Alleluia Is Our Song

Faith, Beauty, Lifestyle, Music, #momlife

Ash Wednesday 2021

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This morning as I made some Paleo (ish) banana pancakes for the kids (no meat today!), we chatted on the meaning of Ash Wednesday and the 40 days of Lent.

As I explained why ppl give things up like candy, sweets, and other indulgences until Easter, I wanted to really drive home that the idea wasn’t to pick something that was unattainable, but rather something that would cause us to think on Christ and the love He had for us + the 40 days He fasted in the desert. I told my kids what I was giving up and how I was going to do my best but also be gentle with myself rather than expecting perfection. My 6 yr old daughter replied, “that’s a good plan, Mama.” 💜

If I’m honest, I’m all too familiar with the concept of being hard on myself during Lent, but if these years of being a mom while also working heavily in ministry with my husband have taught me anything, it’s that balance and mercy is also required of us – even towards ourselves. We may be living in survival mode more often than we’d like, but God can still find us there, and we can still give Him what little we feel we have to offer. He’ll still take it. 💜

Whether you attended services in person or virtually, and whether your ashes were drawn on your forehead in the shape of a cross or sprinkled on today (which I found out is the way it’s traditionally done in Rome!), I hope your Ash Wednesday is a beautiful and holy beginning to a fruitful Lent. Also, this is a reminder that you don’t have to be overwhelmed if your Lent doesn’t feel perfectly planned or ideal. Let’s embrace where we’re at today and meet God starting here and now. 💜
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#alleluiaisoursong #liturgicalliving #catholicmom #latinacatholic #christianmotherhood  #catholicmomsofinstagram #ashwednesday2021 #catholiclivingin2021 #presentoverperfect #catholicmamamusings #homeschoolmom #catholiccreative #musicministry

{this post first appeared on www.instagram.com/alleluiaisoursongblog on 2/17/21}

P.S. In case you might not have been able to attend in-person Mass, I wanted to share the Mass that my husband Matt and I sang together on Ash Wednesday. Before covid we used to sing together all the time, but it’s been awhile and it was such a beautiful treat to have him sing with me while my parents watched the kids at home. <3

Mass begins at about 10:50 minutes in.

Love and blessings to you and yours this Lent,

Bianca’s Re-Set Collagen Matcha Smoothie and Some Little Things

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Good morning friends!

I hope your Christmas season is blessed so far. <3

I don’t know about you but even during our current sheltering-in-place (again) season, life doesn’t really seem to calm down for long – especially during the holidays. Work life, home life, homeschooling, raising 5 little ones and adding holidays into the mix of it all can make for some pretty stressful moments, but I’m trying to breathe through it all and *TRY* to slow down a bit, even if just in my brain, ha! Mental self-care to me feels like not coming down as hard on myself when I don’t accomplish everything in one day, or putting my phone down to take in my surroundings and take a breath. Starting a Rosary even if I know I’ll get interrupted after just half a decade, grabbing a handful of peanut butter M&Ms while pacing with a teething baby… Speaking of M&Ms, I’ve probably been indulging a little more than usual because #holidays. 😆 I’m not mad about it, but I have a little trick that’s been helping me feel better and reminding me to get some nutrition in on the days when I realize that breakfast consisted of mostly sugar-cookies. 😋

Here’s my delicious go-to Matcha Smoothie recipe that I LOVE. You can get creative (maybe add a cpl frozen strawberries if you like), but it really is delicious in this simple pure form. And I find that a tasty smoothie resets my cravings and mentally reminds me to be kind to my body and nutritional needs that day:

Matcha Smoothie:

Ingredients:

  • 1 large frozen banana cut into 4
  • 1 – 2 cups Oatmilk
  • 1 small handful Spinach or Kale
  • 1 Scoop Collagen (I use the one by Vital Proteins found at Costco)
  • about 1 teaspoon Matcha powder (increase according to taste)
  • drizzle of maple syrup to taste (if desired, but not necessary because oatmilk is naturally sweet)

Directions:

  1. Blend all ingredients except maple syrup in a high-speed blender until uniformly green and smooth.
  2. Add a drizzle of maple syrup if desired.
  3. Pour into a glass mason jar and pair with a fancy steel straw. 😉
  4. Sip slowly and feel the glow. <3

