Persimmon blueberry parfait

"Big Herbie"

Meet "Big Herbie," our family's hippie van, all restored and looking like a new man. Yes, Big Herbie recently got a makeover. He was looking pretty dismal but it was nothing that a few months of body work and a shiny new paint job couldn't fix.

Big Herbie, a 1978 VW van, has been part of our family for 30+ years. We named him after Herbie, a 1963 VW bug that was featured in a number of Disney movies. Herbie, the movie star VW, had a mind of his own and was capable of driving himself. Our Big Herbie may not be a movie star but he has stories all his own.



Herbie look-a-likes

Big Herbie always has had a way of making friends. Fellow VW van owners and others flash us the peace sign wherever we go. Folks we've never met before want to talk to us about Big Herbie.

VW vans always have had an iconic image but apparently that was lost on my daughter when she was in junior high. She was already embarassed to be seen in Big Herbie because her friends' parents were driving luxury cars. We "forced" her to go on a camping trip that took us through Sun Valley where all the cool, rich folks hung out (major embarassment to be seen in Big Herbie). Imagine her surprise when those cool, rich folks wanted to have their pictures taken with Big Herbie. After that, Big Herbie was cool again.

These days we're writing new chapters in the Book of Big Herbie. My husband, a former high school counselor turned mobile bike repairman, uses Big Herbie as his business vehicle. Yes, people still want to have their pictures taken with Big Herbie, and he's still a conversation opener. But now, sometimes people even want to buy him. No way. He's part of our family for good.

Persimmon-blueberry parfait
 

Candida is something not so pleasant that seems to be part of my life for good. Just when I think I have it under control, it rears its ugly head again. For the past few years, I have been struggling with chronic pain that just won't go away. I thought it was caused by injuries from years of cycling and running.

Alas, it's fibromyalgia. What causes fibromyalgia is not totally understood. One of the theories is it could be the result of stress, illness, trauma or even an infection, like candida. Whatever the cause, I  am searching for ways to deal with this chronic problem.

Healthy eating continues to be No. 1 on my list. Recently, I rediscovered persimmons after many years without eating one. The persimmon is a fruit of Chinese origin. Originally cultivated in both Japan and China for centuries, this fruit is now grown in Italy and other Mediterranean countries, the Middle East and the USA.

According to the California Department of Public Health, one medium-sized Japanese persimmon provides 118 calories, 0 g of fat, 1 g of protein, 31 g of carbohydrates, 6 g of dietary fiber and 2 mg of sodium. This fruit is rich in vitamins A and C. One fruit provides 2,733 International Units, or 55 percent, of the recommended daily value (DV) for vitamin A and 12.8 mg, or 21 percent, of the DV for vitamin C. Japanese persimmons are also high in manganese, a trace mineral, meeting 30 percent of the DV in one whole fruit.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/272656-nutrition-information-on-japanese-persimmon/#ixzz2BOC89FxF

Persimmon Blueberry Parfait packs lots of nutrition

Along with all this nutrition, persimmons are unbelievably delicious. I tried them out for breakfast in a Persimmon Blueberry Parfait.

Ingredients:
1 ripe persimmon
1/2 frozen ripe pear ( or banana if tolerated)
1 T. chia seed
1 T. vegan protein powder of choice
stevia to taste
1 cup light coconut milk
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
2 T. quinoa flakes
1-2 T. dried coconut flakes (unsweetened)


Directions:
Remove the stem from the persimmon and chop the fruit into chunks. Toss items 1-6 (everything but the blueberries, coconut flakes and quinoa flakes) into a food processor and blend until smooth. To assemble your parfait, layer persimmon pudding with blueberries, quinoa flakes and coconut flakes in a glass container. Finish with coconut flakes and more blueberries.

Can I have a persimmon parfait too?

Contributed to: http://www.dietdessertndogs.com/2012/11/01/wellness-weekend-november-1-5-2012/

Halloween-stuffed pumpkin with spider surprise

Trick or treat?

