Wild Sunshine and Lemonade

Recipes

Lemon Ice Cream for Summertime

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It is mid-August. The dog days of a southern summertime. After several fails, I’ve perfected this lemon mint ice cream to the point that my children asked for it instead of our usual chocolate peanut butter cup ice cream. What sort of tomfoolery is this? Are these MY kids?

Lemon ice cream with crushed mint from the garden
Lemon mint ice cream

LEMON ICE CREAM RECIPE

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Zest from 3 lemons
  • Juice from 3 lemons
  • 1/3 cup mint leaves
  • Basil leave are optional. I like to grind up a few with the mint.

1. Whisk all ingredients except the mint leaves in a bowl, cover, and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

2. Grind the mint (and basil if using) to release the flavor. I grind mine in a mortar and pestle. If you don’t have one, try finely chopping it instead.

3. Place mixture and mint paste into an ice cream maker and churn for about 20 minutes until it barely moves. We have this Cuisinart and it is amazingly easy to use and simple to clean. Place finished ice cream into a container with a lid and freeze for at least 2 hours to set.

SUMMERTIME ON THE FARM

The rain comes in deluges from an occasional evening thunderstorm, rolling in over the fields like a tidal wave. But the other days? To venture outside for farm chores after 7am guarantees I will be dripping with sweat. And everyone needs water. The chickens. The pigs, like, five times a day. Beds of new seeds I planted to replace the squash that died.

All the gardens. All those new flowers and trees we painstakingly planted with dreams of turning our boxy new-build into a farmhouse cottage.

Today when I asked the littles what ice cream we should make for dessert, it was a unanimous “LEMON!” I’ve been working on this one for several batches, perfecting the ingredients to share with you. It might just be the perfect ice cream for summer- lemon mint ice cream. If there were such a thing as just one perfect flavor. Geez.

But it’s epic. And refreshing. And perfect for summertime! If my children want it more than chocolate, you know it’s good.

Blueberry Cobbler with Honey Biscuit topping

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My children are wild, untamed animals this time of year, bouncing among the inflatable pool and the berry bushes and the cool air conditioning. I grew up among blueberries. Just six bushes, and they produced more blueberries than we could eat in a summer. I have so many fond memories of gobbling up blueberry cobbler around our swimming pool on hot summer nights, and I’m pretty sure I ate half this pan myself. Y’all. The “quarantine ten” is as real as the freshman fifteen… except that I sweat it all out planting and weeding and doing other farm chores. It’s the truth of life out here.

Here is the recipe we use for an amazing blueberry cobbler. Our bushes aren’t quite producing gobs of berries yet, so we went down the road to Cedar Grove Blueberry Farm in NC to pick a gallon. So worth it! Enjoy!

BLUEBERRY COBBLER BASE

Serves 8. Preheat oven to 350.

  • 2 lbs blueberries
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon cinnamonn
  • 2 Tablespoons corn starch

Combine all ingredients in a 9×13 inch pan and mix well. Because the blueberries will release juice as they bake, there’s no need to add liquid to this cobbler.

HONEY BISCUIT TOPPING
  • 3 cups flour (I’ve used Einkorn, Almond, and a combination of the two. It all works in this recipe!)
  • 3 Tablespoons raw honey
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 6 Tablespoons cold butter
  • 3/4 cup milk or buttermilk

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Cut in the cold butter. A pastry blender works great for this! Gently stir in the honey and milk until a sticky dough forms.

Glob the biscuit dough on top of the cobbler base. Spread it with your fingers until the blueberries are mostly covered. It’s ok if some is showing through! Bake for 30 minutes until slightly golden on top and the berries are bubbling.

I serve mine with fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Amaaaaaaazing! Go pour yourself a glass of cold white wine and gather some berries. Turn your children free and whip up some blueberry cobbler.

Rustic Farmhouse Banana Bread

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Ahhh, can you smell it? Banana bread and daffodils and basil?

If your family is like mine, some weeks they roll through a dozen bananas in a few days, and others those bananas sit on the shelf until they’re so spotted even the toddler won’t touch them. Aaaaand then there’s the bananas said toddler throws on the floor to become damaged goods. Ain’t nobody want to eat a bruised banana! This banana bread recipe comes to my rescue quite often in our journey to reduce food waste.

The good news is that bananas can be frozen. I peel them, cut them in half, and add to the ziplock bag in the freezer until I have time for Rustic Farmhouse Banana Bread. It’s good, y’all. And for the most part it’s Paleo (simply skip any add-ins containing sugar).

