Weekend in Salinas

i love my naked boy...the other day he slipped in his own pee. the diaper had been off a little too long...haha!

he loved the sand in santa cruz

"i love what you do for me...TOYOTA!"
josh and i jumping for joy that there is a city close to salinas that is way cooler and totally our style!

it had been at least a month since cory had seen lincoln. they had a heck of a time together!

lincoln and josh in love!

house update: currently we are closing on our house april 11th with the move-out date april 13th. i'll stay here in colorado for a couple more weeks until my doula client has her baby. josh will leave on the 13th, most likely, with all of our stuff packed into a budget truck and trek across colorado, utah, nevada and finally into the huge state of california. he'll be busy staying with his parents trying to find a job and an apartment! we'll begin looking for houses as soon as one of us has a job. wish us luck as we enter this huge transition.

we'll miss you colorado people!

My new favorite cookie recipe!

I am a huge fan of thin chewy slightly over-baked cookies...I have found this recipe! Yay! Here it is...

Alison’s Vegan Chocolate Coconut Walnut Crisps

(adapted from Gale’s Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Crisps from Wholesome Sweetners Organic Light Brown Sugar pkg)

Ingredients:

• 3 cups rolled oats (not quick cooking)
• 1 cup Earth Balance buttery spread
• 1 ½ cup organic brown sugar
• 1 tbsp egg replacer
• ¼ cup warm water
• 2 tsp organic/fair trade pure vanilla extract
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp sea or kosher salt
• Dark Chocolate chips
• Unsweetened Coconut
• Walnuts or any nut of your choice

Method:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line several cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• Put 2 cups of oats in food processor and process until finely ground and floury.
• In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until soft and smooth.
• Whisk together the egg replacer and water in a small bowl or measuring cup
• Mix in the brown sugar into the butter followed by the egg replacer and vanilla until well blended.
• In another bowl, stir together the ground and whole oats, baking soda and salt.
• With the mixer at a low speed, add the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until well blended.
• Add the chocolate chips, coconut, and walnuts to desired amount making sure not to overload the dough with them.
• Drop spoonfuls of dough onto the pan, leaving 2 to 3 inches between them, as they will spread.
• Bake for at least 15 minutes or until slightly browned.
• Let cool on parchment paper, then store in airtight container.
• Made about 40 4-inch cookies

This is the vegan version…if you absolutely insist you can make them non-vegan by substituting the egg replacer and water for 2 ORGANIC, CAGE-FREE, VEG-FED eggs and the earth balance for 2 sticks of ORGANIC cow butter (blah!)

If you want more vegan ideas for baking and cooking…let me know! I’ve got lots up my sleeve!