Savory Kale and Quinoa

Kale was on sale again at the grocery store this week so I thought I’d try a couple new recipes! This recipe is a very savory version with plenty of kale greens and quinoa for added grains. I have a second version of this recipe going up later this week that is a spicy alternative to this.I personally love the way thyme and nutmeg work together to give a well-rounded taste. I’ve also included a little bit of white pepper and of course salt for a complex flavor combination. Alex doesn’t particularly like this combination, he says there isn’t enough spicy. So if you like spicy foods you may not enjoy this particular recipe.This recipe calls for prepared quinoa. I typically purchase organic frozen (prepared) quinoa from Trader Joe’s. I simply reheat it before adding it to this recipe. You can use reheated quinoa or you can prepare your own from the directions on the packaging.[amd-yrecipe-recipe:108]

Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice

If you’ve read the past couple weeks worth of blog posts you’ll know I’ve been on a pumpkin spice kick recently. I absolutely love the taste of pumpkin spice baked goods but since I’ve been baking so many of them I’ve run out of my premade spice mix and thought it was high time I made my own.Since spices are naturally gluten free making your own spice mix is a great way to ensure there is no gluten contamination. This blend is great for adding to any regular or gluten free baked goods. It tastes just the same as one you’d purchase at the store if not better.This recipe will make as much as you want. As you can see from the recipe I call for parts rather than a certain amount. This will allow you to make as much or as little pumpkin pie spice as you want/need. If you store the blend in an airtight container it will last as long as the spices would on their own.[amd-yrecipe-recipe:107]

Gluten Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

In honor of the first official day of Fall, here is an incredible (and gluten free) cookie recipe you will want to try! Comment below if you try these out, I’d love to hear what you think!I love these, they are amazing! Last week I made a regular version of these and I decided that I absolutely had to make a gluten free version so I could eat these to my hearts content without upsetting my tummy. These are totally worth making and you will really love the seasonal flavor. These are soft cookies yet when you add the pecans you get a fantastic bit of crunch. The whole thing is just absolutely incredible. I will definitely be making more of these as the fall goes along.For this recipe I’ve used Better Batter Gluten Free Flour. Since each type of gf flour blend is different I really can’t say how these cookies will turn out if you use a different one. If you are worried about the pumpkin pie spice and possible gluten contamination you can simply make your own blend. This will help insure you have a clean blend to use.[amd-yrecipe-recipe:105]

Gluten Free Lasagna Roll-Ups

These are great easy gluten free dinners to make. You can either make and eat them the same night or you can freeze these and bake when you need a quick dinner. This recipe is perfect for a dinner for 2-3 people and some leftovers. If you’re needing to feed a crowd it is easy enough to double or triple the recipe to come up with as much as you need.I love when lasagna has spinach in it so I’ve included it in this recipe. If you prefer plain lasagna you can simply leave it out. I have also included sausage as another optional ingredient in the filling. It is really up to you and what flavors you enjoy. You can really mix and match ingredients depending on what you enjoy, simply make certain to read the ingredients to be certain they are gluten free.Brown Rice Lasagna Noodles were a bit of a challenge for me to find, but I did end up purchasing them through Amazon. I’m sure you’ll be able to find them at stores like Whole Foods and other holistic groceries but unfortunately there aren’t any near me.[amd-yrecipe-recipe:104]

Easy Chocolate, Banana, Nut Butter Cookies

My sister found this recipe and sent it to me. I was very surprised with the deliciousness and the easy of everything. With only five ingredients it is a very quick and easy thing to make. Everyone I served these to simply loved them! Since they are gluten free it is a wonderful way to get a dessert without a huge time commitment.I found the key to making this recipe extra delicious is using a VERY ripe banana. I found this enhanced the flavor and sweetness of the cookies. Since there is no added sugar in the recipe you need to rely on the banana to really make it taste great. If you find the recipe isn’t sweet enough for your taste you can add sugar or sugar substitute into the recipe. However I found it was quite sweet enough on its own with the banana and chocolate chips.[amd-yrecipe-recipe:102]Source:  Adapted from Spoon University

