Raw Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites (Nourishing Home)

I found a variety of Raw Cookie Dough Bites at Nourishing Home.  I'm sure I'll be trying out some of her other suggestions. Check her out.

Ingredients

1/2 creamy raw almond butter (could use other nut butters)

1/4 C, plus 1 T raw honey (or agave nectar, maple syrup)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 C plus 1 T coconut flour (I used wheat)

3 T ground golden flax seed (or additional tsp or two of flour - I used the flax I had not sure what kind it was)

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 C chocolate chips (or whatever - or skip) 

Directions

Mix almond butter, honey and vanilla until creamy. 

In another bowl, mix flour, flax seed and salt. 

Add the dry to the wet. Use hands to knead dough to thoroughly combine. If it's too wet add flour, if too dry and crumbly to form balls, add water. 

Scoop out T size (I used pampered chef scoop and got 18). 

These can be popped in fridge to firm up a bit and/or if you want to make truffles with them it's essential.  They would be good to make a lot ahead and freeze. The ones I made are already gone...I shared. 

I entered the recipe into the recipe calculator at Sparks People.  I wouldn't call them "nutrient dense" at 88 cal for a small ball.....but they do have 1.5g of protein and 1.2 g of fiber.  And sometimes you just need a little something something. 

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

Lovin Japan ~ Suicide Ally

This is Suicide Ally.  I have discovered this route cuts time off my trip to base. One friend had his mirror clipped on this road. I know folks who pull their mirrors in at the start of Suicide Ally. I think of Christi L every time I ride on this road. She was the one who introduced me to this adrenaline rush. 

On either side of the road is an irrigation ditch like thing...small narrow concrete ditch. If your tires veer into this you will do damage to your vehicle.  This field to the left was a FOREST last year....

Look carefully at the width of the road...there are bikes on either side of the road and cars going both ways on the road.

Driving this road has provided many fun memories. I've made it a game to be able to face oncoming traffic without flinching....like the natives of Misawa.  Last week an AMERICAN SIZE semi met us on this road - the DRIVER was sweating and flinching. I considered it a personal triumph to appear totally nonchalant. It was my true blood Japanese card. I belong.

When the snow melts....we discover the patch jobs from last year are in need of repair....big sink holes....amazing pot holes....it's a sign of spring.

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

Roasted Chick Peas

I heard about these healthy vegan snacks on a Facebook page and set out to try them. Here are a variety of ingredients - process works the same. If you know of other ways to fix these, I'd love to hear. These are a high protein, high fiber, low fat snack - no sugar depending on the seasonings you use. I also like them on top of salads.  I'll add variations to this page....I'm contemplating some ranch flavored Chickpeas. 

Plain and Crunchy
2 C of chickpeas (1 can) rinsed, drained and patted dry
2 tsp. oil of choice
1/2 tsp salt - or to your taste

Salty Michael Chickpeas

Salty for Michael 
2 C of chickpeas (1 can) rinse and dried
Olive oil spray
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
adjust seasoning to your taste - I like more seasoning....

Pumpkin Spice Roasted Chickpeas (click link for original recipe)

• 1 can of chickpeas, rinsed, drained and patted dry
• 2 T. maple syrup
• 1 t. canola oil (or oil of your choice)
• 1 t. apple cider vinegar
• 1/8 t. salt
• 1/4 t. nutmeg
• 1/4 t. ginger
• 3/4 t. cinnamon
• Note - these did not get crunchy with the original baking directions! I had to nuke them! 

Crunchy Roasted Chickpeas (adapted from Cheap, Healthy, Good)

2 Cups chickpeas, drained and rinsed if using canned

2 tsp oil 

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

BBQ Roasted Chickpeas  (Click for original recipe)

2 C chickpeas (1 Can rinsed and dried)

1/4 C BBQ Sauce

*Recipe instructs 375* for 45 - 60 min 

Bulldog Chickpeas

Bulldog Roasted Chickpeas
2 C Chickpeas (1 Can rinsed and dried)
1/4 C Bulldog sauce

Pour sauce over chickpeas. Scoop out the chickpeas (save sauce) and bake as directed below. After 30 min I began to drizzle sauce as they baked.