I didn’t have almond butter on hand, so I made my own by throwing about 2 cups of almonds in the food processor with some avocado oil, then blending for a good 5 minutes.

Rustic Farmhouse Banana Bread Recipe

  • 4 bananas
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup almond butter
  • 4 Tbsp melted butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 cup coconut flour
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp ground cloves
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips (these are my all time favorite)
  • 1/2 cup craisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mash the bananas with a potato masher. I don’t know how I lived without one for so long, they make mashing avocados, bananas, and potatoes a breeze!

Stir in the eggs, maple syrup, almond butter, and butter in a large mixing bowl. Mix the dry ingredients and spices separately with a whisk. Add the dry ingredients into the wet and mix. Stir your craisins and chocolate chips into the mixture.

Pour into a greased baking dish or loaf pan (I usually use butter or coconut oil). Bake for 55 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. Cool for at least 15 minutes if you can keep your hands off it. I usually can’t. I burn my fingers and eat it anyway.

Five Herb and Berry “Swamp Water” Recipes from the Garden

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I’m not exactly sure where the name Swamp Water came from. Perhaps because it sounds like something we dredged up, which I suppose is correct in a way. It is certainly a concoction of random greenery from the garden, but unlike the name implies, this refreshing summer treat is beautiful.

Swamp water is a summer tradition in our home. It’s cold. It’s refreshing. It’s hydrating. It has zero calories or sugars, and yet is a simple garden fresh treat. My husband is one of those people who, in his own words, “just has to have something cold to sip on” in the evenings. Often it’s a beer or wine, but he’s made an effort lately to grab a glass of swamp water.

Sawyer eating the goodies

And our kids? Those rascals love this stuff. Bonus – they love to gather goodies from the garden to create their own recipe. And anytime I can convince at least two of them to scamper into the backyard, baskets in hand, to gather food, it fills my heart. There is nothing like seeing kids romping through the grass and mud, barefoot and giggling, to see what treasures await them in the summer garden. That is a pure joy of summertime for a kid I tell you!

Perhaps one of the best qualities of Swamp Water is that you can make it with pretty much anything. In case you’re itching to try your own, here are five Swamp Water recipes we’re loving to get you started:

Five Herb and Berry Swamp Water Recipes from the Summer Garden:

Lemon + Basil + Mint

1. Lemon slices/basil/mint – Is there anything better than lemon and mint? PS: if you’re looking for an amazing homemade ice cream flavor, this is it.

2.Tomatillo/parsley/cucumber – 2018 was the first year we grew tomatillos, and we were surprised by how well they did in the garden. Just two plants made waaaaay more than we use for guacamole, so this is a good way to use some extras. If you’ve never tried a tomatillo, they are in the tomato family but are green with a slightly citrus-y flavor.

3. Rosemary/cucumber/basil- Again, by mid summer the basil and cucumbers are abundant!

Raspberry Mint

4. Raspberry/mint – our garden is usually overflowing with raspberries come late May, so this is a perfect early summer sipper.

5. Raspberry/Blackberry/mint – Yum!

Homemade Grass Fed Yogurt

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I am a firm believer that almost anything can thrive with LOVE & SUNSHINE. You see, I’m having one of those days when I may as well be drowning in toddlerhood. The little one wants to potty train herself, yet wants to scream bloody murder when poop comes out.

(Is this even an appropriate convo to start a post on yogurt?). Probably not…

Oops.

Sorry friends. It’s all poop and potty talk in this house today. And I’m trying my hardest to get rolling on this blog again. We’ve been soaking in these days of summer – as much pool time as we can squeeze in, mixed with a beautiful hike in the woods yesterday and bike riding and tree climbing. I love when Pippa asks me to spend “Mommy-Pippa time” with her up high in the branches of the Magnolia tree. That is the best spot EVER to spy on neighbors as they stroll by our home! Ha!

And then those glorious weekend days fade back into the school week, and here I am with the fussy toddler trying to tread water. And potty train. And meal plan. And sort of clean up the house. And pay bills. And get back to this blog, dang it, because I enjoy writing about life.

Just as the gardens (and weeds!) are thriving with love and sunshine, so do we all. We soak it in and become happier people. On days like this I must remind myself that even my babies just need more time in the sun and grass between their toes. More eating raspberries off the bush. More hugs. More snuggles. For it’s the only way to keep from drowning sometimes.

