This past weekend on Friday night we decided to visit our new property and take Grey camping on site! I purchased the hubs a blackout tent for Christmas and wanted to try it out before braving the true wilderness with a toddler.

I'm happy to report we all had a BLAST, invited some friends to boot and cooked our dinner, dessert and sunrise breakfast over an open flame.

Returning home smelling of smoke and the outdoors, we were craving a more fanciful breakfast come Sunday. We whipped up these little scrumptious Veggie Loaded Baked Egg Bites with some vegetables and fresh OJ and it was just the perfect return back into home life. 

INGREDIENTS:
​

• avocado oil cooking spray
• 9 large organic eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
• black pepper
• 3 tablespoons thawed frozen kale, drained
• 3 tbsp diced organic tomatoes
• 3 tbsp diced onion
• 3 tbsp diced bell pepper

DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat the oven to 350F.
  
• Spray muffin tin with avocado oil cooking spray.
• In a large bowl whisk the eggs and season with salt and pepper.
  
• Mix in kale, tomatoes, onion and bell pepper. 
• Fill muffin tin cups and bake 20 to 25 minutes, until set.
• Serve with fresh juice, vegetables or breakfast sausage. 

​gluten free - dairy free - vegan - nut free - yeast free - soy free - egg free

I've been thinking a lot about childhood lately. 

I love seeing the world through Grey's eyes. How he lights up at every little thing. How the simplest joys make him laugh those beautiful deep baby belly laughs. It all got me thinking about my childhood. Joy. Innocence. Peace. Playfulness. 

I adored my childhood. I was blessed to have attentive, loving parents, a mom who stayed home with us and a dad who worked so hard for us but then gave his all on evenings and weekends. I want to make a happy home for Grey to thrive and feel like his imagination can soar to heights greater than I could imagine. And I want to go on that incredible journey once again, this time, letting him take the reigns and just really let him be little and be uniquely him. 

(just took a quick break to let him chase me in his walker, emitting squeals of laughter)

See what I mean? Glorious. 

And reminiscing about my childhood got me thinking about the food of my childhood. 

Which got me thinking about comfort foods.

Which, of course, led to thinking about donuts. 

Which if you've hung around here since my pregnancy you can see it's become an obsession of mine to perfect the allergy-friendly donut. My Blueberry Powdered Sugar Donut, My Double Chocolate Donut and my Apple Cinnamon Glazed Pumpkin Donut are a few of my top recipes here at Nosh and Nurture, proving to me that other people have a love for the circular pastry as much as I do.

Have I told you lately that I love you?

One of my favorite donuts to get at the shoppe on weekend mornings with my dad was the Pink Frosted with Rainbow Sprinkles. Because it was colorful, girly, sweet and just made me happy. 

But, of course, loaded with yeast, gluten, sugar and dairy, (and God knows what else) these are no longer on my list of accessible morning breakfast items. So when weekends roll around and I find myself reminiscing of sweets of the past, I get my booty into the kitchen to try to create something that hints of days can by while meeting my nutrition seal of approval. 

And these babies (colored with freeze-dried strawberries) allowed me to visit a bygone era where sprinkles and pink stained confectioners sugar were the staples of a Saturday morning cartoon binge. 

I'm thinking of adding 10 or so more custom donut recipes to the blog (I have plans for an allergy-friendly Apple Fritter, A Maple Bar, a Cinnamon Roll and more) and then maybe turning them into a book. Not sure yet. Still feeling it out as I have another book on my 2017-2018 business plan that's been in the works for some time. That's all to say, enjoy them while they're here, as they may move into a little book home of their own one day. 

Would love your ideas on some others to recreate! What is YOUR favorite donut that you miss?

Ingredients: 

​Dry: 
1 c. Gluten-Free Flour (I used Bob's Red MIll 1-to-1)
1/2 tsp. Cream of Tartar
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
1/4 tsp. Sea Salt
1 tsp. Cinnamon

Wet: 
1/4 C. Honey (Maple Syrup or Agave for vegan)
1/4 C. Dairy-Free Milk of Choice (I used Trader Joe's boxed Coconut Milk)
1 tsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
3 1/2 TBSP. Avocado Oil (Coconut or Grapeseed Oil would also work)

Frosting: 
1 C. Confectioners Sugar
1/2 C. Freeze Dried Strawberries, ground to dust
1 TBSP. dairy-free milk
Dye-Free Rainbow Sprinkles (I use India Tree) 

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a donut pan with coconut oil lightly. (My donut pan makes 6 donuts, to make a full dozen you will need to double the mix)

In a small mixing bowl, mix together all wet ingredients.. In a medium mixing bowl, mix together dry ingredients. Slowly mix wet ingredients into medium bowl with dry ingredients. 

