Sun > Lush Green Grass = Happy Heifers

If you've been reading some of my posts the last few days {or if you live nearby}, you know that we've been experiencing some very foggy, cold, damp weather here in northern California.  Well, Sunday I walked out of the house and felt completely like a mole who had just crawled out of her hole, wondering what that bright, yellow thing was in the sky.

It was too tempting not to take a stroll in the green grass up behind our home on this rare sunny day.  So with rubber boots on, out I went. 

Look who else I found enjoying the green grass and the sunshine...........these were some Happy Heifers out on grass.  They couldn't eat fast enough!

I tried to get a little closer, but I spooked one of them and once one begins to run, they ALL do......in the other direction. 

It actually felt warm standing here taking in the view with the sun on my face.

A dose of vitamin D is just what I needed.  After I got my fill, I walked back down the hill, avoiding the muddy cow trail and made myself a nice lunch of leftover venison loin and brussels sprouts. What more can one possibly need?

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Even the Heifers & Dairy Cows Are Enjoying The Indian Summer

It's mid November, you would expect it to be rainy, cold and about 50 degrees out here in northern California, but not this year, not this November.  Just when I put away my summer clothes and began wearing boots, scarves and cozy coats, I had to bring out the summer pants, flip flops and paint my toenails again because it's 80 degrees!

I don't dare complain about it though.  I know what's around the corner, even as close as this up-coming weekend.  I'll just enjoy it while we have it and be thankful for this sunny, Indian summer weather.  Maybe more of my green tomatoes will ripen?  We'll see.

You know who else is enjoying the sunny weather?  Take a look at these girls.......  



If only I could read their mind.  I imagine they're thinking it's great to live here.  We're out on pasture, it's sunny and warm, AND we have fresh, new, sweet and tender green grass to graze upon from all the rain we had in October!

I, myself had to take a walk up the hill behind our home to pay the girls a little visit {no bull in sight}.  Cows are the most curious animals.  They are very trusting and walk right up to you, unafraid and gentle.

Here they come, all of them.

I'm pretty sure if I had stayed around a little longer, they would have used me for a salt lick.

But instead, I walked back down the cow trail to the house.

And look who was waiting for me!  Little Miss Chloe, the wanna-be-cow-dog.

Happy Tuesday!
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Zucchini {garden & bread}~Heifers~ Wannabe Cow Dog

Finally, we have zucchini and squash blooms!  The summer squash is the first to bloom, zucchini is about ready to.  I really had my doubts about my garden this summer, but I think we'll be okay.

I even spotted a tiny summer squash.

The strawberry plants were not so lucky however.  Something has been munching on the plants themselves in the middle of the night.  Probably a pesky rabbit.  Don't get me wrong, rabbits are cute and all but boy, can they do some damage to a garden. {anyone have a good recipe for rabbit?!}

After I finished up watering this morning, I spotted  Chloe spotted the heifers coming down the hill behind our house, making their way back down to the barn for some water after grazing all morning.

Chloe SO thinks she's a cow dog...poor thing.

After the heifers made it down the hill and Chloe stopped barking her head off we came back inside to make Zucchini Bread.

Since we don't have any zucchini as of yet, I took some out of the freezer that I had grated and frozen from last summer to make Zucchini Bread.  I kind of made up my own recipe.  This is what you need:  {full recipe below}

Cream together the brown sugar, butter and eggs.

Add the grated zucchini and mix that in.

Add the whole wheat flour, baking powder, cinnamon, sea salt and sunflower seeds.

Mix well.

Spray a loaf pan with non-stick spray and place the batter in.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Done.  Doesn't this look like the meatloaf I made just the other day?!....not sure if that's good or bad!

Definitely didn't  taste like the meatloaf!  This version of Zucchini Bread is a little bit healthier by adding the whole wheat flour and no oil added.  And the sunflower seeds added a great touch! 

