Kid Approved Pumpkin Pie | Gluten Free | Sugar Free

My friend challenged me to find a gluten free pumpkin pie recipe. I think I did pretty well with it! My kids love it, and practically licked their plates clean! 

I used this recipe for the filling:

http://www.againstallgrain.com/2011/11/22/grain-free-and-dairy-free-pumpkin-pie/

And this one for the crust:
http://www.againstallgrain.com/2012/02/10/honey-graham-cracker-pie-crust/

I used an 11 inch pie pan, and pricked the dough so that it would not puff up when it baked.  I baked it for 5 minutes, let it cool, then put it in the freezer for 30 minutes.

For the filling, I used a 15 oz can of Trader Joes Organic Pumpkin. I used 1 TBS of pumpkin pie spice instead of the combo of spices (but still added a little fresh lemon zest), and used Grade A maple syrup instead of Grade B. I used these awesome Wilton Bake Even Stripswhen baking the pie so that it baked evenly, and it only need 30 minutes in the oven.

I can't wait to make this again for Thanksgiving!

Let's Click! Workshop | 2013

I am happy to report that our first Let's Click! Workshop was a great success! Maggie and I want to thank the wonderful ladies who participated. We had an awesome group of women who were ready to dive in and learn how to shoot in manual. We discussed so much, from the exposure triangle, to 'finding the light', to editing software and more. Our practice photo session at the end of the day was key in putting newly learned skills to the test. We look forward to keeping in touch and continuing to learn from each other through the Let's Click facebook group.

One question that came up was about camera bodies and the benefits of a newer or upgraded body. I found this awesome post written by another photographer and mom from California who also teaches workshops, that perfectly answers this question.

Maggie and I are already looking at dates for the next Let's Click!

A few photos from the day...

 I love wreaths ;)
 
Snacks to start the day. We ended the workshop with an amazing dinner made by Maggie! She promises to share her pulled pork recipe :)

 Our Let's Try It area

 And finally, the practice session with our awesome models!

So Simple Sweet Potato Soup | Gluten Free

This soup is perfect for Fall weather afternoons, that will hopefully make it to FL soon ;). It is so simple to make, and so delicious. The ingredient amounts don't have to be exact. I find that I sometimes add in a little more vegetable broth at the end if it's too thick. And you can add more/less salt and pepper to taste.

Ingredients:
2 large sweet potatoes
2 TBS extra virgin olive oil (I use Bariani Extra Virgin Olive Oil - it's the only olive oil that is truly cold-processed from start to finish, therefore retaining the most nutrients)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 onion, diced
1 TBS salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
2 1/2 cups vegetable stock (Make sure your stock is gluten free, there are several out there that are not! I use Pacific Organic Vegetable Broth or Trader Joes)
1/2 cup heavy cream

Peel and cube the sweet potatoes, and boil them until they are tender and mashable. While the sweet potatoes are boiling, saute the onion and garlic in olive oil. Add the salt and pepper. Drain the sweet potatoes and put them back into the hot pot. Add the vegetable stock, and sauteed onions and garlic. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth. Add the cream, and heat through, about another 10 minutes.

Enjoy!