GF Coconut Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

GF Coconut Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

1/2 cup Coconut oil

1/2 cup Granulated Sugar

1/2 cup Brown Sugar (light or dark)

1 large egg

2 tsp coconut milk (or almond milk)

1 tsp vanilla 

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup cocoa

1/2 cup GF All Purpose baking mix

2 cups Old Fashioned Oats

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup shredded coconut

1.  Pre-heat oven to 375 F.  In a large bowl, combine Coconut oil and sugars.  Add in egg, milk, and vanilla. Mix until creamy.  

2.  Add salt, baking soda, and cocoa.  Once cocoa is completely incorporated, add in all purpose baking mix. Fold in oats then chocolate chips and coconut.  (Note:  if mixture is too dry, you can add in a splash or two more milk) 

3.  Spoon walnut size balls of dough on to parchment lined cookie sheets.  They don't spread much, so if you want a more flat round cookie instead of a "puffy" cookie, go ahead and flatten the dough balls out. 

4.  Bake 8-10 minutes.  Let cool 1-2 minutes on sheet the move cookies to a cooling rack. 

Note:  In order for these to be completely gluten free (GF), you would need to make sure the oats are labeled gluten free.  My family doesn't have to be super strict on the GF front, but if you do, please be sure to check the labels of your ingredients.  If gluten or dairy are not big concerns for you, regular all purpose flour, butter and cows milk can be substituted for their respective counterparts. 

Love Notes

A princess is gracious and appreciative of those who choose to have her in their lives.

One of the most important things in any relationship (friend, family, partner…) is to be vocal with love and admiration Now, I don’t mean empty praise or over the top, gag inducing, mushy, yuck. Just simply, when you think of someone, let them know. Knowing someone thinks of you and takes the time to tell you, well, that makes you feel special. And everyone deserves to feel special.

For years, I have been wishing loved ones a “Happy Tuesday.” And as SA can attest sometimes those “Happy Tuesday” wishes come on Wednesday. In a world where criticism is the norm, I want those around me to know that not only do I love them and appreciate their uniqueness, but many, many people love them too. So much that they truly do not know how loved they are.

So for all of you who happen to read this:

You are a gift to those around you. No one else can even come close to the fantastically unique perspective and insight you have and bring to any situation. Know that you are loved more than you will ever know. Happy Tuesday!

Today

Today is a good day.  Today I was blessed with a smiling giggly baby that happily watched Mickey Mouse while I took a nice hot shower.  Today I was blessed with ten extra minutes with my husband who got home an extra twenty minutes earlier than usual and as a result he got to take an uninterrupted shower this morning too.

It’s funny how little blessings can sometime go completely unnoticed.  I tend to get lost in the rush of showering, bottle making, diaper changing, dressing, and the down to the wire baby hand off.   Today, though… today I remembered to count my blessings from the moment I woke.  Today is a good day.   

Banana Raspberry Bread

Banana Raspberry Bread

1 (very ripe) banana                                           1 ½ cup self rising flour
¾ cup raspberries (thawed, unsweetened)           ½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup of sugar                                                   ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
2 eggs (or 6 tablespoons of egg whites)
½ cup vegetable oil
½ teaspoon vanilla extract


1. Preheat oven at 325 degrees F.

2. In a large bowl, mash banana. Add in eggs, sugar, vanilla, and oil. Fold in raspberries.

3. In a smaller bowl combine the flour, nutmeg, and cinnamon.

4. Mix in dry ingredients in parts to the wet ingredients.

5. Pour into greased or lined muffin tins or loaf pan. Bake until golden browned.

If making muffins, approximately 16-18 minutes. If making the loaf, 50-60 minutes.

**Recipe makes one large loaf or 12 muffins.**Recipe makes one large loaf or 12 muffins.



In the future, I am planning on expirementing with lower sugar and lower fat versions... but those have yet to be "perfected." :-P

Picture Perfect

During a recent fit on insomnia, I was watching Ugly Betty on Netflix and one of the characters said something that really struck me. It was something along the lines of, “Perfect may not look the way you thought it would.”  I caught myself almost responding “AMEN!” to the television.  (If you know me, you realize this is quite a testament to how I felt. I am constantly picking at friends, and especially my mother, for talking back to the TV.)

I know that “perfect” has changed a lot over the years.  The more I see and experience life, my image of "perfect" becomes less cookie cutter and more “perfect for Brandi.”   "Tall, Dark, and Handsome" has morphed into “Smart, Kind, and Funny” and “power and wealth” have transformed into “comfortable and loved.”   One thing is for sure, my life is nowhere near what I thought it would be, and I couldn’t be happier about that!

