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December 12, 2018

Coconut Lime Macaroons

Coconut Lime Macaroons are light, chewy and crispy! Add them to your gluten free baking repertoire! Find the recipe on Shutterbean.com!

In the last two years, I let all of my magazine subscriptions lapse except for Bon Appetit. I think at one point I had something like 5 magazine subscriptions?  As an adult who must manage the mess of myself (real talk) and my family, magazines just pile up in stacks that I have to manage and I don’t have the headspace to deal with them anymore. How the heck did I ever manage that much paper in our house?

Coconut Lime Macaroons are light, chewy and crispy! Add them to your gluten free baking repertoire! Find the recipe on Shutterbean.com!

To be honest, I have enough ripped out recipes in a folder in my office that could last a lifetime. I stopped actively looking for recipes once Pinterest stepped in. I don’t think I really even look at the recipes on Pinterest.  I sometimes spend a ridiculous amount of time collecting pictures of ideas that will ultimately stress me out that I’m not putting out new AMAZING content fast enough.  We have so much information at our fingertips these days! It makes the passing of time feel frenetic.  The holidays and the end of the year processes add a million other layers of stress on top of it.

Coconut Lime Macaroons are light, chewy and crispy! Add them to your gluten free baking repertoire! Find the recipe on Shutterbean.com!

This Coconut Lime Macaroon recipe from Bon Appetit has been popping up in my recipe folder for the past 5 years. The page I tore out didn’t have a photo, just the recipe.  With the coconut shavings I have stashed in my pantry and the leftover limes from the week, the time was right for me to make these cookies. One less paper in a pile to keep!

Too bad I waited soo long to make this recipe from my recipe hoard. They’re incredible!  Slightly chewy and slightly crispy with toasted coconut with hints of lime. They’re light and delicate, which to me means danger.  Only in that, I’ll probably eat three blindly if I’m not careful.

The holidays are about making people happy by being thoughtful. These are perfect for anyone on your list who is staying away from flour or isn’t a fan of chocolate (we exist!).  I have a few coconut lovers in my life I can’t wait to indulge with these!

CONTINUE READING

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December 10, 2018

Intentions for the Week:

Looking to get your head in the game? Tracy from Shutterbean makes a weekly TO DO LIST called her Intentions for the Week. Here's what this week looks like:

Happy Monday, Friends!

How are we feeling today?  MY TO DO LIST IS GROWING BY THE SECOND. HOLY COW.

How are we going to take care of ourselves this week?

Take a pause and have some hot tea. Gather yourself. Drink liquids.  Your body needs it.

This week is all about packaging up things and sending them out in the mail. My food journal is on sale.  THANK YOU for those of you who ordered last week. I posted it on my Instagram/Instagram stories and I sold out in a few hours!  I am doing it all on my own so I want to make sure that I have enough time to fit it into my schedule. Thank you for your patience!  Buy one here!

Also, a reminder that I’m teaching a food photography workshop in Santa Fe, NM May 2019. If you’re looking to expand your photography or give an amazing experience to someone special (ahem, cough cough YOU),  sign up here! 

Feeling overwhelmed? Let’s start with a list! Write down your Intentions for the Week!

 

Intentions for the Week:

  • laundry
  • sell Food Journal!
  • address my holiday cards & send them out!
  • make a new cookie recipe/share recipe
  • work on packages/orders
  • trip to the post office (maybe a few trips!)
  • go out for a drive at night this week with the family- look at lights!
  • get some exercise
  • spend time around the Christmas tree
  • clean up office
  • clean out fridge/do some meal prep
  • remember to eat healthy food
  • drink enough water/tea
  • have a date with the calendar
  • plan a date night with Casey
  • grocery shop
  • bookkeeping
  • library time
  • donate items to school
  • work on Christmas shopping
  • keep the house tidy
  • give myself permission to go slow when I need to!

Last Week’s Intentions:

  • paint nails (didn’t get a chance to)
  • make gingerbread cookies with kids
  • charge Fitbit and use it! (found the charger last night! UGH)
  • get outside/go for a walk
  • be good about going to bed on time
  • work on packages
  • figure out holiday presents
  • grocery shop
  • find three outfits to wear for parties
  • post Currently November post
  • edit photos/post new recipe
  • make an arugula pasta recipe
  • mammogram appointment (a friendly reminder get yourself checked out!)
  • write in food journal/eat healthy
  • sell Food Journal!
  • be better about drinking water (this is my favorite cup these days)
  • follow up on invoices
  • have a turmeric latte
  • catch up on social media
  • clean out fridge
  • return to Target
  • address holiday cards/send out (got them this weekend!)
  • post office visit

 

Mantra for the Week:

I LOVE LISTS // a collection of links from the 'net on Shutterbean.com

Pump Song for the Week:

Make sure to write down your own Intentions for the Week if you wanna get stuff done.

