Rosemary Shortbread Cookies

Now that my secret has been shared I can confess that I might be starving my husband. Cooking has come to a fast halt around here because pretty much everything grosses me out. Last night Ian made himself a folded in half bean sandwich with a little side of cucumbers...poor guy.

Something I have been in the mood for is cookies. We have a ton of rosemary in our garden so when I found this recipe I knew I wanted to try it...with a few modifications of course.

What you will need:

• 1 1/2 cups of butter
• 2/3 cups of coconut sugar
• 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 3/4 cups of whole wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp of vanilla
  

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, mix together the butter (softened), vanilla and sugar. Add the flour and rosemary until it is all blended together. The dough will look somewhat lumpy and this is normal. Cover and place in the refrigerator for one hour.
   
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
   
3. Lightly flour your work surface and form the cookies however you want. I used a little heart cookie cutter.
4. Place cookies on lined cookie sheet and sprinkle a little coconut sugar over the tops.
5. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are golden.

I seriosuly loved these! My husband, who was just happy I actually baked something said they reminded him of gingerbread cookies. That's positive right? He also said "next time" I should slice them really thin and place a little bit of icing in between two cookies like a cookie sandwich...hmm not a bad idea!

Hope you all have a fun and safe Halloween weekend!

On a side note: I had a few people ask where I got my outfit in yesterdays post. I am by no means a fashion blogger but here are the deets:

Tank Top: Old Navy
Skirt: Kohls - It was from Lauren Conrad's line
Long gold necklace: Kohls- Lauren Conrad's line as well

Recent Family Pictures + A Little Secret Shared

A few weekends ago (the same weekend my stroller went flying into the duck pond) we met up the beautiful Brianna Anderson and had some family pictures taken.

Bri is a PHENOMENAL photographer who specializes in maternity and newborn photography...and she just happens to be my cousin! I feel so blessed to have such a wonderful and talented person in my life.

Bri put together the adorable video below...and there is a special little message at the end so make sure you watch it all the way through ;)




Thank you Bri for the beautiful family photos!

To see more of Brianna's photography you can check out her blog here!

Coconut Sugar

After I posted this recipe last week, I had quite a few people asking about the coconut sugar that I mentioned. So I thought I would do a little post on what exactly it is and how it is much better for you than regular white sugar or any of that crappy artificial stuff.

What is Coconut sugar?
It is a natural sugar that comes from the coconut palm tree. Coconut sugar is nothing new. It has been used as a traditional sweetener for generations in South East Asian countries. It is considered a low-carb sugar (awesome right?!) because it has a lower glycemic (less impact on blood sugar) than regular white sugar. This is a great substitute for people with diabetes. Since I am a type 1 diabetic I was so excited when I discovered this. It also measures out exactly the same as sugar does, so if a recipe calls for one cup of sugar, you would use one cup of coconut sugar.

What does it taste like?
You don't want to bake a delicious batch of cookies only to be disappointed right? Coconut sugar resembles a subtle version of brown sugar with a hint of maple syrup. It is not overpowering like some artificial sweeteners can be. As Goldilocks would say," It is not too sweet, it's not too plain..it is just right." :)

Where can you buy it?
You can find it at your local health food stores as well as Asian grocery stores. You can also buy it online here.

If you are looking for a healthier alternative to cane sugar I highly recommend you give coconut sugar a try!

Giveaway! *Olive Yew Jewels*

Today's giveaway is hosted by Olive Yew Jewels

Olive Yew offers handmade gold and silver jewelry, unique rings , bracelets, necklaces and earrings. I just put this initial charm necklace on my Christmas list..so cute!

Angela of Olive Yew is offering one lucky reader a chance win the gold bow necklace shown above! I love love love it!

How you can win:
(leave a separate comment for each)

• You must be a follower of Delighted Momma
• Visit Olive Yew Jewels and leave a comment letting me know what you love in her shop!

Extra Entries:
(leave a separate comment for each)

• Tweet about giveaway. Tag with @ Delighted Momma
• Mention giveaway on Facebook.
• Like Olive Yew on Facebook
• Add Olive Yew to your favorites on Etsy
  
• Be creative and mention anywhere else you like! Let me know where you did.
  

Good luck! The winner will be picked at random and announced next Tuesday.

Skin Care Tip Of The Week *10 Beauty Superfoods*

I have mentioned before that almost everything you do including what you eat, plays a role in how your skin will look and feel. I have listed some amazing skin superfoods that are all beneficial to your health and your skin will thank you for it.