Using a piping bag, ziploc bag or spoon, fill donut pan rings 3/4 of the way. 

Bake for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool in pan for 5-10 minutes before transferring to wire rack. 

While the donuts are cooling prepare your frosting. Mix all ingredients and microwave for 30 seconds. 

Once the donuts are cooled completely (10-20 minutes total) Dip 2-4 times per donut to get a good, thick glaze and top generously with sprinkles. 

My baby is SIX MONTHS OLD. A half a year old. My goodness. It DOES fly. 

He is SO much fun right now and so far, it's my favorite stage. He plays with me, his laughs are infectious and he even tries to make ME laugh now. Which is the cutest thing ever. EVER. 

Since he is playing more on his own now, I've had more time to get into the kitchen and cook up some yummy stuff, which I want to share with all of you this season. This one is SUPER simple. SO simple, that I almost didn't put it on here, because, it's JUST eggs. But these are so yummy, and they are dolled up JUST a bit, so I thought, hey. Why not?

People are always asking me what I eat, and for a long time I only put my fancy, more elaborate recipes on the blog. But on the day to day I don't whip up batches of waffles or donuts (donuts are weekend food in my book) - I eat more simple and more clean. Eggs. Roasted veggies. Lean meats. And so this year I am going to start sharing ALL my good eats so that the blog can be more helpful when meal planning. 

A lot of my clients, readers and friends come here to make menus and I want you to have easy 5 minute options that are practical for the every day. So enjoy these SUPER simple 2 ingredient dairy-free cheesy eggs. 
​

Ingredients:

• 3 Organic Eggs
• 1/4 C. Daiya Mozzarella Shreds
• Sea Salt
• Cracked Black Pepper

Directions:

• Spray a small frying pan with olive or coconut oil spray and heat over medium
• Crack eggs into a bowl and scramble with a whisk
• Pour over heated pan and  cook until near desired texture
• In the last few moments, add in the Daiya cheese shreds so they get melty
• Serve and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper

and voila! Super easy, super yummy, I serve these with a side of veggies, green juice or sweet potato hash. 

You know when you get breakfast envy?

Like when you go to a restaurant and you order but then the person who you're dining with, their food arrives and it looks way better than your food and so you're a little sad inside.

That's how this omelette was born. 

Never a fan of green onions growing up and even into adulthood, my husband offered to make me an omelette one morning and it was the veggie we had on hand so I declined. I made myself my regular Paleo meal of scrambled eggs, sweet potato and bacon and felt like I had a rock star breakfast.

While cooking up his omelette he ran out of mozzarella and asked if he could use my Daiya mozzarella and once it was done and placed on his plate, I looked at my dish and looked at his and I knew I ordered wrong. Even though I was in my own kitchen.

And once I tasted it, it became a definite craving many weekends to follow, including this weekend. 

Who'd have known? There was a green onion fan deep down inside of me. It just needed to be in this yolky, cheesy breakfast creation. 

Ingredients:

• 3 Organic Eggs
• 1/4 C. Daiya Mozzarella Shreds
• 1/8 C. Chopped Green Onion
• Olive Oil Spray 

​Directions: 

• Spray frying pan with olive oil spray and heat over medium heat. 
• Crack eggs and separate yolk from the white allowing the three egg whites to fall into pan.
• Place the three yolks on the left side of pan. 
• As it starts to cook, rotate the pan around so that the egg white covers the pan, ensuring full coverage to create your omelette. 
• Once whites have hardened, add in Daiya cheese, green onion and fold omelette over until cheese is melted. 
• Serve hot with shredded sweet potato, bacon or breakfast juice. 

Energy these days is definitely fleeting. Last Friday I hit month 9 in my pregnancy and tomorrow we hit 37 weeks. Which means Baby P can make his or appearance any time between now and the next three weeks. 

We are trying to get everything wrapped to prep for babes arrival. The hospital bag is packed, all essentials have been purchased and the nursery is almost done. I'm working later in the day now as I wind down into my maternity leave next week and am soaking up the mornings sleeping in because I know they will soon be a distant memory. 

