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I'm not sure if I'm doing pregnancy cravings right. Are you supposed to be desperate for whatever you're craving? Because for me its more like I think about my cravings more often than not, and if someone suggests it then I am never opposed to having it.

Well, regardless, I have been thinking about Carrot Cake a lot. It sounds so good to me right now. Carroty, sweet, with cream cheese frosting. You can't go wrong with a good carrot cake. I can't eat carrot cake all day every day though, because, well, health and all that. So, while I find absolutely nothing wrong with giving in to my cravings from time to time, I decided I needed a healthier alternative that would satisfy my need without leaving me on a diet of cake. So, I decided to experiment last night to come up with a health(ier) alternative for carrot cake, and I settled on carrot cake cookies.

To be honest with you, these cookies were not perfection to me. I feel like they need a little more tweaking for me to get ratios and flavors just right. So, it's become my new pet project and when I am finished I will share the perfected recipe with you. I will say however, it was a valiant first attempt. PH ate four of them! He thought they were great! He asked me at one point, "you made these all healthy right?" Then went back into the kitchen to snatch another one. So, that made me really happy!

One thing PH did note was that it tasted more like pumpkin to him instead of carrot. I don't agree abut the pumpkin (there was no pumpkin in this cookie, although, I might do a carrot cake pumpkin variation in the future) but I did put cinnamon and even a dash of nutmeg in, which probably made him think of pumpkin. I also grated an apple and put that in too. Thanks to the sweetness of the apple I used less sugar. I also switched out the sugar and used honey instead. Honey is so great and so good for you! I threw in some oats, but I think for me it wasn't carroty enough. I didn't feel like I was eating a tiny carrot cake. Also, I think I need a better balance between the oats and the flour. I did glaze them with cream cheese frosting. Instead of the thick frosting you normally find on carrot cake I did a thin glaze for these cookies. I did test them by themselves though because I want them to stand on their own so you can have them without the frosting for an even healthier alternative. So, come along with me on this journey while I find the perfect healthy carrot cake cookie that all the pregnant ladies can eat without guilt (also, non-pregnant people should be able to enjoy them as well!)

     Sometimes we like to have breakfast for dinner.  So, when Alicia mentioned to me that she made  homemade blueberry syrup and she thought it would be great to blog about, I thought it was a great idea!  Unfortunately, she hadn't taken any pictures, and she was out of blueberries.  "You'll have to do it mom," she said.  Since I had just gone grocery shopping and had found blueberries at a great price, I decided that last night would be a breakfast for dinner night!  
     Of course, I had to take it a step further, because that is my way.  What goes great with blueberries (and just about all berries) but lemon?  So, I thought, how about Lemon Pancakes? Well, let me tell you, that was a good thought! These things are so good!  I used healthy ingredients like lemon, coconut oil and coconut milk.    Not only is it breakfast for dinner, it is like dessert for dinner! 

     Be sure to start making the syrup first, to give it time to reduce.  It is still kind of thin when you serve it warm, but the leftover syrup in the fridge is thicker.  

     Do you enjoy breakfast for dinner once in a while?  If so, you might want to give these recipes a try! 
     We have some past breakfast posts that would be great as well. Just click on the links below to see some favorites.

     Still need a griddle or a carafe to hold your syrup?  Check out these deals.

     My sweet, little, one year old  grandson, Spencer, loves cookies.  He asks for them by pointing at what he thinks is a box of cookies and says, "ck".  (He is a genius, already recognizing initial consonant sounds).  Since he was coming over, I decided that I needed to make him some cookies.  These Zebra Cookies came about quite by accident.  I attribute their name to the reminder my first grader granddaughter, Jayda,  gave me today that my son is going to Africa where Zebras live and he is to watch for them while he is there. 

     I began with a basic chocolate chip cookie recipe, but I decided to do a brown butter method that I have come to love.  I started doing it when I was looking for the perfect oatmeal cookie recipe.  But, I have developed  a slightly different method here. 

