chewy cashew chocolate chip cookies

I'm always on the hunt for a good cookie recipe. However, trying to be gluten free can sometimes suck especially when I'm craving a chocolate chip cookie! Most gluten free cookies taste like they are lacking... Maybe in all purpose flour? Ha! I played with recipe a few times and successfully created this tasty cookie recipe that in my opinion tastes a lot like a basic chocolate chip cookie and definitely doesn't have any cashew flavor. I got the idea from a no flour peanut butter cookie recipe I've made before a few times who i originally got years ago from my grandma. 

Make these as soon as possible and tell me what you think! 

Chewy cashew butter cookies

No flour! Gluten free! 

Ingredients:

2 eggs

14oz roasted + salted cashew butter 

3/4 c packed brown sugar 

1 tsp baking soda 

1 rounded cup dark chocolate chips ( I used ghirardelli 60% cacao baking chips) 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees 

(I used my kitchen aid mixer)

Lightly beat eggs 

Add cashew butter and brown sugar and mix together until well incorporated 

Add baking soda and mix

Finally add chocolate chips and stir!

Plop golf ball sized spoonfuls of the sticky dough onto parchment paper at least 2 inches apart because the cookies will spread. 

Bake in oven 12 min or until edges are slightly brown. Cookies will look glossy! Don't over cook them... Unless of course you like a crunchy cookie 😋 

Let cool for 2 min then transfer to a rack to cool. 

Makes 24 cookies 

How to: Wrap Bracelets

Here is a short How To video on ways to wear your Bead + Chain multi-wrap bracelets (part 1)! Hope you enjoy it :)

How To: Wrap Bracelets YouTube

Bracelets used: Rose Gold & Teal

                            

                     

Memorial weekend Sale!

This Memorial Day weekend: Starting now (Thursday May 21) you will receive $25 off every $125 you spend on jewelry and fragrance (up to $100 off $500!), plus, a free gift with a purchase on orders of $100+, on top of FREE shipping. You can choose your gift from these six c+i favorites: Take Heart Drop Earrings (silver or gold), Take Heart Bracelet (silver or gold), Palm Royale Drop Earrings, or Leather + Crystal Wrap Bracelet. 

Shop my boutique in the link "Chloe + Isabel Boutique" above!

Hosting a Pop Up!

Interested in hosting a pop up shop? It is fun, easy, and rewarding to be a host! 

Set Goals: Create a wish list, so we can set goals for your pop up shop to earn your list for free!

Hostess only collection! 

The Details: Pick a time and date!

The Theme: We can brainstorm a theme for your pop up shop (Java + Jewels, Mimosas+Must haves, Jewelry makes me happy hour, and more!) Or you can simply host an online pop up shop... Pajamas and wine required ;) ha

   

Theme Ideas

The Guest list: Invite all your most kick ass supportive friends and family members. Ill help you with customizable invitations that can be emailed or printed!

Earn free jewelry for a special occasion coming up!

All of my hostesses and I have achieved over $1000 in sales in all of my pop up shops! Earning my hostesses exclusive pieces and jewelry credits! Your success is my success!

One Week Old!

We made it to the one week mark on Saturday! Things have been going smoothly. Im recovering well and Parker has been easy on us. He is nursing great and sleeping well. What more could you ask for from a newborn! Karson is taking in the new baby very well. He loves to hold him, and enjoys singing and dancing for Parker, lol.  It has been such a blessing watching Karson interact with him and his kindness to Parker is amazing.  Being a mom to a newborn and a (almost) 3 year old is quiet the transition, but I think Im getting the hang of it, ha!  Richard has been off all week and doesn't go back to work until next week! I don't know what I'm going to do when he goes back! It has been so nice having him home. I've been enjoying being surrounded by my boys everyday. 

Saturday we (EVAN) took Parker's newborn photos. I just wanted a few simple photos to have, and they came out great!

<< a few of my favorites >>

^sweetest photo ever ^

Happy Saturday, Parker!

Parker Gene Owens
born at 9:45 pm on August 16th, 2014
8 pounds 2 ounces; 21.5 inches long

//birth story//

Let me start by saying we like to think Karson knew the day Parker would be born. Last Sunday we had asked Karson when Parker would be here and usually he says "later" but Sunday he said "Saturday!" and then sure enough Saturday I was in labor and we asked him again when Parker was going to come and he said "Today!" and then followed with "Happy Saturday, Parker!" Wether he actually knew or it was just luck... we still think it is so funny!

SO... Friday night I was feeling really anxious and I was in a weird mood overall. I went to dinner and was having braxton hicks contractions (painless hardening of my belly) and went to bed late that night around 12:30am.  I woke up at about 3:30 with what felt like contractions, but I still wasn't sure because I had been having night labor for the past 3 weeks! So kept calm about it and tried to sleep. 

That morning we just kept in mellow and went out to breakfast and ran some errands. One of those errands being buying a new phone because Karson had broke mine that morning!

Around 1:30 I went to the restroom and lost my mucus plug. I officially got excited because then I knew I was in labor.  

