Sophia Grace | 10 Months Old

Sweet Potato, Black Bean, and Red Quinoa Soup

This is a nice soup for a rainy spring day! It's packed with protein and nutrition and a little spicy!

Ingredients

1 cup Red Quinoa

1 cup Black Beans

2 Sweet Potatoes

2 stalks Celery

1 Yellow Onion

1 Tomato

1 Jalepeno

1 Serano Pepper

1 TBS Chipotle Chili Powder

2 tsps Smoked Paprika

2 tsps Cumin

2 tsps Salt

2 cloves Garlic

Cilantro

Lime Sour Cream

2 TBS Cooking Oil

4-6 cups vegetable broth

1 dark Beer

Make a puree of the peppers, tomato, cilantro, and garlic. It will look like a salsa.

In a large dutch oven or soup pot, saute the onions, salsa mix and celery in the oil until soft. Add in the diced sweet potato, quinoa, beans, spices, broth, and on bottle of beer. Simmer until sweet potatoes and quinoa are soft. Add more spice to taste. Garnish with sour cream, lime, and fresh cilantro.

Easter Weekend 2012

We had a busy weekend of photo shoots at the Attic and around the area and Easter with Kyle's family. The pic above is us in Peepaw's workshop/the Attic workshop.

On Saturday I spent time styling a real engagement shoot with Rebecca Hollis Photography at one of my favorite places to shoot in the northwest! I can't wait to share it with you. And it is so crazy to think that almost one year ago I was at the exact same place helping with this photo shoot!

(Photo by Keri Doolittle Photography)

Me and my big ole' belly! 

 Sophia turned 10 months old on Saturday! 

Sophia easter shopping with me...kitties and piggies!

Sunday Best!

We spent Easter with Kyle's Family...hunting eggs by the creek!

On the move...she loves dirt and grass and rocks!

Life Lately

I had a lovely site visit with a bride yesterday! A gorgeous old church and a rooftop where we are creating a forest! Can't wait to share it with you come August!

This week an article about my story was featured in Northwest Mama Magazine. I was very honored and thankful! You can read it here. 

Working on another project out of antique doors...

Lot's of scouting and buying for the Attic. 

And easter shopping with Sophie G!

Guest Post on Dandelions on the Wall

Here is the post on Christina's Blog! 

Lavender Cupcakes with Meyer Lemon Buttercream

Today Christina from Dandelions on the Wall is guest posting with a delicious recipe. Her blog focuses on Gluten, Dairy, and Soy free recipes. She dreams up some delicious alternatives to traditional recipes. You can read more about her and her blog here. 

For the Cupcakes, You'll Need:

1 1/2 Cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour

1 tsp. Xanthan Gum

1/2 tsp. Baking Powder

1/4 tsp. Salt

3 Tbsp. Lavender Buds

1/2 Cup Earth Balance {a dairy-free, soy-free buttery spread}

1 Cup Sugar

2 eggs

1 Tbsp. Vanilla Extract

2/3 Cup Almond Milk

To Make:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and prepare a cupcake pan with 12 liners.

Combine flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, salt, and levender buds in a small bowl. Set aside.

In your stand mixer, combine Earth Balance and sugar, whisking thoroughly to combine. 

While the mixer continues to run, add the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla.

With the mixer running at low speed, add the flour mixture 1/2 cup at a time until combined.

Stir in almond milk.

Divide the batter equally among your twelve cupcake liners, and bake, checking after 18 minutes. Cupcakes are done when a toothpick inserted near the center of a cupcake comes back clean.

After several minutes, remove the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the Buttercream, You'll Need:

1/2 Cup Earth Balance, at room temperature

3 Cups Powdered Sugar

2 tsp. Freshly Squeeze Meyer Lemon Juice

1 tsp. Meyer Lemon Zest

2 Tbsp. Almond Milk

To Make:

Add Earth Balance to a mixing bowl and whip thoroughly using your hand mixer.

Add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, stirring on low speed to avoid a mess. Your mixture will be very thick.

Add lemon juice, zest, and almond milk, and whip for another two minutes.

If you desire a thicker frosting, add some extra powdered sugar, 1 Tbsp. at a time. If you would like to thin your frosting a bit, add some additional almond milk. 

Notes:

Earth Balance becomes very soft, very quickly. If you're having trouble working with your buttercream, of if you'd like to pipe it onto your cupcakes, place it in the fridge for 15 minutes or so to cool. 

If you don't have a pastry bag and would like to pipe the frosting onto your cupcakes, use a large zip-top sandwich bag. Fill the bag with frosting, then clip the bottom corner and use as you would a pastry bag.