Halloween, as well as other holidays, are not a big deal at my house. Ritalin Boy (RB/hubby) is all about being practical and well, holidays definitely do not fall into the category of "practical." They are more about "pure fun" and enjoyment of family and friends. RB does appreciate the family/friends aspect of holidays and especially, the sugar aspect of Halloween.

Vegan lentil/quinoa spider on bed of pumpkin

On the other hand, I am a kid at heart who cannot give up on Halloween. There will be no trick or treaters at our doorstep because we live far off the beaten path. But I celebrate by conjuring up a ghoulish recipe of some sort. This year, I am tweaking my diet to make it as anti-inflammatory as possible as I am trying to rule out any cause of my chronic pain. It's not fibromyalgia; it's not arthritis; we're not sure what it is. I only know it's painful.

I can only eat healthy sweets so that rules out most Halloween goodies. I decided to focus on a Halloween-inspired entree with the result being Stuffed pumpkin with a spidery surprise. This is a multi-step recipe that can seem overwhelming. The trick is doing some of the prep in advance. For instance, you will need to bake pumpkin halves for 1-1/2 hours depending on their size. This can be done ahead of time. The vegan lentil/quinoa spiders also can be made a day or so in advance and stored in the freezer.

Stuffed pumpkin with a spidery surprise
Servings: 2    Time: 2 hours

Ingredients for pumpkin and stuffing:

• 1 pie pumpkin
• 1-2 tsp. olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 zucchini
• 1 large carrot
• 1/2 large yellow onion
• 2-4 T. vegan pesto

Ingredients for vegan lentil/quinoa spiders

• 1/2 cooked lentils
• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 1 cup quinoa flour
• 2 T. chia seed
• 2 T. Bragg's amino acids
• 2 T. olive oil
• 1/2 roasted red pepper strips
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tsp. cider vinegar
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. coconut nectar or agave

Halloween-inspired pumpkin with spider surprise

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Cut the pumpkin in half. Scoop out the seeds and discard or save for later use.
• Place the pumpkin halves in a large baking pan. Brush the insides of the pumpkin halves with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Flip the pumpkins over and pour 1/4 inch of water into the bottom of the baking dish. Place the baking pan into the center of the preheated oven and bake for 1-1 1/2 hours or until pumpkin halves are soft.
• Meanwhile, make the vegan lentil/quinoa spiders. Mix all the ingredients(except for roasted red pepper strips) in a large bowl. Mixture will be sticky but manageable.
• Form spider-shapes out of the dough and place on a sprayed baking sheet. You will probably get 8-12 depending on the size of your spiders.
• Bake along with the pumpkin for 25-30 minutes. Turn half way through.
• These freeze well.
• Closer to serving time, saute sliced onion and julienned zucchini and carrots until tender.
• For the pesto, I tossed 1 cup pumpkin seeds, 1 bunch kale leaves, 1/4 cup each olive oil and lemon juice, salt and pepper, 1 tsp. cumin in my food processor.  Pulse to make a pesto sauce. Or substitute a pesto of your choice.
• To serve, fill each pumpkin half with the sauted veggie mixture and 2 T. + pesto. Top with a vegan lentil/quinoa spider. Arrange the roasted pepper strips around the spider body to form legs.

Contributed to: http://www.dietdessertndogs.com/2012/10/25/wellness-weekend-october-25-29-2012/

Dandy Blend bean fudge

Nika and Bailey hassle Misha, on ground.

The fur kids recently had a play date with one of their pals, Bailey, a four-year-old husky-malamute.

"Come on guys. Give me a break. I'm the smallest kid on the block."

How about a sled dog team? We could put all this energy to good use. These three would have almost 220 pounds of  pulling power.

It's too hot. Where's the snow?

Can you believe it when there is snow on the ground, they'll have even more energy!

Blackberry jam pancakes

Well, at least, they used up too much energy to go berry picking in my blackberry patch. Berry season is winding down but at least I picked enough berries this week to make another batch of blackberry chia jam which I used for my favorite pancakes, Blackberry Jam Pancakes.

