Chocolate Chip Cookies

...with chickpeas!

Okay, I know that there is some talk about if you should/shouldn't mix and hide vegetables (in this case chickpeas) in your children's food. Some say that when you mix the veggies in they don't know they are eating them so they will never willfully eat them on there own. I get that point and I understand it...I am just saying that my boys will not voluntary eat a vegetable to save there life. Every night (almost every night) for dinner there will be a side veggie and Dave and I have to tell them both repeatedly to take 2 bites..."just 2 bites!" On occasion they will eat the sweet potato fry on their own...but honestly its pulling teeth every night! I wish I had that child that just loved vegetables, like my cousin, her children choose to eat the veggie first. I asked her her secret and she just laughed and said "they always have!"

So with all that said...I do, at times, puree and mix vegetables in with my kids food! A.) because I know they are getting their dose of veggies and B.) because it really tastes yummy!!! We all love it! I get a lot of my recipes from the cook book Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld. Her macaroni and cheese with butternut squash and butter noodles with yellow squash are a huge hit around here! I also really like her baking! I LOVE to bake and if I can get away with the boys eating a cookie a slightly bit healthier, I am going to do it! With her baking she uses a lot of egg whites as well as brown sugar instead of white sugar. And there always is a vegetable...sounds gross I know, but some of these recipes are really good...and my boys love them! Now... just so we are all on the same page, I do LOVE a good chocolate chip cookie recipe like this one, but at times I do use the healthier one! Depends on the mood I guess :)

Here is the recipe....

Ingredients:

nonstick cooking spray

1 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar

3/4 cup trans-fat-free tub margarine spread (***I always use butter instead)

2 Large egg whites

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips (I put in some butterscotch morsels as well!)

3/4 cups walnuts (optional)

3/4 cups raisins (optional) ***I use

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup old-fashioned oats

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

2. In a large mixing bowl beat the sugar and butter until smooth. Beat in egg whites and vanilla, then add the chickpeas and chocolate chips. Add the flour, oats, baking soda, salt and mix on low speed until thick dough forms.

3. Drop the dough by tablespoons onto the baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Press gently with fork to flatten. Bake until the cookies are golden brown and just set, 11-13 minutes, do not over-bake. Let cool.

Sorry about the picture...and the cookies are not very pretty...but they do taste good!

4. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Baker liked them for sure!

I really think you will like these! If you try them...let me know what you think!!!

Peaceful Sleep

Sleep is something that was not happening in this house until maybe a month or so ago... life was always tired for me and I knew some things needed to change. Let me explain...

When Baker was born...he didn't sleep. He never liked it. Typical newborn for sure though, slept when being held, but lay him down and awake we would be. I didn't care much at first...I just figured he would get it eventually. We tried everything, he would sleep with me, we would put him in the crib, the swing, whatever it took but he would NEVER sleep long. At about 8/9 months old he had the nap thing down! Praise the Lord he would take two good naps a day. I could lay him down and he would fall asleep (believe me, we worked on it). Night time was a different story...he would wake up 2/3 times a night to nurse...I didn't mind. At about 12 months I decided he didn't need to be getting up in the middle of the night to nurse anymore...he was a big boy! He ate three meals a day...plus snacks and still liked to nurse. At 14 months, night nursing was completely done! This was crazy for me because Jacob was done nursing at night by 8 months (his own choice). I figured Baker would eventually get it just like Jacob did, but he NEVER did...he loved nursing in the middle of the night! We had to work with him a lot to cut out those feedings (which is a story for another day). So at 14 months old he was done nursing at night...but that didn't mean that he was sleeping through the night :)! He would still wake up and just cry (not every night, but enough for sure).... at first we would just let him cry and after a while he would fall back asleep. And then, for a month or so he WAS sleeping through the night...a miracle for sure :) Then, he started waking up again... and I would go in there and rock him back to sleep (what was I thinking?!?!?) Then EVERY night he would wake up and want me to rock him...this child is almost 18 months...is this normal ?????? So, we had to let him cry AGAIN (which is honestly the WORST)...but this time he would just scream for me. It was horrible! Jacob and Baker shared a room so he started waking Jacobean up. I would go in there to get Jacob and Baker would see me and get MORE upset. And believe it or not he starting THROWING himself out of the crib. It was miserable, scary, frustrating...etc.!

So this it what we did...We split them up. It was sad...but they will share a room again someday:) We purchased a crib tent so little Baker bear wouldn't try to kill himself anymore and we just let him be. Now they both sleep so peacefully. Baker sleeps from 7:30 to 7:15 every night...with limited interruptions (I mean 95% he doesn't get up at all) and if he does wake up he goes right back to sleep! And Jacob is sleeping peacefully as well....and they are both HAPPY boys when the wake up! And I am a happy mom because I am FINALLY (after 18 months...CRAZY I know) getting a full nights rest!

Sleep is a beautiful thing! With children God's grace is abundant, especially when it comes to limited sleep. But seriously at 18 months in this house we should ALL be sleeping and receiving God's grace in other areas :) Next time I will do things differently for sure! But this whole saga did show me that all children are different and something that comes easy to one child might and probably will be completely different with another.

I look forward to night now... and seeing my beautiful boys in the morning after a good nights rest!

Needs to get back to blogging!

I love reading blogs...and if by chance you are reading this then know that I probably am a big follower of your blog as well! I ALWAYS have blog ideas on my mind...and then nap time comes and a million things come for me as well. I love how many of you make time for blogging...such inspirational woman out there that help me want to be the best version of myself. Tonight I sat down to read my handful of blogs...and the tears were flowing...tears of happiness, sadness and how beautiful our Lord is. I want to blog too! I want to share my heart, my stories and my moments of laughter in the day! Tomorrow is a new day...and instead of napping (which I am embarrassed to say I do almost every day) maybe a blog will come your way!!! Love to all my sisters out there!!!!

Good Night!