1. Blueberries- loaded with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Blueberries prevent aging by neutralizing the free radicals (molecules responsible for aging and tissue damage) in the body. They also provide a boost in the immune system.

2. Turmeric- has been used for years in holistic medicine as as a digestive aid and a wound healer. It is also a natural liver detoxifier and potent natural anti-inflammatory (great for those with acne).

3. Parsley- it is rich in vitamins A and C. It also contains powerful antioxidants that can help slow down the aging of cells. Parsley is also the perfect digestion remedy and can help cleanse the liver of toxins. So don't pass on this often overlooked garnish. Parsley contains three times as much vitamin C as oranges, and twice as much iron as spinach..crazy right!

4. Coconut oil- has anti-microbial, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial functions. Helps with digestion. Excellent source of healthy fats. Applied topically is a great stretch mark prevention oil.

5. Avocado- contains antioxidants that slow down aging, promotes good heart health, and prevents the growth of cancer cells. The natural oils in avocado also keep your skin looking vibrant and youthful.

6. Tomatoes-contain lycopene, a powerful rejuvenating antioxidant that gives tomatoes their deep red color is known to reduce the risk of prostate, breast, lung and other cancers. Tomatoes also contain a ton of vitamin C and can help skin texture and color. They are also super low in calories..so eat up!

7. Pumpkin Seeds- loaded with essential skin beautifying minerals and antioxidants. Pumpkin seeds are also a great anti-inflammatory. According to WHS pumpkin seeds are also known to boost the immune system and lower cancer risks. The best way to get all the health benefits is to eat them raw.

8. Kale- has tons of vitamin K, A and C. It is also a rich source of minerals including cooper, calcium, iron and magnesium which all play a role in healthy beautiful skin. For more information on kale you can read read this post.

9. Lemon- contains over 200 enzymes which help to detoxify the liver. Lemons are high in vitamin C, which has many healthy skin benefits including maintaining collagen levels and repairing tissue damage.

10. Sardines- you may not be a fan of these...but the health benefits are unbelievable. They are loaded with calcium, vitamin D and B12. A three ounce serving of sardines has as much calcium as a cup of milk. Sardines are also high in omega-3 fatty acids. A diet high in Omega-3 has been shown to inhibit breast, colon and kidney cancer. So you may want to reconsider incorporating these slimy little fishies into your diet. * I like mine with lemon and rosemary :)

If you would like some more info on Superfoods here are a few great resources:

Dr. Mercolas Top 7 Anti-Aging Foods

Worlds Healthiest Foods

Benefits of Parsley

Things That Make Me Say Yeay

Baked pumpkin seeds. Mmm!

I have this amazing Williams Sonoma cookbook in my kitchen that is used for "decoration" purposes. I have never actually looked through it...until the other day. The soup section was impressive and I am so in the mood for this Tuscan Tomato Soup recipe that I found. By the way, am I the only person who thought Williams Sonoma was a famous Chef who opened up the William Sonoma stores? Haha most likely I am alone on this one.

Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil. This stuff is absolutely amazing.

Loose leaf tea is my favorite. There is this adorable little shop by my house that has the best teas I have ever tasted. I always order coconut banana and it is delicious! Their motto is, "Sniff, Select, Sample."

Enjoying some pumpkin pie frozen yogurt.


Happy Friday! Any fun plans?

A Funny Picture + iPhone Case Winners

Sometimes I have these ideas in my head that don't always pan out as planned. Take our latest pumpkin patch adventure for example...

In my head it was going to be chilly and I would sip on my (extra) hot mocha while we happily browsed around looking for the perfect pumpkin. OH and in my head we would take a bunch of cute family pictures, including ones of Max taking his first pony ride. You would have thought after these pictures I learned my lesson and just hired a a professional photographer to follow us around snapping the perfect candid shots. Hey I can dream.

Well it was grossly hot and the boots and scarf that I wore made me feel like I was sitting in a sauna with snow gear on.

Max was cranky and tired.

My extra hot mocha made me wig out and I felt like I was having a mini panic attack. For reals! I was seeing little white spots and thought I was losing my vision for a brief moment.

The line for the pony ride was pretty much wrapped around the pumpkin patch. NO thank you.

We did not get ONE family picture ha!

How was your pumpkin patch experience? Was it full of smiles, fresh popcorn and perfect family photos? Well good for you if was. I want a re-do!



The three winners of the Society6 iPhone cases are:

1. Ami @ The Smallest Happiest Things
2. Anna Elder
3. Jenny Taylor
   

Congrats ladies! Please e-mail me at lindsay.kujawa@yahoo.com with your shipping address and the iPhone case that you would like.

Thank you to all who participated!