Maple Glazed Almonds

Do you ever crave something?
I mean CRAVE something????

And then do you ever
panic when you go to make it
and you don't have what you need?

This happened to me today.
I wanted a salad with Glazed Cashews-
I toast them in a pan with a VERY small amount of butter,
when they are getting a pretty golden color,
I add in some agave nectar-
they get this yummy, crunchy, sweet flavor
and they taste AMAZING on any salad,

one of my favorites can be found here

I had no Agave,
and I only had salted cashews...

But I'd already made the salad
and I was hungry-

So I went made two substitutions
to a three ingredient recipe
(technically, is that even a recipe)
I used Slivered Almonds instead of Cashews
and Organic Pure Maple Syrup

I was NOT disappointed-
they were so Yummy!

I topped the salad with equal parts of
Grapeseed Oil and Cranberry Balsamic Vinegar

(I've mixed the Cranberry Balsamic with Black Currant
Balsamic and then used an equal portion of Olive Oil too)

Boosted Banana Muffins

 *** I've had a senior moment- I can't find my pics, so imagine yummy muffins,
I'll get back to you on the pictures.

My family used to look like this

Parents included...

and now it looks like this...

Granted there are no parents in this pic...

One kiddo is serving an 18 month church mission

The morning of departure

and two just left for school in Utah

Kiddo #1 and #3 off to USU

So needless to say,
my grocery shopping looks a little different lately-
and I have a lot of bananas that end up looking like this

rather than this :)

I've been making a lot of things out of BANANA,
bread, muffins, cake, smoothies...

You get the idea right??

I decided to go a little crazy one day when I saw this cereal-

Sorry for the fuzziness; it says Cinnamon Hazlenut

I have used it's sister cereal to make cranberry muffins
for like a ZILLION years!

Cranberry Almond Crunch

So I figured I could come up with a yummy recipe using
a cereal with a name like that!

To borrow a phrase from Mary Poppins-
these were Practically Perfect in Every Way...

The second time I made them,
I made them in Jumbo Muffin Tins and
topped them with a chunky cinnamon streusel.
We took them to a school breakfast-
EVERYONE who ate them wanted to know where
I had gotten them and they were the first muffins gone
(this up against the HUGE Costco/Sam's Club Muffins
that are more of a dessert than a breakfast food)

Try 'Em-
You won't be disappointed


Banana Muffins

2 1/2 c. flour
1 1/4 c. sugar
1 t. baking soda
1 box of Post Cinnamon Hazelnut Cereal
     (Or Post Crunchy Pecans Cereal)
2 eggs
2 c. buttermilk
1/2 c. butter
2 ripe bananas, mashed

2 TBSP. maple syrup
1/2 tsp each, cinnamon & nutmeg

Beat eggs and buttermilk together & syrup.
Stir in melted butter.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, sugar, soda, cereal and spices.
Add milk mixture and stir with as few strokes as possible.

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, adjusting cook time to size of muffin.

*** My littles request these to be made with chocolate chips-
which just makes them YUMMY TOO!!

A Day For Heroes

A few months ago,
my husband and I walked into a theater
for date night to see a movie that neither
of us had heard of.
It was a sport movie, so hubby was excited.
It was date night, so I was up for anything
as long as it involved a treat!!

"A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives" Jackie Robinson

The movie was about this athlete and
how much he had to endure to become
who he was- and he was one of the GREATS!

Last weekend we went to see another movie
that left me feeling a little cheated.
It was a movie that covered the life of a man
during the later years of Southern servitude,
segregation and racial hostilities.

I didn't feel cheated by the story line or the
accuracy of the film-
I felt cheated because at the very end,
when we had a chance to see the impact
this man's family had on history-
the producers turned the movie into
a political statement-

Now, I'm seriously not here to post about
politics, social issues, or even opinions-

But today, September 11, my heart has been
touched by some of the clips, songs and stories
of the attacks on America 12 years ago.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/adriancarrasquillo/50-powerful-photos-of-humanity-and-solidarity-in-the-years-s

I have been pondering all day why I get so
emotional in movies that highlight the stories
of great people who overcame horrific hardship-
When I say I get emotional,
I mean, I GET EMOTIONAL!!