Savory Baked Butternut Squash

This is a surprisingly fantastic squash recipe. I mean, I probably shouldn’t be surprised it’s so great, but I actually really loved the way all the flavors melded together to create an amazing dish. I’ve been realizing more and more that I actually love the taste of nutmeg in dishes. I’ve never really been one to use it, but recently I’ve been putting it in more dishes and have come to find that I really appreciate the flavor nuances it brings.I would say this is a must try fall squash dish. If you only make one butternut squash this fall, you need to try this recipe. This is definitely something to get you outside the plain old butter and maybe brown sugar baked squash, yet it’s not exotic like Alex’s recipe yesterday.The only things I would say you can substitute in this recipe are the extra virgin olive oil and the white pepper. The rest of the spices are very key to the resulting flavor so you can’t really change them. If you want to add more than called for, go right ahead. Just keep the ratios the same. If you decide not to use EVOO you will need to use plain Olive Oil. Because of the cook temp called for in the recipe, if you use anything else you risk it either smoking or catching fire. I would not suggest substituting coconut oil, as it will change the flavor far too much.[amd-yrecipe-recipe:101]

Simple Baked Butternut Squash

Alex and I had a butternut squash from a family member’s garden and decided we needed to try some new recipes with it. Alex created this recipe and decided I just HAD to share it with you guys. Tomorrow I’ll be sharing a milder and savory version I created.If you’ve never cooked butternut squash before you should really try it. It is one seasonal vegetable that I really love cooking this time of year. You can do so much with it and it is really a great vegetable to serve for dinner.This recipe isn’t too spicy. It has just enough spice in it to really make the flavor pop, but you’re not going to have a spice explosion in your mouth. If you like a complex yet slightly spicy flavor this is definitely the recipe for you. If you are worried about the spicy level in the cayenne you can definitely tone it down either by using less or substituting chipotle pepper.[amd-yrecipe-recipe:100]

Life Hack: End of Summer Foundation Tip

I don’t know about you, but I got a little bit of sun this summer. Not a lot, but enough that my Pearl Powder Foundation from Root is just slightly too light for me.  I was color-matched in store during the middle of winter so my foundation color works for most of the year. But I noticed when I put it on a couple of weeks ago the color just washed me out rather than giving me a good foundation color. Here’s a photo:I really didn’t want to purchase a different shade foundation since I wouldn’t use it much during other times during the year. So I set out to figure out how to correct the color with things already in my makeup kit. I tried a couple different things before I found a fix that really works!Root’s Bronzing Powder did an excellent job with all over color and fixing my foundation problem. I prefer to use the light bronzer since I find the color is way more buildable than the original or sunkissed. However, if you’re a lot darker than your winter color you may want to try one of those. Here is a photo after applying Light Bronzer all over my face and blending into my neck:As you can see by applying the bronzing powder all over I’ve evened out my tan skin tone and I no longer look like a ghost. My face matches my neck and shoulders. This is an easy inexpensive way to fix your summer foundation problem. And best of all, you can use the bronzing powder during the winter to give your skin a healthy glow! Are there any special ways you do summer or end of summer makeup? Let me know below! Also let me know if you liked this makeup tip post and if you’d like me to do more.Here is the final makeup look:Root Creamy Concealer: Light – Under Eye AreaRoot Pearl Powder: 6 – FoundationRoot Light Bronze – FoundationRoot Setting Silk – All OverAu Naturale Cream Bronzer – ContourAu Naturale Cream Highlighter – Cheekbones, T-zone, Cupid’s Bow, Under EyebrowsRoot Punch Love – BlushRoot Portland – Eye CreaseRoot So Bronze – EyelidRoot Midnight Mocha – Outside Eye CornerRoot Shell – Inner Eye CornerRoot Pretty All Day Gel LinerRoot Mascara: BrownAu Naturale Sangria – LipsAster & Bay Hibiscus and Beet Root Lip Stain – Lip GlossRoot Setting Spray

Gluten Free Pita Bread

I’ve wanted to try homemade pita bread for a while now. I saw a post on one of the blogs I read reminding me just how versatile pita truly is. I knew right then I needed to find a recipe and make it so I could enjoy some new lunch ideas. Pita is a super versatile lunch food. It is a great option when you are tired of gluten free bread substitutes and you need something quick and easy.This recipe is super quick and can be made in a matter of minutes. It is very easy to prep them the day before you need them. These will keep on the counter in a ziplock baggie for about two days. This recipe makes three full pitas (six halves). Since I am the only one eating these in my house this is the perfect amount for me. If you need more than this simply double or triple the recipe. Since there is no yeast in this recipe the pitas won’t burst like normal ones. You will need to help coax the pockets open with a sharp knife.[amd-yrecipe-recipe:95]Source: Adapted from: Gluten Free on a Shoestring – Nicole Hunn

