Time for some Friday Things:
1. Thanks to the Huffington Post for featuring my Homemade Thin Mints in their Girl Scout Cookies feature
The next day they featured 3 recipes in their Gluten-Free Dessert Recipes: Fruit Cakes, Cookies, and More story – slide 3, slide 4, slide 5
I even have to pinch myself sometimes that the Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies don’t have gluten. Nor do they have any butter or white sugar.
2. The Good Bean – All Natural Roasted Chickpea Snacks. Gluten-free, nut-free, cholesterol-free, low fat, low in carbohydrates, nothing over-engineered, nothing artificial.
I am in love with the Sweet-Cinnamon flavor. Think cinnamon toast in the form of super crunchy little nuggets.
They’re exceedingly crunchy. If you’ve ever had dried peas or dried green beans, they’re like that; except crunchier. And I love that about them.
3. They give the crunchiest crackers I ever made a run for their money
And for something a bit less crunchy, try Caramelized Cinnamon Sugar Roasted Chickpea “Peanuts”
They’re beans masquerading as candy and I’m all about real candy. But I dare you not to stand at the oven door and eat half the tray immediately.
4. Travel Mug Reviews – Cook’s Country and Cooks Illustrated shares their reviews of 7 mugs from highly to not recommended.
In general, I find mugs to be so expensive for what they are, and each promises to be the best, yet most of them either leak or the coffee doesn’t stay hot. I use a mug from Starbucks made from recycled plastic that I bought in 2009. I use it daily, run it through the dishwasher, put it in the microwave, beat it up, and I think it will last another five years.
I cannot use travel mugs that have any metal on them because I always, always heat my coffee in the mug in the microwave as I’m walking out the door. I don’t have time or desire to heat the coffee in a separate microwave-safe cup. Plus, I like to get the mug extra toasty, too. I have a thing for piping, and I do mean searing hot, coffee; which limits my selection of mugs.
5. Flower Power: Parmesan-Roasted Cauliflower – Such pretty little stalks
Roasting veggies is so easy and there’s always a new seasoning, spice, oil, or vegetable to roast.
A recent fave was Lemon Rosemary Coconut Oil Roasted Vegetables (vegan, GF)
6. My friend Marla’s post, 10 More Skinny Secrets is a gem. The post has nothing to do with being skinny, and everything to do with being mindful, healthful, and making compassionate and thoughtful choices each and every day. I adore Marla and miss our coffee dates but reading her post was almost as good as a coffee date. Almost.
7. Creamy and Crispy Hash Brown Casserole was featured in the Featured in the eCookbook, 14 Easy Recipes for Potato Casseroles
If you’re looking for easy, potato-based comfort food recipes, Click Here to Download the ebook.
Tis the season for warm comfort food.
8. A reader, Stacy, emailed to tell me that there is a heart-shaped crumb in at the bottom of this photo of Brown Sugar Maple Cookies
I never noticed it until she pointed it out, and couldn’t replicate or duplicate that in a million years, even if I tried. She thought it was perfect for these cookies and I think it’s perfect in advance of Valentine’s Day.
9. Faceted Friendship Bracelet – On sale for $9.95 at Anthro. Quite the step up from the raggedy friendship bracelets I used to make, circa 1988, with yarn that was 50 cents per pack at the local drugstore.
I used to love making friendship bracelets and could go for hours just making rows and rows of knots. Mindlessly therapeutic. It was my yoga back then.
10. New Le Creuset Color: Quince. I’m in enamelware lust. Don’t bother with roses or chocolates for Valentine’s Day, but one or four of these would do.
That color is so me. I love it.
What are your Friday Things?
Favorite travel mug? Friendship bracelet memories? Thoughts on super crunchy foods or favorite finds?
If you’ve made anything, done, seen, or bought anything fabulous recently, feel free to link it up in the comments.
Have a great weekend and check back for giveaways!
Congrats on the huffington post feature! And that quince le creuset is just gorgeous! They just sent me their braiser and it completely brightens up my kitchen!
The thin mint cookies look like the real thing. They turned out so perfect.
I have to say that the Le Crueset Dutch oven that I received for Christmas is by far my FAVORITE pan ever. I knew I would love it, but I love it even more than I had imagined. It just makes cooking fun and better. I used it 3 times yesterday. I browned some quinoa in it, made a carrot and ginger soup and then made up some hot quinoa and oat cereal. It was a workhorse yesterday. I also love the yellow color. I’m asking for a smaller sized dutch oven for my birthday. I really like that turquoise color they have out. :) Jackie
OMG that heart crumb is too precious!!
Aww, how cool is that?! Congratulations on being published, you deserve every bit of it! I am so-so happy for you, and proud too. You work hard on your blog, and all your recipes are wonderful. Thank you for doing it for us. Love your blog, please do what you do! :) We need you here! :)
I just heard of the good bean yesterday and was blown away. I need to get my Canadian hands on some ASAP!
I can’t seem to find a perfect travel mug for myself either. I used to have a plastic Starbucks one for a while and it was great until a small crack between the 2 walls appeared. Coffee would always get in between. It didn’t leak, just looked very unappetizing so I finally threw it out. Every other mug I’ve looked at since didn’t have what I need and I was shocked to see the prices. For a coffee mug, really?
My favorite crunch is Mary Gone Crackers. LOVE them!!
Ah I always Love your friday finds.. Congratulations on the feature! That heart crumb is the cutest!!
I use my termic mug every time I leave the house. It’s actually a metal-type starbucks tumbler. It’s blue, big(16floz), and so easy to really clean good. When I boil the water for our morning tisanes I make extra for my tumbler. Trow in a tisane bag or a little tea-net and some loose herbs, pour over the water and let it sit. I usually only put the lid on after breakfast, it cools down just a little so I won’t burn my mouth later. If I am in class I take a cardboard straw with me to put in later. I put stickers on it. I compared thermo-mugs for two months before my purchase, just to spend my little money on something worth it. As you can tell, it was. :D
Yayy for the Huff!! So many tasty things you listed…droooooooling!
Congratulations on the Huff Post feature! They love your work over there. I feel like I’ve seen them feature you multiple times!
Congrats on the Huffington Post feature, Averie! Your cookies look better than the GS version!
I had no idea that you could buy chickpeas already roasted. I love roasting my own, but it would be great to have a convenient alternative to one of my favorite snacks!
roasted is what I made and linked to, with the homemade photo
what I showed from the Good Bean is more ‘dehydrated’. They are exceedingly crunchy and taste like…space food if you’ve ever tried freeze-dried or super dehydrated food.
mine are a soft result
and theirs are a hard result
Dried peas are SO incredibly addicting, especially when they’re covered in wasabi ;)
I have been drooling over the new Le Creuset! The colors are unreal.
I know they are soooo crunch-able. And the new LeCreuset color is my happy, sunny, warm place. Love that shade.
I love Good Beans; awesome post Averie! Have a great weekend. Hope all is well and congrats on the Huff Post feature!
Congrats on the HuffPost feature! I love those thin mints!
Roasted veggies?! Hell yes!! I roast everything that I can get my hands on. ;)
And that potato casserole!! Yummo!