sugar free yummy blackberry crisp

Crumble Topping , as published by Jennifer Cornbleet in Raw Food Made Easy vor 1 or 2 People

2 cups  raw walnuts or  pecans, unsoaked
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded, dried coconut
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup raisins, unsoaked

Place  the walnuts, coconut, cinnamon,nutmeg, and salt in a food processor fitted with an S blade and process until coarsely ground.  Add raisins and dates and process til the mixture resembles coarse crumbs  and begins to stick together.  Don't overprocess.  Store in a sealed container.  Will keep one   month in fridge or three months in freezer.

Blackberry Crisp
4 cups fresh or frozen blackberries
1/4 cup pitted medjool dates, soaked
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 cups crumble topping ( recipe above)

Place 1 and 1/2 cups of berries and the dates and lemon juicd in a food processor fitted with an S blade  Process til smooth  Remove from processor and mix wit the rest of the blackberries.  To assemble, press half of the crumble topping in pie  plate.  Spred filling on top of crust. Knead the rest of  the topping by hand untl it begins to stick together.  Lay these pieces on top of blackberry filling.  Serve at room temperature  Will keep for three days covered wirh plastic wrap in fridge. This  Fabulous recipe is  by Jennifer Cornbleet in her book, Raw Food Made Easy for 1 or 2 People.

Creamy Hummus

Creamy Hummus

1- 15 oz. can chickpeas-{garbanzo Beans}rinsed and drained.
1 cup tahini (sesame seed paste) or peanut butter
1/2 tsp. finely shredded lemon peel
3 Tbsp. lemon juice
4 cloves peeled garlic
1/4 tsp.salt
1/8 o 1/4 tsp.cayenne pepper
Chopped tomatoes  and/or chives
1- In a food processor combine chickpeas,  tahini, lemon peel, lemon juice. salt, and 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper.  Cover and process til smooth, adding enough water to reach desired consistency Spoon into a serving bowl.
2- Refrigerate up to 48 hours.  To serve, top with chopped tomatoes, chives, a drizzle of olive oil and additional cayenne pepper.

Raw Carob Date Cookies- see, I meant it!!!

Today is Sunday/ September 4.  I rejoice to see the eat top out at a mere 96 degrees.  forgive,if you will that I spend so much time on the weather,but it really does seem like a life and death affair here when the heat is so exteme.  I was able to attend church without crying out in pain while touching the outside of the car--which is necessary for me to maintain balance when I get in.  But 96 is doable!  So today we will talk about 
                                              ~dehydraed cookies.-                                                                                Tale a  cup shredded, unsweetened coconut.  Add 5 or 6 pitted, medjool dates (mmmmm) and 1/2 C powdered carob.  Place in food processer.   Take a medium sized orange and zest the  skin with a citrus zester.  Put 1 tsp zest in with it all.(adds great flavor!)  Then juice the orange and add every little drop of juice you can get out of that bad boy or abou 1/2 cup, Whirl until mixed,dates are choppd, and everything is  is incorported.  Form into little patties (cookies) and place on mesh dehydrator sheet and dehydrate  a few hours until dry.  No white flour, no sugar  but lots of sweet flavor. 
Yeah. I know, thay just ain't the same But try them anyway, NOT BAD!!!!!!

I can blog more often than monthly as I now have access to a regular keyboard, rather than that minescule  one I have been dealing with.   Hooraw!  Happy Birthday, DH  I love you soooooo much!
    
Soon I will tell you how to make high protien-good-for-you, raw, crunchy chips you can dig in a dip and eat until you're full.   No kiddin, they are good for you, especially if you are diabetic!

Flax Crackers

I want crackers that my husband and I can enjoy, but how can I put such white flour junk and saturated fats into my body and hope to avoid the ill effects of that kind of irresponsibility?  Gotta make something better!

RAW FLAX CRACKERS
1 cup flax seeds
3 cups water
2 TBSPS braggs liquid amino acids
2 TBSPS lemon juice        

Soak flax seeds in 1.5 cups water overnight (4 hours minimum). They will turn into a think slurry mixture. Add 1.5 more cups of water, lemon juice, and amino acids. Blend to break up flax (to get omega oils) then spread evenly onto teflex sheet and dehydrate in the dehydrator for 36 hours or until crispy.

Paired with guacamole, it's a pretty good snack!!

crackers and cookies

It has been a long summer and we are still working on hitting a new record for extreme temperatures for summer.  I love Texas but the day we reached109 degrees I had nearly had all I could take!  Enough is enough,already!  Today we topped out at a mere 106 degrees!  Could it be a cooling trend  on the horizon?
     My solar oven makes such tender chicken for those who eat such things.  A couple hours in the sun oven makes the protein in beans so tender.   Just combine double the amount of water as the beans Point the oven at the sun and it will cook.  Throw in  some salt and anything else that strikes your fancy MMMMM!

Ooh! It really hurts!!!

