I am writing one handed while holding Joshua and rocking him to sleep, so this will not be a very wordy post. One of the things that we loved about our house when we first looked at it were the abundance of trees. Two of which are apple trees – one red and another green….
Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
Since the air grew colder and fresh produce has become more expensive in our neck of the woods, most mornings the boys and I enjoy a smoothie for our mid-morning snack. This time of the year I find that frozen fruit from Target and Costco is less expensive than fresh produce, and just as (or more)…
Pumpkin Spice Latte
A friend of mine posted the following quote on Facebook today and I felt it was appropriate given the theme of this post: pumpkin. “No matter how urban our life, our bodies live by farming; we come from the earth and return to it, and so we live in agriculture as we live in flesh.”…
Toasted Coconut Chips
Back in March when we began our grain-free journey with a Whole30, I found myself doing a ton of research on paleo eating, specifically related to paleo snacks that my children and husband would enjoy. I knew that their normal snacks of granola bars and muffins were easily paleo-itized. But those snacks used pound after pound…
Snacktime
Good afternoon! I wanted to stop by and let you know that I have been busy over on Instagram sharing the snacks that my kids have been enjoying this week. Check out all of the posts by searching the hashtag #cleaneatingsnacks and #cleaneatinglunch. If you’d like more ideas for fabulous clean eating and whole foods…
Homemade Baby Food
When L began eating solids back in March we loosely followed the Baby-Led Weaning approach. I was surprised at how well he did feeding himself cute pieces of super soft foods. So, honestly we haven’t had a huge need for homemade baby food purees, like we did when M was a baby. I am really loving…
Quinoa Protein Cereal
I posted this picture last week and got lots of requests for the recipe, so I thought I would pop in while the kids finish up their naps to share this very simple recipe that has become one of my go-to snacks. I love to top my Quinoa Protein Cereal with either fresh berries, banana…
A Day In the Life with Two Under 3
I love when fellow mommy bloggers share Day In the Life posts, so I thought that I would do a quick run down of a day in the life of the Peters family! I am following the The Eat-Clean Diet Stripped plan as our beach vacation approaches, so all of the eats that you see…
Carob Raspberry Amazeballs
I was first introduced to amazeballs when I participated in the Fitnessista’s Winter Shape Up. I immediately fell in love with the ease of preparation, portability and fun flavor combinations. We are hooked! Every other week I make a batch (or two) as snacks for the whole family – with protein powder for Allan and…
Green Apple Pie Smoothies
Between our regular grocery trips, my in-laws trees and our CSA fruit share, we have an overabundance of apples. Of course I have been busy making crockpot applesauce any chance that I can get; however, our new favorite way to enjoy the fall harvest has been Green Apple Pie Smoothies. Matthew has been teething since…
Gluten-Free Summer Strawberry Cornbread
Can you believe that we are in the midst of strawberry season already?!? I adore sweet, local berries and am so excited that the season is arriving early and with a vengeance this year. Usually the local MN strawberries are bright red, extremely sweet and very fragile. They can be difficult to handle and bake…
Grain Free Banana Muffins
Yikes! It is hot and humid. Seriously, last week it was rainy and the mercury barely rose above 60˚. Gotta love MN weather! I wasn’t quite sure how my pregnant body would tolerate the heat and humidity of Minnesota summers, but so far, so good. Matthew and I are both warm blooded and like to…
Matthew’s 2nd Birthday Party
Sorry for the delay in posting photos from Matthew’s party. We’ve been a little out of sorts over here, so I had a delay in getting the photos pulled together. Last Sunday we celebrated Matthew’s 2nd birthday with family and friends. The following are some highlights from the party, including the party menu. We started…
Fun in the Sun
Have you been wondering to yourself, where in the world has that Maria Makes Muffins been?!? She hasn’t posted in weeks! Today I am here to answer that question… With the second trimester in full swing, Matthew and I have had quite a bit to catch up on. It felt like the first trimester moved…
Whole Wheat Maple Donuts
I had to stop in briefly this afternoon to tell you about the most amazing treat that I whipped up for bible study tomorrow morning. When I signed up for fellowship at bible study I immediately knew that I wanted to bring a healthy baked good. There were a few reasons for my decision: 1….
