when you're looking for something to whip up

Doesn't this look yummy?

No? Perhaps like a batch of something left to go severely moldy? Good thing it's not for eating.

It's a batch of play dough I made for Ben last week to occupy him while Dave was trying to study and I was in for a morning of cooking. I'd finally had enough of the DVD player being his baby sitter. :)

Plus I was inspired by this post  at Jess McClenahan's blog back in November and encouraged by how much Ben enjoyed play doughing at our local community family room.

And while he was busy making minty green creations at the table, I was whipping up a batch of these...

I could eat a whole pan by myself. There's just something about chocolate and peanut that tastes just right.

Ever since I've taken a closer look at our diets and how foods affect our bodies, for better and for worse, I've been experimenting with ways to make healthier versions of our favorite food and desserts.

And although it's healthiest to not eat desserts and grab a piece of fruit instead, there are times when brownies are called for. So they might as well be made as "healthy "as possible without sacrificing the chocolate fudgy goodness.

Here's my version of vegan peanut butter brownies which are oil-free (except the peanut butter), egg-free, reduced sugar, low gluten and dairy-free. But I still think they're big on taste. I served these last week with a side of strawberry sauce (just throw (organic) frozen strawberries in a pot and cook over medium heat until the berries break down into a thick sauce).

Vegan Peanut Butter Brownies

*inspired by Vegan Planet by Robin Robertson

Moist Ingredients
1/3 c. smooth natural peanut butter
2 flax eggs (2 Tbsp + 6 Tbsp water)
1/2 c. date paste
1/4 c. pure maple syrup*
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 c. unsweetened almond milk**

Dry Ingredients
4 oz. vegan, semisweet chocolate chips (fair trade is best)
1 c. spelt flour (organic is best)***
1 c. buckwheat flour (organic is best)***
1 tsp. baking powder

1. Mix up flax eggs and set aside. Make sure peanut butter is at room temperature or warm in a small pot until very runny.
2. In a small saucepan, combine chocolate, date paste, maple syrup, vanilla and almond milk. Heat over low heat, until all ingredients are well combined, making sure you don't burn the chocolate.
3. Combine flours and baking powder in a bowl.
4. Add wet ingredients to dry and stir until just combined. The mixture will be very thick. If it looks dry add more almond milk.
5. Pour batter into a greased 8x8 glass baking pan. Spoon peanut butter over batter and lightly swirl it in using a knife.
6. Place in a 275 degree oven and bake for 30 minutes.

Recipe notes:
*You could use another type of natural sweetener but this may change the taste and texture slightly. Agave syrup might be the closest in consistency to maple syrup.
**You can use another type of unsweetened, non-dairy milk if you like. I like almond milk for the natural, subtle sweetness it adds to dessert recipes.
***I liked this combination of flours the best. If you try different whole grain flours, the texture of the brownies may be affected. Buckwheat is gluten free, but spelt is not. Read more about spelt here.

day 5: FMF, love and pumpkin pecan bars

Five minutes on "welcome"...I just finished reading the passage in Mark about Jesus welcoming the little children and his encouragement for us to enter the kingdom like that.  And I wonder if it's because children know how to love more fully and as we grow we forget that. Perhaps as we grow the weeds of this world choke out our freedom to love. I see in my children the freedom to show affection and say what's on their mind and live free of expectations. And I want to love like that. I want to welcome deep love into my life and welcome others into my arms as Jesus joyfully did with the children.

Because I love the Five Minute Friday community, I'm going to attempt to participate through this 31 Days and tie Lisa's prompt word to loving deeply. The "regular" 31 Days of Deep Love Diving post follows...Fridays I share a recipe along with the DLD challenges.

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Most Fridays I share recipes aimed at a healthier me, healthier you and a healthier world. And as I mentioned here, I believe food and love are somehow connected - sharing a meal was one of the last things Jesus did before laying down His life for us. Which is why recipes are part of Deep Love Diving. (View all the 31 Days of Deep Love Diving posts here)


If I say pumpkin pie, what's the first thing that comes to mind?