This morning I realized why I didn't like the
most recent movie I saw, why I LOVED the
first movie I mentioned and why I cry at
Country Western songs and so many other things!

 http://www.buzzfeed.com/adriancarrasquillo/50-powerful-photos-of-humanity-and-solidarity-in-the-years-s

I love a hero story-
I know there has been so much suffering in this world
and I don't have any intention of minimizing that-

but this is a world of heroes!! And that's what I love!
I love a story where someone took lemons
and made lemonade.
I love a story where the underdog comes out ahead.
Not rose colored glasses kind of love either-
I realize with 100% awareness that heroes are
made out of hardship
and most of the time, the hero in them
was a choice NOT because they had
super hero training

Pioneers hoping for a better life for their families

This is the admiration of someone who knows how
hard it is to wake up in the morning when all hope
seems to be lost!
But there is a choice group of people
who when all else seems to be falling apart-
they get to work and BECOME a hero. 

Sad as it is,
hardship happens to the best of us-
tragedy impacts or lives whether we like it or not-

http://www.buzzfeed.com/adriancarrasquillo/50-powerful-photos-of-humanity-and-solidarity-in-the-years-s

but out of hardship, trial, adversity, sin,
warfare, cruelty, persecution and ignorance
HEROES are made out of normal men and women.

I ask myself every day,
would I have the strength and the courage to stand
for something when everything around me
was pushing me down

I hope I would
and I know we ALL could-

Happy Heroes Day
a day to celebrate the brave men and women
who often give their lives for something they believe in!

Sunday Sundae- Healthy Style

I'm going to tell you about it someday!

One day when I am sure that I can speak about it
with some level of confidence and humility-
right now it is still pretty personal,
But I joined An Addiction Recovery Program.

One reason I don't want to talk about it
YET...
Is that my Addiction is a widely debated topic
in the diet, nutrition and addiction fields

Some say "ABSOLUTELY" and others
laugh and scorn and say things like
"You don't know what you're talking about"

So I've kept it relatively to myself-
I've teased with my friends for a long time that
I was going to do it,
and Finally, I decided it wasn't a joke
(at least, it wasn't to me)
and I joined a program sponsored by my church-
You can learn more here if you are interested

My addiction is to Sugar-
To me it is a real, powerful and to easy to ignore problem-

But like I said,
more on that later!!

I have found that there are a few things I can
do to enjoy Dessert Time with my family on
Sunday evenings.
This is one of my Favorite-

The Waffle Bowls are Homemade

My Hubby is the Master at Waffle Bowl Making

and are made with alternative ingredients for me
but honestly, I don't often eat mine anyway
(I've just learned I'd rather not eat,
than deal with all the substitutions sometimes)

I add some delicious Fruit-
a hearty and healthy serving thank you very much!

I add lime juice and lemon & lime rind 20 minutes before I serve it

I top my "Sundae" with Plain Greek Yogurt
flavored with Cranberry Balsamic Vinegar
or Vanilla Bean Paste and Lemon Extract

What's Not Fabulous About This?

The last time we had ice cream Sundaes,
three of my five kids at home
opted for my version and said no
to the ice cream :)
Oh happy DAY

My Mom's Kitchen

I actually can't remember a whole lot of food from my moms kitchen. 

It's actually kind of sad because I know she was a good cook, 

but its been a really, REALLY long time since she passed away 

and I just can't remember. 

I do remember that her mom made 

Split Pea Soup with a Ham Bone- 

which looked really gross to me but was supposedly really yummy!

I also have memories of sitting on the rolls 

several Thanksgivings in a row :(

I do know that my mom made a really yummy punch 

which I LOVED

and she had a beautiful punch bowl that she used to serve it

When I was sick, 

she made me homemade Tapioca pudding. 

I haven't eaten that since she died- 

it was just never the same when you have to make it yourself :(

So why can't I remember what we ATE??????

