Beggin For Brownies…..

I’ve been on a quest to find the best Vegan brownie recipe in the world. Well, after a number of failed “experiments” I pretty much gave up! My dog even stole one set (that was harder than a hockey puck) out of my kitchen trash. Suitable to be a dog cookie? Enough said! Because of all of the dry ingredients, the dough just needs some help rising to be edible.

After taste testing a few recipes, I came up with this version of gluten-free goodness! They do have eggs in them, so they would not be considered Vegan. These are great, and you don’t need a very big piece to get a chocolate fix.

The base for the dough is arrowroot. It’s a starch that’s gluten-free and is used in place of flour most frequently to firm up puddings, custards, and in our case here, brownies. The walnut oil is a little pricey but it’s really high in your Omega 3 and 6, so I’m sure that makes it safe to rationalize having a second piece! Both the walnut oil and the arrow root might be hard to find in a traditional grocery store, but you should be able to locate them in a more “health oriented” stores.

Best Brownie Ever

Ingredients:

1 cup raw pecans

6 Tablespoons walnut oil, plus extra for the baking pan

½ cup agave nectar

2 whole omega-3 eggs

½ cup cocoa powder

¼ cup arrowroot

Sunspire chocolate chips and toasted, chopped pecans (unsalted) for “frosting”

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350*F.

Oil an 8x8x2 inch baking pan with the walnut oil. In a food processor, grind the pecans to the consistency of meal. Transfer to a medium bowl and add the 6T walnut oil, agave nectar, eggs, cocoa, and arrowroot. Stir to blend. Pour into an oiled 8x8x2 inch baking dish.

Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Immediately put some of the Sunspire chocolate chips on the top of the brownies just when you pull the pan out of the oven. When melted, use a small spatula to spread. Sprinkle toasted pecans on top. Let cool, then cut into 1 inch squares.

Variation: I used ground almond flour in the dough rather than 1 cup raw pecans; you can purchase the ground almond flour in the baking section at Trader Joe’s.

You could also lose the chocolate chips and dust the top of the cooked brownies with a dusting of powdered sugar.

These are not “vegan” due to the incorporation of eggs, but they are gluten free and dairy free depending upon the type of chocolate chips you use for the frosting.

Adapted from: The UltraMetabolism Prescription, Dr. Mark Hyman available from: http://www.amazon.com/Ultrametabolism-Simple-Plan-Automatic-Weight/dp/0743272560

Classic Comforts

I had a craving this week for a macaroni salad my Mom used to make when I was a kid, you know the one with the elbow macaroni, peas and onions? One of the challenges of being Vegan is how to get the taste of the comfort foods you remember but in a healthier, vegetable based way. 

Here’s my take on Pea and Onion Pasta Salad – brown rice based elbow macaroni by Tinkyada Pasta Joy (gluten-free), canned organic peas, a little finely diced red onion and Veganaise. Mix and refrigerate for a bit to allow the flavors to blend. Yum! 

That got me on a kick of trying to figure out how to make Vegan Enchiladas. I used corn tortillas (check the label because many brands have some gluten, etc. incorporated) and fried them in a bit of olive oil to soften them, added a mixture of rice and almond based “cheddar” cheeses, and sat them in a bed of homemade enchilada sauce from a wonderful recipe I found online (see: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/easy-enchilada-sauce-recipe/index.html – I just modified this to vegetable broth rather than chicken stock and used organic versions on the canned goods). Place the “cheese” filled rolled tortillas in a baking pan that has some of the homemade sauce in the bottom, cover with a little more sauce, a little “cheese” and place it in a 350* oven for about 15-20 minutes until the sauce is bubbling. Eat and enjoy! 

Tabbouleh is a wonderful staple for lunch. In this version I’ve added up about 2 cups (cooked) couscous (not gluten-free! You can substitute cooked Quinoa for the couscous if you are trying to lose the gluten) according to the package directions. The version I used today had some brown rice, lentils and spices already in the mix. I chopped up one bunch of fresh parsley finely. Make sure and dry it thoroughly before trying to chop it up or you will have a big mess! Two Roma tomatoes finely diced and a little bit of red onion diced. Put all of these ingredients in a large bowl with the juice of one lemon, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper and tossed to mix up. 