Was it "Thanksgiving?" And after reading Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts, love and grace and thanksgiving are forever wrapped up together in my mind. So I wanted a recipe that immediately connects us to a day when we gather to give thanks. I don't like pumpkin pie (it's a texture thing) but I do enjoy these...

Pumpkin Pecan Energy Bars
(based on the recipe found here)

1.5 cups great northern beans
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup almond butter
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/3 cup canned organic pumpkin
1-3 tsp. pumpkin pie spice*
1.5 cups organic oats
1/2 cup pecans






1. Combine the first six ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Add in oats and process until combined.
3. Transfer to bowl and stir in pecans, plus )any other ingredients you'd like to add. I mixed in puffed millet. Raw pumpkin seeds, banana chips, unsweetened coconut also would work well.
4. Bake at 275 degrees for 20-30 minutes until firm.

*The pumpkin pie spice I used was old so I added in 3 tsp. For fresher pumpkin pie spice, start with one tsp. and add more to taste.

The challenge: Write God a love letter.

Writing helps me process my thoughts and after three days of meditating on what it means to love Him with my whole heart I want to share this with Him in a letter. Obviously, He already knows my thoughts and what I'm going to write, but I think He'll rather enjoy of receiving a letter anyway.





The challenge: Give away something you love to someone you love.

I don't know about you, but when I find some thing I love, I tend to hold it tight. But God says we're never to grasp onto the things of this world and I wonder if, when we open our hands to others, we open our hearts to Him. So today, I'm giving something I love away to someone I love because I want to live with open hands and an open heart. If you love these energy bars, make some to give away. :)    




*Images for the Deep Love Diving banners and buttons were courtesy of this site.

that kind of trust (and a recipe)

The fingers of a newborn curled tight around the finger that caresses - that's the kind of grasp I desire when it comes to clinging to my God.

There is trust in the grasp of one freshly sent from heaven for a newborn cannot see clearly but only in part. And I see not clearly but in part.

And I listen for the voice who spoke me into being. I long to nestle into the arms of the One who knit me, to recognize the caresses, the scent, the sound of the One who formed me and never leaves my side. And to live in the grasp of heaven, swaddled in His love.

Want to see where five minutes of writing takes you? Take a peek at the Five Minute Friday community over at Lisa-Jo's.

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Monday, I'm joining with another community to write on one topic for 31 days. My topic: 31 Days of Deep Love Diving.


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Most Fridays I'll share recipes aimed at a healthier me, healthier you and a healthier world. First up:

 Why make your own oven fries when you could buy them? 

• You know exactly what's going in them
• You can customize them to your taste
• They're quick and easy to make

Oven Fries
Yukon Gold potatoes (organic are best - potatoes are #12 on the Dirty Dozen list)
Spices (e.g. garlic/onion/chili powder, parsley, oregano, pepper)
Parchment paper
Veggie scrubber

1. Scrub them taters and remove any "eyes"
2. Cut into wedge or traditional fry shape
3. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper
4. Sprinkle with your favorite blend of spices
5. Pop in a 375 degree oven and bake until lightly golden on the outside (about 35-45 minutes)
6. Serve warm

Did you notice what was "missing"? 

Salt & oil. You don't need 'em. The spices add the flavors and the parchment paper prevents the fries from sticking.

WFMW: Rinse Repeat School Lunches

I pack my kids lunches for school. It's just what I do.


I love that I know what they're eating and that it mirrors what I do for them at home. But it can be exhausting to think up what items to tuck in their lunch bags, especially now that egg salad is off the menu. It was one of my "go to's" and enjoyed by 100% of my kids.

So to save my mental sanity, I came up with a school lunch menu plan that is repeated every wee, though I mix up the days these items appear. And below this mix and match meal plan, see a few tips for how I make this work and save time too. (And this one's for you too Allie and G!)


