Paleo Brownies

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I have searched far & wide for the perfect Paleo Brownie Recipe, and alas, I believe I have found it. These brownies are rich, fluffy, and full of chocolatey goodness. Sometimes a girl just needs a chocolate fix, and these allow me to indulge guilt-free.

They are super quick & simple to whip up too. And I usually have the ingredients on hand, which is a plus (and also dangerous because I literally make them all the time).

Give ‘em a try and let me know what you think!

With Love,

Monika

Paleo Brownies

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Creamy Almond Butter

• 1 Egg

• 1/3 Cup Pure Maple Syrup

• 1 Tsp Vanilla

• 2 Tablespoons Ghee (or sub melted grassfed butter)

• 1/3 Cup Raw Cacao (or sub unsweetened cocoa powder)

• 1/2 Tsp Baking Soda

• 1/4 Cup Cacao Nibs (or sub dark chocolate chips)

• 1/2 Cup Chopped Walnuts (optional) 

Instructions

1. Preheat Oven to 325. 

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the almond butter, egg, maple syrup, vanilla, and ghee. Stir well, and then add in the cacao powder, baking soda, cacao nibs, and walnuts. Mix well.

3. Next, spoon batter into a greased (or parchment paper lined) 8 x 8 baking dish. 

4. Bake approximately 21-23 minutes.

5. Let cool, serve & enjoy!

Finding Rest

This season of life is so hectic. Trying to find balance amidst caring for our family, working, and ministry. This month, in particular, has been so busy – our days & nights completely filled up. But amidst the busyness we must find time for rest. My soul needs it. And we need time with one another, to connect and just be. So one night last week we had our friend stay with the girls while we rode our bikes to the beach. We found two palm trees and set up our little travel hammock and watched the sun set together. It was the stuff my dreams are made of. It was so peaceful & relaxing and just what we needed. My idea of a perfect date.

I love this verse in Matthew “...Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me- watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” [Matthew 11:28-30 MSG]

The words that stand out to me are freely & lightly. What a beautiful way to live. I find that I sometimes get overwhelmed by the sheer number of things I am trying to get done each day. But then I will hear The Spirit whisper to me “give to me the first fruits of your time, and you will have plenty.” So I’ve been striving lately to honor that and ease into my day with reading & praying. It’s funny we often view our time with a scarcity mindset (just as with our finances), but I’ve found that if we operate instead out of a place of abundance, there is more than enough. And then I am able to check off my to-do list with a happy, calm spirit instead of an anxious one. This is so freeing for me as I am someone who used to stress out easily, but now, in faith, I can truly live freely & lightly. 

Hoping you someone’s somewhere find beautiful, restorative moments of rest throughout your week.

With love,

Monika

Weekend Recap

^{This sweater is so cozy. I think I got it from… I wanna say TJ Maxx or somewhere… like two years ago. Boots and jeggings are from Target. As is half of my wardrobe, because I go in for something random like batteries and come out with all.the.things.}

I know it’s, er, Wednesday now, but here’s a recap of our weekend!

Last week was crazy busy for us. It was hectic, but we accomplished a lot and that always feels so good! But by the time the weekend came, we were all in need of a little sunshine & fresh air. So we went on a little family outing to Laguna Beach (always our favorite). Laguna is a charming, artsy beach town about 10-15 minutes north of where we live. We stopped in to Urth Caffe for lunch, then got some coffee and walked along the beach towards a little playground for Evie to play. While we were there a whale swam up right next to the shore! It was amazing. I couldn’t believe how close to shore it swam. It definitely further solidified my fear of swimming in the ocean though! But I loved how everyone just stopped what they were doing to watch it. I love how a sight like that brings people together in wonderment.

Hope you enjoyed your weekend, and were able to find time to get outside with the ones you love!

