H3 with Laura

Did you know you can make your own powered sugar? It is so easy! I love to use maple sugar, but any type of sugar will work. My recipe is 1 cup maple sugar and 2 teaspoons arrowroot powder. Just add it to a high speed blender and blend until the sugar turns to a powder.

I love to use this for my wedding cake cookies and sugar cookies. You can find these recipe in my Christmas Treats E-Book! It is free and you can download straight to your phone or computer. Head to https://h3withlaura.com/christmas/ or the link in my bio to download it!

Sunday mornings call for coffee & Date Sweetened Banana Bread.
Of course we are enjoying it by the Christmas tree with Hallmark on. Any other Hallmark lovers out there?

I made pumpkin cinnamon rolls and wow. It still amazes me that after being gluten free for 7 years I can tolerate long fermented sourdough!

I did make a couple changes to make them refined sugar free and dairy free. But I promise you, no one will know.

Pro tip- sauté up some apples with cinnamon a tad of maple syrup and put them on top to make all your Fall dreams come true 😊

I made a delicious fall salad while I was in Fairbanks! Greens, apple, pomegranate, feta, candied pecans (I used maple syrup) and pumpkin seeds sure do make incredible flavor. I actually was thinking it would be a great Christmas dinner salad (sorry too soon?). The dressing was very simple, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup and a dash of gf soy sauce and Dijon. Trust me on this, even salad skeptics will love this one!

If you want exact measurements for the dressing, I used the same dressing as the Apple Hazelnut Salad on my blog! Head to my website for the recipe https://h3withlaura.com/2020/10/22/apple-hazelnut-salad/

It is a coffee & doughnuts kind of morning. We are at the beach and I found a gluten free and vegan doughnut at and I am so excited!

There was a time when I would not allow myself any “fun” foods. My struggle with weight and body shame has kept me from a lot. For some people progress may be saying no to the doughnut, for others it may be having one instead of three, and for someone like me, it is enjoying the doughnut feeling excited rather than shameful.

Is this refined sugar free? Definitely not. Is there a time I would not even have a taste of something like this because of my health issues? For sure. I have been making progress not only with enjoying foods I did not allow myself to have for so long. But I also am in a place of physical healing that means I no longer need to be as strict in terms of my diet.

The last 8 years I have been in a place where I have constantly had to adapt, change, modify and restrict myself of things. Like food, work, relationships etc to try and heal my body. It has been an ever changing and always evolving process of try to get to a place of optimum health.

Since I have been 21 years old my goal has been to heal, to feel better. And although I have given up so much, I know I have gained way more in the process.

I have gained a deeper appreciation of my body, myself, God, family, friends and the small things in life I often took for granted. I have been able to connect with people, like some of you, who are going through or have gone through similar things.

I got the news that I am healthy. Like really healthy. For the first time in 8 years, the first doctors appointment in 8 years, the first labs in 8 years, I have nothing new I need to change, adapt or alter. I have found optimum health.

So today I am celebrating. I am celebrating myself- all that I have overcome, all that I have given up, all that I have fought for, all that I have received. I’m appreciating this journey and everything that has come with it.

For the first time in what feels like forever, I am to maintain- keep doing what I’m doing. In some ways it feels like a finish line, but actually I think it is the beginning.

Easy but delicious dinner tonight! pre-marinated chicken thigh, turmeric rice and my Apple Hazelnut Salad.

I swapped goat cheese for Parmesan cheese this time and DANG. The flavors of maple, apple & candied hazelnuts are next level. Strongly recommend heading to my website https://h3withlaura.com/2020/10/22/apple-hazelnut-salad/ or the link in bio for the recipe! Especially if you are like me, and ready for all things Fall!

Happy Sunday! It is rainy in Nashville today, which means you can find me in the kitchen baking 😊

I decided to take my classic 7 Layer Bar recipe from my Christmas Treats E-Book and made it a tad more summery. The mix of crasins, cashews, chocolate, graham crackers & caramel… need I say more?

Also, it is free, and . I promise you though, it won’t stop anyone from loving them. They are one of the biggest hits and crowd pleasers.

Head to my website https://h3withlaura.com/2021/08/15/cranberry-cashew-7-layer_bars/ or the link in my bio for the recipe!