I’ve been packing up all my food in single serving sized containers so that I can just grab them and throw them in my lunch bag so I don’t have to spend a lot of time cooking during the busy work week!

What’s your favorite comfort food? Have you experimented with making it more vegetarian friendly? Post your comments below!

Green Goo Goblin Stew

Ohhhh my lordie! Is this ever good! No boos around the dinner table for you (if you can get past the whole green thing)!! Your friends will be positively green with envy at your culinary skills! Ramp up the scary and put some roasted fingerling potatoes in the bowl before serving! They look just like scary fingers emerging from the goo!

Seriously, this is a fun stew that tastes similar to a Thai green chili base. It is so flavorful. I got the recipe when I attended a recent cooking demonstration at Native Foods given by Chef Tanya Petrovna. She shows you how to have fun and flavor that is beyond measure. One of my favorite restaurants! I haven’t had much experience with Thai cooking and I was surprised at how easy it was to recreate those flavors at home with her recipe. Soul satisfying green goo!

Try to use organic products wherever you can. Be good to you.

 Ingredients for Paste:

1 Tablespoon coriander seeds

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

½ teaspoon whole black pepper

1 teaspoon sea salt

1-2 jalapeno, chopped

1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

3 lemongrass stalks, trimmed, finely chopped

2 green onions, chopped

2 Tablespoons peeled and chopped fresh ginger (about a 2” piece)

Zest from two limes

2 Tablespoons lime juice

 

Ingredients for Goo Stew:

1 cup chopped spinach

2 cans coconut milk (I use light, just make sure there is no sugar in the one you buy)

1 cup water

1 zucchini, medium, sliced in ¼” half moons

¼ pound green beans, ends trimmed and cut into 1” pieces

12 ounce package firm tofu, drained and sliced into ¼“ chunks

1 ½ cups whole cashews (raw, unsalted)

¼ maple syrups (use the real deal, no Aunt Jemima here!)

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

½ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon white pepper

1 cup fresh basil (for garnish)

Lime wedges (for garnish)

 

First, make the green goo paste:

In a small skillet (no oil) hit the coriander, cumin and whole black pepper to toast slightly.

Grind the freshly roasted spices with a mortar and pestle (get creative with a meat tenderizer or something if you don’t have a mortar/pestle).

Add the salt, jalapenos, cilantro, lemongrass, green onions, ginger, lime juice, zest and continue to mash the mix with the mortar and pestle until it becomes a paste. Set aside.  This makes enough paste for a couple of batches of the stew. You can freeze half of the paste for use another day.

 Turn the paste into a stew:

In a blender put in 6 Tablespoons of the paste, 1 cup chopped spinach, and one can of the coconut milk and puree.

In a stock pot, pour in the spinach coconut milk puree, the second can of coconut milks, water, zucchini, green beans, tofu, and cashews and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the maple syrup, soy sauce, and sea salt and simmer for another 5 minutes.

I pureed a few cups of the goo, then added it back to the pot to thicken it up a bit.

Serve over a little rice or pasta and garnish with fresh basil and lime wedges…..and maybe those roasted fingerling potato “fingers”……Boo!  

Get creative! Any green veggies will do in the goo!

 

This recipe isn’t available in Tanya’s book, but she’s got lots of other great, healthy options. It’s available from:  Native Foods Restaurant Cookbook

Try one of Tanya’s restaurants:  www.nativefoods.com  

Sassy Soup

(AKA Chickenless Noodle Soup)

What always makes you feel better? A bowl of hot soup, no? How can you make this in a vegetarian format while maintaining all the flavor? Why, with my latest discovery….Shirataki noodles….of course!

They are tofu based, but they look, taste and feel like pasta. They are low carb, low-calorie, sugar fee, gluten-free miracles!  You can find them in next to the tofu in the refrigerator section. They may not be in all grocery stores yet, but you can find them in your natural stores for sure.

