Peanut Butter Chocolate "Larabars" (vegan)

Nolan likes Peanut Butter Chocolate Larabars....I attempted to make some today as our Vitacost order isn't in. My family loved these. I adapted a couple of recipes. 

Ingredients

8 oz pitted dates (2 C)

1/2 C peanuts

2 T natural peanut butter

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

1/3 C chocolate

water - as needed added 1 tsp at a time

Directions

Combine dates and peanuts in food processor - blend until they form a paste

Add in peanut butter, salt (omit if peanuts are salted) and vanilla. 

If it appears to crumbly to press into a bar; add a tsp of water. I only needed one. 

Add chocolate

Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper for ease of cutting and clean up. 

Plop dough in the middle of pan...press out firmly...pack it DOWN....starting in the center...

Freeze at least 15 min and cut. I wrap individually for taking on the road...but you don't have too. These can be stored in the fridge or freezer....

Arielle has liked other bars I've made...but EVERYONE loved these. Everyone. I think they are a bit sweet and was talking about decreasing the dates or increasing the peanuts and cutting back on the chocolate....and Michael said, "Why do you do that? We like them." Ok - then. LOL 

I would suspect the nutritional value is similar to Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Lara Bars, I posted last week. More fat and a bit more protein is my guess. 

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

Shougatsu

Shougatsu is the Japanese New Year Festival. Today we went to the Misawa International Center for Shougatsu after church.

First on the agenda were speeches from base officials, city officials, MIC officials....and then Mochi Pounding. Mochi - is pounded sweet rice cakes....

Stacia was at the front of the line and was surprised at how heavy the pounding stick is. 

Tastes much better than it looks

Lawson loves Mochi

Next we learned how to roll sushi. I have to be really careful of shell fish. He had told me the meat was not crab  - but imitation crab. This is me trying to ask WHAT it was - cod. This really was good and I use to hate it all....I skipped the fish and egg...but the daikon, cucumber and mushrooms were great wrapped in rice and seaweed.

Zander is tutored on how to properly play with the Japanese toys. He loved it.....

so did Stacia!

Arielle tried to avoid the Master Calligraphers. She wasn't in the mood...but .... and when she got a chance she snuck away....he came and found me and stamped her work, "Very, very good," he said.

This lady came as a Navy spouse to Misawa. They liked it here, got out, stayed here and have been here for 24 years. She shows the girls how to play the Koto.....

This is a traditional instrument that plays traditional music and they  really thought Arielle should take lessons. She'd like to.....we only have 5 1/2 months left...not sure how practical that is. 

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

Happy Birthday to MOI....

I have not been avoiding blogging about my birthday because I'm a year older. I welcome another year. I'm thrilled to be approaching 50. I figure when I hit 50 I WILL be respectable. ::snort::  I have not blogged because my birthday this year was a 3 Day Event and I needed it to happen before blogging. 

Last year I was traveling on my birthday. Due to wild schedules, unexpected surgeries and LIFE - we never celebrated it. My family has raised the bar high this year. So....my birthday post: 

De'Etta's Birthday Day 1 - Jan 24th - the day in Japan 
We did school.  I enjoyed many Facebook greetings. I Skyped with Jared. Christina and her boys came over and we discussed the first 5 chapters of Desperate: Hope for the Mom Who Needs to Breathe, by Sarah Mae and Sally Clarkson.  She gave me a super cute Flirty Apron and we had a great time connecting. Michael worked late. Akikosan came over and brought something that looks like Moon Pies but are filled with ice cream. I have an "Akiko" rule to all fasting and eating lifestyles. If she brings something over not on my plan I eat it any way.  I appreciated her birthday treat. 

De'Etta's Birthday  Day 2 - Jan 25th - the day in America
We did school. I replied to even more Facebook greetings. I am richly blessed and enjoyed touching base with many I don't hear from often....as well as those I do connect with on a more regular basis. ::grin::  Marvie and Ashley came over for the afternoon. I so enjoyed our visit....and had a breakthrough sparked by a comment of Marvie's. Friendships are such great "sharpening tools" in the hand of the Master. Marvie gave me a gorgeous candle holder with a quote about friendship. It will remind me of her every time I see it.

Michael came home for dinner and then we had GIFTS....lots of fun gifts.....

Arielle knitted socks - and they are WARM

Nolan got me a good read...The China Study 

As I journal my way to freedom I am tearing up our stack of blank journals. Stacia blessed me with a  new journal covered in  cherry blossoms - perfect for journaling while in Japan. 

Fun card full of coupons from all for deep cleaning, organizing and more

Zander got me a necklace with a tree that says "Be Strong and Courageous" - our family vision for the year is "Live courageously." 

Arielle bought me this Kanji symbol for "courage."  This is an encouragement, affirmation and challenge all rolled into one. Those who have followed my journey to freedom from food addiction know there came a point where I felt God let me know He calls me courageous...and I'm simply to follow Him - with courage. Yeah - before the family had a 2013 focus....God certainly works it all together well when He has a message to impress.  This will always remind me of freedom, God's care and Japan. 

