a very kolachki merry christmas

i can feel my grandma millie smiling down at me.  i made her famous kolachki yesterday and surprisingly rocked it. i have been horsing around with jamie oliver's 15 days of xmas instagram contest: #jamieschristmashp.  yesterday's challenge was to make mince pies... so i made mince pie::kolachki's... errrrrrrrrr close enough, right?:)

i altered her recipe to be gluten free and casein/lactose free.  we have not completely banned dairy, we simply limit it as mac was highly allergic to milk as a baby and everyone feels better with just little bits here and there.  we're getting along fabulously with plain sheep's yogurt, ghee and sheep/goat's milk cheese.  i do keep some high quality, grass fed butter in the house for certain things that just.need.real.butter.  why more ghee than butter in the mullies?  i personally like ghee for it's higher smoking point and lack of casein and lactose.

my mom and dad stopped in this morning and tried my kolachki.  i knew i nailed it when my mom wanted seconds and my dad sighed, put his head down and said,

"oh lindsey, these taste just like my mom's".  sniff sniff.

this recipe was tweaked thanks to the help of peter & kelli bronski's kolachki recipe.  i was super nervous about combining the dairy free cream cheese & ghee in this sacred prezell family recipe.  i am so glad i got some gumption and went for it!  heck, if it wasn't for this instagram contest, i probably wouldn't have even made them.  thanks j-dog, contests always help me put my game-face on - it must be the jock in me:)

oh grandma, i miss you and grandpa so much.  i haven't attempted these darlings since she taught me how to make them with her in 1999.  i do hope to make you proud - the mullies kitchen was built in honor of you both and the 40+ years you lived here before us on.the.lake.

mullie & millie's apricot kolachki

1 c organic ghee (it's already soft since you can leave it in your pantry)
8 oz of daiya brand plain cream cheese style spread
2.5 c (313 g) gf flour blend
2 tsp xanthan gum
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
organic powdered sugar
apricot preserves (i also remember her making these with raspberry, cream cheese and poppyseed fillings)

preheat oven to 350 degrees.  cream the ghee and cream cheese spread together in a stand mixer until light and fluffy.  in a separate bowl, mix the flour, xanthan gum and salt.  add the flour mixture gradually to the butter/cheese mixture. wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour to firm up.  generously dust your surface with powdered sugar and roll out to your desired thickness (i put plastic wrap over the top so the dough doesn't stick to the rolling pin).  i used a small juice glass to make circles and then cut out triangles for the tops.  be creative and make them look fancy pancy!  bake for 15 minutes or until the edges start to brown ever so slightly.

i like to eat mine with a lovely latte.  how will you eat yours?

merry merry christmas to you my dear mullie reader!!!

may rudolf's shiny nose find his way into your cozy home - now you have a very special cookie to leave him & santa baby:)

now i'm off to a most "fashionable" ugly xmas sweater party...  thanks for letting me borrow your sweet "jumper" jenn!!

xoxo

dark chocolate peppermint popcorn is to.die.for

it's holiday party tiiiiiimmmmmmeeeeeeeee!!!

this popcorn is super crazy fantastic.  it combines my three loves:  popcorn, dark chocolate and peppermint.

so you can do one of two things:  shake and bake some popcorn on your own (it's so fun and delicious and i prefer hot and homemade) or cheat like i did this time and buy some great quality popcorn (with no fake ingredients please!).

the best dark chocolate peppermint popcorn ever
(this makes about 20 sandwich bag size servings)

3 bags trader joe's organic olive oil popcorn
2 bars high quality organic dark chocolate chocolate (i used trader joe's dark chocolate truffle)
1 handful (about 25 pieces) trader joe's peppermint candy (no artificial red thank.you.very.much!)

make a double broiler to melt your chocolate:  fill a small saucepan with water and place a bowl on top over medium heat.  put the chocolate in the bowl and melt away.  spread out your popcorn on five cookie sheets.  muddle & crush the peppermint candies until you have a nice chunky, powdery consistency (no mortar and pestle?  put it in a sturdy gallon plastic bag and pound it good).  once chocolate is creamy take a spatula and just wiggle waggle the chocolate over the top of the popcorn, all over the place.  with your hand, pinch up the crushed peppermint and evenly dust the top as much as you want...  it's your popcorn!!!  let it dry and try not to eat the whole damn tray... i dare you.

be warned, this stuff is amazeballs and you really must make it for your holiday parties.

now i have a 3rd grade party to crash.  i hope they like what i have in store for all of them:

dark chocolate peppermint popcorn
gluten free banana chocolate muffins
clementines
green holiday smoothies:  2-3 handfuls of packed spinach, 1 banana, 1/2 pear, juice from 1/2 orange, juice from 1/2 lemon, frozen mixed berries/mango, water - zoom zoom

that's right, i'm making green smoothies for them for them to try.  i did this in abbie's halloween party and it was a huge.monstrous.hit.  well, for most of them;)

i'll report back, you filthy animals.

xoxo


ps

have you ever played chubbie brussels?  you really must try it:)

merry merry insta-planning

i am having a ball with this instagram contest.

gonna get my kids in on today's challenge when they get home.  my clementines are gonna love it.

i just started instagramming before thanksgiving and i'm hooked by the arse.

here is what i've been up to: snap snap snap.


in other news...

here is some nerdy reading for the week:

spectrum disorders & microbe diversity in the gut

why the exploding gluten sensitivity?

is wheat-free just a trend?

