Summer Squash Bread

Summer Squash Bread  When the zuchinni, crooknecks, and yellow summer squashes are in abundance, we are always making zucchini everything, right?  I have many such recipes, but this one is a healthier version, and  just sweet enough.  The apricots are a nice variation, and the spices are more noticeable because they are not masked by the sweetness of refined sugar.  If using yellow squash, make sure to remove the seeds, and grate more finely in a food processor.  Drain the excess water from the squash to avoid too much liquid in the recipe.  There are times I will use part white flour in this recipe to make a lighter loaf if it's not convenient to freshly grind the wheat.  Canola Oil may be used instead of grapeseed, but make sure it's cold pressed, and a non-GMO version.

3/4 Cup Grapeseed Oil (for it's buttery taste)
1 Cup Unsweetened Applesauce
1 Cup Ground Sucanat
3 Eggs, Lightly Beaten
2 tsp Almond Extract
2 Cups Raw Summer Squash, Grated, Drained, with Seeds Removed
3 Cups Whole White Wheat Flour, (freshly ground if possible--for lighter bread)
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Aluminum Free Baking Powder
1 tsp Redmond Real Salt
3 tsp Cinnamon
3 tsp Ground Nutmeg
1/2 Cup Pecans, Finely Chopped
1/2 Cup Dried Apricots, Chopped

Combine the oil, applesauce, sucanat, eggs, and almond extract in a mixing bowl.  Fold in the grated squash.  In a separate mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Slowly stir in the flour mixture into the squash mixture.  Fold in the chopped nuts and apricots.  Lightly grease and flour the sides of two bread pans.  Evenly distribute the batter to make two loaves.  Bake at 350F for 50-55 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool for 5 min. before removing from pans.  Use a knife around the outside edges to gently remove, and place on a cooling rack.

Happy Pregnancy

Prenatal Super Smoothie:  Want to feel happy, & energetic during pregnancy?  This is a great way to start the day. Calm your tummy with some enzymes from ginger, pineapple, and probiotics, raise your serotonin with avocado & banana, curb headaches with electrolytes from coconut water, lift out of lethargy with iron from limes & spinach, and feel sustained by the healthy protien, calories, and essential fats you need for two.  This recipe feeds four--(plus your growing baby.)

1 1/2 Frozen Bananas

1 Whole Avacado, Pitted & Peeled

1 Handful Fresh Cilantro or Parsley

Juice of 1 Fresh Lime (include a bit of rind if you don't mind the bitter taste)

1 inch of Fresh Ginger Root, Peeled

Generous Handful of Spinach

1 Scoop Raw Sprouted Vanilla Protein Powder

11/2 Cups Coconut Water

1 Cup Plain Yogurt

1-11/2 Cups Pineapple (add ice if not frozen)

1 Tbs. Fish, Flax, or Coconut Oil

High Iron Smoothie:  Here is another great smoothie during pregnancy--(or other times when women tend to be low in iron.) Recharge and cleanse your bloodstream with high iron spinach, blueberries, & beets. 

1 Cup Cranberry Juice

3/4 Cup Plain Yogurt

1/3 Frozen Banana

2 Handfuls Spinach

1/2 Cup Blueberries (add ice if fresh)

5-7 Large Strawberries with the Greens

1-2 Medium Fresh Beets, Peeled, & Sliced. (I sometimes use 4-5 small canned beets instead)

1 Scoop Raw Sprouted Vanilla Protein Powder

Secret's Out~
So you probably guessed it-- we are expecting our third child!  My garden is growing this summer, and now so is our family.  We have spent so much more time together as a family than ever before.  We just celebrated Liam's 4th birthday, and Aiden turned 7 back in May.  They are taking swimming lessons together, enjoying Aiden's Tee-Ball league, and kids yoga classes at the park  Liam loves his art projects at preschool, and playing with all the neighborhood friends.  I've performed as a singer/songwriter for many outdoor concert series this year as well.  Fireworks, the carnival, the rodeo, the water park, boating, fun centers, splash pads, cousins, swimming, fishing, and campfire dinners.  It's what summer is all about.  This morning in a yoga class I attended as a student, my attention was bought to the concept of where we put our energy, there we will reap our fruit.  I feel like I made the right decision to leave my employment and focus on my family.  Now, I can see the result of happier children, a healthy pregnancy, and a flourishing garden to feed us all.