Do you know what else thrives on love and sunshine? Food. The cows thrive on sun-fattened grasses and give luxurious milk. I make it into yogurt and nourish my family (and save money!). Win-win. Nothing but love and sunshine.

Grassfed Yogurt – How to Save Money while Making the Best

Back when I first quit my job to stay home with my then 1-year old (with #2 on the way) we were cutting corners wherever possible to save money. As we grew to a family of four and both kids and I ate yogurt every day for lunch, it was getting expensive. We would go through 2-3 quarts of yogurt a week! This equated to anywhere from $10-$15/week of our total grocery budget for yogurt (I think we were budgeting $70 at the time, yikes!) So I did some research and started making our own homemade yogurt using whole grass fed milk, and discovered that even by using the best quality dairy available we were saving money!

When we eat dairy we try to always eat it in fermented form: cheese or yogurt. This cuts down on sugar consumption from the naturally occurring Galactose in plain milk. Not only do we try to get a significant amount of calcium from yogurt, but we only eat whole milk products, and when it’s in the budget we aim to purchase grass-fed dairy such as Grass Milk for our yogurt making. Have you checked the price of grass-fed dairy lately? Around us it clocks in at around $5.99 per half gallon. Not cheap, but definitely the best choice (unless you’re in the raw milk camp, which we are not).

For that price I can make a gallon (4 quarts) of yogurt for $12. If we go with just organic whole milk, the total cost is about $7. Grass fed whole milk yogurt in the grocery store is notoriously hard to come by (unless you frequent a Whole Foods), and the typical Dannon or Chiobani whole milk yogurt with probiotics runs on average $4-$5 a quart.

Why spend $16-$20 per gallon on store bought yogurt when I can make it for half that price?

It’s surprisingly easy to make if you dedicate about 3 hours to being at home (most of that is just wait time) every two weeks. Here’s our fail-proof recipe:

Homemade Grass Fed Yogurt Recipe

*I’ve included links to ingredients I use and love. When you purchase something via one of these affiliate links, I receive a small commission but the price is the same for you*

Makes: 4 quarts of yogurt       Time required: 3 hours total (about 15 minutes hands on)

Materials Needed:

  • 4 glass Mason jars with lids and rings
  • A large stock pot that will fit all jars and is at least as tall as the jars
  • One washcloth (to set on the bottom of the pot and keep the jars from rattling as the water boils).
  • Yogurt. *If this is your first batch, purchase a small container of store bought yogurt that has the strains of probiotics you want. I use Dannon for mine, but be sure to check the label. After your first batch you can use starter cultures from your existing yogurt.
  • 1 gallon of milk. I use organic whole milk, grass fed when possible.

Instructions:

  1. Place a small washcloth on the bottom of a tall pot. I use our 10 gallon stock pot. Set 4 quart sized mason jars in the pot.
  2. Fill the mason jars to about 1 inch below the top with the milk of your choice. We use whole milk, grass fed when possible.
  3. Fill the pot to about 1.5 inches below the top of the yogurt containers with HOT water. I’ve found that if I fill it with cold and heat the pot too quickly, I’ll occasionally get a broken jar from the temperature difference.
  4. Place on the stove over medium heat with a thermometer (I use a candy thermometer so it can hook on the edge of the glass). If it begins to boil, turn down the heat so that the water doesn’t “jump” into your yogurt.
  5. Heat for about 30 minutes, or until the milk reaches 185 degrees F.
  6. CAREFULLY with an oven mitt lift the jars out of the water bath. Occasionally one will have broken during the heating, so I always do this part slowly and let it drip over the pot for a few seconds. Better to have it break over the pot than your stove (trust me!). Place jars on a heat proof surface (or stovetop) to cool. Place a lid on top to keep dust out and set a timer for roughly 2 hours. If this is your first batch, you’ll want to check the temperature sooner so that it does not cool too quickly.
  7. When the milk has cooled to between 100-110 degrees, take a spoon and skim off the layer that has formed on top of each jar.
  8. Scoop 2 Tbsp of your starter yogurt (either store bought with probiotics or from your last batch of homemade yogurt) into each jar. Stir gently, being careful not to overstep. Place the lid and ring back on each jar.
  9. Place jars into a cooler. I always heat up a rice sock in the oven (200 degrees for 10 minutes) to help the yogurt maintain a slightly above room temp for a bit during fermentation. Leave it for 20-24 hours and then refrigerate. It will be set at this point, but you will get a much nicer consistency once it has had a chance to sit in the refrigerator for an hour or so.