"being brave *is not* about having no fear; 
it's about feeling the fear 
and then doing what needs to be done."
- brian johnson - en*theos

i love that.

xoxo

chasing the sun - food revolution day 2014

ohhhhhh what would i do without my food revolution community!?!?  be inspired by the other amazing videos from the food foundation and click on the youtube link at the bottom of my frame, it'll make your heart feel all warm and cozy.  

here are some of my favs:

jamie's global foundations

first celebrities to join the food revolution

food revolution latino!!

i'm dreaming of warm weather & food revolution day 2014!!

become a food patriot and join the food revolution.

hey you, let's chase the sun.

xoxo

kickin the gas outta the park

are you ready for this!?

our district 76 wellness committee has done it!  

we have kicked the artificial color out of our school breakfasts! 

yea baby yea!  super high fives and fist pumps all around!

close your eyes, look inside... if you missed it, read my just.say.no.to.food.color.letter to get your juices flowing and start dreaming and acting on a plan to get the fake color out of your food.  it's a great first step.  check out how this pittsburgh principal is propelling a food revolution in his school.  wow... the possibilities...

the breakfast meal options will go down in number and that's just fine.  the cereals and other food options that include artificial color will no longer be sent on a truck to our cafeterias and that is such wonderful news for our students!

we're on our way...

...we'll save the gas for our snow blowers.  we need it!

it's mac's favorite piece of food trivia.  

mac: "dudes, did you know that food color is made from gasoline!  YUCK!"  

and then they all look at him like he's crazy...

mac:  "just google it"

thanks to the jamie oliver food foundation's work to improve school food policy, our country is getting her food revolutionizing on!!!  

i can't believe what food patriots we've turned into.  i feel like dancing a little now.

we like to dream

xoxo

finding inspiration for food education - prairie crossing charter school

i love field trips.  especially ones that help me bring fresh ideas to our school district's wellness committee meeting which will be held after the new year!  it's perfect timing to have a meeting in january as everyone is striving to make new year's resolutions and healthy changes for themselves and their families!

our committee's mission statement is" to promote healthy food choices and physical activity in order to improve the physical, academic and emotional well-being of the district 76 community."  as a district parent and food revolution ambassador, i have been asked to offer ideas on how to bring food education into the classroom and i am feeling so grateful to have made connections with the individuals and administrators at prairie crossing charter school.  it is located just a few miles from our school district.  my girlfriend catherine organized a group of "real foodies" to travel together and participate in prairie crossing's farm to table monthly luncheon back on november 20th.  we are all interested in finding ways to integrate food nutrition into our schools' classroom curriculum and bring.the.outside.in.

we all toted our own plate, bowl, utensils and cup.  the five of us ate with naomi hershiser, dean of environmental programs and integrated curriculum.  she generously gave up almost 3 hours of her time to answer our questions and serve as our tour guide of the school's grounds and facilities.  i also met and chatted with chef romie auguste, the lovely and energetic executive chef behind our amazing farm to table meal.  here is a very basic run down on how their farm to table celebration works:

• farm to table luncheons are held once a month and each is hosted by a grade level(s) who is in charge of growing and harvesting some of the luncheon's food components.  

• each grade level selects food to grow in the beginning of the year.  a chef collaborates with the students in the classroom in a variety ways depending on the age level of the students.  for example, for the older students, the chef will lead the class in hands on cooking demonstrations (funding for individual table top skillets was obtained through a grant) and then work together in developing recipes with their harvest ingredients for the luncheon menu. 

• small groups of students prepare and present 3 minute food presentation skits for the entire luncheon.  they also create table toppers based on their harvest theme.

• adult volunteers help the chef prepare, serve and clean for the celebratory luncheon. 

• anyone is welcome to join the farm to table celebration for $8.  diners must bring their own plate, bowl, napkin, utensils, and cup as they encourage no waste!  

it was truly inspirational to walk around the grounds with naomi and discover how each grade level designed their outdoor learning space.  students and teachers work together to decide how they want it to look and function as an outdoor learning classroom and discovery zone.  as you can see from the pictures i included, each space is unique to the developmental ages and needs of the students.  there are raised beds scattered around the grounds.  without a doubt, the most creative land they developed is the island in the middle of the parking lot - talk about using otherwise wasted space!  genius!  thank you from the bottom.of.my.heart for spending so much time with us naomi!  i'm looking forward to our next connection:)

it is so exciting to gather with educators who are doing.learning.sharing their farm-to-table-to-classroom educational model.  the common core changes are challenging and prairie crossing charter school is creatively meeting and exceeding the challenges head on.  since i began my real food journey over a year ago, programs like the edible schoolyard intrigued me and i wondered what it would look like in action.  i am simply bananas over the fact we have a living, breathing example right in our local.lake.county.back.yard.
 
what was my BIG take away?  that each school district has a unique footprint, facility, community and budget.  i'm so excited and energized to continue learning and gathering ideas that will fit our district's unique student demographic and facility capabilities so that we can reach for the stars together.

have a fab weekend everyone ...stay warm chicago!!

brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

xoxo

go all american - ranch yourself

mac has never.ever.liked any ranch i have served him, homemade or bottled...

...until a few nights before thanksgiving.

when his minecraft world exploded with ranch lava.

here is his grand prize winner:

inspo=easy homemade yogurt ranch

mullies notes:
mix 2 T spices (from above link and no powdered buttermilk needed for us) + 3/4 c plain sheep's yogurt (or greek) + 1/2 c vegenaise (or mayo) + juice from 1/2 lemon (1 T) until the consistency is perfect.  thin it out with almond milk if you like runny ranch.

oh and btw, these are approximate measurements, i just dump it in a bowl and go for it.

try that on for size.

i mean what is going on over here?

...chris likes my new french dressing, mac likes my new ranch AND my cats WON yesterday!!!!
the purple is flowing - fitz & the boys' bad luck is over grovers.

and tommy really really likes it.

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!

xoxo