      When I added the jumbo chocolate chips, the batter was still warm, so they began to melt, and as I mixed the dough, that is how I got the "Zebra " streaks throughout the cookies.  They taste rich and delicious and would be great for a jungle safari party! 

     Just click the button above and try them out for yourself! I know, I am breaking my no baking during the heat rule, but when you hear that cute little "ck" and see the little pointing finger, you just have to have a cookie for him! 

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     Today, the 25th of August, is National Parks Day.  It is the birthday of the National Park Service.  To honor it, I purchased my husband a Golden Age Pass that will allow him to get into the parks for free from now on.  Actually, Alicia has been bugging me since he turned 62 to get him one.  That is the age when you are eligible to get the pass. I had to order it for him online yesterday because on Monday the passes are going up to $80 from the $10 that they used to be.  It still isn't too late for you to get yours.  Since I ordered it online, it ended up costing $20 instead of $10, but that is still a lot better that $80.  The great thing about this pass is that the entire car gets into the park for free as long as the Golden Age Pass holder is in the car.  If you aren't old enough yet for the Golden Age Pass, there are other types of passes available as well.  You can to to this site to find out about them.  Do you know that there is actually a free pass for 4th graders?  Also, if you don't qualify or can't afford any of the passes, there are free park entrance days!  Here is the list:
January 16: Martin Luther King Jr. Day
February 20: Presidents' Day
April 15-16 and 22-23: Weekends of National Park Week
August 25: National Park Service Birthday
September 30: National Public Lands Day
November 11-12: Veterans Day Weekend
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     Well, all of this talk about National Parks got us thinking about the ones we have been to, so today's Friday Fave's question is...

     Of course, since we live in Arizona, we have to list the Grand Canyon.  I remember the first time I visited it, I was amazed at the grandeur of the wide expanse of the canyon and the colorful rocks.  Looking at it, it still looked like a painting.  I also worried about my children falling off the cliffs, so that pretty much is what dominated the trip.  The Grand Canyon is definitely worth the trip to see such amazing views and rock formations. 

   I grew up in Clovis, CA.  There is a sign right on the main street of Clovis (Clovis Ave.) that says that Clovis is the Gateway to the Sierras.  AS the gateway to the Sierra's, it is also the gateway to Yosemite National Park.  That is the National Park that my heart belongs to.  My dad drove a tour bus there one summer, so I feel like that makes it even more special to me.  But, really, the park is gorgeous with its meadows and waterfalls and trees and trails.  Thank you John Muir for finding it! 

     Apparently, you are allowed to use the Golden Age Pass in National Forests, too.  One National Forest in Arizona with a really cool feature is Tonto National Forest.  That feature is the Tonto Natural Bridge.  It is awesome and a fairly short, but slightly steep and strenuous.  But, I made it, so it isn't that bad! The geology of the naturally formed bridge is fascinating and the travertine rocks are beautiful.  
     For more info on trails into Tonto, you can check out this website by Lukas Savela.

     In Southern Utah there is beautiful Zion's National Park.  I remember going there when I was 16 years old and the thing I remember the most is the big rock that you can walk on a trail under. The rock constantly has water dripping out of it.  It is called Weeping Rock!  It is so awesome!  Alicia loves this park.  She says, "​My favorite national park is Zion. There's so many breathtaking views and hikes for people of all skill levels. Plus it has sentimental value as the first place Adrian and I went camping together."  Here is their adorable picture. They are on top of a point in Zion's called Angels Landing.

     Another park that is way across the country from us is Niagara Falls!  What an amazing place!  I could hardly believe the power that was in the Niagara River that you get to kind of walk along really closely, then suddenly there is that wide expanse of falls that is amazing! Lindsey and Austin just went to the Canadian side when they were back east.  They got to take the boat ride towards the falls and also go behind the falls.  You get very wet when you get near them.

     Well, those are just a few of our favorite National Parks.  Tell us about your favorites!  Now that my husband is getting his Golden Age Pass, we may be visiting a lot more!