Yield should be about 6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 (organic) carrots peeled and sliced (or 12 mini carrots sliced lengthwise)
• 2 stalks (organic) celery, diced
• 1 (organic) yellow onion, diced
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 6 cups filtered water
• 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1  8 ounce package shirataki noodles (I used the “spaghetti” shape)

Directions

Heat oil in a large soup pan and sauté the mirepoix (carrots, celery and onions) for 3 to 4 minutes until veggies are just barely beginning to brown on the edges. Add water and bring to a boil. Simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

While waiting for the soup, empty a bag of shirataki noodles into a strainer and rinse thoroughly. As the bag I used stated, “to reduce the authentic aroma.” A statement like this and you know I’m going to be encouraged to sniff, of course, and all I can say is learn from the error of my ways! You should rinse the noodles thoroughly! Drain them well! When the stock is ready, add the noodles, give it a quick stir, and boil for about 3 minutes more. Check for flavor and adjust seasonings as necessary. Portion into bowls, include a side of crusty bread, a little salad, or cornbread and then eat and enjoy! 

I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the shirataki noodles! They have a great flavor without all the calories.  For more info on the noodles, here’s a link to the website for the brand that I used:  http://www.house-foods.com/tofu/tofu_shirataki.aspx

Mmmmm! Just what Docktah Mom ordered! Enjoy!

      

Tofu Taco Tuesday!

Tofu Tacos

Tofu has some great benefits. It is an inexpensive source of good plant-based protein, fairly low-calorie, with some calcium and iron to boot! Check the specific package for additional info.

Now if you’re not a tofu lover, please do try to keep an open mind. It really is a good and simple recipe. I promise! There’s something about draining the water out of the tofu that makes it crisp up really nice. A little slice of heaven!

 Yield should be about 8 tacos

• Ingredients

1 Extra Firm Organic Tofu, 12 ounce package

1 package taco sized tortillas (about 5”)  (I used La Tortilla Hand Made Style White Corn Tortillas today)

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

Shredded green cabbage

Gringo Salsa (recipe follows)

1 can Pickled Carrots (carrots pickled in a vinegar brine with jalapeños, in the international aisle)

Fresh Cilantro

Directions 

Open the tofu and drain the extra liquid. Slice the block of tofu into 8 equal slices along the long side of the block (so they fit the length of the tortillas best). Drain the tofu slices on paper towel. Blot on all sides to remove as much moisture as possible. This is a really important step! 

Preheat a frying pan with the olive oil. When hot (don’t let the oil steam, that’s too hot!) then place the tofu slices in the pan. Fry until golden brown on both sides. Remove from heat and place on paper towel. 

Warm the tortillas, either in the drained frying pan or in the microwave for a few seconds.

Place a slice of tofu on each of the tortillas, top with the shredded green cabbage, gringo salsa, and pickled carrots, top it off with some fresh cilantro leaves…..and enjoy! 

The ingredients store really well for use the next day as long as you package all of the items separately so nothing gets soggy. 

For the Gringo Salsa –

Dice:

• 2 tomatoes (I used some organic heirloom tomatoes today)
• ½ of a red onion
• 1 T. fresh cilantro leaves

Mix and enjoy! You may want to add some diced jalapeno to taste if you prefer more of a kick. 

And you know the minute I took this taco picture, I added about 10 more carrots to each taco before eating!  Craving satisfied! 

P.S…..my dog Sadie seems to have developed a fondness for the pickled carrots as well. She was taking them right and left! Good chow!

Hey…..What’s something odd you’ve craved? Post yours in the Comments section below!

Sweet Potato Turnovers

Ingredients

2 pounds sweet potatoes, whole and unpeeled

1/4 cup granulated organic sugar

1/4 cup organic brown sugar

1 lemon, zested

2/3 cup almond meal/almond flour (ground almonds, available from sources such as  Trader Joes or Red Mill)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon cloves

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon honey

4 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed (2 packages)

1 egg, beaten

Powdered sugar, for dusting

 Directions

 Preheat the oven to 400*F.

 Put the potatoes in a medium pot and cover with water. Bring water to a boil over medium heat and cook until soft, approximately 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes and let cool. When cool enough to handle, peel off the skin. Place in bowl and mash with a fork. Add the sugars and mix thoroughly. Stir in the lemon zest, ground almonds, cinnamon, cloves, vanilla and honey.

