Vanilla Extract (Essence) Update and DIY Sweet Vanilla Sugar

Vanilla Extract at 16 Days!  I'm loving the color!!

Have you started your vanilla extract yet?? Since brewing a little over two weeks, ours is turning a gorgeous amber color and taking on a lovely vanilla fragrance... just like it's supposed to.  I'm so excited at how pretty it already looks, I simply had to share our progress.

Extract after 24 hours

Easy, easy, easy, all you need to make your own extract is vanilla beans, alcohol and bottles or jars.  After our success with last year's project, I couldn't wait to begin more for this holiday season (I have DIY instructions if you need them!), and my mom is eagerly awaiting her homemade bottle so she can use last years.  Yes... she saved last years gift saying, "It's too pretty to use!" so we are making more, and will probably have to make more next year so she will use the one from this year.  Do you know anyone who does that??  I've told her I'm not buying her candles any more either because she saves them all.  :)

Extract Day 1

In any case... have you started your extract?  What beans did you use?  How is it coming along??  Did you experiment with different alcohols?  I can't wait to break open a bottle of this batch and bake!

In the mean time, we also have Vanilla Sugar.  A nice addition to many of your baked goods, Vanilla Sugar also makes a lovely hostess gift.

How to make it?  Simply place the pods of vanilla beans you've used the seeds for in other baking into a container filled with granulated sugar.  The vanilla pods infuse the sugar giving it a heavenly vanilla taste and fragrance in just a few weeks... perfect for a sprinkle on top of waffles or as a stir into your morning coffee.

Want a lower cal version?  Simply place your used vanilla pods into your favorite sugar substitute, wait a few weeks and enjoy!

Minty Cucumber Honeydew Smoothie... I finished the challenge!

October brings to close my participation in the 30-Day Juicing Challenge of September.  With goals of healthier eating and losing a few pounds, I am happy to report resounding success in both areas!  More importantly, I now have a husband requesting his morning "Green Detox Super Drink" and kids who look forward to an after school blueberry or mango smoothie in place of chips and salsa or frozen burritos.  While the official challenge may be over, our move towards healthier foods is not, and I'm ever so thankful to Teresa, of Eat. Drink and Be Skinny, for inspiring us to make better choices.

Closing out our month of smoothies and juices, I have one more new favorite to share, a lovely Minty Honeydew Cucumber Smoothie.  With my mint plant continuing its takeover of my flower bed, I enjoyed snipping a few of his bountiful sprigs to flavor our morning drinks.  Bringing a fresh, clean flavor, the mint combined with lime and sweet honeydew to bring an invigorating start to our day.

During September we shared a number of new smoothie favorites, and I in turn received a few emails and comments stating that juices and smoothies bring "too much sugar and calories into the diet".  I absolutely agree that many smoothies on the market today truly resemble milkshakes more than any sort of health drink, however, I do believe that smoothies and blended fruit and veggie drinks can be a wonderful addition to one's diet - so long as they are used in moderation and with the proper ingredients.

For us, smoothies bring the addition of fruits and veggies that we wouldn't otherwise have had.  My husband, not a huge salad fan, receives a nice dose of spinach or kale in his morning "Green Detox Super Juice", and my son, not a blueberry fan, amps up his antioxidants with a cupful of our Blueberry Cucumber Smoothie.  That said, serving size is also an issue.  We keep our serving sizes to about a cup to a cup and a half, thereby keeping the calorie count in check.  Drinking pints of smoothie indeed throws the equation out of balance and yes, can bring too much of a good thing.

Personally, I prefer smoothies to juicing as blending a smoothie uses the entire fruit or vegetable thereby keeping the fiber in the serving.  True, the fiber is broken down in the blending process and is not as intact as eating, say a salad, but much of it is still there in addition to vitamins from the skins and seeds (for example blueberries or kiwis).

In any case, this 30-Day Challenge resulted in a big success for my family and we've seen our fruit and veggie consumption increase in volume.  Incorporating a few super foods, such as Camu Camu Powder, Flax Meal, chia seeds and Goji Berries has amped up our nutrition even more, and I'm enjoying the new flavor creations we've been experimenting with (well,most of them anyway...).