Ingredients for 2 servings (makes 2 medium pancakes each)
(suitable for ACD-maintenance)

1 chopped peach or nectarine
1/2 cup quinoa flour
2 chia eggs
1 tsp. baking powder (gluten-free)
pinch of salt
1 cup blackberry chia jam (1 cup fresh or thawed frozen blackberries, 2 T. chia seed)
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1 T. tahini mixed with 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
Olive oil and/or pan spray

Directions:
Prepare blackberry jam by pureeing blackberries with 2 T. chia seed in a food processor. This can be done the night ahead. Store the jam in the fridge.
Chop a peach or nectarine into small pieces and set aside.
Mix the quinoa flour, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Mix the tahini and almond milk in a separate smaller bowl. Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Add additional almond milk if needed. Mix in 1/4-1/2 of the chopped nectarine pieces.
Heat a skillet or cast-iron griddle pan over medium heat. Oil the pan.
To cook, drop about a 1/4-cup of batter per pancake in the pan. Cook about 2 minutes per side.
Serve with fresh blackberries, nectarine/peach and blackberry chia jam.

Dandy Blend bean fudge

Never forget the most important food group of the day---chocolate.

Dandy Blend Bean Fudge
(suitable for ACD-maintenance or ACD-phase 2 if using only stevia for sweetener)
Ingredients:

 

1. 1 can on canellini beans, drained and rinsed
2. 3 T. raw cacao powder
3. 2 T. coconut nectar + stevia to taste
4. 2 T. melted coconut oil
5. pinch of salt
6. 1/2 cup sunbutter, unsweetened
7. 1 T. Dandy Blend
    

Directions:

1. Blend ingredients items No. 1-7 in food processor.  Spread in a 8-inch square baking pan, lined with parchment paper or spray with pan spray. Place in the freezer to allow to firm up. Cut into bite-sized pieces and store in the freezer until ready to enjoy.

These recipes were contributed to:

http://www.dietdessertndogs.com/2012/09/13/wellness-weekend-september-13-17-2012/

http://www.painfreepregnancy.org/2012/09/superfood-sunday-september-16th-2012.html

Coconut blackberry crisp

Dog bones with your fuel in Bend, Ore.

Would you like some dog bones with your fuel? I traveled to one of the most dog-friendly cities (Bend, Ore.) in the U.S. recently but without my snow hounds, Misha and Nika. They missed out on getting dog bones at the gas station and on all the other dog-friendly experiences Bend has to offer. Unfortunately, the car was too packed for pups as we were traveling to Bend for my Ritalin Boy hubby to participate in a road bike race.

My new cat pal

When you're used to being around pets 24-7, you have to get your fur fix even when away from your fur kids. I adopted a little tiger kitty that kept visiting the condo where we were staying with a group of other folks.

Another furry pal in the midst of a stone sculpture garden

I also kept visiting a manx kitty up the street from where we were staying.

Crazy metal cat sculpture

In fact, everywhere I looked I was reminded of my fur kids.  It was like the first time my husband and I left our human kids with the grandparents for the weekend. It was hard to not worry about them.

Yes, this was the view of the Deschutes River from our condo. Yes, I still kept thinking of the fur kids. Of course, I had a good time but next time, I plan to take the fur kids along.

Coconut blackberry crisp

 

 The blackberries were waiting to be picked and eaten when we returned. I made everyone happy with a coconut blackberry crisp, and then there were blackberry jam pancakes (recipe in next post). Yum! I was in blackberry heaven.

Blackberry jam pancakes

Coconut Blackberry Crisp
(suitable for ACD-maintenance)
Ingredients:

• 8 cups blackberries
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar plus stevia to taste for berries and another 1/2 cup for topping
• 2 T. chia seed for mixing with berries and another 1 T. for topping
• Juice of one lemon
• 1 cup quinoa flakes
• 1/4 cup amaranth flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes (optional but delicious)
• 2 T. coconut oil
• 1/2 cup chopped almonds or other seeds or nuts of choice
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon and 1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Directions:

• In a large bowl, toss blackberries with 1/4 cup coconut sugar and stevia to taste, 2 T. chia seed, juice of one lemon
• Place the berry mixture in a 10X10-inch baking pan, sprayed or greased with a dab of coconut oil
• In a medium bowl, mix the quinoa flakes, amaranth flour, 1/4 cup coconut flakes, 1 T. chia, 2 T. melted coconut oil, 1/2 cup chopped almonds, cinnamon and nutmeg.
• Spread this topping mixture on top of the berries in the pan.
• Bake in the oven, preheated at 375 degrees, for 30-35 minutes.
• Serve warm or cold with vegan ice cream, yogurt or just plain. It's delish!