Unfold the puff pastry and using a 3 to 3 1/2-inch biscuit cutter, cut out as many circles of the dough as possible. If you don’t have a cutter, use a small bowl or glass and cut around it with a knife. Put about a tablespoon of sweet potato filling on each circle, then fold the circles in half. Press the edges together and then crimp with a fork to seal. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Brush the top of each turnover with beaten egg.  Bake until golden brown, approximately 15 minutes. Watch it carefully! Remove and allow to cool for 5 minutes then dust with sifted powdered sugar.

 Yield should be about 20 turnovers

For an extra treat, bake up the extra scraps of puff pastry. Sprinkle with a little cinnamon sugar before baking.

I came up with quite a bit of leftover filling. I put it in a small springform pan (6”) and then covered the top with puff pastry pieces and then sprinkled it with cinnamon sugar. I baked it up for 15 minutes for a crustless sweet potato pie! Yummy!

Recipe adapted from “Outta Sight Sweet Potato Turnovers,” Aaron McCargo, Jr., Food Network.

Wanton Whispers

I was out at the pool in my homeowner’s association today working on my daily dose of Vitamin D.  There’s something about that summer sun that soothes the soul.  I had a tall bottle of water, a new magazine, beach towel perfectly draped on the lounge chair. I set the 30 minute timer on iPhone to remind me when it’s time to flip over. I was perfectly poised for wonderful possibilities!

When I laid down near the spa, which is in a partially enclosed area with a curved wall, it was suddenly as if I had been transported through space to the whispering gallery in St. Paul’s Cathedral; the church home that was the place where Prince Charles and Lady Di married. The cathedral that I’ve had the opportunity to visit and happen upon an eventide service with stunning voices echoing throughout the halls; This massive place of worship, designed by Christopher Wren has a not so secret gallery up in the dome. After a few satisfying steps, you alight to a walkway that rims the dome, something like 100 feet above the ground floor, and when you whisper against the wall, anyone near the wall at any point around the dome walkway, can hear precisely what you are whispering about.  <travelus interruptus!>

Only what I was hearing out at the pool was not echoes of sweet prayers and heartfelt songs of praise.  It was……a bunch of cats engaging in some vicious gossip about another. Now my intent is not to sell my gender down the river, and I’m not here to suggest that I’ve never engaged in gossip myself, dear reader. It was just one of those teachable moments I had the opportunity to participate in which I’m choosing to take as a personal reminder why I shouldn’t gossip. I’m sure they had no idea that I could hear all they were saying as the sound secretly traveled around every inch of that curved retaining wall. I’d like to think they would be embarrassed if they knew that I could hear every wretched word, as I would have been if it had been me.

I don’t know the gaggle of gals and I’ll never know the identity of the one of which they were speaking.  But I did just lay there for a minute thinking about the person they were speaking of.  I would venture to guess we’ve all had days here or there that we’ve felt like the world was against us. How are we to respond when life drops unavoidable negative circumstances in our path?

“All my enemies whisper together against me; they imagine the worst for me…”  Psalm 41:7 (NIV)

We know that Jesus experienced the same whispering issues in Galilee. John 7:12 says, “Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about him. Some said, “He is a good man.” Others replied, “No, he deceives the people.”  There was a mixed bag for him too. We can tell that people had strong reactions to him and it’s only natural that there would have been a fair amount of gossiping going on about him behind his back. We know for sure that Jesus felt the weight of the world on the cross.

“Lord, they came to you in their distress; when you disciplined them, they could barely whisper a prayer.” Isaiah 26:16 (NIV)

All this to say, dear ones, your Savior knows what you’re going through when you feel the weight of the world on your shoulders. He’s been there too. Cry out to him, even when you don’t have the strength to. Cling to him. He’s trustworthy. He’ll rescue you.  He can calm the storms and rough seas in your life, if you let him. He wants you to cry out to him. He’ll bring you the peace that passes all understanding. He’ll stand beside you while you face those pesky pessimists.

 “He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.”  Psalm 107:29 (NIV)

He’s waiting for your wanton whispers.

**Let’s get a conversation going. What do you do when you have times of distress and you feel the weight of the world on your shoulders? What are some ways that you walk through the storms? Post your thoughts in the comments section below.

