Changes needed

Well, it is three days into the new year and I decided that I am going to try and make some changes this year in my diet. When I say "diet" I am not dieting to lose weight; only to be healthier.  I am going to try and actually stick to them this time.  Maybe by writing down my intentions here on this blog I will be more apt to keep them.  All too often I say I am going to change this or change that or not eat certain things and then wind up back in the same old rut of getting lazy at what foods I put in my body and end up sick and tired.

The main one is to stop eating gluten. I have done it before in the past and though it was incredibly hard to stick to, I felt better for it.  Now I find myself slipping back into old patterns; eating crackers or cookies, cake or baked goods. Then I pay for it later. Pain, discomfort and bloating. Feelings of fatigue. Headaches.  Gluten free flours are hard to come by here in Honduras and certainly far more pricey than they are at home. However one doesn't always need "flour. " Take pancakes for instance. Did you know you can make pancakes with an egg and a banana?  Just mash together and cook like you would regular pancakes. They are delicious and filling.

Every three weeks or so I am struck down by an illness that apparently has no name. My Dr. told me some time ago that it was complications from two surgeries I had years back on my esophagus and hernia. When I am sick with this mystery illness I am basically in bed for the day. I have am so very weak; no energy at all and nauseous.  It is debilitating and frankly I am sick and tired of dealing with it. It gets in the way of life big time. I don't know if changing things up a bit in my diet will change this aspect of my life that I am dealing with but it can't hurt to try.

The other thing I want to eliminate is processed foods. There is no way that putting food that is processed in the body can be healthy for oneself.  They are toxic and harmful. I think we all know this.
And sugar. Oh yes, that is the one thing I am addicted to without question. I know it is bad for me and yet I still am drawn to packages of candy, sweets, chocolate.  It's only gotten worse since moving to Honduras.  Well, enough of feeding my body junk. Enough of feeling sick all the time. It's time to make a change. The time is now. It's time to start treating my body like the temple He created it to be. It's time to start making wiser choices, eating clean.  I know it won't be easy. It will mean more planning on my part, but for the record, I am going to try.

Thimble Cookies

Below is a favorite cookie recipe from my childhood, that my Grandma made each Christmas when I was growing up. My Grandma has been gone now for about twenty five years but the recipe lives on! My mom makes it each year as well. It  is possibly the easiest, cookie recipe ever.

 

Thimble Cookies

Cream together
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar

Add 1 beaten egg yolk
2 tsp lemon juice
Beat well.

Add 1 cup flour and blend well

Shape dough into balls.
Dip balls in slightly beaten egg white.

Then roll in 1 Cup chopped nuts.
Make fairly deep indention in each.

Grease pan
Put in  325 degree oven for 5 minutes.
Remove from oven and indent again.
Cook 10 minutes more.
Fill with jam.

Two fudge recipes for the Christmas season

5 Minute Fudge

Combine
1 2/3 cups white sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
2 TBSP butter

Combine and bring to a rolling boil. 
Stir constantly for 4 minutes or until it starts to thicken.
Remove from heat and stir  in :
2 cups mini marshmallows
2 cups Chocolate chips.
Stir until melted. Pour into 8X8 pan. Chill until set.

Peanut Butter Fudge

Bring to boil
2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup milk
Boil 2 minutes.
Remove from heat.
Stir in
3/4 cup Peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
Pour into pan and chill.

Spicy Pumpkin Muffins

This recipe is from the original printing of the cookbook "Once a month cooking" It is not in the newer release of that book. I first made it in 1998.

1 1/2 cups flour ( gluten free four works too)
1 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves ( omitted this time)
1/2 cup raisins..( also omitted)
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Topping:
2 1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Stir dry ingredients together until well combined. Stir in raisins. Beat remaining 4 ingredients in small bowl. Pour mixture into dry ingredients and stir in until well combined.
Sprinkle topping on each muffin.
Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes

Breakfast Tacos

Below is the recipe that is from the cookbook "Just Kidding"
I substituted ham in place of the sausage, and I also cut the recipe in half because the original recipe makes 6 servings.  I served it with a little salsa on the side.