Contributed to: http://www.dietdessertndogs.com/2012/09/06/wellness-weekend-september-6-10-2012/

Sunbutter and blackberry jam overnight parfait

Misha makes quick work of berry picking.

Berry picking is in full swing at my mini-farm. We've got blackberries and golden raspberries coming out of our ears which is a good thing! I've even got two four-legged berry pickers. I would have two amazing berry pickers if I could get Misha and Nika, my husky and malamute, to pick the berries rather than eat the berries.

More, more, more

Even with all the dogs' nibbling, I still have berries galore. I've been using blackberries, especially, to make blackberry crisp, blackberry pancakes and just today, Sunbutter and Blackberry Jam Overnight Parfaits. I was thinking peanut butter and jelly when I put this recipe together.

Don't they look delicious? They are good for you too with an abundance of vitamins, minerals and fiber.

Sunbutter and Blackberry Jam Overnight Parfait
 (suitable for ACD-phase 3)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup quinoa flakes (or rolled oats)
1 T. chia seed
1 scoop vegan protein powder
stevia to taste
1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)
blackberry chia jam (1 cup blackberries and 1 T. chia seed)
1 T. unsweetened sunbutter
extra blackberries for garnish or just popping in your mouth

Directions:
Mix together the quinoa flakes, chia seeds, protein powder, stevia and almond milk in a storage container and place in the fridge overnight.
Make blackberry chia jam. Place blackberries and chia seed in your food processor and puree. Store in the fridge overnight.
In the a.m., assemble the parfaits. Put sunbutter in a small bowl and thin slightly by adding some almond milk and vanilla stevia drops.
To make the parfaits, layer the overnight quinoa, sunbutter and blackberry chia jam in a tall glass. Garnish with additional blackberries.

Stay tuned for more blackberry recipes! This recipe submitted to:
http://www.dietdessertndogs.com/2012/08/30/wellness-weekend-august-30-september-3-2012/

Dandy Blend chocolate chip cookies

"Hey, Mom, Ritalin Boy takes us to the coffee shops sometimes but he doesn't share his coffee with us."

The last time I walked into a coffee shop to order coffee or made coffee for myself at home was more than five years ago. That's a long time to go without a beverage you love. Even an acquaintance once told me, "Poor thing, you miss out on all the good stuff."

But I'm not missing out on all the good stuff. Now, I enjoy Dandy Blend, an herbal coffee substitute made from roasted dandelion roots, and I don't have to worry about the side effects of coffee for me.

And, Ritalin Boy (hubby) drinks plenty of coffee for the both of us. I think he knows every coffee shop owner/manager within a 50-mile radius of home. Fortunately, he doesn't spend all of our money on coffee. But one of his coffee owner friends told him some customers budget as much as $400 a month for their beloved coffee.



"Mom, one time I chewed up the console in the car because Ritalin Boy was in the coffee shop so long."

I've found lots of other ways to use Dandy Blend besides the usual lattes, mochas and iced Dandy Blend. One of my favorites is the Dandy Blend Cookie-Dough Smoothie
http://catsinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2012/07/dandy-blend-cookie-dough-smoothie.html

I also add it to baked goods to punch up the flavor without adding as much sweetener. My latest creation,  Dandy Blend Chocolate Chip Cookies, are addictive. They pack lots of protein because I used white beans and quinoa flakes instead of the traditional ingredients.