5 years with my favorite human. I can attest that each year, and each day just gets better & better with you.
Marriage is anything but easy. Some days you sacrifice and give. Other days you are stubborn and self absorbed. Some days are roses and romance and other days are house repairs and chores.
Life is messy and every changing, but to know that you are a partner to do it with no matter what? Man that’s a glimpse of the Gospel. To be loved at my worst, held durning the hurt and calmed during the storm. That is marriage, but that is also the way Jesus loves.

Cheers to 5 years & many more to come!

Long weekends call for waffles! I made gluten free & dairy free sourdough waffles and WOW. I have said it before and will say it again, her cookbook is by far the best!

What are your plans for Memorial Day? We are hoping to get outside and do a day trip to a city nearby. I hope you all enjoy the long weekend!

Somewhere on a beach ☀️🌊

I am craving a big bowl of salad for lunch today! I seriously love adding homemade croutons to a salad. Have you ever made them? It is so easy! Just cut up any bread you have on hand in cubes, rub it with olive oil, some seasonings(like Italian herbs salt and pepper) and bake it at 375 for 15-20 minutes.
I promise you will be addicted.

I made 1-Bowl Vegan Banana Nut Muffins and they turned out so good! I adjusted a few things so see below what I did or head to her blog for the original recipe.

1 flax egg (1 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 2 1/2 Tbsp water)
3 medium ripe bananas (did less ripe for Low FODMAP)
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup coconut sugar
3 Tbsp maple syrup
3/4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 cup unsweetened plain almond milk
1 1/4 cup almond flour
1 1/4 cup gluten free all purpose blend ( I used Bob's Red Mill)
1 1/4 cup gluten-free rolled oats
1 cup chopped walnuts
Mini Chocolate chips for topping

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a standard muffin tin with paper baking cups.
2. In a large mixing bowl, prepare the flax egg by mixing water and ground flaxseed together. 3. Wait 5 minutes and then add banana, baking powder, and baking soda and mash.
4. Add vanilla, olive oil, coconut sugar, maple syrup, sea salt, and cinnamon and whisk to combine. Add almond milk and whisk once more to combine.
5. Add almond flour, gluten-free flour blend, rolled oats and chopped walnuts and stir until just combined. Then divide batter between muffin tins and top with walnuts, chocolate chips etc. There should be 15 muffins.
6. Bake for 25-32 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean and the edges are dark golden brown. Allow to cool completely and and store in an airtight container for 4 days or in the freezer for a month.

Happy baking friends!

Happy Monday! I hope you had a good weekend. I wanted to share some photos of time with my family. I had such a good time with them and am already counting down the days until I go home to Alaska.

I ended up taking a longer break from here, and it was so good. I learned a couple things being away from social media and phone, so I thought I would share.

1. The less I am on my phone, the less I want to be.
2. Scrolling through Instagram is something I tend to do out of boredom and loneliness which in turn makes me feel more lonely.
3. My overall joy was way higher being present and away from my phone.
4. I need to set more boundaries with my phone- especially around Instagram.

I could probably go on but those are just a few things I noticed and learned from my break. In all honesty, if it were not for H3 I would delete my Instagram all together but I love connecting with you guys and making recipes. I am just going to set some boundaries to keep myself from spending hours staring at others peoples lives on a screen. I want to be present, be still, and spend the hours of my day doing things that fill me up.

I strongly recommend taking a break from your phone, even if it is only for a night or a day. Take the time to notice any changes, like more joy, noticing the person in line next to you and talking to them, and then pay attention to how you feel when you go back to it.

Easter is right about the corner which means Reese’s Eggs are back! I am peanut free and still stay away from refined sugar so obviously I needed to make my own version. These are and friendly.

Four simple ingredients. Seriously that is it! Feel free to swap peanut butter for sunflower butter if that is your thing! These make 10, so I should just warn you, you may want to double them.

I am taking the weekend off, but will be back next week. I hope you all have a great Easter weekend! Do not forget to tag me and share what H3 recipes you are making!

Head to my website https://h3withlaura.com/2021/03/31/sunflower-butter-eggs/ for my Sunflower Butter Egg recipe.

Sunday’s are for bagels. Am I right? I made bagel recipe but spiced it up and did jalapeño cheddar.
Hopefully I can figure out how to do a gluten free sourdough bagel soon! What are you guys having for brunch today?