Rinse Repeat School Lunch Menu

Main Dish
1. pasta
2. baked beans
3. oven fries/sweet potato fries
4. sandwich (pbj, tuna, tomato, pb & apple)
5. soup or salad

Bonus item: leftovers from a meal the kids actually liked - sanity and time saver

Veggie sides
1. carrots and hummus
2. celery and nut butter
3. cucumbers and hummus
4. carrots and nut butter mix
5. celery and hummus

Fruit sides
1. apple slices
2. pineapple
3. orange wedges
4. watermelon
5. kiwi


Tips and Side Notes

• Obviously these choices reflect what my kids like. For your family figure out an assortment of items they enjoy, then come up with a similar mix and match plan.
• I keep the drink option simple, inexpensive and eco-friendly: filtered tap water in a stainless steel water bottle
• For this to work, you'll need stainless steel containers with lids and containers on hand to hold sauces and condiments. I found mine in the closeout section of our discount grocery store. (Praising the Lord for that find!) Pair these with a reusable, insulated lunch bag and not only are you helping to keep God's green earth green, but your lunch time options expand greatly. Here's one resource for eco-friendly lunchware or Google "stainless steel lunch containers" for additional finds.
• Soup requires a stainless steel container with a screw on lid. Try a small water bottle and send a stainless steel container for your child to pour it into
• For items needing to be warmed, place them in the oven while you're eating breakfast. When it's time to go, place aluminum foil over the container, pop on the lids and wrap the foil around the container's body. It should keep the items warm until lunch time.
• For the pasta, fries, soup and salad options, I plan these for the night before and make extra. HUGE timesaver.
• To keep things fresh, if I have extra treats on hand, I'll pop those in too, but I don't go out of the way to plan for them.

 Lunches I can repeat that save time, energy and help plan my shopping list every week? That works for me.

Linking with Kristen for her Works For Me Wednesday series.

recipe: for the trail bar

If this is your first time visiting, you might want to see this post for a little background on why I'm choosing to eat this way. I would also really encourage you to read "Prevent & Reverse Heart Disease" by Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, "The Engine Two Diet" by Rip Esselstyn and/or watch "Forks Over Knives" (available on hulu.com). And then, if you are a believer, weigh what you learn against Scripture and prayerfully ask God how He would have you apply this information, if at all, to your life. I've been praying through Romans 14 lately, if you too want to check it out.

My biggest challenge this past week is adding enough flavor to recipes without increasing the salt. Harder still is adjusting recipes I used to love but now lack the same flavor because I'm decreasing the sodium content. Not that I'd make things salty to begin with, but I'm realizing eating is as much about habit and familiarity as it is about taste. I think I may have hit on the solution by doubling the seasonings and maybe adding a few more in there, but this will continue to be an ever evolving process.

I'm also looking into the raw style of eating since I rarely feel the need to add anything to raw fruits and veggies (although a little salt on a garden fresh tomato is pretty tasty ;) )

So here's one recipe in the raw line of cooking - it's a recipe my mom discovered years ago in a British cookbook and I remember having a hard time not eating the whole pan in one sitting. It also makes a great energy bar and is really simple to prepare... whether you're on the trail or not.

For the Trail Bar

3/4 c. dried, pitted dates (organic if possible)
2/3 c. raisins (organic if possible)
2/3 c. dried apricots, mangos or apples* (organic if possible)
1/2 c  almonds, cashews or hazelnuts* (organic if possible)
1-2 tsp honey or agave
2-3 tsp orange juice (organic if possible)
approximately 1/2 c. quick oats

*or any combination of these

In a food processor, grind dates, raisins, dried fruits and nuts until smooth. Add sweetener and juice until the mixture begins to bind together. Add just enough oats to give a firm texture. Spread into a 8x8 square glass dish and keep refrigerated.

I discovered that using dried mangos gives the bar slightly sweeter taste. Apricots provide more tang.


