Tuesday, February 14, 2012

This Guy...

Anyone out there think they have the best husband in the whole wide world?

Ah, sorry ladies and gentlemen.  You're wrong!  I snagged him up before any of you could.  Ha ha! Lucky me!  He's mine, all mine.

He's this guy...


He's also this guy...



And this guy...


He's also the guy that shovels the snow, mows the lawn, eats all the cookies (true story) and does ALL the driving (even that 18 hour road trip from Montana to Minnesota.  All.)  He goes to grad school full time, serves as a 2nd Lieutenant with the National Guard, hangs with Anna during the day while I work, often has dinner cooking when I get home and still manages to find time to snuggle up with me and have a glass of wine at the end of the day.

He's sweet, he's funny, he is compassionate, handsome, adorable, clever, hardworking and laughs so infectiously that it would make Oscar the Grouch smile.

He is the most amazing dad to Anna.  Man, those two are a pair.  My heart aches with joy and pride when I watch them together.  He is impossibly patient with her.  He teaches, he guides, he keeps her safe, keeps her smiling.

He is my best friend in the whole wide world.  I still get butterflies in my stomach when he calls me.  I cannot wait to get home at the end of the day and wrap myself up in his arms.  I know how lucky I am...I do.

So, even though we've never been big Valentine's Day celebrants, this is my love letter to you, today and everyday.  You are an amazing man Mace and I am honored to be married to you. Thank you for picking me.

As a tribute to my darlin' and Valentine's Day, I present to you these awesome heart healthy cookies.  I found these on Amy's blog over at Gastronome Tart and fell in love.  Still love you more Mace, but these are pretty darn good.



Oatmeal Quinoa (Heart) Cookie
Adapted from Gastronome Tart

Makes one giant heart cookie (or 12 regular cookies)

1/2 cup pecans
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup quinoa, cooked
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup honey
2 egg whites
1/4 tsp kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350F.  Toast pecans for 4-5 minutes or until lightly brown and fragrant.  Cool slightly then roughly chop.

Add pecans, oats, quinoa, cranberries, vanilla and honey in a large bowl, stirring to combine.  Whisk the egg whites and salt in a small bowl until foamy and then pour over oat mixture, stirring to thoroughly combine.

Scoop entire mixture onto a parchment lined baking sheet and shape into a large heart. Alternatively, scoop handfuls out and form into large balls and place on cookie sheet.

Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.  Cut into pieces and...

Eat it!!





Posted by at
Labels: , , , , ,

39 comments:

  1. grubarazziFebruary 14, 2012 at 12:00 PM

    Oh my goodness. This is the sweetest post ever. xo.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jackie @ Domestic FitsFebruary 14, 2012 at 12:27 PM

    What a sweet Valentines day post! Your daughter is going to love reading this someday :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Serena Bakes Simply From ScratchFebruary 14, 2012 at 1:40 PM

    How sweet! Amazing husbands are hard to come by but I too have been blessed with one of those! Have a wonderful Valentines Day! Xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  4. RachelFebruary 14, 2012 at 2:21 PM

    A very sweet post indeed!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Judit & Corina @WineDineDailyFebruary 14, 2012 at 2:30 PM

    What a lovely tribute! Wishing you an enchanting Valentine's Day :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. TinaRBKFebruary 14, 2012 at 2:48 PM

    The other half does have a way of making every day a lot more special! This is a sweet tribute to your husband. Wishing you two the best!
    Also, I must have missed the first post on this-grains plus fruit says tasty as well as healthy to me and that is a good thing!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Crunchy Creamy SweetFebruary 14, 2012 at 3:35 PM

    Awww, what a beautiful post! You made me cry, Maggie! :) Happy Valentine's Day! Hugs!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Kiri W.February 14, 2012 at 4:51 PM

    Awww, congratulations! Cute post!
    And looks so yummy!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Katie @ OhShineOnFebruary 14, 2012 at 6:25 PM

    I LOVE this recipe! I've begun using quinoa in sweeter recipes and am always so thrilled with the results. This is definitely making in on my recipe list!

    ReplyDelete
  10. PennieFebruary 14, 2012 at 6:29 PM

    Ok. Tears welling up in my eyes. How romantic and lovely (yes, lovely!). Mace sounds like an incredible man, but I think he is lucky to have you too. And I have a feeling he knows that already. Happy Valentine's Day. Oh, and the cookies look wonderful, too.

    ReplyDelete
  11. EmilyFebruary 14, 2012 at 6:45 PM

    What a great guy and a super nice post. Happy Valentine's Day!

    ReplyDelete
  12. April @ Ape's EatsFebruary 14, 2012 at 8:28 PM

    This is adorable, it sounds like you are the luckiest girl in the world, glad you have found this happiness :)

    and quinona in cookies, very interesting.

    Happy Valentines Day!!!!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  13. AnonymousFebruary 14, 2012 at 8:54 PM

    **sigh** I loved this post! I think Mace feels he's a pretty luck fella....Happy Valentines Day!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Laura @ Sprint 2 the TableFebruary 14, 2012 at 8:55 PM

    SUch a sweet tribute! The post AND the cookies. :)

    I need to get on board with quinoa cookies soon - everybody's doing it! DO you like them as much as "regular" cookies?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MaggieFebruary 15, 2012 at 8:48 AM

      They aren't really like a regular cookie...they're more of a granola bar consistency so...no not as much as a real cookie, but they're a good hearty delicious snack for sure!

      Delete
  15. Adrienne @ Apples n AdrienneFebruary 14, 2012 at 10:00 PM

    Aww.. how sweet :)
    And quinoa in cookies!I must try that recipe!