Enjoy!  Here's the recipe:

Healthy Zucchini Bread

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 eggs

1  1/2 tsp. cinnamon

2 cups grated zucchini

3 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. sea salt (fine)

1/2 cup sunflower seeds (or nut of your choice)

Cream together butter, brown sugar and eggs.

Add grated zucchini and mix

Add flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and nuts

Mix well

Bake at 350 degrees in a loaf pan for 45 minutes

Happy Saturday!

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The "Girls" like their snacks & Healthy Carrot Cake Power Scuffins

As I was getting Paige ready for bed last night, we were in the bathroom just off her room which has a window that looks out at the hill behind our house.....where the heifers graze on pasture.  A couple of them happened to be walking by at the time, as they do so often at around 8 in the evening.  They walk up the hill from their barn below to grab a snack....girls like their snacks right?  They looked so peaceful and content on the hillside at dusk, only the rustle of grass could be heard. 

So after putting Paige & Bryce to bed, I went out with my camera, looking towards the west and snapped these photos.

I could have stood here 30 more minutes watching them, but they headed over the hill with the rest of the herd.

The heifers aren't the only girls who like snacks......I do too......not usually at night, but for sure in the afternoon.

I found this recipe for Healthy Carrot Cake Power Scuffins on Angela's website and they looked so good, I just had to give them a try!  I changed it up just a little bit {you'll see below} plus anything that has carrot cake in the title is good in my recipe book.

What I really liked about this recipe was the fact that pure maple syrup is used in place of sugar and they're packed with nutrients.  They're definitely sweet enough for my little sweet tooth.  I was actually expecting them to taste less sweet than they did......I was pleasantly surprised!  I will most definitely bake these again.  They'll be perfect for a mid morning or afternoon snack or even as a healthy dessert. 

As I was baking these up, Dominic comes in and asks what I was baking because it smelled so good in the house.  After I told him what they're called he says -

"Who are those for?  What are you trying to do to me?!" {remember the fried platter of food he ate while camping?}

So, to that I said, "They're all for me!"

Healthy Carrot Cake Power Scuffins......here's the skinny~

Ingredients.  Recipe below.

Mix all dry ingredients.

Don't forget the oats, like I almost did.

Mix all the wet ingredients with the carrot.

Mix dry with wet ingredients together.

Add in raisins and toasted walnuts.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Done.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 cup whole spelt flour {I used whole wheat instead}

1/2 cup regular oats

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp fine grain sea salt

1/5 tsp pumpkin pie spice {OR: 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ginger}

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Chia/flax egg: 1 tbsp ground chia seeds + 3 tbsp water OR 1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water, mixed and set aside for 5 minutes {this is instead of using egg}  {I used the flax & h2O}

1 cup shredded or grated carrots {approx 2 medium}

1/4 cup raisins

1/4 cup toasted, chopped walnuts

coconut, for topping {I used sweetened}

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a small bowl, mix the chia/flax mixture and set aside.  In a large sized bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients.  Grate the carrots.  In a medium bowl, mix together the wet ingredients {carrots, vanilla, oil, maple syrup, chia/flax mixture}.  Add wet to ddry and mix until just incorporated.  Stir in the walnuts and raisins.  Scoop mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or greased with oil {I used Pam spray}.  Scoop about 1/4 cup for each Scuffin to make 6 large scuffins.  Wet hands and shape into a circle if desired.  Sprinkle with coconut.  Bake for 25 minutes at 350. 

Nutritional Information:

{per scuffin, approx.}  265 cal., 9 grams fat, 1 gram sat. fat, 5 grams fiber, 4.4 grams protein, 61% vitamin A, 10% iron, 59 mg calcium, 180 mg potassium.

Note:

These are not overly sweet baked goods, so if you prefer your baked goods quite sweet, I would maybe add a couple tbsp of sugar in addition to the maple syrup.

Question of the day:

What's your favorite snack?

Happy Sunday!

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