Like I mentioned before, I’m also trying to take the time to slow down and be more mindful with my surroundings – which you’d think would be obvious (and important) when there are so many kids in one tiny home – but actually it’s so easy to look at your kids and search for what their next need is (are you hungry right now? tired? happy/sad? in need of bathtime, etc?) instead of just sitting still and being present to them. Noticing how soft and chubby the baby’s arms and cheeks are, how your oldest looks all at once just like his wide-eyed baby-self and yet suddenly like a big boy with the wisdom to be protective of his mama when you’re out in public. Searching your children’s faces and marveling that they are such complete and beautiful individual persons even though you carried them each for 9 months and love them fiercely for being your own flesh and blood. <3 These are the ordinary miraculous moments I don’t want to pass up even though being a mother means these thoughts are also bittersweet and sometimes fleeting because the dishes still need to be washed, or someone accidentally drove over their sibling’s toe with a new toy truck (boys!).

I’ve also been trying hard to be thriftier this holiday season, which isn’t always fun, but brings so much more peace.

That being said, I have also discovered the very inexpensive method of DIY dip nails:

10 day-mani still goin’ strong

I’ve been practicing, and this set/color combo has been my favorite so far! There are lots of different brands out there but so far I’ve tried the “Revel Nail” brand. For the price of one mani you can get the supplies to create tons of long-lasting dip mani’s on yourself – which is so fun because I love creative outlets like this and could never justify the price of professional manicures that chip so soon anyways. Just another little hobby that has been making #quarantinelife a little more bearable. And in true “me-fashion,” I’ve been researching via youtube (during baby-nursing sessions) for proper nail-technique, etc. hehe. I promise this doesn’t take up all my time – once it’s on it lasts at least 2+ weeks without chipping and then you have something pretty to look at when you’re bathing the babies or washing the dishes. 😀 I guess I’m very basic haha, but I’m pretty sure in another life I would have been a cosmetologist of some sort because makeup and nails is too fun. Instead I get to learn and practice on my girls one day I’m sure, which is way better than doing it for a living. 😉

What are some things you’re doing that have made 2020 easier to handle?

Here’s to a New Year coming up SO SOON! Peace, friends!

Love,

Tacos de Camote y Frijol (Sweet Potato Bean Tacos)

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Wow it’s been a little bit since I’ve popped in! I promise life with 5 kids hasn’t done me in yet! (you can find more updates on Instagram if you’re so inclined ;))

Okay, it’s Christmas week and the last few days of Advent have me getting ready for outside Masses and prepping to maybe bake a little bit. The thing about baking for me is that, I’ve realized that the days when I bake are the days when we don’t eat solid meals because we’re munching on treats all day, ha! So today in an effort to make an actual meal that had something healthy in it, I whipped up these tacos. I hadn’t planned to share them, but they were such a hit with the kids (which surprised me!) so I thought I’d post the quick recipe if you’re maybe in a similar situation and need something quick and filling while baking allll the holiday cookies. 😉

Growing up, my mom could seriously turn anything into tacos, and the thing about tacos is, it really elevates and changes any leftovers and just honestly saves the day! The key is to making sure your oil is hot and testing it with the edge of a corn tortilla before putting the whole thing in. If bubbles form around it immediately, it’s ready. If not, the oil will saturate your taco instead of crisping it up. If the oil is hot enough, the excess will drip off easily, which is ideal. Okay here’s the recipe – but first I have to warn you that I didn’t really measure since I was just putting stuff together and also cooking with the kids. The good thing is, it’s pretty hard to mess it up! Just add more or less of the ingredients according to taste, and feel free to halve the recipe if you don’t have a bajillion people to feed like I do. ;D

Tacos de Camote y Frijol with a little chimichurri that my husband made + a toasted chile. Yum!

