Hello, I'm back! Sort of. I didn't actually go anywhere, but I did have sinus surgery last week and I've been resting and recovering.

I had pretty bad seasonal allergies for the first 25 to 30 years of my life and I still have them now, but they have significantly improved. Between the effects of years of sniffing and sneezing and a car accident that broke my nose in 2008, I was having a really hard time breathing through my nose. I'll keep the gory details to myself, but suffice it to say that I was really in need of some rest and recovery after surgery last Tuesday. I'm still on the mend, but I'm beginning to get back into my normal activities.

Bouncing back from something like this always requires a lot of sleep. I have been doing my best to rest when I can and get to bed earlier than usual. Since my surgery, I have also been craving restorative foods. Things high in iron, vitamin C, and protein. With the way that whole foods (especially leafy greens) make my face glow, I know that these things will help me to heal now.

I have been hitting the green smoothies hard! I received some Cara Cara oranges in my CSA box this week- have you seen these oranges? Not only are they really cool to look at in all their pink juicy goodness, but they are low in acid and taste so, so good!

My favorite smoothie tastes even better with these (or it would...if I could taste anything...baby steps).

I sometimes mix up my smoothie recipe, but I always seem to return to this one. When I can find vanilla beans at a decent price (i.e. at Costco), I throw in a small piece of a bean to really make this great. Even though it is green, it almost has a creamsicle flavor!

1. Place all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth.

We have a local bakery that makes really good breakfast cookies. The whole idea of a cookie that is intended to be eaten for breakfast is, in my opinion, brilliant. I love cookies and I love breakfast- what could be better than a breakfast cookie?

This recipe makes about 10-12 cookies that are pretty low in sugar and fat but still taste great. My kids love them too!

Breakfast Cookies
Makes 10-12 cookies

2 Tbsp ground flax seeds
1/4 cup water
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup oat flour (process 1/2 cup rolled oats in a blender or food processor until they resemble the texture of a course flour)
1/4 cup of another flour (I used kamut. You can get creative or just use more whole wheat!)
1/2 cup cereal (try raisin bran, Kashi, bran flakes, cranberry nut flakes, etc.)
1/4 cup raisins or dried cranberries (or a combo)
1/4 cup each finely chopped walnuts and pecans
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp hemp seeds (or other seeds)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder*
1/4 tsp sea salt
3 Tbsp nut or seed butter (I used almond but I bet sunflower seed would also be yummy)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup applesauce (or mashed bananas or pureed carrots)
1 tsp blackstrap molasses
1/4 cup oil (canola, coconut, or other mild-tasting oil)

*These cookies are slightly fluffy, like muffins. They are nice and tender that way, but I may try reducing the baking powder next time to make them slightly more cookie-like.