With Love,

Monika

^{Evie kept saying “Whale Mommy! Whale!”}

^{No weekend is complete without a little rest & relaxation. Love sneaking out to our deck when I can during nap time for some coffee & reading. This book is so good, and so empowering!}

^{Cora, all ready for church! Oh, and it’s a foot shadow, I promise ;)}

^{This guy is seriously super dad. Love him so much!}

Whole Herb Roasted Chicken With Vegetables

This meal. So good. I’m salivating just editing this post. Truth: I’ve never roasted a whole chicken before this. I’m not sure why, but cooking whole animals kind of intimidates me. But, chicken & vegetables are a staple in our house and I’m always trying to come up with new ways of making it so we don’t get too sick of eating the same thing all the time! Enter in this recipe. I made this last week and we loved it. I have a huge rosemary bush growing in our backyard too, so I’m always using it in recipes! The chicken was flavorful & moist, and the vegetables complemented it perfectly. It’s healthy (whole 30 compliant/paleo), simple, and delicious. We had plenty of leftovers, and this meal is very budget friendly! Buying whole chickens is (typically) much more economical than buying cuts of meat! So it’s a win, win.

This is also a great meal to make when you have company. You can prepare it, and while it’s roasting you can clean up and get ready for your guests. Not to mention that it looks beautiful when done, and we all know presentation is everything!

There is something so special about gathering around a yummy meal with your loved ones. So savor & enjoy.

Cheers!

WholeHerbRoastedChicken-2

WholeHerbRoastedChicken-1

WholeHerbRoastedChicken-4

Ready to go in the oven!

WholeHerbRoastedChicken-7

Voila!

Whole Herb Roasted Chicken With Vegetables

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 40 minutes

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients

• 1 4-5 lbs Whole Chicken

• 8-10 Red Potatoes

• 1 White Onion

• 1.5-2 Cups Baby Carrots

• 2 Teaspoons Thyme

• 1-2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

• Freshly Ground Salt & Pepper

• 2 Teaspoon Minced Garlic

• 1 Lemon

• 5 Tablespoons Ghee (or sub melted grassfed butter)

• 1-2 Teaspoons Lemon Zest

• 1/4 Cup Freshly Chopped Rosemary

• Freshly Ground Sea Salt & Pepper

• A Few Sprigs Fresh Rosemary

Instructions

1. Preheat Oven to 400 F.

2. Chop your potatoes & onions, setting aside 1/4 of the chopped onion for stuffing the chicken. Then add the potatoes, 3/4 of the chopped onion, and baby carrots to large casserole dish or roasting pan.

3. In pan, toss vegetables with the olive oil, one teaspoon of the minced garlic, thyme, and a generous amount of sea salt & pepper.

4. Rinse (removing innards from cavity) and pat dry chicken. Set aside.

5. Mix your ghee (or melted butter) with your chopped rosemary, lemon zest, the remaining teaspoon of minced garlic, and freshly ground salt & pepper.

6. Rub herb butter mixture all over the chicken, including the inside cavity. Sprinkle with a little extra salt & pepper all over (again, including the inside cavity). Place in roasting pan, breast side up, and arrange vegetables around it.

7. Slice your lemon & squeeze it over the chicken & vegetables. Put half of the lemon in the cavity of the chicken, with 1/4 of the chopped onion, and a sprig or two of fresh rosemary. Mix the remaining lemon slices in with your vegetables.

8. Place another sprig of rosemary on top, and put in center rack of oven for roasting.

9. Roast 30 minutes. Then flip the chicken, and roast another 30 minutes. Then, flip back to breast side up, and roast a final 20-30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through (reaching approx 165F). Serve & Enjoy!

Cora Beth is three months!

Can’t believe our sweet baby Cora Beth is already three months! With baby #2 I am even more aware of how fast it all goes, and am really trying to savor every moment! Though most of the time life feels like such a whirlwind so it can be challenging!
She has her daddy’s beautiful blue eyes, and an infectious smile just like her big sister. She is sleeping great, and finally starting to nurse well (we had some issues at first). She’s still a little tiny peanut though, barely weighing 12 lbs! She loves to be held & sang to, and already loves playing with her big sister. The two of them together melt my heart like no other and I feel so blessed to be their mama!

Sometimes I still can’t believe I’m a mother of two. Whoa. Life is moving at lightning speed and I’m just trying to keep up! Even on the hard, crazy days I am so thankful for this family I have been given. God is good!

Let’s all snuggle our babes a little tighter, and pray they don’t grow up too fast ;)

With Love,

Monika