Hello friends! Oh… hello to you too Monday morning. In honor of the coming holiday and all of the yumminess that comes along with it, I’m feeling a lot more forgiving of your presence here today. This week, Monday means that only 3 more days separate me from visiting my family in Southern California and chowing down on some of my favorite food. I’ll be bringing some gluten free renditions of traditional holiday goodies that I can’t wait to share with you! It makes Thanksgiving so much more enjoyable when I have biscuits, stuffing and pie on my plate. What is Thanksgiving dinner without these things really? A hollow shell of the holiday feasts that I remember, that’s for sure. Good thing I won’t ever have to experience that. My recipes are healthier versions of some classics that don’t sacrifice any of the classic flavor. I got to try a few out on my friends this weekend and they, thankfully, were eagerly gobbled up.
Saturday and Sunday were a flurry of driving, eating, connecting and more driving. If I haven’t mentioned it before, half of my heart lives in Mendocino, a gorgeous little coastal town, nestled in the redwoods of Northern California. We were first acquainted about 11 years ago and after the initial shock of being so far off of the grid (what do you mean there is only one stop light and no shopping malls?) I fell in love fast and hard and haven’t strayed too far away since. Many of my dearest friends call Mendocino home so I make the 3 hour drive about once a month.
This weekend was our first annual, eagerly awaited Friendsgiving dinner. So.much.fun. Good wine, laughing, cute babies frolicking around together, buns in the oven. There was lots to celebrate and celebrate we did. Every delicious thing you could think of graced that table. A beautiful glazed ham, candied yams, a bright fresh kale salad with pomegranate seeds and golden raisins, homemade artichoke dip with fresh spinach and organic local cheeses… I stuffed myself and then went back for more. I haven’t eaten that much in years. I’m feeling properly primed for Thursday. 😉 Also on the menu was my gluten free cornbread stuffing bites and raw pumpkin cheesecake. I was so busy loving up my friends and stuffing my face with my stuffing that I completely forgot to snap a picture of either dish. 😦 It’s a good thing that I plan on making both again for one of the myriad of holiday gatherings that I will attend in the next 6 weeks. I promise to share my recipes soon. In the meantime, please enjoy some photos of my family and I being fabulous.
Xoxoxoxox
earthlyradiance 