All worth it in the name of our little miracle. 

Today's doctor appointment made us super happy as my placenta has moved up further (praise Jesus!) and we got to see Baby P's chubby cheeks and HAIR!! My heart is just so happy and content.  

Yesterday I had a little burst of energy, so aside from cleaning the house up pretty good I got into the kitchen to whip up some baked goods and try out some new recipes that were floating around in my over- packed little mind. 

I have a few fruit-based donut recipes that I've been meaning to experiment with and I had a bunch of organic Farmers Market blueberries that needed to be used so I gave these Powdered Blueberry Donuts a go. And they came out SO scrumptious. The donuts don't contain any refined sugar in the mix, just a little honey (or maple syrup/agave if you are vegan) so I dusted them with a little corn-free confectioners sugar to add a little something as I didn't want a heavy or sugary glaze. 

These are great without the powdered sugar as well. More diet friendly and more Blueberry Muffin like. Which, if you throw the batter in a muffin pan, they can totally become! Light, fluffy and not overly oily or sweet, they were perfect with my morning pregnancy tea. 

These donuts take just minutes to mix up and just 10-12 minutes in the oven which make them a convenient brunch or weekday option. I baked them on a Wednesday so I could share them with Mr. Charming and while I was in the kitchen also made some yeast-free biscuits to serve with dinner last night. 

Ingredients:
Dry: 
1 c. Gluten-Free Flour (I used Bob's Red MIll 1-to-1)
1/2 tsp. Cream of Tartar
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
1/4 tsp. Sea Salt
1 tsp. Cinnamon

Wet: 
1/4 C. Honey (Maple Syrup or Agave for vegan)
1/4 C. Dairy-Free Milk of Choice (I used Trader Joe's boxed Coconut Milk)
1 tsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
3 1/2 TBSP. Avocado Oil (Coconut or Grapeseed Oil would also work)
1/3 c. Fresh or Frozen Blueberries

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a donut pan with coconut oil lightly. (My donut pan makes 6 donuts, to make a full dozen you will need to double the mix)

In a small mixing bowl, mix together all wet ingredients except for the berries. In a medium mixing bowl, mix together dry ingredients. Slowly mix wet ingredients into medium bowl with dry ingredients. Fold in berries. 

Using a piping bag, ziploc bag or spoon, fill donut pan rings 3/4 of the way. 

Bake for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool in pan for 5-10 minutes before transferring to wire rack. 

Cool for an additional 5-10 minutes. Enjoy plain, dust with powdered sugar or use a for a sweeter donut. 

Can I say, again, how much brunch is my favorite thing in this world? Well maybe not my favorite thing in the WORLD, but I adore brunch. Sipping hot Crio Bru with a plate of gluten-free, refined-sugar free breakfast food goodness surrounded by people I love is just the best. 

I actually made two variations on this waffles last weekend with Mr. Charming and they were both so good I couldn't decide which ones would go up first. But these, with a little coconut whip and berries were just too yummy and too pretty not to debut right away. 

Mr. Charming and I received a waffle iron for our wedding, in 2011, and we JUST now broke it out to use it. I know, I know, terrible. But we were blessed with so many awesome kitchen gadgets, it's taken us some time to get through trying them all out. I am so glad we did! And now that it's been broken in, these baby's will be a staple in our home on weekend mornings and friend and family brunches. 

The recipe is also super simple even though it looks like a long list of ingredients. Once you get it all in a bowl you just whip it up and pour it in the hot waffle iron and within minutes you will have fluffy Belgian waffles that are crunchy and golden on the outside and just perfect with any topping you choose. 

Serve and enjoy with fresh berries, dairy-free whip, maple syrup, jam, applesauce, honey, vegan butter or plain! 

The baby has been kicking like crazy lately. 

There are no words for what their little exploring hands and jabby feet mean in mine and Mr. Charming's life. 

Each little movement means life. It means Gods favor. It means a blessing, a miracle from the ashes when I thought for so long I was broken. We were broken. Persevering through the enemies lies that we are broken, that we are incapable, that we are not meant for something can be a challenge. A really hard, overwhelming, burden of a challenge. 

But when we turn our eyes upward, as tear filled as they may be, we can be at peace knowing anything meant to harm us can be turned to good. That there is truth in the fact that maybe we are broken or incapable, but God isn't. He is whole. He is capable. He can create miracles. Rest in Him, be patient in Him and let Him write your story. 

