I’m always looking for semi-healthy snacks for the kids- things that are not processed and full of sugar. We eat loads of fruit, but I like having chewy and crunchy things to munch on too.

I’ve also been experimenting with sugar alternatives like brown rice syrup. I already use maple syrup and agave nectar here and there and try to use them more in my baking.

I’ve had this recipe for “sports bars” from a Bon Appetite magazine circa 2002. The original recipe calls for corn syrup, which I substituted with brown rice syrup and agave. The results were excellent. The kids love them too. Of course, they would prefer if I put chocolate chips in them too.

Here is the recipe:
3 cups puffed whole grain cereal (such as Kashi)
1/2 cup nuts (any kind, I used cashews & sunflower seeds because that’s what I had)
1/2 – 3/4 cup assorted dried fruit (I used chopped apricots & golden raisins)
1/3 cup creamy nut butter (peanut, almond, sunflower or cashew – any kind will work)
1/4 cup agave (or honey)
1/4 cup brown rice syrup

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F.  Coat 9-inch square metal baking pan with oil, margarine or butter.  Mix cereal, nuts and dried fruit in medium bowl.  Combine nut butter, agave & brown rice syrup in heavy small saucepan.  Bring to boil, whisking constantly until mixture bubbles vigorously and thickens slightly, about 1 minute.  Pour peanut butter mixture over cereal mixture in bowl; stir to blend.  Transfer mixture to prepared pan; press to compact.  Bake until just golden around edges, about 8-10 minutes.  Cool completely.  Cut into bars.   Store in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature.

Enjoy!!

I made bread today using this recipe, as per all buttoned up. Not surprisingly, it’s halfway gone already. Two hungry boys and one hungry man will do that to a loaf (or two).

I made these same modifications, but used brown rice syrup as the sweetener because I didn’t have enough of anything else. Oh wait, I did have maple syrup. That probably would have worked too.

It came out deliciously wonderful. I made one regular loaf and one cinnamon raisin by rolling one into a long rectangle and spreading on earth balance with a bit of brown sugar, cinnamon and raisins. Divine.

I have put the bread away, trying to save a bit for tomorrow, and maybe even Monday (wishful thinking). Already there have been requests for more future bakings.

I’ve been quiet over here.  I’v been immersing myself in the Mondo Beyondo experience and feeling a tad overwhelmed by my own dreams. It’s okay though. I feel I am growing.  Trying to let go of unwanted baggage and opening myself up to the unknown.   Scary, but at the same time very exciting. I am learning so much in this e-course, mostly about myself and how to manage my fears, my anxiety, my critical voice.  It’s everything I expected and so much more.

I’m also reading my new books having a hard time focusing on much else.  My cold house (my husband will laugh- he’s warm, I’m cold) is making me sluggish, slow to move. I think I inherited a cold gene. I just want to sit with a book and my layers and layers of clothes–not moving–which is exactly what I SHOULDn’t be doing.  But, I’m keeping warm with my tea and some deeply warming soup.  Here is the recipe in case you need some warming up too.

Handful of dried wild mushrooms (Trader Joe’s has a great mix)
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped,
1 inch of peeled ginger root
1 tbsp mellow yellow Miso
1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
1 tsp onion powder
Udon noodles
1 handful of baby spinach leaves

Bring 4 cups water to a boil, add everything except noodles and spinach. Turn heat down to simmer, add noodles. Simmer for 8-12 minutes testing noodles for doneness. Remove ginger piece and add one handful of spinach. Simmer for 1 more minute. Serve & enjoy.

I’ve had this incredible desire to knit, which I’ve only done a teeny bit of.  Mostly I crochet.  My first project was a beanie, on the round.  It wasn’t as scary as I thought it would be.  You Tube helped a whole bunch.  First I watched this, then I accidentally dropped a stitch and found this.  Thank goodness! I thought all was lost. I am half way through my second beanie now.

Then I had to make this delicious popcorn.  My first attempt was disasterous. I used a very heavy bottomed pan which kept cooking the syrup after I turned off the heat, making it burn all too quickly.  The second batch was much better, but oh so close to becoming burnt like the first. Next time I will add some nuts and watch it very, very closely.  Yes, there will be a next time…

Prepping for a tamale dinner with our friends.  Vegetarian & vegan tamales. Some with cheese, some with mushrooms and some with zucchini.

Drinks: Cranberry Ginger Shrub cocktails, adapted from Vegan Knitting

Combine 1 cups cranberries, 1/2 cup coursely shopped and peeled ginger in sauce pan with 2 cups apple cider vinegar.  Bring to boil and then pour everything into glass bowl with lid.  Allow to sit for at least 24 hours.  Next day, strain mixture into saucepan with 1 1′2 cups sugar, juice and zest of one lemon and 1 orange.  Bring to boil then simmer for 5 minutes. Allow to cool and pour into bottle.