Tacos de Camote Y Frijol:

Ingredients:

  • authentic corn tortillas (I buy the Guerrero brand)
  • 4 Sweet Potatoes, baked first in the oven until soft and cooled slightly
  • 1 can of black beans, slightly drained (or about 1+1/2 Cup fresh)
  • softened butter to taste (I used Kerrigold, about 1 -2 tablespoons)
  • salt to taste
  • grated parmesan (or any other dry cheese – queso cotija would be perfect here!)
  • vegetable oil for light frying

Method:

  1. Peel your warm baked sweet potatoes and put them in a large mixing bowl. If you’re starting with cold baked potatoes, you might want heat them up a bit (just until warm!) so the butter can melt into it during your next step.
  2. Add your butter, cheese, salt, and mash together until incorporated well. (this part is fun to do with kids! <3) Then stir in the beans.
  3. Heat a frying pan to medium high heat and pour your vegetable oil in (enough to more than coat the pan, if that makes sense. This is not deep-frying, but you want the tortilla itself to be coated and to crisp up well without swimming in oil).
  4. Test the oil with the edge of a tortilla. If bubbles immediately appear, the oil is ready.
  5. Place a spoonful of filling into each tortilla and lower the tortilla flat into the oil. Then use tongs to fold into a taco once the oil heats and softens the tortilla.
  6. Once one side is browned, turn to the other side and wait for it to brown.
  7. Using tongs, pick up your taco and place on a paper towl – lined container (or plate) to absorb excess oil.
  8. Serve with desired toppings and/or salsa.

¡Buen provecho! 🙂

Chocolate Banana Fudgies (gluten free)

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Hello friends,

It’s election day and I’m here to bring you a quick little comfort-cookie recipe that literally takes minutes to put together. 😀

Why yes, I do all my photography while either surrounded by little ones, or while simultaneously holding a little one in my free arm. In case you were wondering why the picture isn’t perfectly centered. Oh, you didn’t notice? Carry on then! 😉

This recipe was born out of a serious chocolate craving I had one day, and these did not let me down! Each of these ingredients contribute to the most moist and fudgiest cookie ever with melty chocolate chips in every bite (they’re so good warm!). And the best part is that it’s such a low-maintenance cookie, you really can’t mess it up – even if your bananas aren’t exactly the same size as mine, or if you add more or less chocolate chips, or if your flour doesn’t get measured perfectly (don’t you just hate it when recipes are so persnickety you have to give them your full attention while you have little helping hands all around you? I do!). Also these cookies are eggless thanks to the binding power of the bananas, so you don’t have to worry as much about underbaking, as long as they’re firm and dry to the touch. Alright, on to the recipe!

Chocolate Banana Fudgies (GF)

Ingredients:

  • 1 + 3/4 Cups gluten free flour (I used King Arthur’s Measure for Measure, but any 1:1 all-purpose gf flour would work)
  • 1/2 Cup Cocoa
  • 1 Cup brown sugar
  • 3 small-medium ripe bananas
  • 1 stick of softened salted butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • a drizzle of vanilla
  • 1 Cup chocolate chips

Method:

  1. Cream together mashed bananas, butter, sugar, add vanilla and set aside.
  2. In a separate bowl, mix all dry ingredients together (flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda).
  3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and combine, then add chocolate chips.
  4. Bake on a parchment-lined cookie sheet in an oven pre-heated to 350 degrees for about 12-15 minutes.
  5. Cookies are done when dry to the touch and slightly firm.
  6. Allow to finish setting in pan before enjoying warm. 🙂

Love,

Banana-Bread Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies (Gluten Free and Vegan options)

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Hello Friends! Happy Friday. 🙂

I feel like we might all be in need of another cookie recipe right about now. You too? 😀

I made these cookies specifically trying to make a quick version of banana bread for breakfast yesterday, so of course I had to make a few batches (for research purposes!) because I couldn’t believe how delicious they were and I wanted to make sure it wasn’t a fluke! I even added a few healthy components (like a good serving of oats and hemp seeds!) so it would totally count as breakfast. 😉 I tested with gluten free flour first (1:1 Baking Flour by Bob’s Red Mill), and though gluten free is always my preference and what I personally tolerate better, the recipe was equally delicious with all-purpose white flour.

Gluten Free
white AP flour version

The good thing about these cookies is that they require no eggs (also would be easy to convert to vegan w a vegan-based butter and dairy-free choc chips!), so you can rest easy in taking them out immediately at the barely-browned-edge stage for a chewier, softer more banana-bread consistency if you prefer that, OR let the edges brown a bit more (just a bit!) for a crunchier exterior.

white flour version, after “pan-banging”

One final note – while these cookies are the easiest cookies to make and not high-maintenance at all, I did experiment with pan-banging (google pan-banging if you’ve never heard of it! It’s totally a thing!). Doing this a couple times makes the cookies flatter and gives a more even bake, which I liked. Otherwise they stay a bit bulkier. Even if you give it one bang 3 minutes before taking them out, I recommend it.