Have a great week! I’m rooting for you.

xo Tracy

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December 9, 2018

My Everyday Life: Week 49

Here’s what this past week looked like- My Everyday Life Week 49

This week I had a gingerbread cookie decorating party at my house.

My Everyday Life: Week 49 on Shutterbean.com

The delight of children is what this holiday season is all about!

My Everyday Life: Week 49 on Shutterbean.com

I used Simple Recipe’s gingerbread man recipe for the cookies and Alton Brown’s royal icing recipe.

My Everyday Life: Week 49 on Shutterbean.com

Sandwich baggies to pipe on the frosting!

My Everyday Life: Week 49 on Shutterbean.com

CONTINUE READING

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December 7, 2018

I LOVE LISTS

I LOVE LISTS

  1. People really didn’t think things through, did they?
  2. Tim’s holiday gift guides are always my favorite.  
  3. I find #17 to be extremely satisfying.
  4. Let’s transport ourselves into another time.
  5. I wish my mom could see this.
  6. How do we have so much time to watch TV these days?
  7. 2019 is all about coral
  8. What a pretty cocktail!
  9. A thought-provoking photography project of a father with Alzheimer’s 
  10. How to collaborate with people you don’t like.
  11. I liked reading through these gifting philosophies. 
  12. People will do anything for free cheesecake
  13. When the holidays are hard.
  14. Little moments when you are hit by grief.
  15. Selfies are ruining cool things.
  16. I gotta find me a mellotron to play with.
  17. Lasagna pizza. Whoa.
  18. I didn’t know this iPhone cursor trick. Did you?
  19. Why Accepting Help Makes Us Happier
  20. The beauty of waterways from above. Wow.
  21. I love the idea of making landscapes out of thread
  22. The best animal photos of 2018 are pretty cool.
  23. Some food storage tips. 
  24. Oprah’s favorite things + My favorite things
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December 6, 2018

Cranberry Nut Bread

Cranberry Nut Bread is a recipe to pull out during cranberry season! Find the recipe on Shutterbean.com

I made my Mom’s Cranberry Nut Bread the other day because I missed her and I wanted my house to smell like it did when I was a kid during Christmas time. My house is the one I grew up in, so the holidays are a real trip to experience as an adult with my own family.  What I remember about my childhood in this house is that my mom would get on these all-night benders of making holiday treats or gifts for family. The house would be in disarray. Counters start piling up with incoming and outgoing things. The dining room table was set up to wrap presents and address holiday cards.

So yeah, not much has changed over the years 😉

Cranberry Nut Bread is a recipe to pull out during cranberry season! Find the recipe on Shutterbean.com

8Three things were heavy in her tradition rotation- Rocky Road Fudge (I remember the red tin lined with wax paper she’d use) Cranberry Nut Bread (always wrapped in aluminum foil and a bow) and of course, her Sour Cream Coffee Cake (that my Dad would pick at before she served it spurring her “It looks like there’s a mouse in the house!” rant). When she got into a really good rhythm with the cranberry bread bake-fest, she would wrap up loaves and stash them in the freezer so she could have something to bring to whatever party she was invited to. I always thought that was weird until I started baking on my own and learned the beauty of pulling out something at a moment’s notice.  With all of the treats though,  I held out for all of the coffee cake.

Cranberry Nut Bread is a recipe to pull out during cranberry season! Find the recipe on Shutterbean.com

I wish I could thank her for her traditions and consistency. These treats became pillars around our holiday season. They helped mark the time of year. With everything recipe I make of hers, I keep her spirit going.  Her recipes help bring the magic of the season alive on our house.

I’m lucky I have them.

Cranberry Nut Bread is a recipe to pull out during cranberry season! Find the recipe on Shutterbean.com

This is a nice sweet/tart bread. The cranberries are chopped instead of left whole. It means there are bits of cranberries throughout and you won’t have that “oh my goodness I just bit into a big tangy cranberry make it stop!” feeling that can repel a small child.  My child won’t eat bread with nuts so I couldn’t even test the chopped cranberry trick on him. If he had his choice I’d make nothing but maple olive oil banana bread (with chocolate chips). Maybe he’ll make it one day on his own and think of me? One can only hope.