Mix with club soda 1:1 and add a shot of vodka for a nice yummy cocktail.

Cookies for dessert. They are mostly from Isa’s new book, but a couple of the recipes are available on her site. I made our favorite Anzac biscuits, Mexican Hot Chocolate Snickerdoodles, Peanut Butter Chocolate Pillows (to die for!!), gingerbread snaps(not shown), and Kahlua BonBons.  All vegan of course. You can click on the links to see the recipes.

The bonbons I made myself, modified a recipe I saw in a magazine and had tucked away in my head. They were easy, no bakes dipped in chocolate and drizzled with coffee flavored icing. YUM!

Chocolate Kahlua Bonbons

20 chocolate sandwich cookies with cream filling (oreos or Jojo’s)
1 1/2 cup roasted pecans, walnuts & almonds
2-3 tablespoons Kahlua, coffee flavored liquor or strong coffee.
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp maple syrup

Pulse cookies & nuts in food processor to a fine crumb. Add everything else and pulse to combine.  Shape mixture into 1″ balls. Place on plate and pop into freezer for 1 hour.  After the 1 hours is complete, melt 1 cup chocolate chips with 2 tsp shortening.  Dip balls and place on plate.  Drizzle with a mixture of 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 1-2 tsp strong coffee or Kahlua.

Enjoy!!

Here is wood block no. 1 for Art Every Day (AED). I really enjoyed working with this small 5.5″ x 5.5″ size. It’s  fun, fun, fun!  I used pieces of paper, stamps, acrylic paint, artist paintstiks, colored pencils and a teeny bit of iridescent paint for the wings. I had made a list of ideas for these small mixed-media pieces but now I can’t find it.  I hope I can remember.

I probably won’t make another piece of art for another week.  I have the next couple of days to get ready for my trip to Oregon, in which I will be working and hopefully finishing up some sewing projects. Nothing like last minute sewing projects. Then I will be in Oregon Thursday through Sunday. Yippee!!  So maybe Monday or Tuesday I will be able to paint again.

I made a pear cake today too. I needed to use up some very ripe pears and found this yummy recipe with vegan options. How nice.  It is very yummy, but the boys won’t eat it!!  More for me I guess.

butternut squash potage ~ recipe found HERE

I have felt on the verge of getting sick for the last several days.  Mostly I’m tired with a bit of sneezing. No flu symptoms, thank goodness.   I’ve been working really hard to take good care of myself with lots of veggies, soup, tea and rest.  I absolutely cannot get sick.  I am going to Eugene, Oregon next week to see my sister and her family.  Just me with no hubby and no kids.  I haven’t gone anywhere by myself in ages.  It will be strange, but I am super excited.

So, to keep me happy and well for my visit I’ve been reading my new magazines, eating some yummy soup and drinking lots of tea. Plus lots of positive thinking, rest and use of my neti pot for good measure.  Oh, don’t forget lots of hand washing- especially when I am at work. Body+Soul Magazine has a great immunity tea recipe along with a great list of healthy food, herbs & tips.  The Stitch Magazine, in all its sewing awesomeness, is just creative food for the soul.

Here are some great links to things that have been helping me make good conscious choices about my health. I believe completely in the connection of mind-body-spirit and think that actively participating in all aspects of your own personal health is key to truly being healthy.

* Maya*made has a nice list of healthy child reference books.
* Kitchen Cures  on MS (video)
* Sustainable Food Choices with Micheal Pollan on MS (video)
* Botany of Desire on PBS (video) a fascinating look at apples, potatoes, tulips and marijuana.
* Dr. Weil’s Cough & Cold Kit for Children(pdf)

I’d love to read Michael Pollan’s new book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma for Kids: The Secrets Behind What you Eat. I have a tendency to worry about everything I put in the kid’s mouth, lungs and on their skin too. Fortunately, Super E’s school is on the same track with helping the kids understand healthy food choices and safe hygeine.   Hopefully it will all payoff through out the cold season.

I think almonds are my favorite nut, but I won’t refuse a handful of cashew, pistachios or macadamia nuts.  Pecans and walnuts make it into many of my meals too.  Almonds though, are my savior.  I always have some in my bag for work.  They are quick and easy energy for those times I can’t get to my lunch in a timely manner. I also love the yummy milk they make.  It’s my milk of choice, for my cereal, smoothies, tea and baking recipes.

I recently read this great post about making your own almond milk.  I had no idea it was so easy.  Very cost effective and more nutritious as well (no weird additives).  Novel Eats has a great break down of cost too.

I only used a half cup of almonds, just to try it out.  It made about 3 1/2 cups of milk.  After straining you are left with the almond meal, which I didn’t want to waste.  So, I decided that it would make a great face scrub.  You can use it on its own by putting a small amount in your hand plain or with a couple of drops of honey and add a bit of water.  Make a paste and scrub up your pretty face.