Okay on to the recipe! And because this is real life (and in full disclosure I’ve typed this entire post one-handed while holding the baby), I’m leaving you with the actual way my bfast usually looks – on a paper plate and with a fresh, yet less-than full cup of coffee. I find my ratio of cream-to-coffee works best that way…and also I have a better chance of drinking it warm if there’s less. Typical #momproblems. 😀

Banana Bread Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies (with GF and Vegan options!)

Ingredients:

  • 2 Large ripe bananas
  • 2 Sticks of salted butter (1 Cup), softened – use vegan butter for vegan cookies
  • 1 generous drizzle of vanilla extract
  • 1 generous packed Cup of Brown Sugar
  • 2 Cups All-Purpose flour (or gluten free blend like Bob’s Red Mill 1:1)
  • 2 Cups Oats
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • About a cup Chocolate chips according to taste (dairy-free for vegan)
  • *optional 2 Tablespoons hemp seeds for extra nutritional value
  • *optional flaky sea salt for topping (totally not necessary, but pretty)

Method:

  1. While your oven is pre-heating to 350 degrees, mix all dry ingredients (flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder) and set aside.
  2. Mash your bananas (or if you have a stand mixer, just put them in, set to high, and they mash up perfectly).
  3. Add butter, vanilla and brown sugar to mixing bowl and cream together with mashed bananas.
  4. Add chocolate chips and hemp seeds (and any other optional mix-ins you might like).
  5. Use a cookie scoop to drop even amounts of dough onto 2 parchment-lined cookie sheets and add optional sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
  6. Bake for 11 minutes or until edges are just starting to brown and give the cookie sheet at least one “bang” about 2 minutes before time is up so they spread a little bit.
  7. Cookies will be very soft (tops should be dry though) but will firm up after cooling completely.
  8. Enjoy!

Love,

Reflections on a Covid-Time Birth Story

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I’d like to start this blog-post by saying that being pregnant during a pandemic has been truly something else – and countless other mothers out there are only too familiar with the wide range of emotions that accompany bringing a precious life into the world during these real uncertain times. My heart and solidarity go out to each one of you!

This pregnancy was anything but boring. We started our sheltering-in-place already expecting our sweet little baby, so between the anxiety and uncharted territory we were all navigating, I was also constantly pushing aside the worries of whether hospitals would be safe, whether my husband would be allowed in with me as I gave birth, and whether we’d all get the virus and if my baby would need to be separated from me.

Then there were the two hospital visits at the end – one a scary ER visit via ambulance because of a vasovagal episode (in which my husband was not allowed because of covid protocol), and a second one for the beginning signs of labor where my doctor wanted to monitor me for over 6 hours because of it being my 5th baby (while my parents were self-quarantining out of an abundance of caution as per their doctor! Crazy covid times! But thankfully my sister and her husband were HUGE helps and took care of our 4 children during those long hours of us waiting at the hospital). Both of these visits ended with a firm “no baby yet.” Each time resulted in an amount of frustration, but also the knowledge that God was with us. And each time baby showed herself to be a tough little girl because her vitals were always strong and she moved and kicked as if to reassure me whenever I wondered if she was safe in my womb.

Just a few days before baby-time!

Finally when I was 37 and a half weeks pregnant, just before 2 am on August 7th, I awoke to real contractions. Normally, my husband and I will time contractions for hours until they come 4 minutes apart, and are strong and unwaveringly intense. THEN we’ll head to the hospital, assured that this is the real deal (because everyone knows false labors are the worst. Been there.). Also, staying to labor peacefully at home is usually key for me to maintain the calm restful state I need to make it through labor unmedicated – which is what works best for me. This time though, it seems we didn’t get that luxury. The doctor had warned that I should go straight to the hospital with the onset of real contractions this time, and since we lived a ways away AND we needed to make sure our little ones were safely squared away with my parents (who were thankfully cleared as not having coronavirus!), we headed straight to the hospital at 4 in the morning.