Michael gifted me with 3 coupons for rides to the onsen (yes), a coupon for a spa pedicure (YES), and a sturdy silver chain. I also have a new laptop sitting beside my desk which I need to start using one day soon....but what will I do without a computer that snaps, crackles, pops and goes black? ::snort:: 

The birthday cake was a dilemma  I could have made a vegan cake...but the family REALLY likes ice cream cakes....and so I told them to make an ice cream cake and I'd have yonanas. I DO plan to be a nutritarian, but at this point, well...you don't give an alcoholic a drink do you? I need to be careful with trigger foods.  I was SERIOUSLY fine with them picking the flavors and making a cake for themselves. I've been having yonanas instead of ice cream for months.  I left them to decide on flavors....and they decided to ALL have yonanas with me. We did add some mini Reeses cups. 

De'Etta's Birthday Day 3  - Jan 26th
It is also our family tradition for the birthday person to choose dinner. Most often a favorite restaurant is chosen, though some of the kids have requested special favorites and dinner at home.  *I* always choose a dinner OUT. Since time had been at a premium, and my family was determined we would not skip my birthday or the traditions this year, we chose today to be a family outing day and "the meal." 

We headed to Hachinohe - and I discovered the roads from here to there are clear once you get off our farm road....I plan to explore Hachinohe this winter.  We visited the Children's Museum and Planetarium.  We didn't get lost at all! We're getting this figured out. 

Zander grabbed these first photos! He LOVED using the camera we found when we cleaned out Jared's things. 

Taken by Zander

Take by Zander

 

I was a bit worried when all we saw were butterflies, peacock and a whale skeleton.....Michael headed to the floor above and we found the fun. I breathed easier. 

Room totally covered in mirrors - floors, walls, ceiling

Low ceiling

SQUIRREL - reminds me of my GAFB gals

These magnets were really fun 

Little bikes are rigged to go around a track as you pedal 

"What are they?" - "Um that's how we projected worship chorus' before PowerPoint ...and it worked well." ::snort:: 

It was embarrassing to find Arielle sleeping  at the end of the special English showing they gave us in the planetarium. She was aware of us by this point. It was dark and the reclining chairs were comfy. 

We had fun with this too. You could see your weight on every planet. I need to move to Pluto (which isn't really a planet from what I heard but still is in Hachinohe). 

Arielle reminded me of the organic restaurant in Hach. I'd been once....we stopped by there on our way back to Misawa for my birthday lunch. It's an all-you can eat buffet....

The expectation seems to be lots of little tastes...that green thing was good - though I'm not sure what it was. 

Michael is at a formal event tonight. We didn't think long enough. ::snort:: I did NOT want to spend $200 on a dress I may well outgrow in a couple of months as I'm still loosing steady weight. I have no formals that fit. We thought and thought and couldn't think of anyone my size to borrow from....and then Marvie told me yesterday she had one I could borrow....but we hadn't RSVP'd...and Michael is at the head table so it's a bit hard to sneak an extra in. ::snort:: My man was handsome when he left here. He said he should have sent me to Shimoda to spend the money on the dress - it would have been worth it. Ah - sweet.

The kids had neighborhood kids in to play games for a few hours. We're going to eat left overs and then settle down for a quiet night as we wait for Michael to get home.

There you have it - the story of how we spread my birthday out to THREE DAYS of celebrating!

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

Chemistry "Lava Lamp"

She gathered the supplies and hoped this experiment would work better than the mento/coke thing did......

Everyone got involved

Then they went crazy with the alka-seltzer and food dye

It actually did work well - this is the best photo I got! Sort of a 70's lava lamp thing going on

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

Hippie Loaf (Happy Herbivore)

This is YUMMY! It's from The Happy Herbivore Cookbook. I liked it enough to want to eat the leftovers rather than freeze them for future use. Arielle commented, "What makes it taste like meat?" so you know she liked it too. The rest of the family had Turkey Meatloaf. 

Serves 4 as written - I made 8 servings

Ingredients
1 15 oz can of black beans - drained and rinsed  (about 2 cups cooked if using dry beans)
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced (I always use more)
1 large carrot, grated
2 stalks of celery, grated
1 C coarsely chopped brown mushrooms (Crimini etc)
1 C cooked quinoa
1 T Italian seasoning
3 T flour (or brown rice flour for gluten free)
2 T soy sauce
2 T ketchup

Directions
Preheat oven to 350*.

Grease an 8 in loaf pan and set aside.

Mash beans in large bowl and combine all other ingredients.

Trust me it will taste good in the end - and since it was
raw I tasted it and nearly ate it all this way. 

Transfer to prepared pan and pat down firmly with a spatula.

Bake for 45 min - 1 hour, until firm and brown on the outside. 

Allow the loaf to cool and set up before serving, about 15 - 20 minutes. 

Nutritional info figured at 4 servings - about two slices or two of my little tarts.

Notes: When Dawn makes loaves she bakes them in muffin pans as she can eat a serving and freeze the rest since her daughter doesn't like lentil/bean loaves.  I wasn't sure I had enough to make 12 muffins (I think yes) and so I used 8 of these little tart pans. It worked well.  I baked about 45 minutes. 

I used sauce on a couple of them from the meatloaf recipe.  It was good - it was good without the sauce too - not sure which I liked best. 

I had a Quinoa incident - burned it black to the pan....I salvaged about 2/3 C and used some brown rice I had for the rest. I do think the Quinoa is one reason this looks and tastes like meat. LOL 

This was good. This is cholesterol free, nearly  fat free (not sure where the fat comes from), is loaded with fiber and protein and is delicious. A hit. 

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