Au Naturale - A Review

In my continual quest to find safe, natural, green makeup I've found another brand: Au Naturale. They are a green makeup company based out of Green Bay Wisconsin. According to their website:

"Au Naturale Cosmetics is a luxury, professional-grade cosmetic range that offers essential, beautiful organic makeup options for consciously chic women throughout the globe. Our "good-for-you products" were born out of the passion and desire of company founder, Ashley Prange, who developed and formulated all products without any harmful, toxic ingredients, chemicals, parabens or heavy metals - unlike the majority of leading brands on the market today. Au Naturale offers a complete range of fun, fashionable, long-lasting color options that complement all skin tones, while delivering the goodness and benefits of all natural ingredients.Our cosmetics are hand-crafted and batched in Green Bay, Wisconsin, near the shores of Lake Michigan, by a dedicated team who pours much love, passion and attention into every product.All Au Naturale Cosmetics contain the highest quality organic ingredients and are safe for those suffering from conditions such as Rosacea, Celiac Disease, cancer or other skin sensitivities.From organic and paraben-free lipsticks and lip glosses to foundations and blushers, crème and powder eye shadows, to lip pencils, eye pencils, concealer and more, you will find the perfect product to enhance your natural beauty that also supports a healthy, vibrant lifestyle"

I recently purchased several of their products to try and I wanted to give you a review! There were several products that blew me out of the water, and a couple I wasn't the biggest fan of. My orders were shipped quickly and came wrapped in black tissue paper. They also sent a sample and a card with a discount code which will definitely encourage me to order again. They also included a personal note which I highly appreciated. Their level of personalized customer contact was very nice. They've even provided me a discount code to share with you (at the end of the post)!

Cream Blush - Rose

This creamy blush just glides right onto my face and sits perfectly once I've blended it in. I have to highly recommend this formula since it just feels so silky smooth on my cheeks. The color is also beautiful and a little goes a really long way. I've also used this as a lipstick (since it's all natural) and I have to say it will be one amazing color for fall/winter. It is a deep dusty red that gives you just enough color for you to be truly chic (since dark lips are in this winter). It also was not drying to my lips and simply glided on with no issues.

Lip Gloss - Poppy

Best lip gloss ever! I included this in my August favorites because I'm in love and have been using this gloss pretty much constantly since I received it.

The color in this gloss is incredible. It is long lasting and is super shiny. I have not found it to be drying on my lips at all. This gloss also looks fantastic over lipstick. I've tried it over several and loved it each time. The gloss gives you that uber glossy/slightly tacky feel you had when you were a youth. It is certainly one thing I've been missing with my switch to natural makeup. Beware though...your hair will stick to your lips if you wear this (just like when you were 16)!

Cream Eye Shadow - Gold

I had high hopes for this product, but unfortunately for me this cream shadow fell flat. The color is absolutely amazing. It is highly pigmented in the pot and on my finger. However when I apply it to my eye I just can't seem to get the correct shade. I've also had the hardest time getting this shadow to stay put. I've tried it with primer, without primer, setting with translucent powder and setting it with another shadow. Every time I use it though it creases like crazy within fifteen minutes and dissolves completely off my eye within a few hours. While I will keep the shadow I already own (and try to figure out how to make it work) I probably won't purchase another one. If you have any tips or tricks on how you make cream shadows work for you please feel free to share them with me!

Cream Highlighter

This beautiful cream highlighter is one of the things Au Naturale is know for. The color is simply spectacular. It is a golden-rose color that perfectly highlights your face. It is also one of the most stunning nude lipsticks I have ever used. I don't typically wear a nude lip since I have yet to find the perfect color. This product changes that though. Along with being the perfect color to highlight your cheeks and eyes it gives you the perfect amount of sheer/gold/rose and just makes your lips pop. I definitely recommend this product if you are in the market for a cream highlighter.

Pure Pro Lipstick - Sangria and Cora

I love the colors of these lipsticks, but unfortunately I'm not a huge fan of the formulation. While the colors are super vibrant and beautiful the lipstick itself is very hard and super difficult to apply. I've also found that it seems to settle into every crease and crack in my lips and make them look really dry (although the lipstick itself has not dried out my lips). I much prefer Root's Vegan Shea Butter Lipsticks since those glide right on. With the pure pro lipsticks being on the more expensive side I probably won't purchase another one, since I'm not the biggest fan of the formula, but I will keep (and keep using) the two I already own.

