gathering spriggs

Sunday Morning Yum

After a couple of weeks experimenting and researching, I've come to find out that living Gluten Free and even restricting my diet is not as bad as I originally feared. (Since Christmas I have restricted my diet to be Caffeine free, Sugar free, Dairy Free (almost) and Gluten Free). After a week of eating nuts, sweet potatoes and chicken, I decided to get creative, do some research and start living again within the realm of a new regime proven to make my body feel better. So, I have stocked up on Rooibos teas, read The Gluten Free Bible and subscribed to these great blogs:

Mama Me Gluten Free      Gluten Free Goddess 

So this morning I created my very first adaptive recipe for Gluten Free Oatmeal Waffles and topped off with my favorite Syrup concoction. (yes. its a little bit of a cheat for me but its Sunday and I will get back to being totally good tomorrow).  Even if you are not Gluten Free these recipes are REALLY GOOD. Promise romise. Who knew good for you food could be so good! (And I am a girl who likes her bread products). 

Gluten Free Sunday Morning Waffles

1 cup Gluten Free Baking Mix ( I used Bisquick but Pamela's Baking and Pancake Mix is fabulous)

1/2 cup Gluten Free Oats ( Bob's Red Mill)

1 tbsp. vegetable oil ( or you could substitute applesauce)

2 large organic free range eggs

3/4 cup almond milk (or regular milk works too)

a dash of salt.

Mix all ingredients together in large bowl and pour 1/2 cup at a time into a prepared waffle iron. Makes about 6 waffles. 

Here is the fabulous finger licking Sizz-Rup recipe to slather on top!  I also garnished with walnuts and golden raisins. Heaven!!

Thanks to Caneel of Mama Me Gluten Free for helping me find affordable products and offer much needed support! (and her pancake recipe that was the inspiration for my waffles)

image: heather spriggs thompson for gs

 

Friends and Faves: Cozy Up

Friends, How was your weekend? Are you ready for this week of celebration? My to do list is not completed as I prepare for the travels ahead this week. So I decided to share with you some of my visual inspiration... my friends and faves on Etsy and blogland through the rest of the week.

Today, meet two pretty blogs and a special shop that have me wanting to cozy up to hearth and home!

ReRae   a lovely approach to a simpler life through resurrecting hand craft traditions. Rerae also has an Etsy store for a beautiful brush with the past. Sophie's Haus is a new to me blog written by a photographer (I love those!) with features on fashion, food and decor~ And check out her beautiful beyond words shop: ButikSophie.

Finally, a perfectly simple and endearing shop from Kathi who stops by often to bring me words of encouragement.  All Things White.  Thanks ladies for the beauty you bring into my life!

May you find peace today in the midst of the hustle and bustle. 

A Delectable Day

Today I hosted a baby shower for my dear friend Eve and her upcoming second child. It was a private gathering of a few friends from art school. It was a wonderful reunion of old friends, warm hearts and delectable food. The event was hosted at a quaint Southern restaurant at the Belle Meade plantation. I had a chicken salad with a side of Fried Green Tomatoes. Yum! Then for dessert I served these fabulous (if I may say so myself) cupcakes, Pumpkin with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting. The color theme was aqua , yellow and green even though Eve is expecting a little girl. We are all outside the box thinkers so it worked. Just wanted to share in this delightful day with you. 

 ** that's me with Eve and her first born daughter, Hannah~!

How is your weekend coming along??  Have you started preparing your Thanksgiving meals yet?

 

images: heather spriggs thompson and lee ann hawkins

Sacred Sustenance

Growing up in a household of three women where non-conformity was encouraged, we rarely sat down together for meals. Granted my mother was single and trying to go back to school, and always did her best to provide for my sister and me. But my mom is a rule breaker not a rule follower (which I love about her) and tradition whether it was collecting a set of china or adapting to the status quo was never high on her "to-do" list. 

So today, I find myself in the kitchen of my own home beginning to approach cooking, hostessing and creating meals for my husband and me with in a new way. However, being a non-conformist I like to think of recipes as loose guidelines to my creations rather than actual law! (which has caused some kitchen catastrophes) ANYway, the point Im trying to make is my recent realization (as I stand at the kitchen counter to eat my meals while checking email) is that I have a problem thinking of mealtime as sacred. I really want to honor my food, its origins and my body for that matter by taking time to relish it at the table with every meal. But its a struggle. 

So as we approach Thanksgiving, I am looking for resources to help inspire a lifestyle of true reverence for mealtime. (even if I am eating alone when my husband is working late) Here are a few blogs that have me finding the sacred in my sustenance:

Becoming Lola, What Kate Ate, Rambling Tart, Cooking with Chopin, Living with Elmo,

So help me out friends, what are your secrets to creating a sense of sacred in your mealtime. How do you relish your food and even your cooking creations??  Do you have favorite foodie blogs that inspire a new direction in your cuisine?? 

images: becoming lola, what kate ate 

Gathering Warm Affection

Oh Kindred Spirits! You don't know how revitalized I have been this weekend reading over your comments from last week's post: Keepin' It Real. Your remarks have been the impetus for changing my entire mission statement here at Gathering Spriggs. I'll fill you in on a little secret... I am in the process of creating (with the help of a fabulous design team) a new website (gatheringspriggs.com) coming very soon. And in the midst of development, I began writing a brand new bio, mission statement and tagline that is more centered around building an intentional community with you, right here. Here's a taste:

Welcome to Gathering Spriggs: a place to gather, connect, create and discover together. Sit and stay for a spot of tea, share your heart and enjoy the beauty of friends. Creative connections, colorful creations and vintage collections.