I made my own yummy smelling scrub instead. Here’s my recipe (modified from Family Herbal):

1/4 cup almond meal (from the almond milk making process or you can use dry by grinding up some raw almonds in a food processor)
1 tablespoon white kaolin clay
1 tablespoon oatmeal
1 heaping teaspoon  dried lavender
1 heaping teaspoon crushed dry rose petals
1/2 tsp poppy seeds

Combine oats, lavender and rose petals in a food processor or coffee grinder and grind up to a fine/course consistency.  Mix with almond meal, poppy seeds and clay until thoroughly combined.  Keep in an airtight  container in your fridge. If using all dry ingredients, refrigeration is not necessary. Use a small amount and add a bit of water to make a paste.  Add a few drops of honey for added moisturizing benefits.

This scrub smells heavenly!  I’ve been using it everyday for the last 4 days and my skins feels soft and nurished.  I will definitely be making more of this.

This is my new favorite afternoon pick-me-up drink.  I discovered Mayan Cocoa Spice tea (Yogi brand) recently at the store and it was exactly what I needed.  Similar to Chai, it has a yummy spiced flavor but with chocolaty notes.  Smooth and very tasty.  Because it only has 5mg of caffeine, I added some black tea for that extra kick I usually need in the afternoon.

Here is my recipe:

1 Mayan Cocoa Spice tea bag
1 Black tea bag (I use PG tips)
agave nectar (or sugar) to taste
ice
vanilla almond milk to taste

Steep teas in 1 cup hot water for 10-15 minutes.  Strain tea bags.  If using crystallized sugar, add when tea is hot so that it will dissolve easily.  Allow to cool by placing tea into the fridge or freezer for a short time.  Add ice and a bit of almond milk (or milk of choice).

Leave out the black tea (PG tips) if you would like less caffeine or for a warm evening drink.  So good!

The spiced tea helped me get through this painting that I’ve been working on for a few days.  It’s the hand that stumped me.  I just couldn’t get it right. I worked it out, finally.  I’ll have to think twice the next time I decide I want hands in my paintings. I guess I should have learned the first time, which also took me forever to get!

Hearts starve as well as bodies; give us bread, but give us roses. — James Oppenheim, “Bread and Roses”

This is the first of three recipes using rose petals (hopefully).  I have 21 rose bushes, about 12 different varieties- all came with the house when we bought it and we are just now getting the hang of taking care of them.  We had originally planned on digging them up because they are big water users, which doesn’t bode well for desert living.  Unfortunately, their sweet scent and beautiful color keep us hanging on, waiting for the next wonderful bloom.

So what do you do with 21 rose bushes and hundreds of roses?  Make stuff with them of course.  Rose petal jelly being on the top of the list.

This is a great gift (maybe a Mother’s day gift?).  The scent is amazing as well as the flavor.  Tea and toast with a bit of rose petal jelly.  Doesn’t that sound just divine?  Well it is.

Making rose petal jelly is really pretty easy, just a little time consuming. Here’s how to do it:

First, get your hands on some roses.  If you don’t have rose bushes, then maybe an aunt or Grandma’s garden or a neighbors.  Make sure they have not been treated with pesticides. They should be fresh, the tops firm to the touch and they should smell delicious.  Depending on the size of the roses, you may need 12 large (size of you hand) or 18-24 small (size of your palm of smaller). Pick your roses and give them a good shake.  The dead petals will fall as well as those teeny little critters. Keep the stems in water until you are ready to use them, which should be sooner than later.

Once you’re home with your roses, rinse in water and remove petals . Put petals aside in a large bowl.

You’ll need:

3-4 cups of packed rose petals
4 cups of water
4 cups sugar
Juice of one lemon
I sprig of mint (optional)
1 box of pectin
strainer
Sterilized jars (32-40 ounces worth, ie: ten -4 oz or five 8 oz)

1.  Place rose petals in a large sauce pan, cover with water. Bring to boil, and simmer for 5 minutes.  Turn off heat and cover with lid. Allow to steep for 60 minutes. Add the mint during the last 15 minutes.

2.  When rose/mint water has steeped, strain.

3.  Add the juice of one lemon and watch the murky brownish-pink water turn bright pink.

4.  Pour back into sauce pan and turn heat on high.  Stir in pectin and stir until dissolved.

5.  Add sugar to boiling mixture. Boil for 3 minutes, stirring continuously.

6.  Transfer the jelly to hot, sterilized glasses and seal according to manufacturer’s suggestions.

Making rose petal syrup is very similar to this.  Just leave out the pectin.  Syrup is really yummy on vanilla  ice cream, in your tea, on pancakes and as rose petal margaritas!!! YUM!

Enjoy!!