Sweet Hemp Milk Chai Latte dairy-free, refined sugar-free

When we were in Manitou Springs last weekend, there was this great coffee shop (wish I could remember the name of it) where they not only offered soy and almond milk, but also hemp milk. That was the first time I've ever seen hemp milk in a coffee shop. I was thrilled because I try to avoid soy milk, and almond milk is never thick enough for chai or coffee. I've had ice cream by this company before, but never their milk substitute. It was made by Tempt. Have you ever tried Tempt ice cream? It's delish. We love the mint flavor. But I don't get it often because of all the sugar it contains.

As we were enjoying our hemp chai lattes in Manitou Springs, I realized I've never posted how to make your own hemp milk. It's really easy. Unlike almond and cashew milk, which I find sweet on their own, I think hemp milk requires a bit more sweetness. Also, it tends to separate more than almond or cashew milks. So just give it a good stir before using it :-)

How to make your own sweet hemp milk:

Add to blender:

1/4 cup hemp seeds hemp seeds (also available in health food stores, often in the omega 3 & 6 department, as it is high in both)

6 dates (soak first if they are dry)

8 drops vanilla liquid stevia

Optional: 1/4 tsp guar gum

Add water up to the top cup line.

Puree.

Sweet Hemp Milk Chai Latte:

Steep 1 bag of chai (I use Yogi Tea, Chai Black) in 1/2 cup water, just off the boil, for about 7 minutes.

Add 2 tsp of honey to the tea. Stir.

Divide between two small mugs.

Warm 1/2 cup sweet hemp milk slightly. (Too much heat will destroy the omega 3 & 6)

Add to tea.

Makes two small (or one medium) hemp chai latte.

I hope you enjoy this chai as much as Zoe, Ashley, and I do.

Next I'm thinking of taking this recipe and making a big batch for chai ice cream. :-)

♥, Kelly

GFCF Halloween Treats

Above: Zoe and Ashley last weekend in Colorado Springs

Fall. It's my favorite time of year. The sound of leaves crunching under my feet as I walk. The smell of the crisp dry air. Spiced cider. Pumpkins and orange everywhere (my favorite color). I drink it all in, savoring each moment. And one of my kids' favorite parts of fall is Halloween. This year Zoe decided to be a "winter fairy," and Ashley a princess again. I may or may not wear my flapper costume, depending on how cold it is.

Because we don't eat store-bought candy, the girls go trick-or-treating, then give it away to kids who come to our door after we get home. If there is something gluten and dairy free in their bag, then they have one piece. I buy the remaining candy from them for ten cents each, and the next day we go shopping for a toy.

One of our favorite things to make together on Halloween is Ginger & Chocolate Candy, and Cherry & Chocolate Candy. We've done other variations too, using different nuts and dried fruits. You can really be creative with your ingredients. We made these Raw Chocolate Raspberry Candies last Easter, but they could also be made for Halloween. They would be so cute in a basket with orange tissue paper or a fall colored cloth napkin :-)

Also, I thought I would suggest some other yummy treats for Halloween by some of my favorite gals:

Elana's Peppermint Patties

Ali's Raw Caramel Apple Dip

Amy's Raw Date Truffles

Ricki's Raw Milky Way Bars, from The Daily Raw Cafe

Naomi's Honey Toffee Lollipops

Lauren's Mock "PayDay" Peanut Treats

Above: Picture by Zoe

If you have a recipe, link to a recipe, or GFCF Halloween tip, share it with us in the comments below! Happy fall!

♥, Kelly

Coquette Creperie & The Olive Branch colorado springs gluten-free love

This weekend we took a short trip down to Colorado Springs. Wow. To say it is beautiful there is a major understatement. Above is one of the great photos I got from Garden of the Gods. To see more, Click Here, to go to my family blog :D

In Manitou Springs we went to Coquette Creperie, where all of the crepes are gluten-free. It was very exciting.

I had a crepe with raspberries and blueberries, and Andy had a crepe with chicken curry (below). The girls shared a sandwich on gluten-free bread. Everything was awesome.

Above: Chicken curry stuffed crepe topped with toasted shredded coconut.

Above: Ashley at twilight in Garden of the Gods.

A friend of mine told me we also had to go to The Olive Branch while we were in town. You can imagine our surprise when they brought orange cake (above) over to the table after we sat down. "Thanks, but we can't eat gluten." Andy said to stop them from putting it down. "It's gluten-free." they said. What? Shock. Well, it did contain dairy though, so only Andy and I could sneak a few bites (with about 10 enzymes!), but it was divine. Not too sweet, which we prefer.

We had to order fresh hot doughnuts. The girls had never had a doughnut before, and Andy and I haven't had one in many years. They were gluten and dairy free. And amazing.

Above: Zoe in The Olive Branch.

