I had a great weekend this past few days when we headed to the beach to set up a maternity shoot with one of my very first clients. I am so beyond excited about this new chapter in my life. It has been so hard to establish the business and to also keep tabs on my family life (being the main caregiver and all) and to also maintain my first blog baby, Guilty Kitchen.
One thing that has helped an awful lot in that transition is my very favourite new toy, the iPhone 4. As you can see in the photo above, we both got one, and we use it a lot. Adrian was posing for me to give me an idea of the lighting in this area, so I could set up the shot. A perfect time to catch up with Words with Friends” a Scrabble-like game app. Needless to say we are both smitten with our new techno toys.
The shoot went fabulous by the way, see more pics over at Garnett Wren Photography, my other blog.
While we were there I noticed this flower growing in amongst the thorns, so I snapped a quick shot. It reminded me to look around, because beauty really can be anywhere if you know what to look for.
Something else I’ve been trying to do is see the beauty in my life as it happens. I’m so involved in other people’s beautiful moments, that sometimes I forget to capture my own. I grabbed a cute outfit for little Isla and snapped a few of her. She’s just getting so big, I can’t believe it’s been almost a year already! Time just flies so fast when you have two little ones to care for and it’s hard to just slow down and enjoy it.
I had to laugh a lot yesterday when I read this post by the Yummy Mummy. It describes the real life of a stay at home mom in glorious honesty. Life as a SAHM is no glamourous fairy tale as often thought of by working women or single women. It is seen as just a way to escape the everyday life of trudging off to an office or other 9-5 job. But I can assure you, life at an office job can seem like a fantasty when you are knee deep in laundry/dishes/dirty diapers/food scraps/endless colouring/puzzles/toys, etc.
I have to give credit to anyone who admits to being as frustrated as I am and comes clean on the internet, where many a hater can troll. If I can strive to just be that better mom, as the thought process goes, then I can achieve xyz. I think I will ease into it, but I’ll never be perfect. One can only play legos/cars/dolls/kitchen so many times before you begin to lose brain cells. I try my damnedest and that’s the best I can do. I feel good about that. And I know my kids know that I love them and cherish them and want them to be happy, empathetic, caring, loving adults.
I hope it all goes well….
You may have noticed a few quick bread and muffin posts recently. I am on a kick of making and freezing pancakes and muffins. They make the perfect food for little hands to hold and rip apart and they freeze and transport quite well. These cranberry walnut muffins are delicious and healthy and stick to your ribs filling. Try it with a spread of apple butter and you’ve got yourself the perfect morning meal or afternoon snack.
One Year Ago: Spring Asparagus and Pancetta Fettucine
Cranberry Walnut Muffins
Yield: 12 muffins
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup pastry flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup buttermilk
2 tbsp grapeseed oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 cup Greek yogurt, plain
zest of one meyer lemon
3/4 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup chopped walnuts1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line muffin tins with paper and spray lightly with baking spray.
2. Combine flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, combine buttermilk, oil, vanilla, egg, Â yogurt and zest.
4. Pour dry into wet, stir a few turns and then fold in the cranberries and walnuts. Do not overstir, just blend until the last bits of flour are gone. Lumps are fine!
5. Scoop evenly into tins. Yes, the batter is very thick and will only rise so much, so fill those tins right to the top!
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove and cool on wire rack.
Similarly delicious recipe on other fabulous food blogs:
Cranberry Walnut Chicken Salad on Framed Cooks
Cranberry-Walnut Rolls on Brown Eyed Baker
Cranberry Curd Bars with Walnut Shortbread Crust on The Kitchn
Cranberry Walnut Crostata on Pastry Studio
Cranberry Walnut Oatmeal Cookies on The Food Addicts
Not sure which is more delicious-those adorable kids or the muffins!
I know that beach! Great spot for doing photos 🙂 Love this recipe, perfect for Winter/Spring transition…great for brunch too!
Thanks 🙂
These sound soooo good!!! I especially love that they have Greek yogurt in them!!
I think taking pictures allows one to really focus on the beauty that surrounds us. And I’m enjoying those moments when I get to reflect and take everything in.
These muffins look wonderful… I plan on trying them out the first weekend we are on the Cape.
Your photos are lovely, especially the first two ones!
Your photos are beautiful and these muffins look amazing! I have a bag of frozen cranberries in my freezer that are perfect for this recipe. Thanks for sharing!
These look so delicious!
You are a wonderful mom. The fact that you have chosen to remain their primary caregiver even though you have started a business says a lot! You really love them, that is plain to see 🙂
I just love your pictures…and the children are so beautiful….
I will continue to follow your blog, but mine disappeared and cannot get oit back. 14 months of posts and followers all gone into a place in cyberspace.
I will be building a new blog and will let you lknow when it’s up.
Blogspot kidnapped my blog,
Google held it ransom
And not even a sympathetic posse
of bloggers could get it back.
RIP
Awwww, Norma! That is terrible! There’s no backup??? Wow, do let me know about the new one. I’m so sorry that has happened to you, I couldn’t imagine losing GK.
Cranberry and walnut is one of my favorite combinations! These look amazing 🙂
I make cranberry walnut muffins, but with fresh cranberries.. I find that the moisture from the cranberries gives you a super moist muffin. Too bad it’s so hard to find fresh cranberries most of the time!
I bet these would be amazing with a few mini chocolate chips thrown in there, too. Cranberry + chocolate is one of my all-time favorite combinations.
Popped over here from Indian Simmer and so glad I did. Your photographs are awe-inspiring; they glow …and make me homesick for the countryside (I live in the desert!)
Thank you very much, that is truly appreciated.
I went and checked out your photo blog. Sensational pictures. Very well thought of and each one seems like a work of art. Good luck.
Aw, that makes me very happy to hear! Thank you so much for checking it out!
I am living vicariously through you a bit as I follow your new career as a professional photographer! You are doing beautiful work (the baby bump photos are particularly stunning) and I am so impressed with how well you seem to be handling all the new stuff going on. Your new kitchen looks great and moving to such a lovely area sounds exciting. Good luck. Oh, and these muffins are lovely 🙂
OHH MY – every time i come here i get stuck for awhile just staring at your pictures. Would love to see those photo’s you took at the beach. I know what you are talking about the iphone, i waste (spend) a lot of time on it :). Those muffins looks fabulous, always looking for some good ones.
Yum, I love the combo of cranberries, yoghurt and lemon. I’ve just come across your blog, and look forward to having a more in depth look around 🙂
What a healthy muffin. These will definitely be made in our house. I can’t wait to see more and more of your photographs as new clients come pouring in (as they inevitably will).
Thank you for everything you do for our family Elizabeth! Thank you.
These look yummy! Thanks for sharing.
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