    Adrienne @ Apples n Adrienne

    ReplyDelete
  16. AlyssaFebruary 15, 2012 at 3:22 AM

    Very sweet! My husaband does the driving too (although he loves road trips, me not so much!) I love the giant cookie, it's very pretty and healthy too! I haven't found any quinoa out here but I've heard Amazon will ship it here to FPO's. I friend and I are going to go half on a bag and I'm adding this recipe to the list of ones I'm dying to make with it. I hope you had a happy Valentine's day. It's always nice to spend them together when he could be far away.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Cheryl and Adam @ pictureperfectmeals.comFebruary 15, 2012 at 8:54 AM

    A very happy - belated - Valentine's Day to you both. It's so wonderful to see happy and solid relationships. Nothing is better to celebrate, really! We're lucky that way, too. We've had plenty of Oatmeal cookies but never one with quinoa. Nice addition to the classic. Look forward to trying it!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Britne @ Shabbott's HabitsFebruary 15, 2012 at 10:18 AM

    What a sweet post, although I would argue that I have the best hubby in the world ;)
    Love these healthy cookies. I've never thought about using quinoa in a cookie - but I have now! Thanks for sharing a bit about yourself and your family in addition to this wonderful recipe.

    ReplyDelete
  19. SarahFebruary 15, 2012 at 10:34 AM

    OH my goodness, this was the sweetest post! It made my cynical little valentines heart totally melt! Lovely recipe too!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Steve @ the Black PeppercornFebruary 15, 2012 at 10:46 AM

    Always love a nice tribute!

    ReplyDelete
  21. claire @ the realistic nutritionistFebruary 15, 2012 at 11:12 AM

    Awwwwww, this is so sweet!!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Cucina49February 15, 2012 at 1:53 PM

    What a sweet tribute to your husband--and I love that first photo of him!

    ReplyDelete
  23. MonetFebruary 15, 2012 at 3:02 PM

    Happy Valentine's Day! What a great dedication post. Just loved it. Thank you for sharing...and thank you for visiting my blog. It brightens my day to hear from you! Hugs and love from Austin.

    ReplyDelete
  24. RavieNomNomsFebruary 15, 2012 at 3:11 PM

    Oh how I love quinoa! Thanks for sharing :-)

    ReplyDelete
  25. shannonFebruary 15, 2012 at 3:36 PM

    what an adorable post! with all the sweet v-day posts to husbands out there from my blogger friends, i'm beginning to hope mr. table doesn't start to wonder where HIS post is... :) and i love the idea of quinoa cookies, too...SO going to try making this. looks delish, thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Ana HelenaFebruary 15, 2012 at 4:01 PM

    Your recipe looks so delicious. Love all the ingredients in it. I am always looking for healthy recipes, and your is a very healthy one! I love your post! Your husband is a gift from above, you are a very blessed woman. I have a feeling that he feels the same about you:)

    ReplyDelete
  27. Erin @ Dinners, Dishes and DessertsFebruary 15, 2012 at 4:31 PM

    Can I have your husband? Just kidding, I love mine, but what a great post!

    Hope you had a great Valentine's Day!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Stephanie @ Eat. Drink. Love.February 15, 2012 at 9:01 PM

    Awwww, this is so sweet!! He sounds like a great guy and you are lucky to have each other! I love your quinoa cookies! I'm always looking for new ways to cook with it!

    ReplyDelete
  29. AbbyFebruary 16, 2012 at 6:34 AM

    Oh yum it's like a granola-cookie with quinoa...kind of blowing my mind over here haha! And love your story, your happiness is heartwarming to everyone who reads this.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Liz That Skinny Chick Can BakeFebruary 16, 2012 at 4:28 PM

    Oh, what a sweet post dedicated to your husband! I'm sure he loved these cookies as they sound like excellent oatmeal cookies with the bonus of quiona....mmmmmm.

    ReplyDelete
  31. The Cooking ActressFebruary 16, 2012 at 5:19 PM

    The sweetest! I'm so glad that you are so happy. That's what it's all about <3

    ReplyDelete
  32. ShannonFebruary 17, 2012 at 2:59 AM

    What a sweet post! :) You are one lucky woman!

    I wanted to thank you SO SO much for your very sweet comment on my blog post "Anorexic to Fit". It really means a lot to me!

    ReplyDelete
  33. Angie's RecipesFebruary 17, 2012 at 7:23 AM

    What a SWEET and WONDERFUL post! The giant heart cookie looks marvelous.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Eating DeliciouslyFebruary 17, 2012 at 8:41 AM

    Such a sweet post!

    ReplyDelete
  35. Missy ~ February 17, 2012 at 9:39 PM

    Happy Valentines to one of my favorite Montanans. What a sweet post! I am so glad I have you linked to my blog as a "favorite" :-)

    ReplyDelete
  36. kaleFebruary 18, 2012 at 4:03 PM

    Beautiful words from a beautiful wife. Lovely words to one who does seem to be a pretty amazing husband to you! I have a feeling he considers himself the blessed one, too. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  37. AmyFebruary 21, 2012 at 12:05 PM

    Love how you made it into a heart Maggie! Looks fantastic!

    ReplyDelete
  38. AnonymousMarch 1, 2012 at 1:04 PM

    FROM Molly in PA: While I do think Mace is pretty terrific, I think Raj could give him a run for his money--just sayin'.

    It's wonderful that you still feel this way. You two are an amazing couple. You three are an amazing family.

    ReplyDelete

I love hearing your feedback! So if you have got something to say, cook it to me here:

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)