Sunday, December 27, 2009

Christmas 2009

It has been a WONDERFUL Christmas with all my kids here. Thank you Stephanie for being such a big help as you always are!!! I love you lots!!

Saturday, December 26, 2009


I am really enjoying spending Christmas with you and Wayne and Randy and Jennifer and my husband and Susanne and Ace and Shelby and the dogs and Gracie. I love you. Looking forward to seeing you on the Blog.

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

I feel like I failed you. I have mentioned Macrobiotics in earlier posts but did not realize that the diet cures cancer. Had I found this information earlier, I could have saved you alot of trouble. Watch this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElwwF4Uz3Ak

I realize that 'special' ingredients are difficult for you to find, they are difficult for me, too. So, I'm going on the offensive. I am going to special order as much as I can from the grocery stores (Wal-mart, for example) that offer online ordering with pick-up at the stores. I think it's really unfair and very anti-humanity to not offer healthy selections at the grocery stores, especially in a community as small as yours where the choices are so limited. My intent is to cause the powers that be to make healthier foods available to everybody. Their are elitist grocery stores, but I would like to influence the lives of people who are living unhealthily because they don't realize they have an option.

I love you.

Thursday, December 3, 2009


Well, here it is! A bowl of fresh Parsnip-Fennel Soup. The flavor was so delicate. It was scrumptious.
I'd like to make it for you sometime.
photo by my food stylist and favorite teenager: Susanne!

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Ace and I cleaned out the refrigerator today. I should have thought to take some pictures of the little Peeshman as he struggled to lift the heavier jars and wispy fennel to the counter. He is such a good kid. Last night at the dinner table I was talking about what a good-tempered easy going child he is.
"Quite different than my previous experience with a child." I said.
Susanne smiled real big.
"Okay, Ace, let me show you what I used to do."
"No, no." I discouraged her.
I don't need that drama. I mean, really. Really.
Anyway, the refrigerator was Disgust-ing. Why do I let it get like that? What's wrong with me??
But now it's done and I'm proud of myself. I keep going to the refrigerator, opening the door and wondering at the clean brightness.
I found two vegetables that were meant to be used at Thanksgiving but ended up sitting out the holiday on the bench: two bulbs of fennel and two parsnips.
I would be guilty of a heinous crime if I allowed these novel vegetables go to waste, so I Googled them.
I am going to make this recipe this afternoon. I'll substitute my leftover No Chicken Broth for the chicken broth and soymilk (maybe mixed with a little cornstarch) for the heavy broth.
I'll let you know how it turns out!

Monday, November 23, 2009

Baking without Eggs

Taken from: The Teen's Vegetarian Cookbook by Judy Krizmanic

Baking without eggs can be a little tricky because eggs do several important things. For one thing, they provide leavening, which means they make things rise. They also provide binding, which means they hold things together. They also add some liquid. so if you're leaving out the eggs, you have to find something else to do all of those things.
In baking, there's definitely a chemistry going on between the liquid ingredients, the dry ingredients, and the leavening ingredients. In place of the eggs in your favorite recipes, try the following:

Applesauce: Add about 1/4 cup in place of an egg. This holds things together and adds moisture, but it doesn't do that much in the way of helping things rise. For that, you might need to add a little extra baking powder (about 1/2 teaspoon).

Banana: Use 1/2 banana, mashed, for one egg in sweet baked goods. (This is good only in things that will work with a banana taste.) Also add about 1/2 teaspoon extra baking soda.

Tofu: Use about 1/4 cup mashed silken tofu for one egg. Also add 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon extra baking powder.

Prune puree: You can puree your own or purchase pureed prunes in the baking aisle of the supermarket. You can also use baby food prunes. Use about 1/4 cup prunes plus 1/2 teaspoon extra baking powder. (Prunes will add sweetness to a recipe.)

Baking powder: Add and extra 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and about 2 tablespoons extra liquid to replace one egg in a recipe.

Powdered egg replacer: This stuff is great. It's a powdered mix, available in natural foods stores (Whole Foods, for exampled), that you blend with water to replace an egg in recipes. It works really well. It seems pricey ($7 or $8 a box) but the box lasts a really long time, so it's worth it.

Flax seed: Flax seeds are available at natural foods stores. This flax seed mixture can be used in place of 2 eggs: Grind 3 tablespoons flax seed to a very fine powder in a blender. Add 1/2 cup water and blend until the mixture becomes thick, resembling raw egg white. Fold it into cake batter at the end of mixing for light vegan cakes, but only use in recipes that call for 2 or 3 eggs at the most. (This recipe used with permission for Good News About Good Food by Carol M. Coughlin, R.D.)

Homemade Fake Egg: Use the following recipe in place of one egg in baked goods; it works really well in cookies. It's best to whip it up right before adding it to the recipe. (Note: *this recipe is NOT meant to replace eggs in really eggy dishes, like scrambled eggs.)

Fake Eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 Tablespoons flour
3 Tablespoons water
Combine ingredients in a small bowl and mix together with a fork or wire whisk until foamy.
Eggless baking can sometimes be a daring adventure. If you end up with hockey pucks instead of cookies, don't worry. Try something different next time.
*Tomorrow I will blog about my favorite Tofu Scrambler recipe!

Friday, November 20, 2009

Ramblings

There are so many things I need to do and I can't even get off the computer. The house is a mess. I haven't taken a shower. I haven't exercised. Nix. Nada. I got nothin'. Keeping myself motivated is a daily high wire act. I have a feeling there's a big payoff up the road, like seeing my grandkids. Can you imagine, me, a grandma? I'm going to be the weirdest grandma ever. Oh, I've finally decided what I want to be when I grow up: I want to be a nutritionist! I think all this food and nutrition stuff is fascinating! I'm waiting for an informational packet about an online degree. If that doesn't work, a Master's is offered not too far from here.
Okay, I've got to get moving.

I love you!