recipe: vegan banana oat cookies

You guys, these are seriously some of the best cookies I've ever had. They are so moist and flavorful and healthy! Whole grains, no added fat, vegan, chocolate. I'm not gonna lie, we ate them for breakfast. 

This makes about 3 dozen cookies.

2 cups regular oats

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp salt

1 TBSP cinnamon

1 1/2 cups mashed very ripe banana (about 3 large bananas)

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 cup peanut or almond butter

2 tsp vanilla extract

2/3 cup dried goji berries

1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. 

In a large bowl, combine banana, syrup, nut butter and vanilla. Add goji berries and stir to combine.

In a separate bowl, stir together oats, flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

Add half the dry ingredients to the wet and stir to combine.  Add remaining dry ingredients and stir until completely incorporated. Add chocolate chips and stir again.

Using a spoon, scoop onto a cookie sheet, leaving about an inch between each cookie.

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Let them cool on the cookie sheet about 5 minutes before placing on a cooling rack.

Don't feel guilty if these don't make it past the end of the day. I'm almost certain they won't around here!

and a little sunshine for your day!

stepping out of the shadows

I don't stand out.

For much too long, I've convinced myself that I am just fine blending in, observing, staying quiet or thinking I have nothing to offer.

Lately though I've felt this urge to overcome that part of myself that worries what others may think or say. To just say, "Fuck it!" and be me. Authentic. Who I was always been meant to be .

This journey I am on... I don't know what it means or where it is taking me but it is pulling hard. And in many directions. It can feel chaotic at times but I know that surrounding the chaos is exceptional beauty.

one must have chaos within oneself in order to give birth to a dancing star

friedrich nietzsche

a glorious weekend

We've been enjoying some insanely nice weather. It would be wrong not to soak up every last bit of sunlight when you know that at a moment's notice, the cold and dark will come to stay.

"just because" flowers {and isn't that the best kind?}

looove roasted squash!

How was your weekend?

{this moment}

{this moment}- A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Inspired by SouleMama

rediscovering myself

First order of business this morning: I get scared to write. So when I'm absent for days on end, that's likely why. It's not so much that I'm worried about you reading, it's more worry about what will emerge from the depths of me. You see, I'm on a journey. I've fought it for a while. But it finally occurred to me not to fear who I am becoming but to embrace it and not just enjoy the ride but be an active participant. Audacious, I know! So there's that. 

Now, about this journey... this transition. Where to begin?

I was raised in the Mormon church. I seriously questioned those beliefs in my teenage years and formally left the church when I was 20. Ever since, I've generally considered myself atheist/agnostic. In doing so, I neglected anything of spiritual nature, believing that was either nonsense or not a valid use of my time. All the while though, I've felt drawn to the belief that there is something else... something more. I've struggled with the idea that we live-we die-the end. I don't believe there is some man out there beyond that is God. But some kind of collective wisdom of every being, every soul ~woman, animal, rock & tree~ that has ever been... that resonates.

Right now, what I am drawn to most is absorbing information and more so, realizing and acknowledging the power that surrounds me. From crystals, the moon, within, beyond. Embracing my own soul and femininity seems like a good place to start and I'm feeling the pull of all these things. 

Years ago, a shaman friend gifted me two lovely stones, amethyst and quartz, and recently I have started to build a collection. I am beginning a meditation practice and have found that using these powerful crystals enhance and perhaps add focus to the experience.  This gorgeous piece arrived yesterday from Polly's shop and I am in awe. It is absolutely stunning. 

zara. amethyst necklace by polly

Brushing off the cobwebs and realizing I still have a soul has led me on an adventure. There are many more facets to my history, present, and future. I hope to share them with you and overcome my fears of digging deeper. 

a birthday girl!

Over the past weekend we celebrated my daughter's 5th (!!!) turn around the sun. A little bit of the shock has worn off but man! My little baby is a KID! She amazes me at the charming, silly, witty little lady that she is. People comment frequently on how full of personality she is and they're so right. This girl is so vivacious and passionate. It has been so cool to see her grow into who she is.

Each day for the past two weeks she would look at the calendar to countdown how many days until she was five. There was a lot of build up to this birthday! Isn't that how it goes when you're a kid though? 

 Because I get to spend the days with her, my husband has always done bedtime. But every night, after her teeth are brushed and stories are read and she's all tucked in, she says, "Tell mom to snuggle me!"And so I do. Admittedly sometimes begrudgingly. I'm realizing though that those days may be over soon so I'm really trying to make sure I soak it in. One day I'll be the one asking (begging?) her for snuggles.

 We spent the day before her birthday with lunch at Vertical Diner (a vegan restaurant) and at the Natural History Museum of Utah which is such an amazing place. Especially to see artifacts from people who lived right where we do but many many moons ago, it's just awe inspiring. 

 

 We made this cake and spent a lovely Sun Day at home. We like to keep it simple but meaningful. For the past two years, rather than a big party, we've made birthdays be family days. We all agree it's such a pleasant way to spend the day!

The days may be long but the years are without a doubt astonishingly short. The consolation is that I'm her mama and can join her on this journey. 

She makes me laugh; she makes me cry; she made me a mama.

And I love her so.

One day old!

dance

source

Forget your troubles and dance, 

Forget your sorrows and dance,

Forget your sickness and dance, 

Forget your weakness and dance

bob marley

a glorious weekend

:: butternut squash soup for breakfast

:: searching for the perfect pumpkin

:: papa & henry

:: mama & hen

:: bumping along on the hayride

:: my boy