Catty Corny Chowder

On the menu this evening is the now officially titled catty corn chowder in honor of that gaggle of girlies! Fast and easy summer supper….with leftovers!

Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 onions, diced
4 1/2 cups frozen corn, thawed
2 large potatoes peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes
1 Tablespoon sea salt
1 teaspoon Herbs de Provence
8 cups of water (or low sodium chicken stock is an option)

Directions:
In a stock pot, heat the oil and add the onions. Fry about 5 minutes until they are translucent. Add all of the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and simmer on low for about 30 minutes. You will now puree the soup. If you are using a blender, please make sure and cool the mixture before pureeing. Learn from my mistakes. Hot food in a blender, with the top on, makes the glass explode from the pressure. Physics 101 lecture now completed and it’s too pretty a day to have to mop up a mess. You may also use a stick blender if you have one. Now you have a choice here. You may puree it all if you prefer is smooth, or only half if you like a few chunks of corny potato goodness. Plate and serve. This works for leftovers too!

Serving Ideas:
I made up a little gringo salsa with some fresh tomatoes, onions and cilantro to put on top. Pretty! Pair it up with a crisp green salad or a hot crusty roll (or both!) and you’ve got yourself a nice little meal (and lunch tomorrow!)

Furtive Feasting on the Fourth; Red, White and Blueberry Edition

A patriotic holiday is here!  We celebrate the freedom of our country, thanks to the sacrifice of some brave men and women. I’m so proud of and thankful for my Nephew who is currently in active service and my Dad and Brother-in-law who have both done their part. Three generations of our family have fought the good fight; literally and figuratively. Thank you for all you have done for our Country!  I’m so glad that I live in the United States and I’m so glad that we have men and women such as yourselves that are willing to sacrifice so much for our nation.

Festive Food –

I don’t know about you but my holiday celebrations are usually centered on sharing a meal with family or friends. There’s a distinct tradition about the preparation of some signature dishes along with some new finds.

I was thinking about Daniel and his abstinence from the rich food on the King’s table (see Daniel 1) helping keep him strong and powerful. It is a good reminder to not take the celebrations overboard. As I was looking through scripture for an appropriate message about feasting, I came across a gem in Proverbs.

“All the days of the oppressed are miserable, but a cheerful heart has a continual feast.” Proverbs 15:15

The attitude of your heart colors your thoughts and actions. One has the ability to choose between an attitude of downtroddenness or an attitude of cheerfulness.

There’s a simple idea that keeps resonating with me. Thoughts drive actions. You have to think something before it can be.

If thoughts drive actions, what could we accomplish in a day if we made the simple choice to have a cheerful heart? We could have a daily feast!

As you celebrate with family and friends today, consider choosing to have a cheerful heart. Chose to have a continual feast today, and tomorrow, and the next day……

You’re on my mind today sweet things!  Happy Fourth!

Fourths and Fifths –

On my table today will be the following:

Red- Watermelon Salad

8 cups seedless watermelon, cut into 1 inch cubes

1 red onion, sliced thinly and separated into rings

10 leaves of fresh mint, cut into thin slices (chiffonade)

6 ounces sheep milk feta, crumbled

¼ cup red wine vinegar

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Dash of sea salt

Dash of freshly ground pepper

 

Place the watermelon, onion, mint, and feta in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl combine the vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper and whisk until combined. Pour over the watermelon mix and toss gently to combine.

White – Lemon Potato Salad

3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes

1 cup finely chopped parsley

½ cup olive oil

Grated rind of 2 lemons

Freshly squeezed juice of 2 lemons

1 red onion, sliced thinly

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

 

Cook potatoes in boiling water until for tender but don’t cook until mushy! Drain and allow potatoes to cool enough that you don’t burn yourself when handling them. Peel skin off and discard, cut potato into small 1” cubes and place in a large bowl. Add in red onion slices and parsley. In a smaller bowl place olive oil, grated lemon rind (take care not to get too much of the white pith of the lemon since it tends to add a bitter flavor), fresh lemon juice, sea salt, and ground pepper. Whisk with a fork until somewhat combined. Pour dressing over potatoes and mix gently. Cover and refrigerate.