I'm so glad I turned my pen and paper over a few years ago and just asked Him to take this. He wipes away tears, He mends heartache, He fills voids and most importantly, He gives peace. Peace in situations that have the potential to drown you.

And then this baby. October 2015, our doctor had given up. Three years, one loss, she decided we needed to move on to specialists. As she deemed us infertile and it was time to go for more invasive tests and speak to clinics that our insurance wouldn't cover. 

Then by God's grace and miraculous blessing, we found ourselves pregnant ONE DAY before we had scheduled the appointment with specialists that we were going to have to cancel because of it's cost. Our doctor was elated to say the least, and when people ask me if it was a vitamin, a supplement, my diet....? I have no answer other than God. This was all God.  

So when I feel each tiny kick. When I hear each quick heartbeat. Or when I stare endlessly at his or her perfect little ultrasound photos... I am reminded what He is doing and working in our lives. And there are no words. We are just so grateful. 

And being grateful means celebrations. And celebrations often bring about delicious eats, as does pregnancy, haha. So I've been experimenting in the kitchen a lot lately. Breakfast and brunch have become my favorite time of day because the baby loves eggs and protein and I have most of my energy from around 9 am until noon. Plus the light is great for shooting photos, so win/win/win. 

I had been CRAVING French Toast for DAYS. Something I haven't eaten since Pre-2011, because gluten-free bread leaves much to be desired most of the time. I whip up Oat Pancakes and from time to time & I enjoy Van's waffles, but I really wanted French Toast. Piping hot French Toast with a drizzle of pure maple syrup. #NomNomNom

Then an idea hit me. An idea I want to hug and squeeze and love on because these came out tasting like little pieces of banana heaven. My goodness you guys. These should be a Sunday staple in EVERY home. Just saying. 

I decided to whip up my Banana Bread muffin recipe, but instead of muffins, I'd throw it in a loaf pan to make bread. I made this the night before and sliced it up so that it wouldn't be as moist and soft when I coated it in my egg wash.  

The next morning I woke up and took the sliced pieces from the refridgerator and coated them GENEROUSLY in my cinnamony-vanilla infused egg wash and voila! Epic french toast that is gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar free and delicious. 
​

Ingredients: 
1 Loaf of my Oat Flour Banana Bread (ideally made the night before, cooled and sliced for morning)
4 Organic Eggs 
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 C. dairy-free milk of choice (I used almond for its flavor, but any will work) 
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1/2 C, pure maple syrup (Optional)
Vegan Butter or Coconut Oil (For Coating Pan)

Directions: 
Coat a ceramic frying pan with a dairy-free butter or coconut oil. Preheat your pan over medium heat.

In a shallow, medium sized bowl mix eggs, cinnamon, milk and vanilla until blended well. 

Take pre-sliced bread slices or sticks (I chose to make thick sticks from my loaf) and dip GENEROUSLY in egg wash mixture on both sides. Place in pan and cook until golden and crispy on each side. 

Warm pure maple syrup just before serving and serve the french toast warm with vegan butter, maple syrup or other topping of choice. 

*As a treat for the weekend, I did dust ours with corn-free confectioners sugar, because it reminded me of my childhood & I wanted that familiar taste. DO keep in mind if you do so, it is no longer refined-sugar free. 

​And then enjoy! Because, YUM. 

My oat pancake recipe is back!! After a long hiatus from being removed during a Paleo blog cleanse, these gluten-free, refined-sugar free, dairy-free, nut-free beauties return. Because, honestly, I have been making them so much lately and people keep asking for the recipe. In the photo they got an extra addition of chocolate chips for a special morning treat, but normally they are plain with just cinnamon to spice them up. 

INGREDIENTS 
1 C. Gluten-Free Oat Flour 
I Large Organic Egg
1/4 cup Plain Coconut Milk Yogurt (may be omitted, these makes them extra fluffy) 
¾ cup Water
1 tsp. Baking Powder
Dash of Salt
Cinnamon To Taste (I use a lot)

INSTRUCTIONS
In a medium mixing bowl, mix dry ingredients. In a small separate bowl mix wet ingredients.

Pour wet into dry, mix and cook on non-stick, or lightly oiled griddle. Pancakes are ready to turn when edges are golden.
​
Serving Size: 6-8 pancakes

A Secret: Sometimes I omit the cinnamon and yogurt and use them as hot dog buns. SO good.