Dandy Blend Chocolate Chip (Cacao Nib) Cookies

If you use my trick, you can have one or two of these babies and not even worry about your waistline. This is a two-part trick. Part 1: pack lots of protein and fiber into your treats. Part 2: Sub the protein/fiber-rich treat for part of one of your regular meals. As an example, for lunch, have a salad with tons of veggies but omit the tofu, avocado or other protein-type garnish. Instead, have a protein-rich treat, such as a Dandy Blend Chocolate Chip Cookie, on the side. Or forget the whole trick and just indulge!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups quinoa flakes (or substitute gluten-free rolled oats)
• 1 can white beans (drained and rinsed) 
• 2 T. chia seeds
• dash of salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. gluten-free baking powder
• stevia
• vanilla stevia (no alcohol)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce  
•  1/4-1/2 cup cacao nibs or vegan chocolate chips
• 2 scoops chocolate rice protein powder
• 1 T. sunbutter (or other seed or nutbutter)
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar and 1/4 cup coconut nectar (or omit and add more stevia)
• 1 T. Dandy Blend

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Put 1/2 cup quinoa flakes, chia, cinnamon, salt, stevia, protein powder and baking powder in a coffee grinder and grind until it resembles a coarse powder.
• Put this ground mixture along with everything else (but cacao nibs) in a food processor and blend. Add in the chips or nibs and give another quick blending.
• Scoop batter onto a sprayed cookie sheet.
• Bake 15+  minutes. (watch carefully to make sure they stay soft not too crispy)
• Makes 12 large cookies. 

Try these other protein-fiber rich cookies to get your treat-fix and satisfy your nutritional needs without compromising your waistline.
Chocolate Quinoa Power Breakfast Cookies
http://catsinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2012/07/chocolate-quinoa-power-breakfast.html
or Quinoa Blueberry Breakfast Cookies
http://catsinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2012/04/quinoa-blueberry-breakfast-cookies.html

Recipe contributed to: http://www.dietdessertndogs.com/2012/08/09/wellness-weekend-august-9-13-2012/

Cookie dough breakfast wrap

Bailey "chills out" in a sunny spot

It seems like no matter how early I get up I never have enough time to just "chill out" like Bailey, my cat. Sometimes I'm just so envious of my pets and their ability to relax. I mean just check out Nika, my malamute, and Bailey in the picture below.

"Mom, please move around quietly while we're chilling out."

One thing that always gets neglected in my hurried pace is breakfast. I never seem to have a quick grab-and-go breakfast on hand although my chocolate quinoa power breakfast cookies  http://catsinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2012/07/chocolate-quinoa-power-breakfast.html are a great healthy, vegan "fast food."

I end up having the same green smoothie (blended apple, kale, celery, cucumber, protein powder, chia, coconut water) almost every day. It's healthy but sometimes you need a change of pace.

Cookie dough breakfast wrap

I was thinking, "What about a pack-along breakfast wrap? Or even better, what about a cookie dough breakfast wrap? No way. This couldn't be done. I mean not in a healthy way but yes, it can."

Nika, the poseable rug dog

Nika, my poseable rug, had no response to my idea but I got busy making some quinoa flatbreads and garbanzo bean cookie dough to have on hand.

Quinoa Flatbread (makes 2 pieces)

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup cooked quinoa (I used red quinoa but all kinds work.)
2. 1 chia egg (mix 1 T. chia with 2 T. water and allow to gel overnight)
3. Optional: spices such as cinnamon

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Spray a large baking sheet with pan spray.
• Put quinoa in food processor and blend until pretty mushy.
• Add in chia egg and continue to blend until the mixture balls together.
• Spread quinoa-chia mixture on baking sheet using wet hands or  flatten with a large piece of wax paper as shown below to 1/4-inch in thickness.

Flatbread dough being smooshed flat with wax paper

• Bake for 30+ minutes until flatbread is crispy but pliable.
• Cut flatbread into two pieces with a pizza cutter.

Baked and ready to eat

• Store flatbread pieces, separated with wax paper, in the fridge.

Garbanzo bean cookie dough

Ingredients:

• 1 can of organic garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 T. coconut nectar or agave syrup
• 2 T. sunbutter (or other seed or nut butter of choice)
• 2-3 T. cacao nibs

Directions:

• Blend garbanzo beans, sweetener and sunbutter until smooth and creamy in food processor.
• Add in cacao nibs and pulse until just blended throughout the mixture.