Blueberry – Fresh Blueberry Pie

Ready for the fast and easy version?

2 frozen deep dish pie crusts (you can make your own if you have the time & inclination)

6 six ounce containers of fresh blueberries, rinsed and drained

½ cup all purpose organic flour

1 cup organic granulated sugar

1 Tablespoon salted butter cut into little pieces

1 Tablespoon raw sugar

 

Preheat oven to 400*. In a large bowl, place the blueberries, flour, granulated sugar and butter. Toss gently until well combined. Place in one of the pie crusts.

Here’s where the cheating happens! Take the 2^nd crust out of the tin and place on a slick surface or cutting board. Cut shapes out of the pastry. I chose a star cookie cutter for this patriotic holiday, but normally, I would cut out leaf shapes or something along those lines. Place the shapes on top of the blueberry mix to create a sort of lattice work top, allowing some of the berries to show through.

Cover the pie loosely with foil. Place on a baking sheet. Turn the oven temperature down to 375*F just before placing the pie in the oven. Bake for 50 minutes. After 50 minutes, remove the foil and sprinkle with 1 Tablespoon of raw sugar. Return pie to oven and bake for about 10 minutes more, watching carefully so that pastry does not burn. Remove pie and allow it to cool before serving. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream if desired.

 

“A joyful heart makes a face cheerful, but a sad heart produces a broken spirit.” –Proverbs 15:13  

May your face be cheerful today!   Now the only question remaining…..what’s your feast? Post and let us know what will be on your table today…..

Caruncle Carob

Manna from Heaven?

Put chocolate in front of me and there’s a cacophony of alarms going off in my head, it’s too hard to resist the temptation for a daily dose of “vitamin C” most days. In a never-ending quest for health, I’ve been looking into other options. Today’s kitchen experiment was with my new best friend – Carob.

Red Mill makes a fabulous toasted carob powder. It’s like fine silt, and it goes EVERYWHERE when you open the cellophane packaging.  User beware.

I have a habit of picking up some ingredient that I’ve never tried before when I’m at the market. I like to keep things fresh, but I must confess this carob has been hibernating in my cupboard unattended for longer than it should have.  Had I only known!?!

I started scouring the internet for recipe possibilities. There’s one word that kept catching my eye……brownies! But could this toasted carob stand up to the traditional cocoa powder version?

Carob comes from pods of the carob tree which is prevalent in the Mediterranean region. It is technically from the legume family. It is a good source of protein, fiber and Omega 6s.  The plant also goes by the name St. John’s Bread and locust bean. Wikipedia notes that Locust bean gum is a “galactomannan” vegetable gum extracted from the seeds of the carob tree and it is used as a thickening agent in foods. Well, now we know!

Conspectus Controversy –

Matthew 3:4 has John the Baptist feeding on locusts and wild honey. What if that was a reference for locust beans and wild honey? Is it possible that our beloved JB had a pure sweet tooth? (Carob sounds more appealing than grasshoppers, doesn’t it?)

I read that in the Jewish Talmud, there is a story about carob trees taking as long as 70 years to grow from a seedling to bearing its fruit. Israelites would not necessarily benefit from their own plantings; it would be done for the next generation to harvest. That’s an excellent reminder to invest in the next generation in order that they may harvest and prosper.

I won’t need to be eating too much carob for fear of further caruncle development…..but it is a good substitute when you’re looking for an option for a treat.

It has a naturally “sweet” taste to it, so the theory is that you need less sugar to go along with it. And now that we can rationalize using spiritual and historical significance….enjoy your daily dose of “Vitamin C(arob)”….

Carob Brownies

Yield: Makes one 8” x 8” pan

 Ingredients:

½ cup Earth Balance butter

¾ cup organic granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2/3 cup organic all purpose flour

½ cup carob powder (Red Mill makes a toasted carob powder that works here!)

½ tsp. baking powder

½ c. chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans) 

 Instructions: 

Preheat the oven to 350*F 

Cream the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time. Mix until thoroughly combined. Add in dry ingredients (carob powder, flour, baking powder), blending until smooth, taking care not to over mix. Add in nuts and stir until combined. Spread batter in a greased 8 x 8 x 2 inch pan. Bake at 350*F for about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool before slicing.