Thanks again to Teresa for making a difference for our family and for getting me in shape before my high school reunion.  I'm keeping with the challenge for the foreseeable future... just because I like it.

DIY Homemade Pancake and Waffle Mix

High School is harder than I remember.  With all this extra homework, dance practice, hospital volunteering and now college application season approaching in addition to my other "Mom Duties", I'm completely and utterly exhausted.  Making my last round of kid pick ups at 9:30 on some night, lights out isn't happening until well beyond what I consider a "decent" bedtime.  And I'm the first to admit that the alarm getting me up again before the sun rises is leaving me a little grumpy.

The school year started some 6 weeks ago with me jumping out of bed before the alarm even went off, grabbing a shower and then happily popping downstairs to get a hot breakfast on the table before the kids headed out the door.  We had pancakes, waffles, French Toast, etc, lunches were packed with imagination and the kitchen was cleaned all before 8 AM.

However, these last few weeks have seen me lose my morning perk.  The alarm blares once, if not twice before I slide out of bed to get Liv moving.  My shower may be lasting a bit longer, and breakfast has been reduced to a bowl of cereal because I didn't had time to get all the ingredients for pancakes together and mixed as well as get lunches ready before the kids head out the door.

Hence, I've been working to streamline the morning breakfast routine by doing as much as I can the night before.  And last week I took that even one step further as I put together a wholesome pancake and waffle mix that had me whipping out hot breakfasts for an entire week in no time flat.

Enhanced with spelt and oat flours in addition to ground flax meal, the batter is then mixed with protein-filled eggs and and calcium-rich milk all combining into light and fluffy pancakes or nicely crisped waffles.  Adding fruit and nuts either to the batter or over the top brings a rounded meal that I feel happy sending the kids out to start their day on.

Scaleable to whatever quantity you are looking for, making your own baking mix is cheaper and healthier than store bought, and you can mix it up at your convenience (like after your afternoon nap!) to have you looking like Super Mom in the morning.  Have a sick friend? or perhaps a neighbor with a new baby?  Make up a cute mason jar filled with the mix, toss in a recipe and a bottle of pure maple syrup to ease their day.

Captain Greg’s Ghirardelli Mocha Chip Gelato

Living in my little neighborhood close to the sea comes with more benefits than the beach.  I have neighbors who get the mail when I'm gone, friends who walk with me in the mornings and dads who lend helping hands with leaking pipes when my husband is out of town.  Most importantly though, I have neighbors who bring treats.

You may remember my gelato-making neighbor and good friend, Captain Greg (he tirelessly coaches for Team in Training), of Plum Perfect Gelato fame?  Or perhaps it's his Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk version that caught your eye?  Well, in my opinion, today's Ghirardelli Mocha Chip Gelato takes the cake.

Bringing us his fifth Liv Life Guest Post (and my personal favorite!), I hereby give you... Captain Greg!

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When I was just 4 years old, my Granddad would sneak my brothers and me into his kitchen for a treat that drove my Mom nuts.  He would pour us each a cup of coffee, then add lots of cream and sugar until it was a crazy delight that little resembled the “cup of Joe” that got me through college. Mom was not happy… “Oh Dad”, she’d say, “Coffee is terrible for the kids!”  And he’d chuckle and ask “Who wants a refill?”  So my love affair with coffee got off to an early start, and when it collided with a passion for chocolate there was no looking back. 

Mocha, that magical blend of coffee and cocoa, owned me from the first time I tried it.  Growing up, Wednesday was Baskin Robbins night, and one of my two scoops was always Jamoca Almond Fudge.  And at 16 my first job was a soda jerk at the Carnation Ice Cream Restaurant.  My first day, the Manager handed me a 2-gallon tub of Mocha Chip -- and a spoon.  Big mistake.  2 hours later, what wasn’t inside me had melted into a delicious drink that made milkshakes for a week!