It's bad enough not to be able to get around but this gout is excruciating.  Yes  my DH took me to Golden Corral where I ATE JUST THREE TINY PORK RIBS and some chicken...mmm.  Never again!  I knew there was a good reason for my interest in vegetarianism!!!  
Later as I related my tale of woe to a dear elder brother and thanked DH for bringing the portable potty closer to my bed I learned once again to be thankful for my blessings.  I seems that my brother has been forced to get around on his hands and knees!  It has been a long several weeks but the pain is leaving our gout ridden limbs and the swelling is leaving too.  What will I find to complain about next?  Oh yeah!  Boy is it hot!!  We Are  breaking records here daily and ae losing our cool and our looong patience.  We must learn to make ice cream.  Mom and Daddy used to do that but I haven't yet.  Guess I have more work to do.

Casey Anthony

I am grateful im not in her shoes.  She is so hated. Where will her friends come from?  Everyone needs a friend - even those of us who are guilty of harming another.  Her life will be so lonely  She may wish for death one sad and lonely day in her future.  Justice will come to everyone whether in this life or in the next.  I am so grateful her cup is not mine to drink. My wish for her is the peace which passeth understanding which comes of repentance and from Gods forgiveness.  My motherly heart wishes for Caylee to be able to feel forgiveness for her mother, too.  My heart grieves for her young life snuffed so prematurely.

Sunshine Again!!!

So much to be thankful for these days.  It is in the 90s.  I have waited in great  anticipation for such balmy weather.  I love to follow my DGS's hot, souped up, and shaded wagon down to the pool for a  refreshing swim.  MyDD#3 made some  fabulous lasagna for us in honor of  DH for Father"s day. She can really cook!  The sun's being out last week inspired us to put some chicken thighs in the solar oven a and when we went to retrieve it, it just fell from the bones.  I wished I had made up some biscuit dough.  Some time later, DH brought in some peas and some rice!  All  sun ooked!  I did not know he could do that by himself!  Just kidding.  He is  such a blessing.

36 years!!!!!!

Yesterday was our anniversary.  36!  When did that all happen?  Well, back then we both told God that we meant our words when we said our vows and I guess we really did!  DH still treats me kindly in spite of my handicap that keeps me in the wheelchair, and in spite of his cute not so tiny bald spot.  Tee hee!!!  I guess we are very fortunate!  I had my health while my children were small.  My father joined the church.     And DH and I are politically similar.  There was nothing important enough to fight about for long.  He was and is my very best friend!

Boy, This Is Hard

I have started to write three blogs but they have all disappeared. I then typed one key at a time and all of a sudden the letters seen to change and become meaningless. Sometime the cursor jumps to the middle of the page and puts letters where they don’t belong. My DDs volunteered to help but I still have problems. I have tried typing on Word and copying to the blog and that helps some. It can be really frustrating. I am trying to type on a netbook, maybe, I need to use a larger keyboard.

There has been bad weather in Texas for the last three weeks and I haven’t used my solar oven. My DH tells me that the wheat we soaked for 24 hours was soft and chewy without putting it in hot water. Thank you DH for your research.

I'll try this again another time.

Best Laid Plans

So here I sit in a seat in my daughter's house. How did I get here????? First I remember awakening to my DH's voice saying, "OK, time for blood, Poke yourself. Blood sugar time, first item of business. The blood sugar same as yesterday." How about Good morning!?!
"Come on , get up I have to be at work early today. You can stay with DD#2."
OK, no time for a shower. I can see he is already in his suit. OK,time to bogey! Let's see, first the right leg then the left. Brush teeth, took time to shine sink. toilet stayed clean over night. Gargle...ick, awful stuff. Ran hand down over bed.
'Want your walker or your wheelchair, this morning?' So if you caught my gleaming smile from the car, know that at least I tried to make the bed. Partly done is better than not even tried!

Osama

Yesterday Osama met his death. As an American, I can rejoice with the Navy Seals but am reluctant to allow myself to explode in rapture as many of my fellow Americans have done. Osama has gone to meet God - totally unprepared! What horror will grip his heart when he sees Jesus and realizes there is no time for repentance! Can my poor heart truly rejoice at his fate? I think not. Oh I am thankful for the gift of repentance.

Royal Wedding

This week thirty years ago I rented a television and woke my eldest daughter and pulled her into bed with me to watch the wedding of the century of England’s Charles and Diana…a real princess and a real future King.  There were skies full of fireworks and sparkles lit my little girl`s eyes.  “Oh Mommy, will my wedding be this beautiful?  “Oh yes,” I gushed, and even more so.”  For how could a Temple wedding with eternal vows be anything but the best and most beautiful?

Just two days ago my two eldest girls came to waken me in time to turn on the TV (yes, we now own a television) to see the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.  Such pomp and riches!  Such glory.  They stayed all night and we watched it together. Once again.my daughters, I PROMISE you that your weddings will be lacking nothing not even the fireworks in the sky.  All you need to do is to follow the Lord’s path ….Marry in the right place to a man who loves God even more than he loves you.