 

Luscious Lavender

Luscious Lavender

Recently, I’ve become obsessed by the scent of lavender. So much so that I’ve recently attended a festival devoted to the plant and now have far too many products in my arsenal. I love the nearly intoxicating scent and found a passion in trying to create the perfect lavender lemonade which I’m sipping as I type.

The hummingbirds regularly buzz by the lavender plant outside my office window. I can see them drink up the nectar every morning  flitting about with a happily intense persistence. Do you ever wonder why God created certain plants or flowers? That got me wondering!

Learning Lavender –

Lavender is mentioned in the Bible under the pseudonym spikenard. (I know, I prefer the name lavender, too) Although there is some controversy on the exact origins, we can still learn something from the mention of the spikenard plant in the quintessential Old Testament romance dance Song of Solomon. Solomon, the lover, speaks “While the king was at his table, my perfume gave forth its’ fragrance” (v1:12). An intoxicating scent this lavender. Enough to set a king on fire!

Holman Bible Dictionary defines spikenard as “a very expensive spice used in making perfume.”  There are also ties to Syrian origins of the lavender, or nard, plant in Greek writings from which we can deduce that the plan was present in the Mediterranean region.  It has been used for antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties and according to legend it is meant to soothe and relax. I can attest to that as I add a few drops of the oil into my bath.

The essential oil was extracted from the buds of the plants and was then stored in alabaster boxes in which they were kept for special occasions; Blossom elixir.

We are provides with another poignant reference to spikenard in the New Testament. Mark 14:3 recounts, “While He was in Bethany at the home of Simon the leper, and reclining at the table, there came a woman with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume of pure nard; and she broke the vial and poured it over His head.” (NASB)

We are reminded that Mary used this expensive perfume to anoint Jesus at the home of Lazarus in Bethany as well. “Mary then took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” John 12:3 (NASB)

The Bible gives us two examples where this spikenard, this expensive lavender perfume, was used to anoint Jesus. It was poured over him as a sort of offering, to denote him as an honored guest.  It would have been a very costly offering for someone in Biblical times. Solomon uses talk of lavender to express his love as a garden in bloom. The women poured out the nectar of the blossoms as an act of devotion.

It is a beautiful reminder of how God’s word uses the world around us to illustrate points. God is love. God is the Creator of the world.  I am guilty of moving through my day and taking simple things for granted. Here is a beautiful plant outside my window that has been there for years waiting to teach me this lesson. Lavender. While I certainly balked at the $20 price tag on the 10ml bottle (sans alabaster…) the bottle I just purchased (as the clerk cited “it’s organic” as though that should make all the difference in the world!) at the lavender festival, it was not a month’s wages as it would have been for Mary or the unnamed woman.

Lavender provoked inquiry of self. Am I pouring out my best for Christ? Am I storing up my best for honored guests? Or do I hoard that for my own selfish desires?

 Jesus recognized the sacrifice of these two women as acts of devotion.  What acts of devotion are you equipped to pour out to God? What nard equivalent is in your arsenal and are you prepared to pour it out in affection and commitment to your Savior?  Literal or figurative is no matter, let the reminder stand.  

Literally Lavender –  

Think about pouring out a little lavender to your next guest of honor…..

Lavender Lemonade

 Ingredients:

6 organic lemons

1 cup organic sugar (or ¾ cup agave nectar)

6 cups of filtered water

2 teaspoons of organic culinary-grade lavender buds

 Directions: Peel the rind from lemons with a vegetable peeler or sharp knife and place the strips in a glass bowl. Add the sweetener and allow this to sit for a time, at least an hour. Boil the filtered water and add to the bowl. Add in the lavender buds. Cover the bowl with a plate and allow it to sit for about 20 minutes. Then juice the lemons and add it into the bow. Remove the rind and lavender and strain the liquid. Allow it to cool slightly and then put it in the container of choice and chill in the refrigerator.  When the guests arrive, add some ice and maybe a lavender stalk for garnish. Intoxicating! Makes about 6 cups