Keeping it in perspective:  When I took a long, careful look at your ways, I got my feet back on the trail you blazed. I was up at once, didn't drag my feet, was quick to follow your orders. Psalm 119: 59-60 MSG

pleasing different palettes: veggie pasta night

If this is your first time visiting, you might want to see this post for a little background on why I'm choosing to eat this way. I would also really encourage you to read "Prevent & Reverse Heart Disease" by Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, "The Engine Two Diet" by Rip Esselstyn and/or watch "Forks Over Knives" (available on hulu.com). And then, if you are a believer, weigh what you learn against Scripture and prayerfully ask God how He would have you apply this information, if at all, to your life. I've been praying through Romans 14 lately, if you too want to check it out.


I've fluctuated between loving the focus of this new way of eating and being really challenged by it. Especially with how not excited the kids are with some of the meals I serve. :) Thankfully, I've gradually incorporated more veggie dinners into our weekly repertoire over the past couple of years, but it's a challenge to get the kids, especially all four kids, to like the same things.

Cheese was always an equalizer...rarely did any of them turn up a dish when cheese was involved. So without this standby, I'm on a mission to find the "new" cheese. (FYI...if you've never tried soy cheese before, it's not a product I'd recommend. For me at least, it just doesn't cut the mustard when it comes to approximating the taste of dairy cheese. And you'd need to closely scan the ingredients to be sure it doesn't contain a milk byproduct).

If you have children, I'm going to guess that you same the face dilemma: finding good recipes that the majority of your family will enjoy.

Here's something I tried last week which seemed to be a success:

A Very Veggie Pasta Salad Night

It's so simple...all you need to do is:

• Cook some 100% whole grain pasta (make sure the ingredients say "whole") and let it cool slightly
• Tear up some lettuce into bowls (if you have a child that will fight you on the lettuce part, you can always leave it out)
• Cut up an assortment of veggies in to bite-sized pieces. Consider incorporating one or two new ones every so often to build your child's veggie bank. Here's what I used: cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, sugar snap peas, carrots, green pepper, kale and corn.
• Place diced veggies on a plate or in several bowls and set in the middle of the table.
• Spoon cooled pasta onto the lettuce and place on the table
• Let everyone mix up their own salad and voila...you conveniently have adapted a meal to suit everyone's taste without cooking more than one dish!

A word on dressings:
If you're having a hard time getting the kids to eat their made-to-order salads because it's a new thing for them, try finding a dressing they like. If they don't like the plant-strong dressings (no added oils or dairy), maybe start out with small amount (to let the veggie flavors shine through) of "regular" dressing, but one that's lower in fat, salt and sugar.

The other night, I let Brianna use a regular dressing we still have on hand because it was the only way she would finish the salad. Small victories are important. Over time, I'm hoping to find a dressing she does like that doesn't have the oil in it.

And here's a recipe for dressing I modified from The Engine 2 Diet. If you like strong, tangy flavors, give this one a try (and I'd love to hear what you think if you do!). I was skeptical at first with some of the ingredients, but found it to be really enjoyable...especially on steamed kale.

• 2 T nutritional yeast
• 1 T low sodium soy sauce
• 1 T prepared mustard
• 2 T balsamic vinegar
• 1 T agave (or honey or pure maple syrup)
• 1 T wheat germ

Mix everything together and add water to achieve desired consistency (to your personal taste).

Keeping it in perspective: Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him. (Psalm 34:8 NIV 1984)

what? go vegan?

Two weeks ago if you had told me I would no longer voluntarily be eating dairy, meat or added oils (e.g. olive oil, soy butter, vegetable oil), I probably would not have believed you.

Yet that is exactly what has happened.

After learning that my dad has significant blockages in his right carotid artery and his heart, I began reading
 "The Engine 2 Diet" by Rip Esselstyn. It's a book that outlines the importance of a "plant-strong diet" for lowering cholesterol levels and fighting the leading causes of death for Americans in the modern era...heart disease, cancer, stroke, obesity, diabetes and Alzheimer's. Here's a link to the CDC if you want to verify the numbers.