Four Things Friday + Giveaway
1. A couple weeks ago, I was sent a sample of Morrocco Method Styling Dragon Pomade. As you know, I tried the complete line of Morrocco Method shampoos and conditioners this summer, as I tried to go ‘poo-free. I was very saddened when their products didn’t work out for me at that time; however, I…
Gluten-Free Cookies: Winter Spiced Biscotti
Let’s talk cookies. Specifically, clean, low-sugar, low-fat, gluten-free cookies. It’s the week of Christmas and I can’t believe that I haven’t brought up cookies yet. I love sweets… but they do not love me back. So, I choose to enjoy them in moderation and to modify recipes to reduce sugar, cut fat and increase whole…
Banana Chai Muffins
I am still in love with Ashley’s chai spice blend. Yum! Every week I make a batch of clean and healthy snack muffins or cookies for Matthew to enjoy throughout the week. It’s an easy way for me to ensure that he is getting enough healthy fat, whole grains and fruits/veggies. Plus, I can pop…
Chai Spiced
Last week Ashley from the edible perspective posted a recipe for chai spice mix. I love chai spices and immediately ran to my spice rack and mixed up the spice blend. Upon first sniff, I immediately knew that it was a winning combination. I then got to work using it. We were running low on…
Gingerbread Two Ways
Matthew and I have been enjoying our Advent Calendar activities. Matthew looks forward to opening the Advent Calendar door and unfolding the little piece of paper every day. I found little clip art photos to represent each activity so that he can recognize what we are doing without the need for me to read the…
I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas…
“…yet not my will, but yours be done.” Luke 22:42 As Christmas nears I find myself getting more and more strapped for personal time. There are so many things that I would like to do, people I would like to visit and experiences I would like to enjoy with Matthew. However, it seems that there…
Five Things Monday + Recipe
Since we last spoke… 1. We now have a decorated Christmas Tree in our living room. I love visiting our local Bachman’s to pick out a Christmas tree. Last year we bought an overpriced Fraser Fir at Whole Foods. It was a near fiasco where Allan had to secure the tree to our car on…
Uh-Oh
Yep. I messed up. I accidentally fed my family gluten this week. We were only supposed to add soy back in this week, not gluten. Here’s what happened… I usually buy the Trader Joe’s tempeh and completely forgot that it contains barley, which has gluten. Guess what we had on Monday night – tempeh spaghetti….
Spooky Summer Throw Back
I bet I am not the only one who has a hundred pounds of shredded zucchini in my freezer. Well, maybe I am the only one… No matter how much of summer’s bounty you have preserved in your freezer, I bet that you would love to enjoy a dark chocolate brownie that is delicious and…
Apple Cider Donuts
Hello my friends! Things are starting to settle down around here. I am loving not having the urge to check email every five seconds to ensure that everything at work is ok. Rachel Cosgrove (via The Female Body Breakthrough) is still kicking my butt at 5:30 AM. I added in a little Yoga is Yummy…
Wordless Wednesday: Family Favorites: Pumpkin Donuts
The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. Proverbs 18:10 Pumpkin Donuts Serve these pumpkin donuts with a side of scrambled eggs for a special weekend breakfast or with a slice of string cheese as a quick grab and go snack during the week. Print this…
Family Favorites: Snack Muffins
A dear friend of mine, Natalie, has a son who is three weeks younger than Matthew. Prior to becoming a mom, she relied on simple meals to feed herself and her husband; however now that she is feeding a youngling, she has been revamping their diets to focus more on sustainable, organic fare that is…
Cha Cha Chia for You (Chia Seed Giveaway)!
As you know, I love chia seeds! They are an amazing superfood that can make or break a bowl of overnight oats, oatmeal or pudding. Chia seeds are a wonderful whole foods supplement that boosts your fiber intake, adds essential Omega-3s to your diet and provides plant-based protein. Plus, they are just so much fun…
Chocolate Cherry Truffle + Giveaway
Today is supposed to be the last day of the oppressive heat and humidity that we have been experiencing here in the upper midwest (and across the rest of the country!). I cannot wait for the storms to roll in and for the cooler, fall-like low-humidity seventies to arrive tomorrow. Matthew and I plan to…
Dolce Vita
We had another glorious weekend filled with sunshine, family and amazing food! On Friday night Allan and I went on a date to Doolittle’s Woodfire Grill where we dined alfresco on amazing food including a cosmo for her and a mojito for him (my first vodka since having Matthew). We shared the mediterranean flatbread, mediterranean…
Peanut Perfection
For a the last couple months, I have been making the most creamy, dreamy, decadent peanut butter for Allan’s lunches. You would not believe how unbelievably delicious and sweet this fresh peanut butter is compared to the pre-packaged varieties. And even better yet – it’s cheaper than Skippy! So, here’s how it goes down in…
Beer, Tofu and Guacamole… Need I say more?