 

Plain yogurt is amazing with some unsweetened applesauce mixed in (I’m personally in love with Trader Joe’s version), or with Homemade Paleo Granola on top.

How about you, what are your favorite yogurt toppings?

 

Love and sunshine, my friends. Love and sunshine.

Mediterranean Manchego Olive Salad

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My love affair with Manchego cheese began at a friend’s Kentucky Derby party several years ago. It’s nutty, semi-dry, and delicious! Even better, they have it at Costco so I can buy a huge chunk for about $12. My kids also love it, which is a plus because while we don’t drink milk we do try to consume our fair share of fermented dairy (homemade yogurt and cheese, especially Gouda -also available in massive chunks at Costco).

 

 

As with many things in my life, I began writing this post during my blissful summertime afternoons when all kids were upstairs napping… before #4 arrived and sent me back into the newborn phase when naps are utterly unpredictable and I squeeze in “me” time at all ridiculous hours. So here we are in March, when cucumbers are certainly not abundant in my backyard. But when I wrote this we were overflowing with them. And tomatoes. Lots of goodness that needed to be used up and they were perfect for this snack. I do still make this in the winter with store bought produce.

 

This is a recipe that I have long loved from Lemons for Lulu and I added a few more ingredients to create more of a salad than an appetizer.

Ingredients

2 cloves Garlic, about 1 tbsp minced (we buy the gigantic container of minced garlic from Costco. We use it a lot, and this saves time)

1 tsp Rosemary, fresh
1 – 8 oz jar Kalamata black olives (again, Costco is a great source if your family eats tons of these). I halve them since we have toddlers.
3 tbsp Olive oil
2 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
6 oz Manchego cheese (I also buy this at Costco) cut into cubes
2 cups halved cherry tomatoes1 can Great Northern Beans (optional)
Toss all ingredients together and let sit for a few minutes so the flavors blend together. Enjoy!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream Recipe

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chocolate peanut butter cup ice creamIn our family we have a tradition of making my husband homemade chocolate peanut butter cup ice cream on father’s day. The way to that man’s heart is through any combination of peanut butter and chocolate, something I’m fairly certain my kids have inherited. Usually we stick with regular chocolate when we make ice cream since it’s something we only do a handful of times per year. But a few years ago (when Harris Teeter discontinued making John’s favorite kind of chocolate PB ice cream, ha!) we opted to do it up, and it was AMAZING. We whipped up some plain chocolate ice cream, swirled in some peanut butter, and added peanut butter cups. It was TO DIE FOR.

When I was little we had an ice cream maker. You had to dump gobs of ice cubes around the edges along with about a cup of salt to keep the inner compartment cold enough to freeze the ice cream. It worked just fine, but this is SO MUCH BETTER. This Cuisinart ice cream maker could not be easier to use. You simply freeze the container the ice cream goes in, and once you’re ready to churn you pop in a plastic blade and a cover and turn it on. Easy peasy, and best of all no ice and salt needed! It makes about 4.5 cups of ice cream (5 cups when finished with the peanut buttery additions), but keep in mind the size because you may need to adjust it accordingly.

FUN FACT: Did you know there is a difference between Cocoa and Cacao powder, with Cacao being the less processed option? I’ve included a link below to purchase some good Cacao from Amazon, but we also use Trader Joe’s Cocoa powder (with no added ingredients) and it’s also delicious.

*I’ve included links to ingredients I use and love. When you purchase something via one of these affiliate links, I receive a small commission but the price is the same for you*

Ingredients

Whisking the ingredients for amazing ice cream

  • 1/2 cup cacao powder
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/3 cup natural peanut butter (we use creamy)
  • 15 reeses miniature peanut butter cups

Instructions

1. Whisk all ingredients except the peanut butter and PB cups in a bowl, cover, and refrigerate at least 2 hours. (NOTE: I like my chocolate ice cream on the darker side and not too sweet. If you prefer yours sweeter, up the brown sugar to 1/3 cup).

chocolate peanut butter ice cream

2. Place mixture into an ice cream maker and churn away until finished.

3. Once ice cream is done, place in a tupperware/gladware container and add about 1/3 cup peanut butter. I use all natural, but feel free to adjust the type and amount to your preference. Some days just necessitate more peanut butter than others 😉 Swirl the peanut butter with a knife (don’t mix it in all the way).

4. Chop about 15 Reeses miniatures into quarters. Gently stir these in and get that bad boy in the freezer for at least 2 hours to set.

