Spring!

To everyone who celebrated this past weekend, I hope you each had a wonderful holiday. This is one of my favorite times of year...yellow daffodils popping up out of nowhere, yummy fruits are coming into season, carrot cake, light jackets, bunnies in the yard, the chickadees making new homes in the birdhouses...and the idea that summer is just around the corner. This past weekend brought us beautiful weather here on the Jersey Shore. It was a perfect time to start seedlings, plant some colorful flowers, bake goodies and spend time with family.

I finally was able to get to my seedlings. (I'm a little behind!) I've got quite a lot going into my patio garden this year. Maybe a little too ambitious, by hey, I'm going to try. So far in the line up: cucumbers, peppers, kale, lettuce, radishes, tomatoes, lots of herbs including chamomile and lemon balm and catnip for Bowie, broccoli rabe, and a few flowers I started from seed as well.

It was a great Saturday to drive down Ocean Ave. We stopped to see the waves and soak up a little sun.

Sunday morning we had a lovely brunch with my parents. 

Afterwards, they wanted to buy me a Easter plant from our local flower farm, so we all went flower shopping together after brunch. I was like a kid in a candy shop...I couldn't decide on what to get - I wanted it all!

These were some of the mini plants I picked out. Aren't they cute? I could never have enough houseplants!

Later on that night we had dinner at my boyfriend's mother's house. I was in charge of dessert. Since his mom has Celiac I wanted to make things her and I could eat. I made my traditional tropical carrot cake with coconut cream cheese frosting that I have been making for years.  This time around I made them into cupcakes that were gluten free! They came out soooo yummy. I also cut the sugar a bit. Next time I want to make a dairy free frosting for these. If you want a good carrot cake recipe I highly recommend this one!!!

I also made a full size raw lemon raspberry cheesecake. 

This was the best raw dessert I've made so far. It was super easy and it got devoured by all. It's best stored in the freezer and served cold. 

There was only one piece left that I confiscated at the end of the night to take home!

Blog coming this week with all my good eats!