treats for a recovering sugar addict – date sweetened ice cream

I stopped eating processed sugar – everything! honey, agave, evaporated cane sugar, coconut sugar, anything artificial – a year ago. Because I’m an addict. Truly.

For the most part all my sugar cravings have gone. Fresh fruit usually satisfies. But occasionally, I feel sorry for myself that I’m not eating what everyone else is eating and I want a “treat.”

So, I’ve been experimenting with date and raisin pastes to sweeten things. I recently made a date-sweetened homemade strawberry mango ice cream that was really yummy!

Soak pitted dates in enough warm water and juice from half a lemon to just cover the dates for 20 minutes, then purée in the blender. I substituted the date purée for sugar in my favorite ice cream recipe.

Note: this is a not a low calorie, low fat treat, nor am I claiming that it is particularly healthy. It just doesn’t have sugar. Indulge with discretion. Recipe contains dairy and eggs.

Strawberry Mango Ice Cream

1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced

2 ripe fresh mangoes, peeled and diced

3/4 cup date purée

juice of 1/2 lemon

Add date purée and juice of lemon to cut fruit. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Process fruit in a food processor to mash slightly (I like chunky ice cream, but not too chunky).

2 large fresh eggs*

3/4 cup date purée

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 cup whole milk

*raw eggs should not be served to the very old, the very young, or those whose health could be compromised

Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the date purée, a little at a time, until completely blended. Pour in the cream and milk and whisk to blend. Add the strawberry and mango purée. Transfer mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze following the manufacturer’s instructions.

 

free vintage crochet climbing trellis hexagon pot holder pattern

I have a potholder that my Grandma Mangum crocheted years ago and I’ve wanted to figure out the pattern for a long time. I finally recreated her pattern in no. 10 crochet cotton and a size 6 (1.80mm) steel crochet hook. It’s nice and thick and I love how it turned out! But it took longer than I thought a potholder should take to crochet.

So I used a thicker cotton crochet yarn – a size 3 or size 5 crochet cotton thread or a light dk cotton yarn keep the holes in the pattern pretty small and tight (important for a potholder!) – and a size C/2 (2.75mm) crochet hook to make the pattern a quick housewarming or bridal shower gift.

Vintage Climbing Trellis Hexagon Potholder

US Crochet Terms:

ch: chain

dc: double crochet

sc: single crochet

sl st: slip stitch

sp: space

Make a sliding loop or magic ring (go here or here for a good tutorial, or ch 4, sl st in first chain to close the ring). Ch 3 (counts as first dc here and throughout). Make 23 dc into ring. Tighten the ring and slip stitch into the top of the first ch 3 to close. (24 dc)

Row 1: Ch 3. 1 dc in the next 3 dc. Ch 2. (1 dc in the next 4 dc, ch 2) 5 times. Sl st in the top of first ch 3. Sl st in the next 3 dc and (attach new color yarn here if desired) then sl st into next ch-2 sp. (24 dc and 6 ch-2 sp)

Row 2: Ch 3. 2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc in same ch-2 sp. Ch 1. (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc in next ch-2 sp. Ch 1.) 5 times. Sl st in top of first ch 3. Sl st in next 2 dc and (attach new color yarn here if desired) then sl st into next ch-2 sp.

Row 3: Ch 3. 2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc in same ch-2 sp. 4 dc in next ch-1 sp. (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc into next ch-2 sp. 4 dc in next ch-1 sp.) 5 times. Sl st in top of first ch 3. Sl st in next 2 dc and (attach new color yarn here if desired) then sl st into next ch-2 sp.

Row 4: Ch 3. 2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc in same ch-2 sp. Skip next 3 dc. 1 dc in sp between skipped 3 dc and next 4 dc. 1 dc in next 4 dc. 1 dc in sp between previous 4 dc and next 3 dc. (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc in next ch-2 sp. Skip next 3 dc. 1 dc in sp between skipped 3 dc and next 4 dc. 1 dc in next 4 dc. 1 dc in sp between previous 4 dc and next 3 dc.) 5 times. Sl st in top of first ch 3. Sl st in next 2 dc and (attach new color yarn here if desired) then sl st into next ch-2 sp.

Row 5: Ch 3. 2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc in same ch-2 sp. Skip next 3 dc. 1 dc in sp between skipped 3 dc and the next 6 dc. 1 dc in next 6 dc. 1 dc in sp between previous 6 dc and next 3 dc. (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc in next ch-2 sp. Skip next 3 dc. 1 dc in sp between skipped 3 dc and next 6 dc. 1 dc in next 6 dc. 1 dc in sp between previous 6 dc and next 3 dc.) 5 times. Sl st in top of first ch 3. Sl st in next 2 dc and (attach new color yarn here if desired) then sl st into next ch-2 sp.