It's also worth mentioning that both Coquette Creperie and The Olive Branch were in really cool buildings. So charming. We came home feeling very spoiled, gluten-free style :D

♥, Kelly

With our friends at Boulder farmers market

A couple weeks ago we went to the Boulder Farmers Market with our friends, Zoe and Mark, and their lovely children. I wanted to share some beautiful photos taken by our friend, Mark, of Metroseen. Their business, Metroseen showcases local businesses via beautiful and engaging videos, then puts them all in one place. The local story is then told. Enjoy Mark's photos :-)

♥, Kelly

Tea and Tea Drinking by Claire Masset book review

When I was in elementary school I checked out every one of my library's books about the Loch Ness monster. The most fascinating anecdote came from the 1930s and was about a English couple on holiday in Scotland. While the couple were enjoying tea time the monster was spotted by another hotel guest. Rather than flying to the window to witness the creature, the husband remained seated to finish his cup of tea! Tea and its traditions certainly have a strong hold on Britain.

As a devoted tea drinker, Anglophile, and history buff, I've been meaning to read up of tea's long relationship with British society. I noticed several lengthy books on the subject, but haven't picked one up until discovering the charming Tea and Tea Drinking by Claire Masset. The author condenses a remarkable history in this concise 56 page book. She discusses tea's origins in ancient China, its introduction to England in the 17th century, and its longterm effect on British society.

Masset reveals the social aspects of tea. Enjoying the drink began as a pastime of the wealthy. It was first served in the gentleman-club-like coffee houses. It was an important aspect of home life, influencing women's relationships and status. Increased availability reduced prices, especially after the East India Company founded British tea plantations in India. By the 19th century everyone could afford to drink tea multiple times a day. There are chapters describing the businesses that sprung up in support of tea drinking: tea dealers, the ceramics industry, tea gardens tea houses, in-store tea rooms, packaging and advertising.



In the late 20th century many of the long-held ceremonies surrounding tea drinking declined due to modern convenience. For instance, the simple mug with tea bag made tea sets, tea caddies, and lengthy tea time unnecessary. Coffee break has infiltrated (or percolated to) Britain, displacing tea. Still, Britain is a nation of tea drinkers. In recent years there has been growing interest in returning to traditional ways of enjoying the drink now with loose-leaf, organic, and fairly traded tea.


I'm a big fan of this publisher. Shire's well-designed books feature specialist authors and display high production quality. The publisher several new food history books including Early Electrical Appliances and Old Cooking Utensils. A few years ago BBC Radio 4 broadcast an excellent program on the history of tea in Britain. You may listen online.

—Andrew

P.S. Naturally I don't put milk in tea as the English do. I've always thought that was gross. I add a little honey, but that's it. Zoe and Ashley, however, enjoy their tea with a bit cashew milk.

Fall, beautiful fall... Rocky Mountain Pumpkin Ranch

We went to Rocky Mountain Pumpkin Ranch for the second time today. I could go every day :-)

I bought one of these white pumpkins that my mother-in-law recommended, and baked it. I have a pie made with it in the oven as we speak. Smells amazing in here.

The pumpkin and squash are so beautiful. I have no words.

And isn't the market as cute as a button?! Red walls and furniture, concrete floors, and corn hanging from the ceiling.

They sell cider and juice by the Colorado Cherry Company. It's 100% juice—no added sugar.

We have a tradition of buying two little cherry juice bottles and drinking them outside.

If the pumpkin pie with the white pumpkin comes out, I'll post it. I thought I'd make a baked pumpkin pie with eggs this time. We'll see...

♥, Kelly

My Fall Table

I plan on baking and eating most of the pumpkins we grew in our garden this year, but I also wanted to save a few for the table. =) It looks pretty without dishes, above, and with dishes, below.

We aren't planning a party, nor do we have guests coming for dinner in the near future—The greenery, pumpkins and apples are for our enjoyment alone.

But when company does come we'll be ready. Or not, if Ashley eats all the apples first ;-)

Lucky for me, orange is my favorite color =) It's scattered all around
my house.

Fall is my favorite time of year. I can't get enough of it.

♥, Kelly

Oven Omelets with Sweet Potato Crust gluten-free, dairy-free

I love omelets, but I don't like making them. That's why I make these "oven omelets" all the time. This recipe made two "pies" and about six servings. We let them cool to room temperature, and took them to the park for a picnic.

We just ate them with our hands like pizza :D

The other end of this park has a playground and a rose garden. I took some photos of the roses at twilight, one of my favorite times of day for pictures.

To see all of the photos I took this evening, Click Here, to go to my family blog :D

And now for the recipe!

Lightly grease two pie dishes. Thinly slice one large or two small sweet potato, and arrange it around the bottom of the pie dishes, like this:

Sprinkle the sweet potato crust with sea salt and pepper.

Pour omelet mixture over top.

Omelet mixture:

8 whisked eggs

1.5 tsp Herbamare seasoning

1 finely chopped sauteed onion

1 finely chopped sauteed red pepper

2 cloves minced sauteed garlic

2 cups lightly steamed, thinly sliced broccoli

1 cup sliced Applegate Farms, Chicken & Maple, Breakfast Sausage*

1/2 cup Daiya or other dairy-free cheese

1/2 cup finely chopped sundried tomatoes

Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes.

*I like Applegate Farms, Chicken & Maple, Breakfast Sausage because it's gluten and casein free and it doesn't contain MSG or nitrates. Plus the chickens are treated humanely and without antibiotics.

♥, Kelly