Sweet and Salty Favorite Paleo Granola

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sweet and salty best-ever paleo granolaThis morning Larkin ate a black crayon in the two minutes I sat down to be productive. She walked over and grinned with black teeth. We used to have a Boxer who did that all the time, but he would eat the colorful ones and wind up with rainbow poop. But days that start like this, they have me craving comfort food. And when I’m pregnant, all I want is something sweet, salty, and amazing. While I try my best to steer clear of sugar, I definitely struggle to find healthy snacks. My other issue is making sure I get enough calcium, and believe it or not, a girl can only eat so much cheese. I make yogurt for these food-loving munchkins of mine, but it’s plain and SO much better with some of our sweet and salty favorite paleo granola on top!

sweet and salty paleo granola

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup coconut oil
  • 2 Tbsp raw honey or maple syrup
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 cups chopped nuts (I use a combo of cashews (note that these are legumes and are not always tolerated), pecans, walnuts, or almonds)
  • 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
  • 1/4 cup raisins (optional, they do have some refined sugar so I will sometimes omit these)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.
  2. Combine coconut oil, honey, and salt in a large saucepan. Heat on medium heat, stirring, until it starts to boil. Turn off heat.
  3. Add salt, vanilla, and cinnamon to the oil mixture and stir to combine.
  4. Place the 2 cups of nuts in a food processor and pulse to roughly chop, but not so much that they turn to flour.
  5. Dump the nuts, coconut, pumpkin seeds, and craisins into the pot and mix everything until well coated.
  6. Grease or parchment paper a large baking pan (I use one with sides because every time I stir things go flying)
  7. Bake for 35 minutes, stirring once. Let cool for at least 30 minutes so the granola can set.

I store this in an airtight container on the counter for up to 7 days, but it never lasts that long.

Strawberry Mint Paleo Pie

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Strawberry Mint Paleo Pie

Any/all of the links in this post are affiliate links of which I receive a small commission from sales of certain items, but the price is the same for you. 

It’s time to stuff your face with berries straight off the plant until the juice runs down your chin. The farm down the road that raises pastured beef also does pesticide-free strawberries. So we headed down the road last weekend with our small army of 5 pickers (more like 3 pickers, 1 three year old who starred at the cows, and 1 infant who stuffed her face. So guilty in this photo) and in about 20 minutes we had picked just under 20 lbs. That’s a boatload, and a really good excuse to whip up some Paleo Strawberry Pie!

What on earth do you do with that many strawberries? We try our best to eat Paleo, so we don’t eat jellies and jams. We ate so many fresh that our bellies hurt. I froze an entire basket. I made strawberry cobbler, which turned into melted goop when the topping dissolved into the filling (ahem, why I’m not sharing that creation here!). We were eating them for three meals a day. Then I remembered strawberry pie. I haven’t had such good luck with Paleo pies, the crust is always gross. Usually I make them crustless as a special treat. But because the cream cheese in here makes it SO good, it needed a crust underneath.

I found this recipe below on the Kelly and Cricket blog and it was good! I made a few modifications including the addition of a bit of coconut sugar, so I’ve included it here for you. The filling itself doesn’t get baked, so it’s a cold pie that’s perfect for these 80 degree NC days.

And a note on this pie’s “Paleo” status. Paleo means different things to different folks. Cheese is generally not considered paleo, nor are starchy flours like Tapioca. It works as a special treat for us, and I hope you enjoy!Paleo Dessert: Strawberry Mint Pie

Strawberry Mint Paleo Pie Recipe Paleo Pie Crust: egg, almond flour, tapioca, butter, coconut sugar

CRUST

  • 1 Pasture-raised egg
  • 1 1/4 cup Almond flour
  • 1/4 cup Tapioca flour (or Arrowroot)
  • 1 tbsp coconut sugar
  • 1 tbsp Coconut flour (I order mine off Amazon for a bulk deal)
  • 4 tbsp grass-fed butter, cold. I use salted.

Preheat oven to 350. Mix the flours and the coconut sugar directly in a 9″ pie pan. Crack your egg and mash it in with a fork until everything is a little gooey. Cut your butter in small cubes. With two knives or a pastry cutter (I don’t use this tool often, but when I do THIS ONE has been a lifesaver! ). Cut in the butter until a dough forms. This is always sticky when I make it, so instead of properly rolling it I just press it around the pie pan with my fingers. Prick with a fork. Bake for 15-18 minutes until the edges start to brown.