Today was a beautiful, mellow day. Perfect for a long walk to, around and back from Lake Nokomis, which, according to Google Maps, is 4.0 miles on the dot. It took us about an hour to complete our walk, as we made an extended pit stop at the swings along the water. Matthew and I…
Cuppa Joe
Allan is usually caffeine-free. This post is not. Lately we have had several late nights and early mornings in a row coupled with the intoxicating smell of freshly ground organic Caribou coffee, so, for good reason, Allan has been enjoying a single cup o’ joe with breakfast. When I did our monthly meal plan, I…
Two Spoons Are Better Than One
Lately Mister Matthew has been on a utensil kick. If he sees a fork or a spoon he must have it and use it to consume whatever masterpiece that I make for him. The other day he insisted upon feeding himself leek soup with a spork and a spoon. This was the resulting mess. Not…
For the Love of Leftovers
Allan and I have never been big fans of leftovers. Over the years I have learned to creatively use up leftovers in a gracious manner, but most of the time leftovers are presented at our table in the same state that they were originally created. Don’t get me wrong, leftovers make wonderful quick lunches and…
Chocolate Heaven
We have been on the run lately, so it was essential that I take half an hour and whip up a couple batches of various protein bars and snacks for grab-and-go snacks while in the car, running errands, or going to play dates. During the week , Matthew and I have been enjoying quality time…
Somebody Call 911!
Listen up! Put down your remote and head to the kitchen immediately (after reading this post) to prep this breakfast for tomorrow morning. You’re welcome ahead of time. Trust me, you will love me in the morning. We had a handful of extra organic cherries that needed to be used up and after seeing the…
Rhubarb Strawberry Sauce
Today was an amazing day filled with laughter, sunshine and family. I love afternoons spent talking, munching and playing in the sunshine with those that mean the most to me. It was glorious! Last night I was so excited to enjoy a Cooler 2 breakfast that I threw together this simple Rhubarb Strawberry sauce that…
Don’t Sneeze!
Did you know that if you say “watermelon” before you sneeze that it will most likely prevent you from sneezing? I don’t know if I believe this wives tale, but it’s worth a shot! Allan took the following pictures while I was cutting up the watermelon for Matthew’s birthday and they were so beautiful that…
Coconut Cornbread Bake
This is my first week working 10 hours from home and I am loving it. Matthew and I have been able to spend quite a bit of quality time together between meals and naps. 😉 The weather has been beautiful, so we are taking at least one walk per day. Matthew loves going to the…
Dough Balls for All!
One afternoon day per week Matthew and I spend quality time together in the kitchen prepping food for the week. I hate washing dished, but I love to cook and bake. So, to indulge my creative side and to minimize clean up I cook in large batches of similar items all in one afternoon. That way…
Feta Hummus
I love easy, nutritious and delicious recipes that my entire family will enjoy. Hummus is a food that has a fabulous, complex flavor for Allan and I along with a smear-able fun factor for Matthew. While I was shopping at the co-op, I sampled a chunky feta hummus and was instantly intrigued. However, I did…
Microwave Protein Cake
I feel like I have been so busy that I can’t keep my head on straight. Sometimes I don’t know if I am coming or going. Juggling Matthew (naps, feeding, playtime), workouts (4-5 times per week), clean eating prep (quick start ingredient prep), selling the house (cleaning for showings), work (super busy!) and the blog…
Purple Pride Smoothie
Today was one of the first nice days that we have had yet this year. It is hot and steamy! This week I cut back to 20 hours and will stay there until Memorial Day, when I have my final cut back to 10 hours per week. I am so excited to spend more time…
Blueberry Banana Tofu Muffins
I am excited to share my very first muffin recipe with you. This recipe for Banana Blueberry Tofu muffins was originally created for Matthew; they taste amazing, are nutrient dense, unsweetened, low in fat and are very moist. Matthew loves baked goods – muffins, bread, pancakes. He gobbles them up in a heart beat. Usually…