Row 6: Ch 3. 2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc in same ch-2 sp. Skip next 3 dc. 1 dc in sp between skipped 3 dc and the next 8 dc. 1 dc in next 8 dc. 1 dc in sp between previous 8 dc and next 3 dc. (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc in next ch-2 sp. Skip next 3 dc. 1 dc in sp between skipped 3 dc and next 8 dc. 1 dc in next 8 dc. 1 dc in sp between previous 8 dc and next 3 dc.) 5 times. Sl st in top of first ch 3. Sl st in next 2 dc and (attach new color yarn here if desired) then sl st into next ch-2 sp.

Continue to increase each row in like manner until hexagon reaches desired size (6″ across is a good potholder size). Make a second hexagon.

With wrong sides together and right sides facing out, sc the 2 hexagons together, finishing the edge with a shell or picot trim if desired and adding a loop at one corner.

Click here to visit my Ravelry project page.

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Cheers!

personal progress journal covers

I made a few of these white vinyl covers with a temple decal for the young women in our ward in preparation for girls camp next month. They fit over a Personal Progress journal.

There is a clear vinyl pocket inside the front cover so that the girls can insert a picture of themselves in front of the temple and a small pocket inside the back cover to keep their recommend. They were super easy to put together and with my fabric store coupons they were very inexpensive.

Click here for the template. Click here to purchase the journals.

Note: Investing in a walking foot attachment for your sewing machine is a must if you want to sew vinyl or machine stitch quilts. They usually run about $100, depending on what kind of sewing machine you use. Best attachment ever!

Difference without and with a walking foot attachment…

shawl crush

I’m seriously in love with Fanalaine’s shawl. I’m considering dropping every other single project I have in the works and devoting myself to it. It is utterly delightful. Maybe I’ll make it with this yarn, or this one? Or maybe I’ll pull out some vintage crochet cotton and have at it. Hmmm, I’m so distracted!

*fanalaine’s photos used with permission

knit baby cable sacque

Ahhh, I finally finished the baby cable sweater that matches my Knit Pixie Cable Hat. I’ve been working on it for the last eight months. I’m glad my sister, who commissioned it, has be a very patient patron. She’s watched as project after project was given precedence over this little thing.

I only had to rip out the top part 4 or 5 times before I got it right. That’s not TOO bad, right? I re-sized and adjusted a vintage pattern and now will re-write it to have it knit from the top down instead of from the bottom up. But not just yet.

It might take me a few months before I’m ready to wrap my brain around this pattern again. Yarn specifications can be found on my Ravelry project page.

slow progress

I haven’t blocked the sweater yet. It’s amazing to see the difference once it’s blocked – it will lay completely flat and the cables will pop!

It’s been slow going on this little baby sweater pattern. It will match my knit Pixie Cable Hat pattern (available here or here). I’ve started knitting it from the bottom up, but I think once I work out the dimensions for the shoulders and neck I’ll re-write the pattern to knit from the top down. What I’ve worked out so far is the easy part and I’m dragging my feet to  work out the hard shaping part. Sigh. It’s so cute and I want for it to be done, but I’m afraid of getting the dimensions wrong and having to rip out the stitches and re-work the rows. Moaning and complaining about it won’t make it easier. I’ll just have to buck up and finish!

warm weather

The Mr. and I took the kids south for the President’s Day weekend. {K} had a soccer tournament in St. George. It didn’t go so well for {K} and his team, but hey! we all enjoyed the break from work, school and freezing temperatures.

I’m not supposed to point out the fact that the Mr. is wearing his reading glasses on top of his sunglasses so that he can see his fishing line. Oh, it’s so sad to get old!

The Mr. hasn’t been out fishing all year. The poor Mr.! Too busy with work and family. It was pure heaven for him to stand in the sunshine and cast to his hearts content this weekend. It doesn’t bother him if nothing bites, he’s just glad to be outside with a fishing pole in his hand.

It’s interesting to note that {I} is the one that has received the fishing gene from his father and grandfather. He can’t sit still through church or school to save his life, but get him out fishing and he is calm and focused for hours. Magic.

I didn’t want red sand in my yarn so I stayed in the car to wind my skein of MadelineTosh Prairie lace weight yarn the old school way. I’ve been designing a child’s sweater pattern for months now (in betwixt all the distractions of the holidays) and have another sweater pattern swirling around in my head but the thought of bringing either of these projects, which require a tremendous amount of focus and attention, gave me heart palpitations. So I brought the MadelineTosh yarn I purchased at Loop Knit Lounge while in London and I got started on the Swoon sweater pattern found in Juju’s Loops.

Pure bliss.

Ravelry project page here.

sugar withdrawals and a danish heart tutorial that hasn’t happened yet

I bought this solid chocolate hand painted polka dot heart from Rococo Chocolates in London for the Mr. but I kind of don’t want him to eat it – it’s too cute!

London was so glorious and I had a lovely time! I’m in serious sugar withdrawals, though, now that I’m back home. AND Valentine’s Day is today. The torture!!  I’ve been trying to get a step by step picture tutorial of how to make a crocheted Danish Heart posted since a few people have found row 3 of the pattern a little bit tricky.

It will have to wait – we’re taking the kids to warmer climes this weekend and jetlag and the reality of three children and a household to run after being away for two weeks have conspired against me. When I get back…

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