Although Rip is not a doctor, his father is and the Engine 2 Diet is based upon Dr. Esselstyn's long-term and ongoing study and findings that a plant-based diet void of any meats, dairy, added oils (and for patients with heart disease, no nuts, avocados, coconut, simple sugars) can not only prevent heart disease, it can even reverse it. Dr. Esselstyn captured this evidence in his book, "Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease."

The evidence is so compelling, my dad currently is praying about whether he undergoes the schedule multiple bypass surgery or treats the blockages through this diet. My mom spoke with Dr. Esselstyn who confirmed that it would be possible for my dad to do this - we just have to wait on what path God would have him follow. :) Regardless, my dad is on this diet now...it's a reality for him if he wants to prevent further blockages from occurring.

At first, I thought I would also go on this diet as a way of supporting my dad, especially since we live close by and often share meals as a larger family. But after reading "The Engine 2 Diet," and learning exactly what meat and dairy especially do to your body, I'm kind of disgusted at the thought of eating it.

And I thought I would share this journey with you. Because I think many of us have false information about what "healthy' really is. I certainly did. But the only way you can know for yourself is to read the books. :)


Now that butter and butter-like products are off the menu, here's a recipe I came up with for croutons:

Though it's obviously much faster to buy a box and throw them on a salad, it's much cheaper and so simple to make your own. Plus I'm not sure there are many, or any, croutons on the market with no added oils, little salt and on 100% whole wheat bread. If there is, please let me know. :)

Here's what you need:

• 100% whole grain bread (gluten-free if need be)
• Hummus (oil & tahini free - Sahara Cuisine makes some or you could make your own)
• Seasonings such as parsley, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder
• An oven, a baking sheet and a knife

Here's what you do:

• Spread each slice of bread with a thin layer of hummus and then sprinkle on your seasonings to your personal taste.
• Turn the slices over and do the same on the other side
• Place the slices on a baking sheet and place under the broiler in your oven. Setting the timer helps so you won't forget to check them (something I've done way too often). I start with 2 minutes, then go in one-minute increments for the first side until it's nicely toasted, then flip it over and the same for the other side.
• Once finished, slice up into bite-sized pieces and serve with soups, salads or as a snack

Keeping it in perspective:

•  Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” (Matthew 4:4 NIV)
• Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. (John 6:35 NIV)

the best vegan peanut butter cookies ever

I'm always on the lookout for healthier versions of favorite classic recipes. I stumbled upon this recipe in the "Feeding the Healthy Vegetarian Family" cookbook by Ken Haedrich.

I was skeptical at first that this recipe would even work given the absence of eggs or egg replacer, but I bravely sallied forth and was delighted with the results. The only trouble with this recipe is that it tastes so healthy that it's hard to stop eating them!

Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies
1 c. natural, unsweetened, unsalted peanut butter (I like the Smucker's brand though it does have some salt)
1 c. pure maple syrup

1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 c. whole wheat pastry flour*
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
chocolate chips (optional)

*Whole wheat pastry flour is essential. The first time I made these, I used regular whole wheat flour which does not have the same "wow" factor.

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper
2.Whisk together peanut butter, maple syrup, oil and vanilla.
3. Combine dry ingredients (except chocolate chips) and make a well in the center.
4. Pour p.b./maple syrup mixture into dry ingredients and stir until mixed.
5. Let the dough sit for 10-20 minutes (I found doing so resulted in rounder, "puffier" cookies)
6. Shape dough into 1-2" balls and place on cookie sheet
7. Using an oiled fork, press cookie dough down, then decorate with a few chocolate chips if desired.
8. Bake 10-12 minutes and let them cool slightly before transferring to a cooling rack.


Linking with KoJo Designs Friday Fun Finds