Wooden Peg People (and Gluten-free, Sugar-free Treats).

Just a couple of weeks after embarking on the GAPS diet the kids were invited to two birthday parties. Not one. Two. Birthday parties were one of the only things I worried about with GAPS. My kids, hanging out with other kids and watching their friends eat cake and ice cream. Seemed like it would be less fun than, say, staying home and forgetting about the party all together. 

So we came up with our own solution. Today Lupine is off to one of her best friends' to celebrate her turning five. And we're bringing along our own snacks and treats – enough to share. We made a Key Lime Pie from the cookbook Internal Bliss, made with honey, fresh lime, coconut milk, macadamia nuts, and avocado (among other things). The flavor is unbelievable – creamy, rich, and tart.

We also made a batch of flax and sesame crackers to take along. Crispy and so delicious I had to cut off the kids so there would be some left to take to the party.

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The gift we put together is (in my opinion) super sweet too. Lupine selected five peg people from our wooden bits stash and dictated how they should be painted. "The mama dyed her hair pink, and her friend dyed her hair blue. And the big girl dyed hers pink, too. Oh, and they live on a boat."

So we found an old wooden boat in the garage, polished it up, and there you have it. Nothing says "Happy Fifth Birthday" quite like the punk rock boat people.

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21 thoughts on “Wooden Peg People (and Gluten-free, Sugar-free Treats).

  1. nannergirl says:

    I love the acorn hats on the peg people! I have several that are not painted yet. This would make a great Valentine’s gift for my girls. And the pies look delish! Glad to hear that you’re doing so well with the new way of eating.

  2. Alexandra says:

    Hi Rachel,

    oh that pie and crackers look so yumm. But I can help noticing something else: you are a really good photogropher! And not because you got two beautiful kids that look great in pics(or because you cook yummie pies); you really got an eye for good pictures. Keep them coming!

  3. Tammy says:

    Yes – would love the cracker recipe too! We’ve tried to make our own but they just don’t turn out crispy enough.
    Thanks for sharing!

  4. Tracey says:

    Really wasn’t sure about the GAPS diet you have been writing about, but after seeing the pie I am off to check it out. Hey, I might even eat meat [well, maybe] which would thrill the men in my home.
    Warmly,
    Tracey

  5. Rachel Wolf says:

    Thanks so much, Alexandra! When I was a kid all I wanted to do was make photographs. I always intended to grow up and become a photographer for National Geographic. Well, this isnt exactly NG but enjoy making art in my kitchen in this way. Thanks for the compliment.

    Blessings,
    Rachel

  6. Rachel Wolf says:

    Nahuatl,
    Because Lupine wanted to give them with a boat I wanted them to be waterproof so I sprayed them with a matte/clear spray paint. If they were not intended for water play I would leave as is or rub with a mix of beeswax and jojoba oil (1 to 1 ratio).

    Blessings,
    Rachel

  7. Mary says:

    Thanks for the inspiring post… We are trying to decrease the gluten here, and sometimes, it feels too hard, with friends/parties, etc… I also love the peg people! Those acorn caps… too… sweet!

  8. Rachel Wolf says:

    Mary,
    My goal was to bring something yummier than any gluten food that might be served. And we pulled it off. She loved what she had to eat and so did the other kids. If you must know a second key lime pie is lurking in my freezer for tonight…

    🙂
    Rachel

  9. denise says:

    awesome gift! we love making peg people.

    i would never have to worry about that at parties (if they were ever invited to any – ha! ;p) – my boys hate cake and ice cream. and party food. although we do have to pack our own food!

  10. Kari says:

    Another gift idea. I saw somewhere they packaged peg people with a rubber ball and it was called something bowling. So you stand up the peg people and use the ball to knock them over. Looked like a fun idea!

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