In ten years, or ten days for that matter, I am sure “perfect” will look a lot different than it does now, but it will be exactly what it needs to be.  I am thankful for the perfect blessings of today, tomorrow, and every day.  So, yes, “perfect” may not look like what I imagined it would, but that is a good thing.  

Periwinkle

Love is a many splendored thing.  Not only is it splendiferous (yes, I said splendiferous… it’s a word, spell check says so) It is funny what can spark it and what can squelch it.  It is a pretty great feeling when you get that first spark, but what is even better is when it comes out of nowhere.  It is amazing how a shared laugh at an obscure reference or a present of a tiny bottle of shark bubbles can instantaneously change how you see someone. 

Love, whether doomed to quickly dissipate or to grow indefinitely, is always good.  The spark of a new romance can be just what you need to jump back into life reminding you of the thrill of living in the moment.  The roller coaster of soaring high on the tiniest of hopes pared with the plummeting depths of dashed dreams can be amazing reminders of the vivid world we live in and routinely tune out. 

It will send your world spinning and make you question what took you so long to get there.  Sometimes the ride is fantastically thrilling and sometimes it just makes you want to hurl.  It is all about timing.   Now, being a princess, I am not a fan of relinquishing control and I still contend that if you want something, you can make your own timing.  But even I must admit that some things are out of my control. SA has told me more times than I can count, “Timing is everything and timing is a bitch.”  I don’t think he meant it was a female dog either…

Every now and again, though, we luck out.  The timing is right and we get to hold on to our hopes and watch dreams grow.  Sometimes the dreams change and, sometimes, if you are REALLY lucky, reality surpasses everything you had hoped for. 

Category 5 Temper Tantrums

With all the rainbows and marshmallows that seem to come out of my proverbial mouth I know it can seem a bit hard to believe that I am not completely in denial of all things real and painful in the world.  I would like to take this opportunity to say, yes, even princesses have selfish, pessimistic thoughts and, on occasion, prone to full on Category 5 hissy fits.  JJ and SA are painfully aware that these do exist and will testify that I go slightly insane on occasion. 

Sometimes, I just do not express my thoughts and feelings very well. I try, but in a world where words filled with selfish and vapid meanings flow so abundantly, it can feel impossible to make someone listen when you have something real to share.  I maintain that the reasons behind these fits are valid, but I admit, my reactions are not always the most reasonable. Thankfully, these fits are few and far between; maybe not quite as far apart as I would prefer, but still not the norm.

The truth is my life is pretty fantastic.  I have some of the most amazing people who have ever existed regularly interacting in my life.  I am constantly surrounded by people who have seen all the less than attractive parts of me and not only accept me but still choose to love me and welcome me into their lives.  These are people who may not know what color my eyes are, but can describe my “true colors” better than I could ever begin to express. 

I don’t know what I have done to deserve such love, but I am so very thankful and I am trying very hard to be the type of princess worthy of these gifts.  

Magical Gifts

On occasion, even a princess can be surprised by the magic in her world. Have you ever had that feeling of finding a treasure that is exactly what you never knew you always wanted? Magic quietly at work, shaping and preparing for the perfect time to unveil its gift of love and wonder embodied. If you haven’t experienced this, let’s just say it is pretty amazing.

I have stumbled upon these kinds of gifts in my life a couple times and each time I am always taken by surprise. The world is beautiful and magical place, if you know what to look for. Have faith and *try* to be patient, wonderfully unexpected and breath-taking gifts await you, on that, I give you my Royal Word.

Sometimes, the gift can be a little thing like finding that perfect dress at a fantastic price in a size smaller than you thought you were. Or, it could be getting lost on a road trip and cresting a hill just in time to see a watercolor sunset that could only have been hand-painted by God himself, suddenly makes “lost” relative. It might even be the last minute change of plans that leads to a chance meeting of old friends complete with laughing so hard that tears roll down the cheek.  These seemingly small gifts frequently add color and sparkle to life. 

Sometimes, though, the gift is bigger…

Princess Presents

My new Tiara!
I think I rock it, what do you think? 

My Monday was made significantly better this week by a surprise present from a friend.  This princess came home from work to find a "Bling" package from Amazon.com in her mailbox.  Upon opening the box, I discovered, much to my delight, I had been gifted with a brand new tiara!!! The gray pups can attest to my glee by the high pitched squeal of delight that only they could hear.

Danny, You done good, kid, you done good!

As All Good Fairy Tales Begin...

Once upon a time there was a group of adventurous and good hearted young knights and fair maidens (as well as a Princess) who had recently started cultivating the bonds of friendship. This newly formed band of friends began their story with lots of little adventures and celebrations. One such celebration was a Gala to benefit the less fortunate families of the kingdom. With all of the knights in their best tunics and the princesses and ladies in fine gowns, the merriment of good food and drink, merry minstrels, and dancing ensued.