So fast forward to now.  I’ve fallen in love with gelato.  Crisp, sharp flavors that far surpass their heavier confectionery cousin -- ice cream.  And it’s a passion that takes little more than patience, great ingredients and a trusted ice cream churn.  And like I needed an excuse!  My Team in Training runners preparing for a marathon in San Francisco challenged me to whip up something with a taste of the City by the Bay.  Too easy… for a guy that pounded 2 gallons of Mocha Chip as a teen?  What says San Francisco more than Fisherman’s Wharf, Ghirardelli Square and that silky blend of cocoa and sugar that draped many a sundae at Ghirardelli’s?  Way too easy.

So today’s recipe is a flavor sensation that’s straightforward and simple.  Start with a sweetened custard base, combine it with the essentials of any fine mocha, and amp it up to another level with Ghirardelli chocolate chips and slivered almonds.  Then join me back in Grandpa Rathel’s kitchen for a celebration of coffee and chocolate!  Give it up Mom…  I’ll take another scoop please!

DIY Vanilla Extract (Essence)

Vanilla, most likely the world's most recognized and universally loved flavor, finds its extract, or essence, as a staple in nearly every pantry.  Bringing floral notes reminiscent of swaying palms and tropical islands, vanilla enhances sweet and savory recipes in addition to perfumes and household aromas.  The scent of vanilla is said to have calming and soothing effects and has even been used to combat mild sleep disorders.  But for me?  Vanilla just smells happy.

Dating back over 1,000 years, we have the Totonac Indians of Mexico to thank for the actual "discovery" of the vanilla orchid and its treasured pods.  In the 1500's, Spanish Conquistador Hernan Cortés brought the precious beans back to Spain where they gained favor throughout Europe, particularly with the upper class including Queen Elizabeth l (who is known to have had an incredible sweet tooth).  Then, nearly 150 years later we can thank our own Thomas Jefferson for returning the beans to the Americas where his great love of Vanilla Bean Ice Cream brought a recipe that is currently stored in the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

Sharing the vanilla love with Queen Elizabeth and Thomas Jefferson, vanilla beans and extracts are often my souvenir of choice when traveling.  Beautifully plump and fragrant Tahitian beans came home with me from the South Pacific while extracts of all sorts have found their way into my suitcase from all over the Caribbean as well as Europe.

Extract- minutes after filling bottles

Unfortunately, my current budget doesn't allow a quick trip to Tahiti every time I run out of beans, and frankly, pure store bought extracts can be fairly expensive and don't always taste good.

Hence, we've been making our own extract for years.  Extraordinarily easy to put together, homemade Vanilla Extract makes a special hostess or teacher gift for the holiday season or simply any special occasion.  By starting now, you too can have Homemade Vanilla Extract ready in time for this year's holiday season or for your own baking.  We'll show you how!

DIY Vanilla Extract requires only a few items, vanilla beans, bottles or jars, and some sort of alcohol.  Over the years (and since I can't fly to Tahiti to refill my pantry), Beanilla has become my vendor of choice.  With numerous varieties of vanilla beans, there is a favorite for everyone.

Personal favorites for me include my beloved Tahitian Vanilla Bean known for its dreamlike floral fragrance and ability to pair wonderfully with my other love... chocolate.  In addition, the Madagascar, or Bourbon Bean  (probably the most widely available vanilla bean), brings the rich, creamy, sweet and almost buttery flavor that most people have come to associate with vanilla.  Note that the Bourbon (Madagascar) vanilla beans are named for the island from which they originate, not the alcoholic beverage with the same name.

This year I've branched out and am adding a few new varieties to my repertoire.  Most intriguing is the Ugandan Bean which is said to have a bold, rich flavor that I am anticipating will make a fabulous extract.  Also new on my list is the Mexican Bean, whose extract I've purchased in the past but have never made my own.  Just a few days into our 2013 vanilla extract project, I'm finding both beans making lovely amber extracts which are beginning to take on heavenly aromas.

Once you have your beans, you need bottles or jars.  For my home pantry, I sometimes use a plain, large jar that's easy to refill, but for gift giving I'm always on the lookout for something a little prettier.  This year Beanilla has a lovely selection of glass bottles and jars with either corks or clasp tops and I've indulged in a few of each.