Once we got there, the frustrating part began in earnest. The maternity ward was full, and my contractions seemed to all but stop. We were given a small shared room in triage and baby was monitored intermittently, between walks back and forth in the hall to try and coax some more effective contractions. Matt and I must have made a funny picture in that hall, walking arm-in-arm and telling jokes to keep each other sane, in spite of all the social-distancing, masks, and cleaning protocols happening around us! But after awhile I became completely disillusioned as my hopes for a peaceful labor were replaced with exhausted pacing in hot masks and the fear of being sent home and disappointing everyone, including our little ones who woke up excitedly that morning to meet their little sister. I was having a hard time finding the bright spot in our situation, and my emotions were a bit of a wreck hearing the poor girl next to me (who was in the throes of her first labor). I was tearing up every time I heard her soft sobs because I was remembering how frightening the unknown of that first labor can be! I pray everything went smoothly for her, God bless her.

So. This is how it all began. I was grumpy, disappointed, cramped with Matt in triage, fully expecting to get sent home, and hearing that there were no rooms available, that I wasn’t progressing, AND I overheard the laboring girl next to me being told that she might have to go to the sister-hospital in a neighboring city…

Sometimes when you feel like everything is going wrong, it’s easy to forget or even ignore the fact that God’s right there with you – and I know that’s unfortunately true for me too. But these are the signs He gave us that should have clued me in on his presence with us:

  1. My first nurse in triage was also the first nurse I had with my last baby, AND when she told us her name, Matt and I locked eyes because it was a form of the name we had given our sweet unborn daughter!
  2. The first OB to check in with us decided they’d lean towards keeping me because of my history and not-so-close proximity to the hospital if they sent me home.
  3. Matt was a gem as usual, reassuring me in spite of how exhausted I knew he must’ve been – AND he was an expert doula. <3
  4. As we were walking the halls, we ran into our beloved kids’ pediatrician AND she was on call.
  5. As we were walking the halls, my OB (the best, who knows me and has delivered several of my babies) walked in and personally saw to it that I was admitted (and yes, the poor girl next to me was admitted as well!) and 2 rooms opened up for us!
  6. I realized later that, if we hadn’t gotten there at what felt like a ridiculously early time considering how long my labor took, we WOULD have been turned away because of space, and would never have had a room! Because that’s what they were doing by the end.

I should have known God wouldn’t abandon us. <3

I’ll spare you every detail of my labor, but I remember feeling the pressure to hurry up and get through it because of how full the maternity ward was. Then my doctor intervened to get the contractions to speed up and pitocin was mentioned. I knew if I started down the various meds, that my dream of another natural delivery would probably not be possible for me. As it was, I was really having a hard time gearing up for the intensity I knew was coming after all the hours of start/stop contractions! Thankfully, I didn’t need extra medical interventions and contractions picked up fast and furious at around 12:30 pm – another answer to prayer.

The pain this time around was intense in a way I hadn’t remembered with my other births, and I was battling what felt like a hundred negative and mocking voices in my head. Matt was my “Simon” and I knew I wasn’t alone because he literally supported me through each contraction and refused to take a break. Still, it was hard to believe I could do this, and I truly believe this discouragement came from a lack of the tangible aspects of our Faith. Usually we make it a point to go to Confession and Mass within a few days of labor, and that always carries me through. Now because of sheltering-in-place, and trying to stay “quarantined” to be safe before having the baby, I hadn’t had access to the Sacraments.

But I distinctly remember a moment when I was in transition, and Matt witnessed it – when the pain was so intense and I felt ready to give up and the voices of doubt seemed especially strong, I FELT that God was with me and I nodded. In the height of the pain. Not because I heard words, but because I understood His call for me to complete this labor. I knew I could do it, and He gave me the strength to say yes. It’s still hard to explain, but I know this was the moment He gave me to focus everything towards Him, which was part of my struggle.

I thank God so much for this labor, for His faithfulness, and for His constant presence. I thank God for Matt being allowed to stay at my side, for my family members who took such great care of my kids and relieved my anxiety at being away from them. And I’m so thankful for my gorgeous and perfectly tiny little daughter who was so absolutely worth it all (and worth the extra long labor! She was born at 5:22 pm <3). This little one who, as I cried out when she burst into this world and I met her face to face, made herself known for the sweet, strong, beautiful child of God that she is. This new daughter of mine who accompanied us through the crazy uncertainties of the early days of Coronavirus, who heard me praying Rosary after Rosary in the still and silent mornings and who brought us all a little closer to Heaven with her love and our shared love of her. My little Méalla. There’s a reason your name means both “honey sweetness” and “lightning.” What a gift. Love you forever, baby girl. <3

What’s Going in my Hospital Baby Bag

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Hi there!