Towards the end of the evening, a contest of sorts was begun to see who might best provide support for these families in need. The friends rallied their resources and were able to promise a substantial amount to feed the hungry and clothe the poor of their kingdom. At the end of the contest, this group of friends found themselves rewarded for their giving hearts with a week vacation at a private cabin in the Smokey Mountains.

Preparations were made and a date for the expedition was set. But not all of the friends were destined to make this journey.  One by one, the anticipated adventurers dropped out of the band of travelers until only three were remaining for the grand adventure. Sir JJ, the Valiant; Sir SA, the strong; and Princess Brandi set out on a week-long adventure that would forever change the course of their lives.

The small band of adventurers traveled far and wide taking in the sights of the foreign mountainous land. They trekked through the wilderness to see breath taking waterfalls, wandered through small villages getting to know the villagers, traveled many miles to see the beautiful local castle, explored the gathered wonders of the aquatic world, and ventured on horseback to the heights of the mountains to view the lands from above. They delighted in feeding carrots to the local donkey wildlife and found merriment playing in the forts and games the children had built.  They even engaged in a local customer called "Black Light Mini Golf"  which, while agreeable to Princess Brandi and Sir SA, the Strong, the effects on Sir JJ, the Valiant were not so pleasing causing him to avow never to engage in this custom again. 

While all of these adventures were exciting and delightful, the true magic of the trip was found in the fireside talks that went on deep into the night. Open and unfiltered sharing of life experiences, views on the world, and struggles of everyday life (as well as a little wine) spurred the friends to grow deeper and deeper in their friendship until setting the beginnings of solid almost unbreakable bonds. By the end of this adventure, Princess Brandi and the Nerds in Shining Armor had been transformed from a band of congenial acquaintances to true friends with a bond unlike any other.

In the words of Sir JJ, the Valiant, "Myeah, see? Myeah!"

Iron Princess?

I'm self centered… I really am.

I try not to be. I work at putting myself in other people shoes, trying to see the world a they do, but I am not so good at this. At a party recently I was introducing a couple of friends to another friend and SA kindly chastised me saying, “It’s not all about you, Brandi.” I admitted jokingly that it wasn’t, it was only 85% about me. But the truth is, I am seriously self centered.

I was again reminded of this when, on a nerd adventure, I saw the Avengers not once, but twice, in one week and announced that my favorite superhero from the movie was Iron Man. In a flash of self-awareness, I realized that relating to this character seemed to me to be rather indicative of the fact that, while I may have a good heart, I certainly have a HUGE ego. I mean, seriously… I am a self-proclaimed princess for goodness sake!!!

I am not entirely sure where this gigantic ego comes from, but I don’t think it is something I care for. New item on the List O’ Things To Do, "Increase Humility." Now… should this go before or after "Increase Patience" on the list?

The Pursuit of Happily Ever After

Anyone who has ever ready a traditional storybook knows that a princess’s life is always described, usually in the last line or two of the story, as “happily ever after.” This most certainly applies to me, regardless of my non-traditional nature. Sometimes, though, “happily ever after” is hard to recognize. It is there, it just likes to play hide and seek. (Life is playful like that.)

Life has a tendency to have abrupt changes in direction, redefining of roles, and cast changes. I don’t do change well, but change happens regardless of whether or not I like it. My life in particular has LOTS of fun twists and turns. Vocational, romantic, medical, and financial changes have been abundant for me in the last three years. There have been many occasions for me to turn blue figuratively and, once, literally.

With every hair-pin turn and gut-wrenching drop, “happily ever after” was still there cleverly disguised. Sometimes it was wrapped up in a bruised ego, or a scary diagnosis. Other times, it hid under a lay-off from work or a broken heart.

Occasionally, it hides so well, that  I forget I am a princess and start to believe I am not magical at all. But, with a little help from my Nerds in Shining Armor and of course the Royal Family, I remember in a flash that I AM a princess and all princess get “Happily Ever After,” I just have to find it. So, after a brief (or not so brief) temper-tantrum, I take a deep breath and accept life as it is at the moment. Knowing that, as a princess, I have the power to change the world, or at least how I see it; I actively set out to do exactly that.

I have found that the quickest way to uncover a hiding “happily ever after” is to fully embrace true royalty. I set out to choose to see the good in those who have hurt me, smile on the days that it would be easier to cry because, and to help others do the same. Soon enough, the magic in me kicks in and *POOF* “Happily Ever After!”

Love, Grace, and Kindness is the stuff true royalty strives to embody. This princess endeavors everyday to live up to her royal title, and, on occasion, even manages to succeed. Those are the days that I know, without a doubt; I am living “Happily Ever After.”