CREAM CHEESE LAYER(almost) Paleo Strawberry Pie with cream cheese filling

  • 8 oz Philadelphia cream cheese, full fat
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tbsp honey

Set your cream cheese out for a bit or soften in the microwave. With a fork, stir all three ingredients together until well combined. Spread over the cooled pie crust.

STRAWBERRY LAYER

Wash and slice  3.5   cups of strawberries. Place on top of cream cheese.

 

 

STRAWBERRY MINT TOPPINGGooey Strawberry Syrup gelatin topping

  • 1.5 cups strawberries
  • 1 tbsp arrowroot flour (can’t find this at the store? Get it HERE)
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup (because I’m heating this on the stove, I chose maple syrup. Feel free to use no sweetener or another of your choice)
  • 1-2 tbsp water
  • 3 leaves fresh mint, torn into small pieces (you can experiment with more, my mint plant is tiny so I didn’t want to take too much!)

Almost Paleo Strawberry Mint PiePlace all ingredients in small saucepan on low-medium heat. Once it begins to steam, stir constantly to mix all ingredients. As the strawberry juice and arrowroot start to jell, it may stick to the bottom. Add a bit more water. Stir every few minutes until you can mash the remaining berries, about 15 minutes total. Remove from heat and let cool a few minutes before pouring over the pie.

Refrigerate pie until ready to serve!

Almost Paleo Strawberry Mint Pie

 

Cranberry Orange Energy Bites

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A favorite festive holiday snack for us: Cranberry Orange energy bites (Paleo and Vegan)

Any/all of the links on this page are affiliate links of which I receive a small commission from sales of certain items, but the price is the same for you.

‘Tis the season to boost my willpower and not eat all things sugary, then feel like crap come January 1st. It’s easier said than done. About three weeks ago, I went to my college homecoming. We ate pizza, burritos, drank copious amounts of wine, and had a good time reminiscing until the wee hours of the morning at the home of one of my college roommates. Two days later, Larkin broke out in a weepy red puffy rash on her entire face and her legs. WTF. She’d always had a bit of baby eczema on her cheeks, but this was bad. Long about a week after my dairy-free diet, I was really wanting something sweet. I scoured Pinterest for energy bites, and played around with several recipes until I came up with something easy that tastes a lot like my mom’s homemade scones. The combination of orange and cranberry sings of Christmas morning rolls and special weekend breakfasts. Although we don’t eat these things often in our household, it’s funny how a combination of flavors can take you back. The Cranberry Orange energy bites were a holiday life saver!

After our pediatrician assured me it was eczema and that I should put hydrocortisone cream on it, I smiled and thanked him and did what I normally do. Go into psycho mom-with-a-sick-kid mega geek mode and spend all day on the internet researching alternative remedies. Because I really do not want to use a steroid cream on my 6-month old unless it’s absolutely necessary. It turns out that no one knows what causes eczema, although many folks have a good idea. Anything from an allergy to dust to a food sensitivity can cause the skin to react. Usually the best natural course of action seems to be to heal the gut (hello probiotics and bone broth… oh wait, my baby is breastfed so this shouldn’t be an issue) and keep the skin comfortable.

Since the end of October I have not eaten dairy or gluten or sugar (and I even went a week without eggs to see if that made a difference — I was starving so eggs made a comeback). Larkin gets 1-3 doses of probiotics a day, and her usual 1/2  tsp of cod liver oil plus vitamin D drops. She has not eaten dairy or eggs since. I have bathed her in epsom salt baths 1-2 times a week, I wipe her face down with saltwater twice a day, and at night I lather her cheeks with Lanolin (it helps!). So far I’ve kept the major outbreak from returning and I’m hoping that as her gut matures it disappears because I have no idea how people deal with life-long eczema.

My kids LOVE these! Dates, orange peel, craisins, nuts, spice.

 

A favorite festive holiday snack for us: Cranberry Orange energy bites (Paleo and Vegan)Did I mention these are super easy? Just throw the ingredients in the food processor, blend, and roll into balls. Happy early holidays!

CRANBERRY ORANGE ENERGY BITES

Place into a food processor:

  • 1/2 cup craisins
  • 1/2 cup dates
  • 1/2 cup almond meal
  • 1/2 cup walnuts
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 Tbsp coconut oil
  • grated rind of 1 small orange or clementine
  • pinch of sea salt

 

Blend until everything is chopped and sticky, about 2-3 minutes. Roll into 1-inch balls and store at room temperature. I’m sure these would last a week, but in our house we’re lucky to have them for two days. I usually double this recipe.