Overall Au Naturale makeup is definitely one to try if you want to branch out into green, safe, natural makeup. While they are quite a bit more expensive than some of my other favorite green makeup brands, there are certain products of theirs that are worth the extra money. If you are thinking about placing an order, Au Naturale has given me a code for 25% off your entire order to share with you! Simply put "whimsy25" in at checkout to receive the discount. The code is active through November 1st. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Gluten Free Chocolate Almond Cupcakes

 These cupcakes are decadent. They are full of wonderful chocolaty, almond goodness that pretty much melts in your mouth. While the flavors may seem kind of plain these cupcakes are perfect for any occasion. The inspiration for these cupcakes was a Hershey’s chocolate bar with almonds. That is pretty much my favorite chocolate bar ever and I really wanted to pay homage with this cupcake.By using ground almonds in the batter you really get a little something extra in these cupcakes. Depending on how finely you grind the almonds you may find one or two small pieces in each bite. This really spices up the cake in my opinion. However, if you grind the almonds finely enough you will not notice any difference in the texture, there will simply be a light almond flavor in the background.I chose not to decorate these cupcakes in any way since I really think their simplicity speaks for themselves. If you’d like some form of decoration you could always add a design made out of candy melts. A heart or star would look especially cute on top. If you were able to find certified gluten free chocolate covered almonds those would also pair nicely as garnish.[amd-yrecipe-recipe:93]

Paleo Zucchini, Banana, Flax Muffins

 I thought it was about time for another Paleo, grain free recipe here on the blog. These muffins are perfect for a light breakfast or snack since they are chock full of wonderful ingredients. These muffins are light and fluffy and completely grain free. They are also free of refined sugar since it is sweetened with honey. I highly suggest using local organic honey for this recipe since you will get the very best taste.I’ve used fresh zucchini (pretty much straight out of the garden) for this recipe. It really gives it a better flavor if you do this. However, if you only have frozen zucchini on hand make sure to use the water in the container too. This will keep the muffins from getting too dry in the end.This recipe includes almond milk rather than coconut or soy milk. I find that if I use coconut milk in addition to coconut flour and/or coconut oil the flavor is just mostly coconut and I’m not actually a huge fan of that. You can of course substitute whatever type of milk you prefer although just make sure it is unsweetened so as not to add additional refined sugar. If you do use almond milk it is best to make your own since commercial varieties can include non-paleo ingredients. [amd-yrecipe-recipe:92]

Gluten Free Zucchini Chocolate, Chocolate Chip Cake

My second guest post is up on Poverty Luxe today! I’ve created a gluten free recipe for Ginger Mango Cupcakes with Ginger Mascarpone Frosting. You should definitely check it out! If you’ve journeyed over to my blog from Poverty Luxe, welcome! This week I have five different gluten free recipes for you to check out. I look forward to sharing them with you.This recipe is amazing. Growing up my Mother would make this recipe every year when the zucchini were fresh out of her garden. I decided this was the year to turn this recipe gluten free so I could have it again! The cake is light and fluffy. It has incredible chocolate flavor and will satisfy your sweet tooth.Using fresh zucchini will get the best results for this cake. I used a medium zucchini fresh out of a friend’s mother’s garden to make this. However, I’ve used frozen (and then thawed) zucchini. Simply make sure you use the water/juice that is in the container if you defrost it.Instead of a frosting on this cake we have always sprinkled it with powdered sugar. This gives is a wonderfully light taste without the heaviness of a frosting. If you want to add a frosting anything with a vanilla base would complement the cake nicely. I have to honestly say though, don’t add a frosting. The cake is pretty much perfect without it.[amd-yrecipe-recipe:91]

Gluten Free Chocolate Cookies

 Ever since I mademy traditional version of these a couple of months ago I knew I had to figure out a gluten free version. I love these cookies! They are soft, delicious and full of chocolaty goodness.  It is definitely hard to just have one of these.This recipe will make approximately two dozen cookies. I find this is the perfect amount since you can have a few, share a few and freeze a few for later. If you need to feed a crowd, it is very easy to double or even triple the recipe. I’ve used a 1.5 Tablespoon cookie scoop to portion the cookies before baking. If you have a cookie scoop feel free to use it, but if not a spoon works just as well.These cookies would work wonderfully for homemade gluten free ice cream sandwiches once they have completely cooled. Simply put a scoop of ice cream between two of the cookies to make a sandwich. If you prep them ahead of time make sure to put them back in the freezer to set up.[amd-yrecipe-recipe:90]