Around 4pm my contractions started getting painful enough where I wasn't able to talk through them, but I was still in good spirits... talking and laughing in between them. My contractions at that time were about 7 minutes apart and only lasting 40-55 seconds. Around 6:30pm I let my doula know that my contractions were now 4 minutes apart but still only lasting 40-60 seconds and I was thinking of heading to the hospital since my doctor said to come when they were 5 minutes apart lasting at least a minute long. The original plan was she was going to meet me at the hospital, but she decided to come to the house and see if we should leave or not. (I didn't want to go to the hospital too early!) 

Once she got there around 7pm we maneuvered around the house doing different things trying to get my contractions to last longer (the theory being that they weren't lasting long enough and I probably wasn't dilated very much). Meanwhile my dad and brother and husband hung out and watched football. My contractions were pretty painful at that time, and I switched from smiling and talking between contractions to just silence and nervousness. I was laying on my bed when I decided it was either we leave now for the hospital or I wasn't going to be going anywhere... So we headed to the hospital at about 8:45! 

Richard and I got in my car, my doula in hers, and my mom and grandma in another and we all left to Pomerado Hospital in Poway (about 45 minutes from our house). As soon as I sat down in the car my labor shifted into gear and all of a sudden my contractions were 1-2 minutes apart. I wasn't freaking out at first, but then I started having "pushing contractions" and we were still in Temecula! I tried to keep it calm, but eventually told  Richie about 15 miles from home that I was having pushing contractions and I couldn't stop and then my water broke. So my poor husband started to panic and went from driving the speed limit to driving 90plus MPH. Over the phone my doula told me to breath fast and short during my contractions to help stop my pushing... which I did and it helped! 

We pulled up to the hospital at about 9:15. They wheel chaired up to my room right away and the nurses did an exam.... telling me I was only 6cm! I remember thinking NO WAY and panicked a little! I had to be 10cm! It didn't make sense to me and I felt so scared! So everyone was trying to get things together since they thought they had time... my husband left to park the car, my doula left to go get her birthing things, and my mom and grandma were still not in the room yet. At some point my husband and my mom and grandma were back in the room and I remember telling the nurse I was pushing. She told me not to because I wasn't dilated enough and would swell my cervix. --- WHATEVER lady! I kept letting my body push because I had no choice! Next thing I know I was yelling that his head was out, and my nurse came over to lift the sheet to see that YEP his head was coming out! Within the next 4 pushes Parker was out! My Doctor didn't make the labor, and my doula still hadn't made it back up to the room! 

They put Parker on my chest right away, cord still attached and placenta undelivered. 

My doula walked into the room a few minutes later and SURPRISE! Parker was born, haha. Her face was priceless. About a half hour after the birth Richard cut the cord and Parker started nursing. <3

An hour and half or so later, Parker was weighed and then the family got to hold him.

                  

                                         

My labor was from 3:30am-9:45pm... 18 hours long! It honestly went so quickly, and SO much better then Karson's birth! (Beside the fact of almost giving birth in the car haha)

The next morning Karson came to meet Parker! 

It was so sweet to see them meet for the first time.  Im still not sure what Karson thinks of Parker, but he was sweet to him... giving him his cars and touching his hair :)

We were released from the hospital around 3pm the next day! And I was so happy to be headed home!

Overall, I was able to have another successful natural birth. Thank you Lord for keeping Parker and I healthy and safe! ... Until next time! ...juuuust kiddding!

Pregnancy Questionnaire

Pregnancy!

How far along? 
Just about 38 weeks!
Total weight gain/loss:
A total of 35 pounds so far -whoops!
Maternity clothes? 
Yes, I love maternity cloths. Stretchy everything please!
Stretch marks?
Just a few new ones, to add to my old ones :/
Sleep:
Im starting to have a little insomnia these past few nights. But I sleep when I can, and Karson has so graciously been sleeping in every morning till 8/8:30, which helps a lot!
Best moment this week: 
Finding out I tested negative for the Group B Strep test. (I was positive with Karson) Now I don't have to worry about fighting with anyone about the antibiotics because I refused to take them again! I had a horrible experience with them last time.
Movement: 
He is pretty mellow! He is more of a roller then a puncher :) Totally different then Karson.
Food cravings: 
Banana bread! Hot cocoa! Goat cheese! 
Anything making you queasy or sick: 
I can smell everything... so some smells gross me out a little especially other peoples smells, ha. Weird I know.
Gender prediction: 
We already know it is a boy!
Labor Signs: 
Yes, I get night labor (wakes me up and then fades out by the morning) Preparing my cervix!
Belly Button in or out? 
It's out!
Wedding rings on or off? 
On, I don't have any swelling except occasionally in my feet and legs.
Happy or Moody most of the time:
Happy and Moody evenly! Im probably more moody being pregnant then when Im not though.
Weekly Wisdom:
Trying to enjoy my belly (because it will be my last!) Taking in all of Karson (he won't be the only little man in my life much longer) Enjoying being a family of 3 for the last time! Enjoying in indulging in the high calorie foods :) 
Milestones:
Considered full term, so if I deliver all will be well!