Well, one day I had a memory of her BLT Sandwiches. 

She would toast the bread,

and layer the Bacon, Lettuce & Tomatoes on top!  

I probably have eaten one or two in the 31 years since she passed. 

Well I have been craving them something fierce- 

so I caved in and allowed myself some bread- 

WHITE CIABATTA BREAD!

Ciabatta, Bacon, Tomato, Lettuce & Avocado

I pause for the gasps and lectures to cease!! 

I added my own little modern day twist- 

and used Pesto instead of Mayonnaise...

Keep in mind my mom was gone long before 

gluten free, sugar free, and no preservative diets were the norm

I have to say, that for a guilty pleasure, it was WORTH IT! 

Holy Cow that's a case of a HUGE piece of Lettuce!

Like really worth it. 

Like so worth it, I had it a second day in a row 

AND I felt no regret. 

At least no regret until I woke up with swollen fingers-

Back to being Good-

Oh, but it was soooo YUMMY!

A Rare Splurge at Lunch. Aaaahhhh

Good as it Gets Granola

I have been avoiding Wheat and Wheat Products
for quite some time.
I can tell within two days when I am cheating
because my fingers and knees HURT,
my ankles and hands swell and I feel all over ACHY!

I can tell I've gone really too far outside of my
eating goals when my ears start to itch, my nose runs
and I break out in an all over rash (this is usually when
I am eating wheat and sugar). Add in soy to the mix
and you will quickly find me in an all over body rash
that has an itch to it that rivals poison ivy-
Though there is NO WAY
(at least that I know of)
to prove that preservatives and additives also make
me sick (its hard to find a food with preservatives that
does NOT contain one of the aforementioned products).

For me, this ain't NO DIET TREND-
it's a Quality of Life Trend!

But anytime someone asks me for menu ideas for
going Gluten Free, I panic just a little bit-
Gluten Free is a much bigger topic than simply
avoiding wheat products-
Gluten can be found in a wide range of products,
including make-up and deli meats.
For our friends with Celiac Disease (an auto-immune
disorder that causes damage- to the small intestine and
disrupts the absorption of foods; gluten is responsible
for the damage) being gluten free isn't a trend or a
dietary statement, it is a way of life.
I also highly advise those with Lupus or Crohn's Disease
to avoid gluten as much as you possibly can!

I can't guarantee the Gluten Free-edness of this
Granola Recipe-
BUT I can totally guarantee the YUMMY factor
that this recipe holds-

Really, granola is about as individual as the person
who makes it. Add whatever you like as fillers, I'm just
sharing my favorites.
I know you can buy granola at the store-
and it may even be comparable in cost-
But for me-
there is nothing like knowing what is in the food
that I eat and what I feed my kiddos!

It's a simple recipe, use whatever add ins you like best.
I love that this has no junk in it- it's just good for me,
good for you, good tasting...
It's simple Goodness
Now for Goodness Sakes go make some quick before
the kids get home from school!

Save Me Some... Granola

8 cups oats
1/2 cup brown sugar (I use coconut sugar or sucanat)
2 cups add ins *
*** Mix these ingredients together.

In a small pan, combine
1/2 cup honey or maple syrup
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup water
*** Heat these four ingredients until butter melts
(P.S. The last time I made this,
I added some cranberry balsamic vinegar that I LOVE-
the granola had a darker color, but tasted so good)

Pour over the oat and yumminess mixture.
Divide between 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper

My 12 year old made this batch. How easy is that?

Bake at 300 for 30 minutes (I almost always
cook it longer than that!
Store and Enjoy

Makes me want to grab a ramekin and dish up...

Oooops! I guess I did grab a ramekin...

* Really, the sky is the limit for add ins.
If you like it,
I say it is fair game for granola!
My favorite mix ins include, but are not limited to...

 

Sunflower Seeds, Flax Seeds, Pignolias

Chopped Pecans & Large Flake Unsweetened Coconut

Coconut Oil & Pure Maple Syrup

 

Extra Thick Rolled Oats & Dried Berry Medley

The Complete Cast of Characters...