I baked banana bread yesterday afternoon but made it & and wow. I really enjoyed her cookbook and it has been especially helpful as I’m learning to bake

I actually saw a lot of healing and freedom as I started to bake with things I deemed “bad” for so long. I am learning, everything in moderation.

This process has been hard, eye opening, fun, frustrating, healing but so worth it. I know I have been quiet on here and I think it is in part because I’m just trying to give myself some time, some grace. I don’t quite have it in me, nor the knowledge or experience to yet create as many recipes as I used to (in this way). I believe that will change, but for now I am enjoying reaping the benefits of others' creativity.

I learned eating less nuts(like nut milk, nut cheese,nut butter, nut crackers) less raw veggies, more grains (like rice and oats) and some dairy is actually healing my body and to be honest, my spirit. Paleo served me well for a number of years and I still believe eating real food is best. I don't have to fit in a box or eat strictly paleo. It is not a one size fits all. All our bodies are different, and change over time. What may have served me once, may not be serving me now. I am learning to adapt, change and grow. Although it can be hard, it is beautiful.

It has been hard to find dessert recipes since starting Low FODMAP in part because I am . Cane sugar and brown sugar are both Low FODMAP and in all the recipes. Also, I normally bake grain free but it becomes a bit of a challenge when more than ¼ cup almond flour and coconut flour is also high FODMAP.

I am still trying to perfect a chocolate chip cookie recipe that is Low FODMAP and it is no easy task! I am determined though, as that is my all time favorite dessert! Good news is I was able to adapt my original No Bake Chocolate Cookie recipe to be Low FODMAP. It has been the perfect treat to have this week!

Head to my website https://h3withlaura.com/2021/03/19/low-fodmap-no-bake-chocolate-cookies/ for the recipe!

Low FODMAP No Bake Chocolate Cookies Whatever your weekend plans are include making these cookies!

This weekend Nolie girl passed level 1 of her puppy school. Hopefully one step closer to be able to pass Canine Good Citizen!

In other news, there is a new blog post all about fodmaps. It has been a learning curve and an adjustment. For the first week, I tried to do paleo & low fodmap but in all honesty it was just too restricting. As of now, I implemented things like rice, gluten free oats and some cheddar cheese! It has been interesting introducing food I deemed as “bad” for so long. I am learning every body is different, and following a certain lifestyle and diet may be good for a season but not every.

Recognizing what my body needs to heal, and also in some ways the areas my relationship with food needs to heal as well.

Head to my website https://h3withlaura.com/2021/03/16/tues-fodmap/ to read the post!

Happy Friday friends! For some reason it has felt like a long week and I am looking forward to some downtime this weekend.

I am sharing my delicious Low FODMAP turkey chili. I made this twice since starting and it is great for meal prep. I found it difficult to find easy snack foods so prep is key! I adapted this from my paleo turkey chili which is a fan favorite.

This comes together in an hour, or can be made ahead and simmer on low until dinner which is what I normally do. I seem to have great energy in the morning and early afternoon and just crash pretty hard in the afternoons evenings. Any meal that can be done ahead is my favorite!

Head to my website https://h3withlaura.com/2021/03/12/low-fodmap-turkey-chili/ for the recipe!

These Low FODMAP protein bites are seriously addicting. I created these on a whim and recently adapted the recipe to make it Low FODMAP. Since eating this way, I discovered it is hard to find bars not full of sugar and nuts (sadly had to give up my favorite RX bars). I knew I needed to keep some easy snacks on hand to be able to eat before a run, or grab before heading out the door.

I use sunflower butter in these. Sunflower butter is Low FODMAP in portions of 2 tablespoons or less. If you are not eating this way, feel free to sub for almond butter or any nut butter you enjoy.

Head to my website https://h3withlaura.com/2021/03/08/low-fodmap-protein_bites/ for the recipe!

Paleo & Vegan Nutella? Your weekend plans must include making this. It is easy and is a dream on french toast, bread, in cookies, or just eaten by the spoonful.

We honestly never had Nutella in our house so my first time trying it was in Australia. Store bought Nutella is full of cane sugar, hydrolyzed oil and dairy. I actually decided to make it because I bought a paleo version at the store but it was 13 dollars. I knew I could make it for much cheaper and equally if not better.

Let me tell you, it is amazing! Head to my website https://h3withlaura.com/2021/02/26/vegan-paleo-nutella/ for the recipe.