In the meantime, I am eager to build more discussions with you this week on the things in our lives that truly matter. To get closer to your heart. In fact, I wish it was you that came to dine at my table last night. (we had a small dinner party .. nothing too fancy) but in the end it was you I was longing to be with .. breaking bread with .. sipping coffee in front of the fireplace with. 

++ In fact, on that note, I am organizing a (Southern US) Bloggers meet up in the near future and would love to know if you are interested. Just leave a comment here with your email or email me at [email protected] if you would like to participate in this meet up!

images: heather spriggs thompson for gathering spriggs 

"Making it Through the Afternoon" Snack

Apple Caramel Peanut Butter Popcorn

1 package of light microwavable popcorn

1/3 cup brown sugar packed

2 tblsp salted butter

3 tblsp natural crunchy peanut butter

1 apple chopped

Microwave popcorn as instructed. Set aside. In a separate large mixing bowl combine sugar, butter and peanut butter. Microwave until just melted. Stir. Add apples and popcorn. Toss gently. 

Enjoy!! 

image: heather spriggs thompson

Sugar and Spice + Everything (Nearly) Nice

So I've decided after reading this fabulous interview of Tif Fussell (aka Dottie Angel) that I want an alter ego too! Someone to help me live in that place between reality and desire. A little sweet, a little spicy and almost always nearly nice. (In a Southern kind of way). And today these images are inspiring my new persona. Except that she has it a bit more together than I do and doesn't have to write blog posts sitting on the floor of her clients house before she begins painting the living room cabinets for the day! Because she would never do such a thing (as sitting on the floor... horrors!) She also never burns anything in the kitchen :)

So how about you? Who do you daydream about being when reality gets you down?

images: alice m. wingerden how to simplify, farouche herz allerliebst 

Crafting a Dream

Dear friends, Do you have days that become little gifts where you wake up early and face the new day with expectation instead of dread? I know I used to never have these days when I was busy in my day job painting walls or cabinetry for clients with no room for creative exploration. But thanks to the recession my work has slowed and (this time as school starts) there is a lull in my faux finishing business. Thankfully now, I finally have the time, and the space in my little home studio to approach a blissful day such as today where the sun is shining again after the rains. So after finishing some projects (like the painting above) and an early morning dewy walk with my dog, Domino, I came to my kitchen to figure out what to do for breakfast. And since necessity is the mother of invention (ie.. haven't been to the grocery store this week), I used what I had on hand to make some peach crepes. Here's my recipe:

1/4 plus 2 tablespoons flour

a pinch of salt

1 large egg

2/3 cups of organic half and half (or milk)

2 tablespoons coconut oil (or vegetable oil)

Sliced peaches

Powdered sugar for dusting

Sift flower and salt into a bowl. Make well in the center and crack the egg into the well. Gradually beat in the milk to form a smooth batter. Heat a nonstick skillet and add a little oil and wipe out with paper towl. Pour enough batter into the pan to cover the bottom then cook for 1 minute . Loosen edges with  spatula, flip crepe and cook for another minute. Transfer to plate and repeat with remaining mixture. Slice fruit into the crepe (or spread Nutella .. Yum!) fold and dust with powdered sugar. 

** I have never shared a recipe on my blog before nor have I ever taken any food photos for fear of frightening you away, but have been inspired by my friend Ginny who started her food blog which has brought me new found confidence not only in the kitchen but here in blogland as well.**

all images: heather spriggs thompson

Sponsor Spotlight: Nicole's Homemade Treats

If you are not already hungry (like I am) you soon will be after viewing these scrumptious goodies from Nicole's Homemade Treats. Although I am trying really hard to watch my sugar intake these days, I have to say I have been beyond tempted just browsing the "shelves" of Nicole's. But I believe my heart has settled on the Organic Granola.... Or the Key Lime White Chocolate Clouds.... Ohhh.. How about you?? Hungry now?

images: nicole's homemade treats

They Say Its Your Birthday

"Well, Its my birthday too! Yeah!"  I cant contain my excitement anymore.... Its my birthday Saturday and I really love birthdays.. My mother always made our birthday's seem like national holidays - a very special day reserved for just for us! She would make pancakes with icing and a candle (a festive treat for sure) for birthday morning breakfast and then took the rest of the day make-believing that we were queen for a day!! And so for that reason I really love to celebrate birthdays, yes, even my own. Even if I am getting older ( eh hem I mean wiser). Saturday I am hosting a little bruncheon with some close friends and would love it if you ALL could be here to celebrate.  I will even be making cake balls (with a little help from a dear client who let me borrow her tools and has a great recipe of perfectly dainty rolled balls of cake mixed with icing and then dipped in chocolate. How Divine! I'll save one for you....

Happy Restful Weekend to You!        Don't forget about my celebratory Sale.  

And say Happy Birthday to Brittni of Paper N Stitch! Its her birthday too Saturday!

images: marlein overakker (food stylist)