Healthy Eating for Addy!

Since Addison's birth I've been super conscious about her eating and wanting her to have only the BEST! She loves pancakes and waffles. After reading about the benefits of flaxseed, I decided to try it in a recipe. "Some call it one of the most powerful plant foods on the planet. There’s some evidence it can help reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes." It also has Omega-3 essential fatty acids, "good" fats that have been shown to have heart-healthy effects. Lignans, which have both plant estrogen and antioxidant qualities. And fiber.

Sooo I decided to make Addison some whole wheat blueberry (her favorite fruit) flaxseed pancakes. I make a batch of 8 (1 per morning), freezing them between wax paper, ready for a quick morning breakfast. They taste yummy! Hope she likes them :)

Here's the recipe:

1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4-1/3 cup of flaxseed meal

1 egg

1 1/2 cup of milk, plus more if necessary

1/2 tsp salt

2 tbs. sugar

1/2-2/3 cup fresh blueberries

1. Mix flour, flaxseed, and baking powder, set aside. Beat together egg, milk, salt, and sugar in a bowl. Stir in flour until just moistened, add blueberries and stir to incorporate.

2. Preheat a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat, and spray with cooking spray. Pour approximately 1/4 cup of the batter into the pan for each pancake. Cook until bubbly, and 1 1/2 minutes. Turn, and continue cooking until golden brown.

Makes 8 medium size panckes. ~Enjoy!

Baked Goodies

Over the last couple of weeks I've been able to do a bit of baking :) With Addison being 1, it keeps me pretty busy most days but on a few quieter days I was able to do a bit. I do really enjoy trying new recipes.

A few weeks ago two of my sweetest girlfriends and their kiddos came for a dinner playdate while they were in town. I was so excited to see my girlfriends (they live two hours away)! So I decided to make homemade chocolate chip ice cream sandwiches. I made chocolate chip cookies, using a small scoop to keep the size of the cookies uniform. On the day when my friends would arrive, I assembled the sandwiches. They were a hit!

On another day I decided to make a strawberry cobbler for a church dinner. I had read many recipes for strawberry rhubarb pie, but not being a fan of rhubarb, I decided to try something different. It turned out GREAT. Ron loved the cobbler. It takes A LOT of strawberries, but it's so worth the cost and time.

Recently while Ron was gone to Indiana for a master class, our car broke down. I really didn't know what to do, as Ron does most of our vehicle upkeep. He called a family who attends our church and they totally took care of the car for me! I was amazed at the love they showed our family that week while Ron was gone. I've been trying to figure out how I could say thanks to this sweet couple. So, I decided to bake them some fresh classic french bread. My bread maker is such a great kitchen tool. I let the bread cool and wrapped it up with a bow. I hope they like the fresh bread and more so know how very much we appreciated their help a few weeks ago.

A Father's Love

I tell you the love that Ron and Addison share is unmatched. Everytime I see this photo (taken at Addison's 1st birthday party), my heart melts. My mom calls me a sap but I guess God has blessed me with a soft heart. Waiting so many years for Addison makes me want to cherish every moment. I can't help but come to tears over the love I see in this photo. I especially see it and miss it now that Ron is gone to school for the week.

Ron as a father is everything I EVER thought he would be. Addison loves him and he loves her. What an amazing example he is to her of her Heavenly Father's love for her. I fall in love with him more everyday.