Gluten Free 3 Ingredient Nutella Brownies

I saw this recipe floating around Facebook a couple of weeks ago and decided I had to make it gluten free. Nutella is already a gluten free food so it was very easy to simply substitute gluten free flour for the regular flour called for. I didn’t have any issues with the brownies holding together, but if you’re concerned about it you can always add in a half teaspoon of xanthan gum.These brownies are super easy to make and were a huge hit at game night. They definitely disappeared quickly. With only three ingredients that you probably already have in your cupboards, this recipe is a must try.  If you don’t need to eat gluten free you can simply substitute regular flour for the gluten free flour called for.I used an 8x8 pan to bake these. However if you want to make a larger batch you can easily double the recipe and use a 13x9 pan to bake it. If you wanted thicker brownies you could double the recipe and use a 9x9 or 8x8 pan. You will need to lengthen the bake time by 5 to 10 minutes though. Just keep an eye on them so they don’t burn.[amd-yrecipe-recipe:89]Source: Adapted from Kirbie Cravings

Moisturizing Hand Soap

Recently I had the chance to write a couple of guest posts for another blog, and the first post is up today! Check out Poverty Luxe for a hand lotion recipe if you're interested.  You won't want to miss it! I've had so many compliments from people who I've given jars of this lotion to. If you've found my blog from Poverty Luxe, welcome! I'm glad you've taken a moment to stop by.Hand soap is a super easy thing to make at home. The base is simply soap flakes and water. I personally use Dr Bronner’s Castile bar soap when making this but you can use any soap you have laying around. You could use those bits of leftover soap you might have laying in a drawer, or even those little bars of soap from hotels. This soap will have a gel like consistency. I find I prefer that since it makes me feel like I’ve actually washed my hands.By using coconut milk and shea butter in the soap it is highly moisturizing. It is completely optional, but you do get a smoother product that counteracts the drying effects of the castile soap if you use it. You want to make sure that you don’t use the coconut milk from the refrigerated aisle. You want the real stuff from the can, you will get far better results this way.Vegetable glycerin is a natural substitute for Sodium Laurel Sulfate (SLS). SLS is an ingredient found in commercial hand soaps to make it foamier. It also happens to be a know carcinogen so I've been trying to remove it from our household products. Vegetable glycerin gives a foamier product while still being completely natural and organic. It is not necessary to add this to the soap, however you will get a more "soap" like feel if you do use it.The essential oil blend I’ve created for this shower gel is a wonderful smell as we are heading into autumn. If you don’t have these EO’s on hand you can substitute whatever you do have, just make sure to add 35-50 drops of oils. Make sure to include Tea Tree or Lavender oils since they have antibacterial properties.If you are interested in the container, I found the lid at the Target dollar spot. The jar was leftover from last year's canning and I purchased the pump on Amazon. Any size regular mouth canning jar will work. I used Kerr brand because that is what I had on hand. The pump fit through the pre-made hole in the lid. I simply trimmed the straw to the appropriate length before attaching it. Due to the tight fit of the pump through the hole I did not need to add any sort of adhesive to the lid. If you are worried about them separating you can always add something to seal it up. The recipe below will make one 8oz container (pint canning jar size) of hand soap.[amd-yrecipe-recipe:86]

Armpit Detox

This summer I’ve been trying to find a green deodorant that works. If you’ve ever tried switching from antiperspirants you know the struggle. If you’ve never tried to switch, one stage you go through is being VERY stinky. This is due to your body detoxing from all the nasty chemicals you’ve been putting on your body.Here are several of those nasty ingredients commonly found in commercial antiperspirants :

• Aluminum – some link it to breast cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.
• Parabens – disrupt hormones; traces have been found in breast cancer tissue.
• Formaldehyde – acts as a carcinogenic substance.
• Phthalates – another hormone disruptor; linked to infertility.
• Antibacterial substances – have an adverse effect on immune system function and affect hormonal balance.
• Propylene glycol – an agent used in antifreeze.