Easter

Hey, Hooray!  Tomorrow is Easter!  Another reason to celebrate the life and mission of Jesus Christ!  After church, DH and I will head over to our kiddos` and our grand  kiddo`s  place to celebrate with a dinner.  DH will be making some of his awesome mashed potatoes.  So there goes my diabetic control.   Mashed potatoes and cheese are hard to resist.  No, I won’t be making my grandson any cookies this year.  I love him far too much to poison him with sugar.  I want health and strength to be with him for life, and surely no beguiling treat will tempt him from my kitchen.  But there is hope on the horizon!  A new product has been developed made from beans and flax seeds that will play no tricks on your blood sugar.  These things are called “Beanitoes” and are made in San Antonio.  A Texas solution!  And they are so good!

So, please join me raising my voice in praises to my Savior.  For all the good that has touched our lives, for each other.   Happy Easter!

Eggs boil in the sun oven, water free, in less than three hours!

Never Give Up

 I arose this morning and looked at my bathroom.  It was gleaming!  Yesterday,  I decided to shine the mirrors, de-clutter the counter,  and scrub the sink.   I am following the beginning suggestions of Flylady.com.  I then scrubbed the sink counter until it shone and took care of the toilet.  It took me a while, and much effort to remain standing long enough to shine it all but the gleaming that met my eyes this morning made it well worth it.  Today, I will try to de-cloud the shower door.  I have not been able to do so much in that room since I could walk!  There are still some spots in there that I cannot reach to clean but I am excited to be able to have some control again…just give me time!  Never give up.

Sunday

Today is Sunday so DH (Darling Husband) and I went to all three meetings of church.  That is herculean in scope.  I can sit in my wheelchair quite happily, but three hours with minimally safe handicapped ladies room is a real challenge for me.  I am grateful we could make the whole trip safely today because attending church meetings regularly is one key to happiness.

So what am I doing in this wheelchair?  I wish I could tell you.  I have seen the best doctors from Johns Hopkins to Boston’s best to Dallas’ finest.  I have followed their orders and submitted to more spinal taps than anyone should have to bear.  They have no clue what’s wrong with me and I am tired of trusting in them and their drugs.  Their drugs brought on the diabetes which I now battle.  Goodness I seem to be venting my frustrations.

I know that people are largely responsible for their own health and I accept responsibility for mine.  But I have no answer.

Wheat for Breakfast

I tried it again.  Could not find the thermos so I commandeered a container with the  most insulation we have, complete with a lid  and put in 1/2 cup wheat with 1 cup hot water.  It did not stay warm either but it did the trick.  By morning the wheat was soft and chewy and delicious!  I drizzled some honey over the top and enjoyed.  DH liked it too!  Point one  seems to be to get a real THERMOS. Point two is to remember the honey!!!        

What Happened

Breakfast at long last. My DH brought me an egg in the hole. Cooked just right.  He makes breakfast for me to make sure I get a good one after my meds.  I ask him to bring the wheat.  He delivers it in a Tupperware bowl.  I am chagrined. Where was the thermos?  It was supposed to be still hot.  My DH confesses that he chose not to use the thermos. Would that have made the difference?  We can use the humor!!! DH then pulls out a serving of sugar-free cherry jello, made with yesterday's hot water.  I squeal with delight at this thoughtfulness, as I am diabetic and love the sweet taste of jello. He then says that he misread the thermostat yesterday.  The oven was only 200 degrees but it was hot enough for jello!
  OK, guys, I promise to make this blog more helpful as I continue to learn to blog. And get a bit more control over my DH!

again I try...

I have a food supply, to meet our needs should an emergency arise.  I am wriring this as a teaching tool so that my daughters can benefit from the knowlege I gain about how to use all this stuff point by point and as simply as I can say. My kids are sharp but what would become of them if I gave them a bag of wheat, whole and healthful and told them to make breakfast.  And then if the electricity went off... would they know how to use my solar oven?  I don't even know that!  So I will learn and post step by step and share as I learn.
     OK, Kids....

This blogging stuff will take some time to perfect.  Please be patient with me. Yesterday, I put  some water in the solar oven.  It heated up to about 250 degrees.  Great!  We put it in for about four hours(quite long).  It shouldn't take so long but that is how long I left it.  Nothing burned...nothing boiled over--hey it is a solar oven. I asked my DH(darling husband) to combine the cup of soaking wheat after draining it and two cups solar heated water in a thermos and let it sit overnight. It would be ready to eat.  Simple n'est pas?

Who I Am

Hi!  My name is Mary and I'm a lady who has everything I ever truly wanted in life.  I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I believe in eternal families and have lived in harmony with the principles that will give me that.  I learned about Temple Marriage and I made sure to date good men who could take me to the Holy Temple when it came time to be married.  From that group of good faithful men, I chose the best, most faithful one of all and married him. Then we set up our family. My father was not a member of our church for years and oh how I wanted to be sealed to him and my brothers and sisters and my dear mother. Through our faithfulness we finally received that blessing.  My father joined and was baptized in the Persian  Gulf.  Soon my  parents invited us to join them in the Temple to be sealed together as a family.  I am so grateful for the Priesthood and the authority  of sealings that can unite families forever.  So there you are. My every last dream- fulfilled.