Snickerdoodle Blondies (Vegan)

Ingredients: 
1 1/2 c. gluten-free oat flour
1 c. white or brown rice flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 T. + 1 t. cinnamon, divided
2/3 c. vegan margarine (i.e. Earth Balance) or organic butter, melted (Used coconut oil)
1 1/2 c. + 1 T. rapadura (sugar) divided
1 c. milk of choice
1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce (or sour cream)
1 t. vanilla extract
1/2 c. vanilla baking chips

Note: you can substitute all-purpose and/or whole wheat pastry flour for the flours if you do not care to make this recipe gluten free. You may need to shorten your baking time slightly.

Directions: 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease  a 9×13 inch pan.

In a large bowl, combine flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and 2 t. of cinnamon.

Cream together margarine or butter, 1 1/2 c. of sweetener of choice, milk, sour cream or applesauce and vanilla extract.

Slowly add dry ingrediants, mixing until incorporated. Fold in baking chips (I omitted).

Spread batter evenly in the bottom of the prepared baking pan.

In a small bowl, combine remaining 1 T. of sweetener and 2 t. of cinnamon. Sprinkle all over blondie batter.

Bake blondies for 30-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. I used oat flour and whole wheat flour and it took 30 min.  Allow blondies to cool in pan for at least 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

I found this receipe at Peas and Thank You and recommend you visit if you've not.

Mine is really dark as I didn't read the notes about cinnamon carefully enough. I will make this without the cinnamon as a  nice yellow cake.


Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Don't Play With Your Food

Age old Mommy Wisdom, "Don't play with your food," goes out the window at Co-co's Curry House.  Stacia loves to order pancakes.... They come plain, with a scoop of ice cream and a tube of icing. 

Food Artistry is a serious business!

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Misawa Traffic Jam

This sort of traffic jam is quite common out here where we live.....I thought about grabbing lunch from the back of the ubiquitous little white truck. 

Tractor, followed by little white trucks

The speed limit here is 40 kmph - 24.85 mph.

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Black Bean and Rice Stew

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup water (for sautéing)
1 large yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
2 ribs celery, diced
8 button or crimini mushrooms, chopped (used a small can I had)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1-1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon chili powder of your choice

3 cups water
3 cups diced tomatoes (or 2 15 oz cans - I used diced tomatoes with chilis)
2 cups cooked brown rice
3 cups cooked black beans (or 2 15-oz. cans, drained and rinsed)
1 large potato, cut into small cubes (I also threw in some sweet potatoes)

2 teaspoons fresh, minced oregano or ¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro or basil

Directions:

1. In a soup pot that is heated to medium-high, add onions and sauté them without water for a minute or two, keeping them moving with a wooden spoon (this draws out the natural sugars). Add a tablespoon of water now and then to avoid sticking and burning. Add the minced garlic and continue to sauté in the same manner for one minute.

2. Add to the pot: the celery, mushrooms, and herbs and spices (cumin, coriander, chili powder), and about ¼ cup of water, which will make the mixture more saucy. Sauté for another 2 minutes.

3. Add the 3 cups water, tomatoes, brown rice, beans, and potato. Cook at a low-medium boil for about 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally. Add in the fresh herb of your choice, and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and serve. Optional: garnish with fresh oregano (shown above) or some chopped cilantro or basil.

Makes 8 cups or 4 bowls. 

NOTES: This recipe is from Straight Up Food, and she has lots of notes you may want to read.   I think this made more for me than stated. Mine was spicy...but yummy. I added Tomatoes with Chilis and used spicy sweet potato fries chopped up (only way I have found sweet potatoes here).  I'll make this again.  

For more yummy eats click the recipe tab at the top of the blog. 

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Shotgun Update

A quick update as I've not blogged for over 2 weeks. 

I flew out 30 Oct to Nashville, TN for the PWOCI 2012 International Training Conference. I served on this year's Leadership Selection Team for the International Executive Board. This was an amazing learning opportunity for me. 

I flew home 6 November. I discovered I had brought an unwelcome bug of some sort home with me and could not get out of bed for a week. 

I got up yesterday. I'm on light schedule...but I am making it back to the land of the living. 

I've got many things on the blog schedule to update: conference, traveling, Christmas Shopping, Couples Retreat, Vegan lifestyle, Adult Gherkin updates, this land I love. 

In the meantime - here's a photo of me taken this a.m. It's true this plant eating lifestyle is agreeing with me. 44 pounds lost. I'm now below my "realistic goal" and only 8 lbs from my "goal" for weight loss in 2012.  I suspect I will reach somewhat lower before this is over, though Michael assures me eventually my body will know it's time to quit losing weight. ::snort::  The thing is there is no "maintenance" plan to this lifestyle....the eating style is the maintenance. That's a nice thing to know. ::snort::  I think if my body doesn't quit losing (which it will) I'd just add back more grains and a few more added sugar items.

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Cooking Dried beans

 This is the EASIEST way I've found to cook dried beans. Rinse them.  Put beans in a crock pot - add any savory pieces you want  (I usually throw in garlic). Cover with water (at least 2 inches above beans). Cook on low about 8 hours. Sometimes they are done at 5 or 6 hours.  Use what you need. I freeze in 1.5 C bags and when a recipe calls for a "can of beans" I'm ready to go. 

Choosing Joy!
©2013 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Almost Outta Here

What a day! It wasn't smooth or very pretty - it certainly wasn't as efficient as I like - but I'm packed and ready to head out in the a.m.  I had to get labs and the doc hadn't ordered them correctly. I ran errands, came back, they still weren't in. They had me wait for 5 min which turned to 20,  BUT WE GOT IT DONE!!!!! He wanted it done before Halloween and I won't be here on the 31st. In retrospect I really should have done it on Friday - my bad.

I went to make prints I need to take on the plane and had forgotten to load them on the flash drive. ::snort:: A great benefit to all this driving back and forth is I had downloaded quite a few podcasts and I  was entertained.

I'm packed - this may be a record to be packed the night before.  Every decision seems monumental when you've had as many unexpected extended trips as I have....but I finally just decided to throw things in and go for it. ::grin::

Michael showed true love by chasing me down with a plate of stir fry veggies topped with cashews. He told me to EAT...and I realized I'd not eaten today. Oops.

It was great to talk to Jared this a.m. Stacia ran errands with me. Good kids one and all. We're blessed.

I'm off for the PWOC International Training Conference in Nashville, TN.  It will be a full week. It will be a blessed week. It will be a refreshing week.

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...