When you decide to cleanse your deodorant from these products, there are several things you can do to help alleviate the stink of your detoxing armpits. One way is to detox your armpits. This is a fairly easy way to shorten the natural detox time.I personally tried two different ways of detoxing and found they both worked pretty well. The easiest way is with Bentonite clay. You typically find this ingredient in face masks or body detox masks. It is very effective at removing toxins from the body.[amd-yrecipe-recipe:85] The one issue I had with detoxing this way was my armpits then smelled very strongly of vinegar. Even when using essential oils the vinegar smell still lingered for a while. This was ok if I did the detox right before bed, but if I had anywhere to go I felt uncomfortable with the smell.I kept looking for another option and tried Root’s Peppermint Mud Mask. This actually worked AMAZING. I was very surprised with the results. Not only did it detox the armpit smell for just as long as the bentonite clay, it had a wonderful peppermint smell that lasted for quite a while.If you are having trouble switching over to a natural, green deodorant I would highly suggest trying to detox your armpits to help shorten the “stinky” period. Good luck!

Chocolate Ganache Frosting

 I’ve wanted to make chocolate ganache frosting for several years now. Our wedding cake was topped with chocolate ganache instead of frosting and I’ve always wanted to figure out how to properly use it to top cakes. I’ve used ganache for drizzle or glaze, but never as a frosting by itself. This is a rich, chocolaty frosting that holds up well against warm weather. It is a wonderful frosting to pair with any cupcake base. My preference is chocolate cake, but there are a couple other cakes this frosting pairs well with. I have a couple of cake ideas that will be posted later this week for you.The trick to using this as frosting is to completely cool the ganache before you use it to frost a cake or cupcakes. I found that cooling it overnight in the fridge worked best. This make certain the ganache was completely set so that you will then have no problems for frosting.Once you’ve transferred the cooled ganache to the bowl of a stand mixer you want to beat the ganache on high until it begins to resemble frosting. It will become very light and fluffy, pretty much the perfect consistency for frosting. When the frosting is ready it will be considerably lighter than when you started. It will also have just about doubled in size. Once this has happened simply transfer the frosting to a piping bag and frost cupcakes as usual. The frosting will set once it is on the cake so you don’t need to worry too much about storing it in the fridge. If you need it to set quickly you can fridge it for a half hour.[amd-yrecipe-recipe:80]

How To: Chocolate Curls

Chocolate Curls are an excellent way to jazz up an otherwise plain cupcake. They look very fancy, but are actually quite easy to make! To make them you will need Candy Melts. These are specific kinds of chocolate that have a higher melting point so they don’t deform as easily. You could try using regular chocolate or chocolate chips, I just have no idea how those would actually turn out.To get started you will need:½ Cup Candy Melts2 Teaspoons Crisco/ShorteningLarge (non-coated) Metal Baking SheetMetal Spatula or Dough ScraperIf you are making these in warmer temperatures I found it helpful to put the baking sheet and spatula into the refrigerator for a few minutes to help it cool. This provided me with a better surface to start on. My items started out pretty hot to begin with because it was the middle of summer and we keep our house pretty warm.In a microwave safe bowl combine the candy melts and the Crisco. Microwave in 30 second increments stirring between each stint in the microwave until completely melted and smooth.Spread the candy melt mixture onto the backside of the baking sheet. Do not oil or cover with wax paper. If you introduce additional oil into the  mixture it will not set properly.Let the candy sit until firm. I found my house was too warm to properly set the candy so I put it in the fridge for a few minutes.  You want it to be firm but not so firm that it is brittle.Using the back of the metal spatula scrape the candy into rolls. If you find your candy too loose simply let it set for a little longer. You need to use equal pressure across the entire length of the pan, if you don’t you’ll end up with chunks of candy. These are also excellent for decoration though, so keep them if you end up making them.You may need to help some of the curls to finish curling. To do this, simply take your fingers, warm the chocolate up slightly and roll into a curl.Use these to decorate cupcakes as desired!

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

I actually made this pie in the middle of winter. I completely forgot I had it until now, so I decided to post it! It also just happens that the ingredients are in season now, so you can make a pie full of fresh ingredients rather than frozen (as I did).This pie received rave reviews from the person I made it for. The filling itself is pretty tart, if you are worried about it you can add additional sugar until it reaches the sweet level you wish. While the filling is homemade I decided to go with prepared pie crusts. If you wish to make these from scratch feel free, you can also substitute a gluten free pie crust if you wish. I just didn’t have the time when I made this pie. I’ve added several spices to this recipe that really make the filling pop. I highly suggest you add them, but they are not critical. The fresh lemon juice will provide you with a little bit of a tart undertone if you choose to use it.[amd-yrecipe-recipe:70]