Maple Cinnamon Roasted Chickpeas (click for original)

2 C Chickpeas (1 Can rinsed and dried)

2 T pure maple syrup

1/2 tsp cinnamon

*Recipe instructs 400* for 45 min. 

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 400 - 450*. (I've seen temps from 350 - 450 and times from 25 - 60 min).

Combine liquid and seasonings. Gently combine with chickpeas until peas are coated. 

Spray or line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Bake 45 - 60 min depending on how crunchy you want them. I like mine like corn nuts and it took

Stir every 15 min for the first 45 min and then every 5 min until you are happy with them. 

Microwave Directions: 
One layer; 10- 15 minutes - watch carefully. My microwave may be slower than it would be on stateside electric. 

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

Lovin Japan ~ "THE" Shoe Store

Stacia wanted this store on our list of things we love about Japan....who knew?  Renee took us to this store on our first week in town. 

Shoes....walls and walls of shoes...some fun....some gorgeous...some not so much...some inexpensive...some not so much.  We went ahead and picked up a few things while we were taking photos. Half boots for ME, "Crocks" (Machoshoe) for Stacia and me and.....

..."Converse" rain boots for Arielle. 

We WILL have one more rainy season here and I've been meaning to outfit them for rain since our first month here. Rainy season is June/July...so....I am still debating on myself...I do have Crocs and we are moving to California...I doubt I'll NEED rain boots....

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

Chemistry Experiment

Whenever Arielle has a chemistry experiment everyone gathers around....today's experiment was on "shear thickening fluids."

Zander was happy to help.....

This was fun to watch. As she provided pressure she could shape a ball....when the pressure released....

We are really enjoying our books set in Japan....we really don't want to end next week....but we're "there." It's been a fun year.  I did save some of the extras everyone wants to read (Book 3 in the trilogy etc) to read over the transition.

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

Lovin Japan ~ Nihongo

Japanese has proven difficult to learn. Part of this is because there are three different symbols to learn: Hiragan, Kanji and Katakana. Hiragana is taught to young kids and you see it often. Kanji seems to be used on official documents and signs. Katakana is used for foreign words. When one can decode the symbols one often can understand the signs.  The gender thing confuses us too. Gender in the word itself...but also gender in the tone of the speaker -  as in, "De'Ettasan  you are speaking like a man." We've discovered many American men are taught Japanese by their girlfriends and therefore speak like women.  You can read more about the language on wikipedia. 

Kanji 

We will miss the need to be fully involved in every day social interactions with the lovely Japanese. Our minds going ten different directions as it tries to pull up the right word in the right tense, gender etc.

We will miss trying to understand the conversations addressed to us and those swirling around us.

We will miss the delight of some when you TRY out your Japanese...and the little kids who run up to practice THEIR English (which they learn in elementary school) and to correct MY Japanese.

I will miss having an excuse for my frequent "adventures" (lost again?) with the kids.

We will miss weekly tutoring sessions with Akikosan. ::sniff::

Arielle has worked at it much harder than the rest of us...she can read Hiragana and Katakana. Reading Hiragana is a dubious skill if one can't understand it....but reading Katakana is a great skill to have.

We play a game in the car where Arielle reads the Katakana and the rest of us guess the meaning. She says it with the Japanese accent - sometimes it's a challenge.  Cover the right column and see how you do....In the following examples:


R - says "L"
I - says "ee"
A says "ah"
O says "oh"

Raisu                             Rice

Cliniku                           Clinic

Supido                            Speed

Aisu Kurimu                          Ice Cream

Bidio                              Video

Sumairu                         Smile

Kirishitan                            Chrisitian 

It really is AMAZING  Japanese children learn three ways to read and write their language AND English.

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

Lovin Japan ~ Shopping Carts

Yes, shopping carts! The carts here are always an adventure. They are small and short....encouraging one to buy what one needs and not to hoard (or to outfit everyone in the family with a cart and endure the stares as you do a Gherkin size grocery trip). 

The wheels turn in ALL directions. I think this is for great maneuverability...

Stacia is trying to decide if she needs to continue smiling for
me or return a bow....

We have many fun memories of Jared falling flat on his face while trying to push carts when we first arrived. :snort:: 

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