6 eggs
1lb sausage
1 onion, chopped
Grated cheese
3 baked potatoes
pinch garlic powder
Flour tortillas

In a frying pan or skillet, scramble the eggs.  Set aside.
In a separate skillet, crumble the sausage and cook until brown.
Mix in onion and grated cheese.
Add chopped or grated baked potatoes and garlic powder.
Cook on low for 5-9 minutes.
Add the scrambled eggs and cook an additional minute.
Warm the tortillas and fill with the fixture. Serve immediately.

Jake and his cat

A couple weeks ago something happened in the midst of sadness that was quite funny.

Last summer our oldest son Jacob helped out at a Christian camp with the kids program that was directed by the "Rubber Chicken Company" There were other teens that helped out as well that Jake connected with. One of them was a girl named Emma. During the course of the week Emma became sick and had to go home. It was later discovered that Emma had cancer. I believe she was fourteen at the time.

Every day for the past year we as a family have prayed for her; that God would make her well, heal her so she could have her life back.

I remember that night a couple weeks ago reading on Facebook that Emma had taken a turn for the worse and things didn't look good. A few hours later she had passed away.
I knew Jake would take it hard. I mean granted he really didn't know her that well other than working with her those couple days at camp...but Jake believed with his whole heart God would heal her. There was no doubt in his mind at all.
The next morning Dale and I went into Jake's room and broke the news to him. A little while later he came upstairs to the kitchen and poured himself a bowl of Shreddies. Then he broke down sobbing at the table....he couldn't eat it because he was too upset.

I let him stay home from school that day. I just felt if he had moments where he wanted to cry...he should be able to...and not have to keep it all bottled up.  I felt he needed a day to sort through whatever emotions he was feeling.
This kid believed totally that Emma would be healed...but she had died. His faith at that moment was shattered.

The bowl of cereal remained on the table. Jake remained holed up in his room, door shut.
Meanwhile, our cat Taffy jumped on the table and began to eat the Shreddies. Who knew cats like people food.  I didn't stop her, or throw the cereal out...not sure why!
By this time the daycare children had arrived as well and saw what Taffy was doing.

Around noon Jake came out of hiding and sat down at the table to finish his now soggy cereal. Two year old Benson was eating his lunch and  pipes up and says "Hey Jake, that's Taffy's!"
Jake looked up from his cereal, his spoon in mid air and says "wait a minute...did Taffy eat this?"
I was holding in my laughter when Benson turned and looked at me his eyes as big as saucers. I'm not sure what Benson was thinking at that moment but his expression was priceless!
Needless to say Jake didn't finish it.

A short while later he told me that when he was in his room he had been praying and God had shown him that He did heal Emma...just not how we all wanted or were hoping for...but Emma loved Jesus and she was in heaven completely healed, no more sickness or pain. Such a wise statement from someone so young.

Anyway, I was reminded of this story about Jake and his cat yesterday and I thought...I really need to write his down and share it...or I will forget it. It was a moment that I am still laughing about.  Maybe it's one of those stories that you have to be there for it to be funny....but I hope you all got a chuckle out of it.

Easy Pumpkin cake

I made this recipe today but instead of using a bundt pan I used muffins tins!
They are delicous! Instead of the pumpkin pie spice, I used a mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and allspice.
The original recipe did call for chocolate chips but I didn't use them.
The original recipe is from cooks.com
I iced them in maple buttercream using a 1M tip.
I though they were perfect for this Thanksgiving weekend!

18 1/2 oz. pkg. regular yellow cake mix
4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp. baking soda
1 3/4 c. (16 oz. can) pumpkin
1/4 c. water
1/4 c. vegetable oil
3 eggs

Chopped nuts (optional)

Combine dry cake mix, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, pumpkin, water, oil and eggs in large mixer bowl; beat on low speed until moistened. Beat 2 minutes on medium speed until smooth. Stir in miniature chips. Pour into greased and floured 12-cup bundt pan.Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or until top springs back when touched lightly. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan. Cool completely.
 

I iced them with the buttercream recipe on this blog but instead of vanilla extract I did half that and the other half maple extract.