I’ve never done a post on what goes in my hospital bag each time I have a baby, but have always enjoyed reading what other people bring, so here’s my list!

Now this list is by no means exhaustive because I’m a classic over-packer! And honestly I’ll spare you the things like my going-home outfit (just something comfy and oversized!) and toothbrush, etc which of course are all necessary. I’m just going to share a few of the fun things I enjoyed packing. 😄

First, after having gone through this more than a few times, we decided to get a new diaper bag – one that I’ll enjoy using and that will keep my hands free later on when I’m out and about. Enter the above backpack! I love this one and it’s on sale for about $30 on Amazon right now. It has various compartments too, which is super helpful for us moms. 😉

Second, this one won’t fit in my bag (ha!) but it’s a must. Some hospitals have them, but with Covid-19 and all, I’m more comfortable bringing my own (God bless my husband for agreeing in advance to haul it in for me!). Anyways, there are lots of options for these exercise balls but they’re not expensive and I picked a color that I love, “dusty rose,” so I’ll remember to use it daily. It does so much – relieves back pain, provides great stretching support, you can lean on it for relief during the many pains of pregnancy and labor, strengthen your quads, and later on it’s good for ab exercises (I won’t worry about that now though 😆).

Next up – snacks! These have a reputation as the snack I reach for during labor and during the weeks after. And – it has to be this specific flavor too. Have you tried them? They’re not easy to find although I initially discovered them at Costco, because they no longer carry them. But I’ve found them on Amazon and Walmart.com. These are the pomegranate-vanilla flavored Sahale cashews. YUM! And if I pace myself, they give a good bit of light energy during the first phase of labor before transition – after which food is dead to me. 🙃😆

Next is the gift Matt always picks for our new little one. Isn’t this one adorable?? He always finds a sweet stuffed animal and this one is no exception. ❤️

Next up are these lovely favorites of mine – some essential oil products from EO/Everyone products. They’re pretty gentle as far as smell goes so if you want something more potent you might search elsewhere – but these rollable ones were only $8.99 each and the Body Oil has the most wonderful lavender smell. I think my in-laws bought us the Body Oil off of Amazon, and I use it to massage my little ones’ growing pains, and also instead of lotion on my dry hands at night because the scent is so soothing.

I’m also including my new SkinTwin Beautycounter foundation that matches my skin perfectly and has skincare built into it with hyaluronic acid for extra moisturizing benefits. It doesn’t crease, rub off, or look unnatural and you don’t need to use face cream under it. Win! I’m also planning on bringing my cream blush in the color caramel. It blends beautifully and adds the perfect almost peachy sun-kissed color (which I’ll appreciate a day after labor when I’m at my palest!).

Some other must-have’s are my Honest Beauty Makeup Remover wipes ($7 on Amazon!) with skincare in it so I don’t have to bother with facewash, along with my Honest Beauty Mascara+Primer which is gentle enough that I don’t have to worry about removing perfectly. Also some “Body Butter” from Trader Joe’s, my Schmidt’s natural deoderent, lip vaseline (which strangely is the ONLY thing my dry lips will tolerate these days!), an adorable newborn outfit to bring my beautiful little princess home in, and last but not least, my favorite Rosary to hold onto – even if I’m not able to pray it – during labor.

That’s ABOUT it for the fun stuff! I still need to get the kids’ bags ready and add in some last minute essentials. But I must say, usually I’d be scrambling in a big way at this point (36 weeks pregnant and my babies come early), but with all the chaos and worry of these days, I think Matt and I are mostly valuing being mentally ready and trying to keep our unity as a family so we can get through this next phase together, stronger, and holding on to our trust in God. <3

Please pray for us the next few days, friends! I might pop in again because writing and sharing on my blog and new public IG handle @alleluiaisoursongblog, is keeping my racing mind somewhat occupied since I’m not able to move around easily anymore. 🙂 God bless!

Love,

Baked Yeasted Spelt Brioche Donut Holes (Vegan!)

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(pictured here is the spelt version)

Hello Friends!

So at the risk of sounding rather donut-obsessed (this is not the first or even the second donut recipe I’ve posted here on my little blog!), I’m going to share a recipe with you for delicious donut holes that are really low on the guilt-meter (if you have one, ha!).