CONTINUE READING

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December 5, 2018

Currently: November 2018

Currently November 2018 on Shutterbean.com, a monthly wrap up!

Currently November 2018

November is over! November was a tough one. November marked the year anniversary of my Mom’s death. I really cannot believe that it’s been a year since I talked to her. The first year of grief and the transition of being the only female in my family has made it a very confusing year for me. I think I’ll write a whole post about it someday.  My brain is in holiday mode as I type this in December. Oof.

My Everyday Life: Week 46 on Shutterbean.com

November was also weird because we had fires here in California and we were stuck indoors for a week. School was canceled because of it!  Cooper had a long Thanksgiving break. We had Thanksgiving at my parent’s house.  My dad’s ladyfriend joined us and it made what would have been a sad day nice and different.  It’s crazy how much can happen in a year. November brought some adventures though!

Currently November 2018 on Shutterbean.com, a monthly wrap up!

Inspired By:

Host a Homemade Holiday Gift Party with the help of Nugget Markets! Find the recipes to sugar scrubs, infused vodka and vanilla extract on Shutterbean.com!

This month I had a Homemade Holiday Gift Party at my house. It reminded me that I love opening up my house to friends. I really like when my dining room table gets to be put to good use. MORE OF THIS PLEASE.

I went on an adventure down the coast with my friend Larkin!

My Everyday Life: Week 45 on Shutterbean.com

And we went to Big Sur during Thanksgiving break. That was fun!

My Everyday Life: Week 47 on Shutterbean.com

CONTINUE READING

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December 3, 2018

Intentions for the Week:

Looking to get your head in the game? Tracy from Shutterbean makes a weekly TO DO LIST called her Intentions for the Week. Here's what this week looks like:

Happy Monday, friends!

It’s our first Monday of December. How does it feel? I went to an event last night for Whole Foods and forgot to bring a jacket and it was an outdoor dinner! So far, December feels COLD. Don’t forget to bring a jacket!

This weekend we spent some time working around the house. Laundry is almost done as we start the week, and it’s these small victories that make me happy.  I’ve spent a lot of time at social gatherings lately (hello, holidays!) which cuts into my laundry at night process during the week so I am glad to be caught up.

I’ve got packages to compile and things to ship out. I’m waiting on our holiday cards to come in so I can address them like a mad woman and GO!

This week is going to be busy socially so I have to make sure I get all of my regular nighttime stuff done so don’t fall behind.

Somehow, it will all get done and if not, it will have to be OK. That’s the headspace I’m in for December. How about you?

If you’re ever feeling lost, write out your Intentions for the week. It helps!

 

Intentions for the Week:

  • paint nails
  • make gingerbread cookies with kids
  • drink water
  • charge Fitbit and use it!
  • get outside/go for a walk
  • be good about going to bed on time
  • work on packages
  • figure out holiday presents
  • grocery shop
  • find three outfits to wear for parties
  • post Currently November post
  • edit photos/post new recipe
  • make an arugula pasta recipe
  • mammogram appointment (a friendly reminder get yourself checked out!)
  • write in food journal/eat healthy
  • sell Food Journal!
  • be better about drinking water (this is my favorite cup these days)
  • follow up on invoices
  • have a turmeric latte
  • catch up on social media
  • clean out fridge
  • return to Target
  • address holiday cards/send out
  • post office visit

Last Week’s Intentions:

  • laundry
  • clean out fridge
  • clean out bathrooms
  • put the tree up
  • grocery shop. GET HEALTHY FOOD.
  • decorate the house for Christmas
  • have a date with the calendar
  • return library books
  • drop off donations
  • get address book ready for holiday cards
  • write down what I eat in my food journal (coming soon!)
  • pick up piles around the house
  • get mammogram
  • trip to post office
  • do some meal prep
  • catch up on social media
  • write currently post
  • catch up on bookkeeping
  • make lists for Christmas
  • spend time outside
  • make a batch of kombucha
  • clean out car from trip
  • work on holiday packages
  • make a new homemade holiday gift for the blog
  • figure out holiday card/order
  • promote photography class I’m teaching next year in Santa Fe
  • post new products in Etsy shop (food journal & prints coming soon!)
  • be better about drinking water (this is my favorite cup these days)

Mantra for the Week:

Don 't Forget to Breathe- Image by Tracy Benjamin of Shutterbean.com

Holiday Music Playlist for you:

Make sure to write down your own Intentions for the Week if you wanna get stuff done. Have a great week! I’m rooting for you.

xo Tracy