No-Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Oaties

Last summer I devoted a lot of time and blog space to vegetables. I had to find some way to use up the massive amounts of produce in the fridge! This summer, I'm still loving the farmer's market, but I'm all about the "unbaked" goods. I may have think about joining a CSA next year for my health's sake. But for now... cookies!

No-Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Oaties

3 Tbs. butter or coconut oil
2 Tbs. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 Tbs. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups oatmeal

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add in sugar and cocoa powder and bring to a low boil. Then stir in the peanut butter, vanilla extract, and chocolate chips and stir until mixture is smooth. Take off heat and add oatmeal, mixing well. Transfer to waxed paper in Tablespoon-sized scoops and cool in freezer for at least 30 minutes. Makes 12-18 cookies.

Fairy Godmother

Heh. I couldn't think of a title for this post. However, I was completely honored to become a Godmother twice over on Sunday with the baptism of Miss Matilyn Rebecca!

The second reading during Mass was from Romans 8. Verse 26 states, "We do not know how to pray as we ought. But the Holy Spirit intercedes for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words." This means a lot to me in my journey with God right now, but I had to laugh when Matilyn chose that moment to start moaning and groaning about wanting her bottle!

After Mass, we took some pictures and then headed to my cousin's house for BBQ.

Ross and me with my maternal grandparents. We didn't match on purpose...

Loved seeing family and snuggling with the sweet baby. Thanks, Matt and Heather, for letting us be a part of Matilyn's special day!

Nap time! I handed her over to Ross once she fell asleep.

When she woke up, she stared at him with such a confused look: "Who are you?!"

But she was okay with it. Kids love Ross!

Speaking of Beautiful Things...

... I wanted to share some of the beautiful things in my life this week (with exception of the babies at work... they are usually the MOST beautiful thing in any given week, but I can't very well post pictures of all of them on the world-wide web).

My garden is beautiful. It's small but lovely and the morning sun exposure has made a huge difference from last summer.

Serrano peppers

Basil

Strawberry(ies?)

Roses are beautiful. Obviously, flowers make the apartment look and smell good. And the fact that my husband gave them to me makes them even prettier!

Hair feathers (not to be mistaken for "tail feather" as in, "shake ya"). I got a desperately needed haircut and while I was there I went out on a limb and got feathers clipped in! Maybe for once I'm on the upswing of a trend instead of late to the party? Either way, I love them. I've never gotten a tattoo, weird piercing, or crazy hair color. I figure feathers are a fun, transient trend and I'm still young enough to jump on-board!

Friends. I've been able to catch up with several friends via phone in the past week. (Sorry I'm so bad at keeping in touch! You all know who you are.) I'm also making friends in Kansas City! On Tuesday I went to happy hour with my women's small group and had a blast. On Friday I got to go to an impromptu, free concert with my friend Rachel on Friday night. Looking forward to going to Trader Joe's with some more new friends this week...

Ignore the shiny foreheads- we're outdoors in the Midwest summer, y'all!

Farmer's Market goodies. You know I'm obsessed with fresh, local produce. Friday's haul was apparently brought to you by the colors purple and green.

Sweet corn, onion, purple bell pepper, and heirloom eggplants.

Am I the only one who thinks heirloom eggplants are beautiful?

Yum Tum local rhubarb strawberry jam for my morning oatmeal!

What was the most beautiful part of YOUR week? Looking forward to anything this coming week?

You Make Beautiful Things

How often does a song really move you to tears? It doesn't happen to me often, but this song did. Listen to it now, not later!

Beautiful Things by Gungor




All this pain
I wonder if I’ll ever find my way
I wonder if my life could really change at all
All this earth
Could all that is lost ever be found
Could a garden come up from this ground at all

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

All around
Hope is springing up from this old ground
Out of chaos life is being found in You

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

You make me new, You are making me new
You make me new, You are making me new

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

Raw Cookie Dough and Brownie Bites

Summer is upon us, without a doubt. I hate turning on the oven when it's sweltering outside, but I still love homemade treats. Enter: raw desserts.

Lots of creative, talented bloggers have come up with cookie 'dough' recipes lately and, since my stash of Cookie Dough Larabars is dwindling, I thought I'd try my hand at a homemade version. I actually made {these} a few months ago, but they weren't very dough-like. So I 'researched' and combined the ideas I liked into this version.

Raw Cookie Dough Balls

2/3 cup raw, unsalted cashews (or a combo of cashews and almonds)
1/4 cup old-fashioned oats
2 dates (pitted and chopped)
1-2 Tbs. maple syrup
2 Tbs. peanut butter
1 Tbs. non-dairy milk
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup chocolate chips

Add oats and nuts to food processor and blend until they reach a flour-like consistency. Then add dates, 1 Tbs. syrup, peanut butter, salt, and vanilla. Blend until smooth. If your mixture is crumbly, drizzle in additional milk or syrup in until you obtain the desired consistency (keep in mind that more maple syrup = stickier dough). Remove from food processor. Stir in chocolate chips once the "dough" has cooled slightly (it may be warm from the processing friction). Wet hands slightly and roll dough into Tablespoon-sized balls. May store in the fridge for up to a week. Makes 10-12 dough balls.

AH. MAZING. This truly tastes like cookie dough and I can't stop eating it.

Brownie bites (from Elena's Pantry) are surprisingly good as well, and I think of them more as truffles than dough-like. But they have a shorter ingredient list which always makes things easier. The first time I made these, half the batch disappeared while I was at work! This is despite the fact that Ross felt betrayed when he found out the secret ingredient was dates! Who is this person eating healthy treats?!

Raw Brownie Truffles

1/2 cup pitted dates
1 cup walnuts
3 Tbs. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. maple syrup (optional)
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. sea salt

Place ingredients into food processor and pulse on high speed until smooth. Remove from processor and roll into 10-12 Tablespoon-sized balls. Eat and be pleasantly surprised by the deliciousness.

Bittersweet Symphony

After 3 months of commitment, tears, laughter, kisses, and hugs, I sent two sweet primary patients home this week. Work has officially lost all appeal except for the fact that it brings home a paycheck. I don't really want to face "my" babies' empty room on Monday, even though it's empty for a happy reason and I'm totally being selfish (I know, WAH).

I miss them and their sweet parents like crazy already. Even if I could post a picture, it wouldn't do them justice.

SO. I need a vacation in a bad way. I haven't been one one in TWO YEARS! Chicago was fun last fall, but I was in classes most of the time and only had one day of "vacation" there. So anyone want to travel the world with me? Or help pay for it?!

Florida Keys in 2009

Happy 4th of July

(and happy birthday, Dad!)

Since I appear to have fallen off the face of the earth and playing catch-up would take a while, here are some snapshots from the last 4 days.