Baby steps in the kitchen.

All of a sudden over the past few days I've gotten this very strange wave of energy to tackle some baking challenges I've had since we moved into this house.  I've not really gotten a handle on our kitchen (meaning baking/cooking consistently) and have been feeling guilty about it.  But blissfully, a new energy and motivation to conquer a few things has replaced the guilt!  That's always exciting, isn't it??

I've spent a couple of days researching quite a bit as to the whys of gluten free baking.  I just can't remember things if I don't understand why they work the way they do.  If I understand why, it sticks and I remember to choose the right starch the next time the opportunity arises.

And I've been researching some ways to really bake safely for all 4 of us... just ONE batch of muffins, ONE batch of cupcakes, ONE cookie recipe, etc.  (If I make a wheat one and a rice one, we inevitably run out of one first... then Mattie has yummy muffins left and Jacob doesn't, then Jacob gets pancakes and Mattie gets muffins... Why can't I have pancakes?... Just eat what I fixed for you!  But I want pancakes like Jacob!  But you said you wanted muffins.  But I didn't know we had pancakes!   Any mother out there hear me????)    You can appreciate why I'd like to make just one recipe.  Lol!  I can get myself all worked up just typing that out!  I need to take a deep breath and count to 10.

So today I took the kids to the health food store when we were out picking up a prescription of compounded ibuprofen for Jacob.  (They are both still nursing the flu, so we're trying to stay away from people but are pretty sick of being house bound.)  Anyway, I got the ingredients I needed and came home to be productive.  Here's what I made successfully today:

Almond Milk in my SoyaJoy soy milk maker.  The kids actually both asked for glasses of it plain and drank it!

Strawberry banana creamy smoothies with the almond milk.

Thickened up extra smoothie and froze it to have "ice cream" for dessert!

Wheat free flour mix that is safe for all four of us (meaning free of wheat, egg, dairy, and corn).

Yummy banana muffins with that mix!

Mattie's bread, tweaked a bit with some of what I learned and it's great!  She hugged me and jumped up and down when she knew I was making her bread! :)

They loved everything I made.  I know that sounds weird to say that, but there are MANY, many times I have stood on my head to adapt a recipe, it has turned out really well, and they complain about it (because they are so used to eating the same old kid-friendly things, which isn't their fault).  So, I often lose my steam before I even find a recipe.

But tonight Mattie thanked Jesus for "our new almond milk that's like Grampa Harvey drinks and our yummy smoothie ice cream."

 

And Jacob and I even engaged in a conversation in which he showed sympathy!!

Jacob, after tasting the almond milk: Um, I think it's yummy.
Me: Okay.  (Thinking, better than many responses I get from him about new things!)  I'd like it if I can make it so it's really yummy for you.  Maybe I can figure that out.
Jacob: I know you try hard and it's hard for us to like things and be thankful for them.
Me:  I know you want to have new things like everyone else can eat, and I'm doing the best I can for you.  But when you ask for new things, I try and then you complain about things because they're different than you're used to, it makes me not want to try anymore. 
Jacob:  Yeah.  I can understand how you feel frustrated about it.  I would feel that way too.

I just thought that was a sweet way to end our day.  :)

Baby steps in the kitchen.