Birthdays

Happy Birthday, Adam.

March 8, 2014

ladam

adams

On this day in 1984 a very special person was born. Today is his 30th birthday.

Adam’s new job has his working out of town for two weeks at a time so we’ll be celebrating his birthday separately from afar (a 2-hour time difference.)

You’d never know it to look at him, really, because he looks just the same as he did in high school. It’s not uncommon for him to get ID’d at the liquor store (you have to be 19 in Canada to buy alcohol. He has been legal for 11 years). He was even ID’d at a wine tasting once. With my parents. For real.

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from our engagement party

I often (read: regularly) joke about how he’s so old. I’ll say “why are you so old?” We started dating when he was 25, I was 21. I joke that I’m much younger than him (by 4 years), however, since my birthday is in June I say I’m 5 years younger for 4 months, making him really old 😉

But actually it’s good in the long run – he’ll just never age. Take it from his dad who just celebrated his birthday in February and hasn’t aged in years.

We celebrated his birthday early last weekend when he was home with a surprise getaway to Whistler and a small birthday dinner with some family, and of course his birthday pie. 

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I obviously had to make a birthday cake for him, even though he isn’t here to enjoy it. I’ll be sure to save some. (I’ll be posting the recipe next week)

I made some festive cake flags with black electrical tape. We have an abundance of electrical tape in the house because I suppose that’s what happens when you live with an electrician. Thus, he gets electrical tape on his birthday cake. 

hgdhcgadams 30

Happy Birthday to my one and only.

You’re so old 😉

Love me & Lainey. 

Muffins

Sugar-Free Banana Muffins

February 26, 2014

mufins

Sugar-Free Banana Muffins / bakeaholic.ca
This past weekend was spent indoors for the most part. It began snowing saturday morning and didn’t stop until monday night. When it’s snowing outside, I like to be baking inside. I love watching the snow fall out the window while curling up on the couch with a good cup of tea.

The entire weekend the sky was a bleak grey and white as far as the eye could see. You couldn’t tell where the snow began and where it ended. 

But tuesday – the skies opened up into a glorious blue with sunshine across the icy horizon. It was actually warm outside, and the perfect day to go for a walk with Lainey. Everyone else had the same idea – take in the sunshine and get some glorious pictures of the frozen scenery. 

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By monday night I would say we got at least a foot of snow – it came up to almost my knee when I went outside. At one point Lainey tried to venture off the ‘path’ made in the snow and plopped right into the untouched snow. She froze, unsure of what to do or where to go. It was higher than she was and couldn’t make a move. I laughed, then plucked her up and wiped the snow off her fur. She wasn’t happy about the warm bath after our walk.

We also had an inch of ice on our driveway. Too bad I don’t own some skates.

Screen Shot 2014-02-26 at 8.48.24 PMTo warm up, I made some muffins. 

Sugar-Free, banana muffins that are warm, comforting and delicious. 
Sugar-Free Banana Muffins / bakeaholic.ca

Even better smothered in nut butter – or sun butter. They’re great for a morning snack or afternoon treat. Screen Shot 2014-02-26 at 8.17.15 PMScreen Shot 2014-02-26 at 8.20.18 PM

Sugar-Free Banana Muffins
Yields 12
Delicious sugar-free Banana Muffins sweetened with dates, you won't even tell the difference.
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Total Time
30 hr
Total Time
30 hr
Ingredients
  1. 3 medium, ripe bananas
  2. 6-8 medjool dates
  3. 1/4 cup boiling water
  4. 1 egg
  5. 1/3 cup of coconut oil
  6. 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla
  7. 1 1/2 cups of whole wheat OR gluten free all purpose flour blend
  8. big dash of cinnamon
  9. dash of nutmeg
  10. 1 teaspoon of baking soda
  11. 1 teaspoon of baking powder
  12. 1/2 cup of walnuts, chopped (plus more for topping), optional
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°
  2. Prepare a 12 cup muffin pan with muffin liners.
  3. In food processor puree the dates and boiling water until thick smooth pate forms.
  4. In medium sized bowl add dates to bananas, eggs and coconut oil. Using a handheld blender mix until only small chunks of banana are left.
  5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
  6. Gently mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with wooden spoon or spatula. Be careful not to over mix, fold gently.
  7. Fold in walnuts.
  8. Fill muffin liners using 1/4 cup measuring cup so the liners are just about full with the mixture and top each muffin with extra chopped walnuts.
  9. Bake for 25-27 minutes.
b a k e a h o l i c https://www.bakeaholic.ca/
Breakfast

Wheat-Free, Sugar-Free & Dairy-Free Crepes

February 21, 2014

berries crepesAlright. 

Now that I’ve had a minute to breath after the Canada vs. USA game (woohoo!), shall we talk the weekend?

Last weekend I wanted to make a ‘real breakfast’ for Adam and I before he headed off for a week away for work. His new job will have him flying a lot more, so our weekends together will be a little more exciting than the ol’ bowl of cereal. (oh yea, and he just started a new job! lots of exciting things happening over here)

I was craving waffles, but quickly changed my mind to crepes when I realized we hadn’t had them in over a year..maybe two. Plus, crepes are more fun. 

After my gift of flours for valentine’s day I had lots to work with, so I decided to try a wheat-free crepe using the Arthur’s Gluten Free Blend. 

These worked perfectly, after a few trial (i.e. sample) crepes, I found the perfect combination of wet/dry ingredients to ensure a thin, rollable crepe. 

Have a great weekend, Canada. See you at 4:30 Sunday morning for our Olympic Gold medal game =)

crepesssafad

Wheat-Free Crepes
Yields 10
Thin, crisp wheat-free and sugar-free crepes. Fill with your favourite fruits and fillings.
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Ingredients
  1. 2 Eggs
  2. 1 3/4 Cups Gluten-Free flour (I used a brown rice mix)
  3. 2 Cups almond milk
  4. Splash of vanilla
  5. 2 Tbs. water
  6. Coconut oil spray/pam
Instructions
  1. In medium sized bowl, beat together the eggs, milk and vanilla. Add in flour and beat again until smooth. Add in 2-3 Tbs. water until the consistency is right (you want it to be easily pourable, but not too watered down. Start with 2 Tbs. and add more if needed)
  2. Heat a non stick crepe pan on medium heat and spray lightly with coconut oil or other baking spray.
  3. Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup or ladle, pour batter in the middle of the pan and roll the pan from side to side to produce a thin, round crepe.
  4. Cook it for 1 or 2 minutes.
  5. Use a rubber spatula to check edges. Once it is set, and lightly browned on the bottom and bubbly on top switch to a flipper.
  6. Flip it up and cook the other side for 1 or 2 minutes and transfer it on a plate - cover until all crepes are ready.
  7. Repeat with remaining batter.
  8. Roll the crepes with fresh fruit and other delicious fillings like nut butter, jam, chocolate spread etc.
  9. I like to warm up frozen berries to use as my 'syrup.'
Notes
  1. A crepe pan works best, but you can definitely make these on a regular non-stick pan. Make sure it is heated well before beginning and be careful when flipping.
b a k e a h o l i c https://www.bakeaholic.ca/