Dairy Free Ice Cream

May 28, 2013May 26, 2013 / makingofahome / Leave a comment

The littlest Fagan just celebrated her 4th birthday, and this soon-to-be-chef had been planning her party menu for months. At the top of her list was The Pioneer Womans’ Blackberry Chip Ice Cream. Well, unfortunately for my tiny girl, a few days before the big shebang, we were told by her new doctor to avoid dairy and refined sugar. Huh. This placed quite the damper on our birthday party edibles.

But never fear, dairy alternatives are here! While big sis was at school, my little chef and I transformed our kitchen into a recipe test kitchen. We tinkered away for a few days and came up with a fabulous dairy free, refined sugar free version of The Pioneer Woman’s ice cream.

I hope you enjoy this summer treat as much as we did!

Dairy Free Ice Cream

Put 1 cup blackberries (these can be fresh or frozen) and 1/2 local honey in a blender. Blend until smooth and set aside.

Pour 2 13.5 oz cans of coconut milk into an ice cream maker. Switch the ice cream maker on and allow to run for 3-5 minutes. To the coconut milk, add 1 teaspoon vanilla. Once the vanilla is incorporated, add the blackberry/honey mixture.

Allow the ice cream maker to run until you notice a creamy consistency begins to form. Then add 3 oz. dairy free chocolate chips (we used these). Run the ice cream maker until the chocolate chips are evenly distributed throughout the ice cream.

Store in an air tight container in the freezer until you are ready to eat. (I suggest taking the ice cream out of the freezer about 5 minutes before you intend to serve it because the coconut milk tends to freeze pretty solid.)

Enjoy!

*A note about all my recipes: I use all organic ingredients, local when available. I use non-homogenized milk, and all of the dairy we use is from animals raised on pasture. I also use oils that are non-GMO verified. All our meat is raised locally on organic feed, and our beef is grass-fed, grass-finished. All our spices and cane sugar are fair-trade certified and purchased through a cooperative.

The Road Less Traveled

May 27, 2013May 26, 2013 / makingofahome / 3 Comments

It seems that every time I turn around there is information out there on how to do something faster, save time and work more efficiently. But with all of these time saving tips, what are we doing with all of the freed up hours and minutes of our day? I know at least for me, it often feels like this new-found freedom from the hands of time just leaves me with a sense of heightened anxiety because I feel like I should be doing more, more, more.

Well, last week I found myself with a bit of time on my hands when making a trip up to Wisconsin. Instead of hopping on the interstate, with cars and semis zipping by me at 90 miles per hour, I decided to take the backroads and see what the road less traveled had to offer me. I couldn’t help but giggle to myself as the words from Cars ran through my head, “Well, the road didn’t cut through the land like that interstate. It moved with the land, it rose, it fell, it curved. Cars didn’t drive on it to make great time. They drove on it to have a great time.”

And I must admit, I agree with Sally. Driving on the winding roadway, through the farm scape of northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin, was a lot more fun. I was able to see lilac bushes in full bloom along the roadside. I pulled over to look at a goat farm where new kids frolicked in the fields with their mothers. I coasted into an actual town to buy a cup of coffee, instead of a grabbing a cup of joe from a giant neon-glowing gas station perched aside the interstate. I was even lucky enough to stop by an antique shop that had so much heirloom goodness that it spilled out onto the front lawn. And to think I would have missed all of this if I had sped down the interstate. Yes, I would have made it to my destination a few minutes faster, but so much would have been absent from my experience of that day.

So, as cliche as it sounds, I am so happy “I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.”

Kairos

May 17, 2013May 13, 2013 / makingofahome / Leave a comment

Kairos—“a right, opportune, or supreme moment in which something special and unique happens”

If you are so inclined, share a link to your “Kairos Moment” in the comment section. I hope you all have a blessed weekend!

