Kaake Family Blog

I found a few recipes for banana bread and ended up merging them together.  This was created for my boys, 2 of whom found out they have multiple food allergies.  I'm so thankful to be able to make them foods they love while still avoiding their food allergies.  And who doesn't love banana bread?

Gluten Free Banana Bread
210 grams Krusteaz Gluten All Purpose Baking Flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 duck egg (or two chicken eggs)
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 very ripe bananas
1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips, raisins (optional)

Directions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees and grease a loaf pan.
2. Place the peeled bananas in a mixer and mix until well mashed.
3. . Add in the canola oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract, duck egg, cinnamon, salt and baking soda.  Mix until well combined.
4. Slowly add in the baking mix and beat just till combined on low/medium.
5. If adding in raisins or chocolate…

This is an open letter to you.

To the mama who no matter how much sleep you get, you're more often than not tired.  And not just the "normal" tired; your whole body feels like it is in shut down mode.  You know, the tired that a flu can bring.  The tired where you can hardly lift your head off the pillow much less get off that couch. I hear you.

To the mama who when she has a "good" day she's able to get a handful of household chores done with a 2 hour break in-between each chore just to make it all work. Girl, that's been most of my married life.

To the mama who longs to be connected with others in real life, but knows she may have to cancel and doesn't want to put people out.  I understand.

To the mama who is on facebook groups on and off all day long to find support from other's like you. The mama who is on Pinterest trying to find that next good remedy, or food that will help you feel even a little bit better.  Who stays up late looking at v…

I was recently at a local restaurant and had the most amazing vegan dish ever!  I've so wanted to eat there again but for now am not able to.  If you are not aware, Michigan is currently in a state of emergency because of the windchill.  That means I should not go out.  And that's if they are open as many local businesses have closed for a few days.  So, I made it my mission to search online and try to find a recipe that may be close.  Now, is it an exact replica of their sauce; nope.  But it will do in a pinch and is still delicious!  What you see in my bowl is some brown rice that has a little sauce mixed in it along with cashews, and roasted broccoli.  Then topped with this yummy sauce!  This can be used for a dressing on salads, in sandwiches or wraps, on grilled meat...yum!  I made this nut free because honestly i shouldn't have nuts - they give me migraines.  But cashews sounded so good today so I'll risk it just for today.  I altered this recipe to make it nut …

In past posts I mentioned about having high cholesterol and the different things I was doing to help lower it without having to resort to statins.  I had taken the most mild statin awhile back and had very bad reactions within the first couple days.  One of the things I've done that's helped a lot is add in a lot of beans/lentils and cruciferous vegetables.  I've been on the lookout for a cauliflower soup recipe I like that doesn't have dairy in it so I can more easily bump up my cruciferous veggie intake.  I made this today fusing together a couple recipes I found online.  It was pretty good.  Sometime I may even add in some cooked carrots and celery.  I think that would be yummy as well.    Do you have a cauliflower soup recipe you love to make?  If so I'd love to hear about it in the comments.



Cauliflower Soup Ingredients: 1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets 2 T. olive oil 1 onion, chopped 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic salt 1 teaspoon thyme 1 bay leaf pi…

When I was younger (school age), I didn’t have many dreams.  There were things i thought would be neat but nothing I fully pursued.  i knew i wanted to be a wife and mother more than anything.  Not being in a serious relationship after high school and not having that clear direction I felt like a wanderer; not just physically but in every sense.  My mind wandered, my emotions floundered, my heart was undecided.  In that dizzying state I began to look for ways to help me forget my lack of focus on my future.  I partied a lot, bounced from living in my car to living with friends and new acquaintances.  I never felt settled in my spirit and my body followed.  It was at the age of 18 I became pregnant with my daughter.  “Finally”, I thought, “something to focus on; something to ground me.  Someone who would love me forever no matter what.”  I wasn’t to be a wife for 4 more years but I was a mother.  
When I met Matthew (my husband), as we got to know one another better we talked of our cur…

I pushed myself 2 weeks ago.  Not the kind of push to build more muscle, or the push to get through a hard circumstance.  It's not the kind of determined push to make your life better; you know, the kind where you need to just stop being lazy and do it.  My body was tired - not the normal tired when you're up too late.  This is all consuming in every way.  It's physical, it's mental, it's emotional, it's jarring.  The kind of tired where you can hardly think, you're body feels like you have the flu and getting up to use the restroom or eat is hard.  The kind of tired where your body tenses up for no reason and bumps into a constant mini anxiety attack for the entire day.  Where you look down at your hands and notice for the past several hours you've lied there on the couch with your hands in fists because for some reason or another that's the assumed anxious position for my hands.  





Air hunger is on and off today - has been for days.  It's simila…