Hello friend! Today, we’re chatting about big dreams and the coffee that fueled them.

My Baby Turns Two!

Today, April 9th, my baby turns two – my book baby, that is. To date, working on The Gluten-Free Grains Cookbook is one of my biggest sources of pride. Creating the book in a very consolidated period of time pushed and stretched me beyond what I thought was possible. Whenever I start to doubt myself, I think back to those challenges and dig a little deeper.

I put so much thought and care into every step of the process from the outline, to the recipes, to the beautiful imagery in collaboration with my friend, Noah Purdy. It was a labor of love, and my hope has always been that the book results in more shared tables, conversations, and more inclusive menus. It’s a book rooted in curiosity and shared stories.

In the spirit of my book baby’s birthday…

***It’s Giveaway Time!***

It takes a LOT of coffee to fuel big dreams, and my cookbook was no exception. 

Fun fact: I put the finishing touches on my manuscript while caffeinating at the Commonplace Coffee in Squirrel Hill, which is why I’m excited to partner with them on a giveaway. 

In celebration of my book’s publishing anniversary, we’re giving away a market tote, a signed copy of my book, a bag of Kunjin Papua New Guinea coffee, and a CP hydro-flask, so you can fuel your big dreams too!  

To Enter:

• Head over to my Instagram account, to tag a fellow coffee-loving, ambitious friend below.
• Be sure to follow @commonplacecoffee and me, @withthegrains for a chance to win. 
• Must be local to Pittsburgh or Indiana, PA areas.
• The giveaway closes at midnight on Sunday, April 11th. I will contact the winner to arrange a pick-up of the giveaway at the cafe location of your choosing. 
• Instagram is in no way affiliated with this contest. 

A Peek Behind the Scenes

If you have cookbook dreams of your own or are just curious about the process, I break down the making of my book in this post. There were lots of highs and one yogurt disaster low. Sometimes you have to laugh at yourself. It’s all there.

Commonplace Coffee + Gluten-Free Coffee Cake

Why not add something sweet to the coffee-fueled dreaming, eh? How about a slice of Gluten-Free Coffee Cake with a Browned Butter Streusel? Share it with a friend, and let the dreaming and scheming commence.