Spring Goodness

May 16, 2013May 15, 2013 / makingofahome / Leave a comment

It seems that after a very long winter…Spring has finally arrived! The flowers and trees burst with color, asparagus spears peak out from the surface of the soil, and dandelions and wild violets paint the yard with vibrant color. At this moment, I find it hard to think of a better time of the year.

This week finds us in the midst of school and home garden planting, retirement celebrations, dance recital rehearsals, and birthday party preparations…All enjoyed with a magnificent spring melody playing in the background.

I hope all of you find yourself in the splender of this season as well!

Better Late Than Never

May 14, 2013May 13, 2013 / makingofahome / 1 Comment

Now, I know I am a bit late…but…Happy Mother’s Day to all of you fabulous mamas out there!

Here is a photo journey through our Sunday…

Kairos

May 10, 2013May 6, 2013 / makingofahome / 9 Comments

Kairos—“a right, opportune, or supreme moment in which something special and unique happens”

If you are so inclined, share a link to your “Kairos Moment” in the comment section. I hope you all have a blessed weekend!

Gratitude

May 9, 2013May 8, 2013 / makingofahome / 1 Comment

This morning I am so very grateful for…

~brightly colored tulips dotting our flower beds.

~the scent of fresh coffee steeping in my french press.

~kindergarten-sized hands planting seeds in rich soil.

~ballet and tap shoes strewn across the floor, mixed with some lovely pink feathers, in preparation for an upcoming dance recital.

~the Nadig family and the crew at Eikman’s Processing, and the delicious pork our family is now able to eat throughout this year.

~four garden beds beginning to sprout with life. (I’m just choosing the ignore the other 13 beds that are filled with dandelions and soil untouched since November. Ahem.)

~evenings spent discussing Nick, and Daisy, and Gatbsy…oh my!…with my husband, in preparation for The Great Gatsby movie release Friday.

~family who live close enough to spend Sunday with in celebration of Mother’s Day.

~only three more weeks until both of my babies are done with school for the summer! (How did the year go so fast? Oh my.)

~the peanut butter cookies I am about to bake…and eat for breakfast 🙂

Wild Abandon

May 7, 2013May 6, 2013 / makingofahome / 2 Comments

Why is it that so often we as adults feel swept up by our to-do lists, errands and the like? Recently, it has seemed that my life is whizzing by in one quick to-do-list blink.

But it was when I observed my two little ones over the weekend, that I yearned for the wild abandon they seem to live their lives by. It awakened in me something that had been held down by all those things I thought I had to do. But, in all reality, do I really need to get all those items crossed of my list? Do I really need to get all the laundry done? (I mean let’s face it…It is never really done is it?)

So, with that, I have decided to try my best to live a little bit more like my girls. With at least a hint of that wild abandon they embody on a daily basis, and a bit more mindfulness, I venture into the rest of this week.

I hope all of you can find some carefree freedom as you move throughout this week.

Kicking Things Off

May 6, 2013 / makingofahome / 1 Comment

It’s official. The school garden at The Cathedral of St. Peter School is fully under way! Sunday afternoon, we hosted a School Garden Kick-Off Festival where students and their families were able to peruse the garden space, take a look at our fabulous garden sign (hand-crafted by my father-in-law and decorated by the students of St. Peters), and visit with some very special guests.

We were so very fortunate to be joined on Sunday by Father Beekman, who blessed the garden space; Andrea Hazzard of Hazzard Free Farm spoke with families about growing and cooking with grains; Dick Zander of Zander Nursery met with students and their parents to discuss how to grow the best tomatoes in town; and Chef Paul Sletten of Abreo and Social visited with guests to discuss cooking with fresh produce. It was truly a wonderful afternoon. The weather could not have been more beautiful, and we were so thankful for all of the families who came out to help ring in this exciting new program for our school.

The entire day left me feeling a great sense of gratitude for all the Earth provides, and how her beauty and bounty can truly bring people together for the greater good. I cannot wait to see what wonderful adventures await the students of St. Peters as we venture forth with this new endeavor.