you taste it, you know it's fresh mint and natural.   

 

Gluten-Free Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies with Fresh Mint

ingredients

1 stick (or 1/2 Cup) butter
1/2 Cup fresh mint leaves chopped
3/4 Cup brown sugar
1/2 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
3 Tbsp egg whites (or 1 large egg)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/4 Cup Namaste Foods Gluten-Free all-purpose flour
6 ounces (half a bag) mini semi-sweet chocolate chips 

this recipe makes about 2 dozen cookies

recipe

chop the butter into small slices. cook the butter and chopped mint in a saucepan over medium heat. stir continuously for about 10 minutes. set aside to cool (don't let it harden.)
using a mesh sieve or colander, pour the butter through into a bowl to remove the mint pieces. use a spatula to push on the mint and get all the juice and butter out. sniff it--it smells divine.
cream together the butter and brown sugar using a mixer with paddle attachment or by hand. add in the vanilla and egg. combine well.
in a separate large bowl, whisk together the salt, baking powder, baking soda, and flour. gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter-vanilla-egg mixture. fold in the chocolate chips. 

resist the urge to sample the cookie dough. instead, wrap the cookie dough in parchment paper and refrigerate about 30 minutes or longer.
preheat the oven to 375 and move a rack to the center.
scoop cookie dough by the tablespoonful onto a large parchment paper lined baking sheet.
bake at 375ºF for 12-14 minutes on the center rack.

let cool and serve. enjoy!

how to celebrate every day

what is your favorite holiday? i was thinking about that one morning on the drive to church, and i think i decided it's a tie between Easter and Christmas. there are holidays year-round that i love to celebrate and the traditions are already in place for us: birthdays, anniversaries, Thanksgiving, Valentine's Day, and the first and last days of school. but there are daily occasions and lesser-celebrated holidays that i want to celebrate, know more about, and create new traditions. like, did you know August 9 is Book Lover's Day? my daughter would be all over that! we should be celebrating!

  

i have this new fun book that helps make celebrating every season and all holidays extra fun. everyday confetti, by karen ehman and glynnis whitwer, is a year-round guide to celebrating holidays and special occasions. this beautiful book offers recipes, devotions, reasons for celebrating, ideas for new traditions, decorating tips, fun activities, and practical ways to make every day a special occasion. (i learned about Book Lover's Day from this book) the authors are both contributors of Proverbs 31 Ministries and put this book together to inspire families to celebrate everyday moments, to pause in the midst of a busy holiday and remember what's really important.

"Life is filled with moments to treasure and to celebrate. Together, let's sprinkle confetti on these treasured moments, making sure to leave a layer on those we celebrate with and for, and on those God calls us to love on in His name."

when i hear the word confetti, i think about my sister-in-love Roni. she has been part of our family for nearly 10 years now, and i love her like she's been with us forever. Roni is so good about sending cards on holidays and birthdays, and even very prompt in sending thank-you cards. and one thing we can always count on when we get a card from Roni, confetti. she sprinkles colorful, glittery, sparkle bits in every single card every single time. i love it. it truly feels like we have our own little celebration right there in our hands. everyday confetti is a book that inspires us to bring confetti to ordinary days- celebrating life, each other, and God's goodness. i'm happy to have this book on my shelf with my cookbooks, and i think you will like it, too! everyday confetti is now available at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

also check out everydayconfetti.org, an online source with "ideas to sprinkle special on every day." 

*i was provided a copy of the book for the purposes of offering my honest to goodness review.

costco mind-readers & oatmeal pumpkin cookie recipe

the people at costco are mind readers, you should know. i have experienced this first hand, where costco has read my mind and started carrying products or brands that i thought they should. it's happened more than once, and it's kinda freaky. for example, i had been thinking and secretly wishing (i never filled out a product request card or even mentioned it to a cashier!) that costco would carry Udi's Gluten-Free Bread. and as of a few months ago, guess what costco carries? Udi's Gluten-Free Bread! and that's not all! that new orange flavored La Croix they just started carrying? yep, my thoughts. Chex cereal? straight from the costco wishlist in my head.   

most recently, i was thinking to myself: wouldn't it be awesome if costco carried organic pureed pumpkin? i love to bake with pureed pumpkin this time of year. and lo and behold, what do i find on my next costco trip? a 6-pack of organic canned pumpkin puree. seriously! i tossed that pumpkin into my cart and, since costco people were reading my mind, i thought: thank you, costco!

today i used some of that organic pure pumpkin puree to make oatmeal pumpkin cookies and they are SO YUMMY and SO EASY! there are a lot of pumpkin cookie recipes out there. this is my version derived from a few of my favorites. 

*note: these cookies are NOT gluten-free or vegan, but could easily be adapted as needed. because costco now carries gluten-free baking flour in a giant 5lb bag. you're welcome ;) 

oatmeal pumpkin cookies

2 cups organic whole wheat flour
1 ½ cups old-fashioned oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup organic salted butter (softened)
1 1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup organic pure cane sugar
1 can organic pure pumpkin puree
1 large organic egg
1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract

preheat oven to 375. 

combine flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt in bowl and set aside. 

in another bowl (with mixer) combine softened butter, brown sugar and sugar. beat until fluffy.
add pumpkin, egg and vanilla and mix well. 

combine the flour mixture with the pumpkin mixture, and mix well. 

drop by rounded spoonfuls onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
bake for 12-14 minutes at 375. let cool and serve. or eat them right out of the oven. mmmmm. enjoy! 

ps: have you ever thought to yourself that costco should carry a certain product or brand and then mysteriously one day they started carrying it?! cool trick, costco.

good fruit {pear crisp recipe}

A good tree can't produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can't produce good fruit.
A tree is identified by its fruit. Figs are never gathered from thornbushes, and grapes are not picked from bramble bushes.
A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart.
What you say flows from what is in your heart. Luke 6:43







be a good tree & produce good fruit.
also: pears are about to be in season, yall. do yourself a favor and get some 

so you can make the Pioneer Woman's Pear Crisp. 

make an extra one for your neighbor, too.