Next, you need the alcohol.  Pure vanilla extract has two ingredients, vanilla beans and alcohol, and I've found the most popular alcohol used in extracts is vodka.  With its lack of flavor, vodka works as a blank slate and is ideal to pick up the nuances of each variety of bean.  That said, I also love a vanilla extract made with bourbon, Maker's Mark being my bourbon of choice.  With its light, sweet taste, Maker's Mark enhances the sweetness and floral notes of the vanilla creating a rich and fragrant extract.

Pour alcohol of choice over the beans  (about 5 beans to 8 oz. of alcohol) to cover.  Close the bottle and allow to sit for about 8 weeks, giving it a shake ever so often.

To make the extract I slice the beans in half to fit into small bottles, then run the tip of a sharp knife down the side (lengthwise) of the bean but not cutting all the way through.  Place the beans into the jar and cover with your alcohol of choice.  At this point I love watching the clear liquid slowly take on a lovely amber hue which will continue to darken over the next few weeks.

Store the bottles in a cool, dry and dark place for about 8 weeks and your extract will be ready to share.

DIY Vanilla Extract (Essence) - 24 hour after covering with alcohol

Banana Apple (Banapple) Spice Cookies

The last remaining cookie....

What's the sign of an exceptional cookie?  Texture?  Taste?  Or maybe the two combined?  For these Banana Apple Spice Cookies, the sure sign of awesomeness became the speed at which they vanished.

With two batches baked in the last 3 days, I have only this lonely, single cookie remaining to show for my efforts.  Well, the proper word is "had".  I ate this one within mere minutes after confirming I had decent enough photos to publish, and I now have a shopping list of ingredients to fulfill the requested 3rd batch.

Soft and with a delightful crumb, no one knew these apple studded beauties included spelt flour or that much of the fat was cut out with the use of mashed bananas and apple sauce.  Easy to whip together with a stand mixer, a good wooden spoon and a bowl will also do the trick.

With such a wonderful response, I'm thrilled to submit these cookies to the first installment of the new monthly Creative Cookie Exchange.  Created by Laura, of The Spiced Life, my kids are more than excited about my participation in this group, and this month we kick off with "Back to School Cookies", or in our case, Banapple Spice Cookies.

<center> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Creative-Cookie-Exchange-hosted-by-The-Spiced-Life-and-At-Home-with-Rebecka/148873331987243" target="_blank"><img alt="Creative Cookie Exchange" src="http://i784.photobucket.com/albums/yy124/BiteMySweetTarts/3329aec3-6749-4ab7-8af953332dfb9487_zps437070c3.jpg"/></a></center>

Lately I've been all about healthy eating, and cookies and baked goods have been sparse in our household (hence the constant drone, "There's nothing good to around here!").  However, working with the ingredients in these irresistible Back to School Bites, I've managed to do both - low fat cookies filled with fruits and a bit of whole grains that are positively irresistible.  Everyone wins with these guys.  Enjoy!

Blueberry Cucumber Smoothie... 30-Day Juicing Challenge

Get the recipe at Eat. Drink.  Be Skinny

Has someone ever crossed your path in life at exactly the right time?  Just a few weeks ago that happened to me when someone I follow retweeted Teresa's (from Eat. Drink. Be Skinny)  30-Day Juicing Challenge.

Looking to eat healthier by increasing fruits and veggies, drop a pound or two before my 30th High School Reunion, and shape myself up before a fast approaching October anniversary trip to the Caribbean, Teresa's challenge couldn't have come at a more opportune moment.

Since September 1st, my husband and I have taken Teresa's challenge as we enjoy juices and smoothies each morning.  My somewhat green food averse husband has even been heard to request "add more spinach!" to some of our concoctions as we truly look forward to these fresh, bright starts to our day.

Today, we're starting our morning with Teresa, who I've since learned is my neighbor here in San Diego.  Won't you join us for a sip?  Pop on over to Eat. Drink. Be Skinny where today we're going blue as we share another new favorite, The Blueberry Cucumber Smoothie.

30th High School Reunion?  I'm ready!