Once upon a time a few years ago, I started experimenting with brioche dough recipes (I stumbled upon the Artisan in 5 bread method and still really want to buy the recipe book!), but because I always need to come up with my own unique version of everything, I started playing around with different methods of creating a perfect brioche dough for making healthier donuts. Now, I LOVE using the combination of spelt and white flours for these donut holes and it definitely ups the nutrition factor, but I’ve also made it with just white flour and it’s just as delicious.

All-purpose flour version

One of the cool things about this recipe is that I found a way to make it all vegan, but you’d never guess! Instead of eggs (which at one point weren’t easy to come by during quarantine) I used aquafaba. Have you tried it? It’s just the liquid from a store-bought can of chickpeas. It works as a binder and I promise you can’t taste it AT ALL in the final recipe. Second I use refined coconut oil instead of butter. You can use unrefined, but I prefer the very neutral taste of the refined since it doesn’t taste like coconut at all.

The dough comes together in just minutes, but the trick is to wait for the rise. That beautiful pillowy rise is the key to perfect springy melt-in-your-mouth soft donut holes – which by the way you could also shape into classic little donut shapes as well if you wish. But the key is to keep them mini so they bake quickly and evenly.

The second rise (after letting the dough firm up in the fridge and shaping into donut holes) is always helpful for the final texture, BUT it’s not the end of the world if you skip the second rise. They’ll still be delicious. 😉 Okay on to the recipe! I’m warning you though, there is a downside to these – when I’ve made them here they barely last a morning (and yes they taste exactly like donuts but without the oily after-taste!) to the point that if I don’t double the recipe, mama doesn’t get any. 😀 So proceed with caution! <3

These perfectly pillowy, soft, guilt-free donut holes pair wonderfully with coffee. 😉

Baked Yeasted Spelt Brioche Donut Holes (Vegan!)

Ingredients:

  • 1 Cup plus 2 Tablespoons very warm water (hot tap water will do!)
  • 1/2 Tablespoon active dry yeast
  • 1/2 Cup brown sugar
  • 6 Tablespoons aquafaba (liquid from can of chickpeas, whisked) or 2 large eggs – beaten
  • 1/4 Cup melted refined coconut oil
  • Generous heaping 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 and 1/2 Cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 Cups spelt flour (or more all-purpose flour)
  • 1/2 Tablespoon kosher salt

Rough Ingredients for simple glaze:

  • Sifted powdered sugar (about 1 Cup)
  • Almond milk or milk of choice
  • Small drizzle of vanilla
  • *optional* TBSP of refined coconut oil

  1. In a stand mixing bowl, quickly whisk the hot tap water and brown sugar to dissolve, then add yeast while still very warm.
  2. “Proof” for 10 minutes (let sit and don’t touch – until frothy and you can smell the sweet bread-y smell of the yeast).
  3. Mix the rest of the wet ingredients (the whisked aquafaba, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract) in a separate bowl, and then add to the proofed yeast mixture.
  4. Whisk the dry ingredients together (all-purpose flour, spelt flour, and salt) in a separate bowl and then slowly add to the stand mixing bowl on slow-medium power with a hook attachment if you have one.
  5. Mixture will form a sticky ball of dough. Let the dough sit in a vegetable-oil-greased bowl and cover with a warm wet rag in a warm environment for 2 hours, then refrigerate until mixture is firm enough to work with. You can also just put the freshly-mixed dough directly in a plastic ziplock and let rise slowly in the fridge overnight.
  6. Once the dough has risen double its size and is firm enough to handle, form into small balls (see pictures for reference. Not too giant or they’ll be a little raw inside, but somewhat bigger than a Tablespoon.) and let sit on a foiled and greased cookie sheet. At this point you can let sit for another hour to get the maximum rise, or you can forego this step and place in an oven preheated to 400 degrees.
  7. Bake for 5 and 1/2 to 6 minutes (or 7 minutes depending on how cool or hot your oven runs. Make sure to watch for a little browning and a springy top).
  8. Let donut holes cool completely, then make your favorite simple glaze (I like making one with the ingredients I listed, but play it by ear on the levels/consistency – you want drizzly but still stiff to give a nice crackly shell on your donut holes.)
  9. Dip the donuts tops in the glaze – again make sure your donuts are completely cool or the glaze will just melt right off.
  10. Let donuts sit so glaze can solidify, then pour yourself some coffee and enjoy!

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