Happy Mother’s Day to all the mommas! I do hope you are having a sweet day with your moms, grandmothers, daughters, sons, love children and what not.
I have written about my mom before- when we went all out to celebrate her 57th birthday. I am so lucky to have a mom that supports me, is my greatest cheerleader, has never in my life laid a guilt trip on me and who I can’t remember ever having any sort of fight with. We talk about sixty-five times a day and if we are in the same city- never go more than a few days without seeing each other.
Exactly ten years ago at the baby age of 19- I headed off to Europe to travel on my own. You think I look young now- when I look at photos from that trip, I seriously look like a child.
My mom joined me for the first two weeks to make sure I could manage the next twelve on my own. We had the best time. We get into giggle fits together and I’ll never forget the evening we spent in Nice where something set us off in a fit of hysterics and we soon had the entire restaurant and wait staff laughing hysterically- tears and all.
I will never forget the moment in the Marseilles train station when after two silly weeks together where, without fail (or intention), we began tours of museums from the exit, snuck out of dodgy hotels, walked out of restaurants once we saw what other people’s food looked like, double booked rooms in two different towns on the same night, made very interesting friends, ate olives and drank wine on hotel balconies, and practiced our horrible French- my mom boarded her train back to Paris and I sat in the station awaiting my train to Barcelona in a total panic over how I would do this without her.
I have since travelled through the Middle East, more of Europe, Australia, and Africa all on my own- and my mom is always quick to book her flight to join me for part of the adventure (though she sat out Africa- smart woman). I think her favourite though was when she came to visit me when I was working as the resident nutritionist for a 5-start resort in St. Lucia last Winter. She will undoubtedly be the first to sign up for my upcoming retreat “Nourish Your Soul” (details to follow) in February 2010. My mom is my bestest friend, biggest supporter and greatest testimonial to the work that I do.
Since I am so over the whole buying gift thing since none of us really need anything- I of course took to the kitchen and baked up some dry cookies- my moms favourite. For mother’s day we are off to see the play Tuesday’s with Morrie based on the wonderful Mitch Albom book and for a little light lunch. And of course- she gets to enjoy my home baked cookies made especially for her.
Cranberry Pumpkin Seed Butter Cookies
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup succanat (or sugar of choice)
1 egg or equivalent egg replacer
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup pumpkin seed butter
1 cup gluten-free flour (I used 1/2 cup buckwheat flour and 1/2 cup brown rice flour)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/3 cup dried cranberries
- Preheat oven to 375
- Mix all ingredients (except cranberries) together until smooth consistency
- Add cranberries
- Shape cookie on parchment paper lined or coconut oiled cookie sheet
- Bake for 15- 20 minutes until lightly browned.
Coconut Short Bread
1/3 cup Coconut Oil
1/3 cup honey
1 cup flour (I used 1/2 cup coconut flour and 1/2 cup buckwheat flour)
2 Tbs arrowroot starch (potato or tapioca starch would also work_
1/2 tsp Vanilla
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 cup grated coconut (I ground mine in a coffee grinder- though you can leave shredded if you prefer)
- Preheat oven to 350
- Mix all ingredients together until smooth consistency
- Shape cookie on parchment paper lined or coconut oiled cookie sheet
- Bake for 15 minutes until lightly browned at edges
A couple photos from last fall at the cottage
Thank you for your beautiful tribute. This is the best mother’s day gift any mother could get, being acknowledged for our care, love and commitment. I am going to put away my pancakes and save myself for cookies. yummm,
love you.
You and your mom are too cute! Love the recipes too, yum!
Your mother is so beautiful! And I think your cookies are the perfect gift for anyone on any occasion.
You and your mom look so alike! Same beautiful smile. And wow–St. Lucia–sounds like fun!! The cookies are calling to me. . . maybe I can find a way to make stevia work in them??
Thank you for the wonderful cookie recipes. I definitely want to try them all. I love to read (you are an amazing writer) your stories and I especially adore the ones about you and your mom.
….hugs ;o)
Wow, some great photos of you & your Mom!! Nice tribute too. You seem to have inherited her love of life and sense of adventure! How wonderful.
What a wonderful tribute to your mom! I know how it feels to have your mom as your best friend.
Your cookies look incredible – thanks for the recipes!
You two are the cutest. Guess who just had a brownie from Whole Foods for dinner
I want to know what you thought about Tuesdays with Morrie. Loved the book and the movie. Hank Azaria is one of my celebrity crushes.
Thank you! I’ve been looking for a healthy coconut shortbread recipe for two years now. I’ve tried replacing the butter with half solid coconut oil and half applesauce but just didn’t know where to go from there. They’re my husband’s favorite type of cookie and since he’ll eat an entire batch in two days I’d much rather have them be good for him. So, these are definitely my next baking project.
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