Cookie dough breakfast wrap ready to go

Okay, the trick is to have all this stuff on hand at breakfast time. Spread 2 T. cookie dough on the quinoa flatbread and add a little fruit such as apple slices and strawberries. Put this baby in a piece of wax paper and you're ready to go with a delicious, portable breakfast, or take this along for lunch.

Contributed to: http://www.dietdessertndogs.com/2012/07/26/wellness-weekend-july-26-30-2012-and-question-for-you/

Make me a sandwich NOW on quinoa flatbread

Bailey says, "Feed me now."

Sometimes a craving for a particular food just won't pass. Bailey knows what I'm talking about. He loves the kibbles I sometimes add to his regular cat food. He'll just sit beside his bowl of regular food and give me the "look" as shown in the photo above. The "look" means, "You've got to be kidding. You expect me to eat this. Where's the good stuff?"

Well, anyhow, I know where Bailey is coming from on this one. Sometimes, I look at my salad and think, "Why can't I have a sandwich like Ritalin Boy (hubby) always does for lunch?" After reading Ricki's recipe for the Toronto Sandwich (http://www.dietdessertndogs.com/?s=Toronto+Sandwich&submit.x=14&submit.y=12), now I know I can have a tasty sandwich. Thank you , Ricki! I love salads but sometimes you've just got to have a sandwich with your salad.

Nika A.K.A. Happy the malamute

I mean the whole idea of being able to eat an easy-to-make sandwich makes me as bright-eyed and happy as Nika (my malamute) gets at the mention of food or just about anything else. Her nickname is "Happy."

Make me a sandwich NOW on quinoa flatbread

Now, the best part of all of this is I have another sandwich in my repertoire. This one also is easy to make and delicious. It's called the Make me a sandwich NOW on quinoa flatbread. This sandwich was inspired by two muses--the blog, GlutenFreeHappyTummy, and this cookbook,  Sass Yourself Slim by Cynthia Sass.

GlutenFreeHappyTummy gave me the inspiration for a recipe for quinoa flatbread at http://glutenfreehappytummy.com/2012/06/07/broccoli-pesto-sammie-stackers-gf-bed/
Sass Yourself Slim includes a recipe for edaname, avocado, strawberry tacos that I modified for my sandwich. With all that fanfare, here is the recipe for my Make me a sandwich NOW on quinoa flatbread.

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup of cooked quinoa, cooled
2. 1 chia egg (mix ahead 1 T. chia with 2 T. water and keep in fridge until ready to make your flatbread)
3. 1/2 cup frozen edaname, thawed
4. 1/2 cup sliced fresh strawberries
5. 1/4 avocado, sliced

(See, even the ingredients are simple.)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a large baking sheet with pan spray.
2. Put quinoa in a food processor and blend until the quinoa becomes mushy and sticky.
3. Add in the chia egg and continue blending until the mixture sticks together.
4. Place the quinoa-chia mixture on the baking sheet. Spread out the dough with moistened hands or place a sheet of sprayed wax paper on top. Press down until the dough is about 1/4-inch thick. (Note: This recipe yields enough for two flatbreads.)
5. Bake the flatbread for 30+ minutes until crispy but still pliable.
6. Cool slightly before cutting into two pieces.
7. Note: This flatbread can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge or freezer.
8. While the flatbread is baking, cut up strawberries and avocado, and thaw out edaname.
9. Add the sandwich fixins to your flatbread and voila, you have your sandwich.

The sandwich

Doesn't it look delicious? It is. Many thanks to GlutenFreeHappyTummy and Cynthia Sass for the ideas, and Ricki Heller for the Toronto Sandwich recipe. By the way, the Toronto Sandwich is easily adaptable to the quinoa flatbread.

The nap, Misha style

You'll feel as happy and contented as Misha (My husky) after enjoying one of these sandwiches.

Recipe contributed to:http://www.dietdessertndogs.com/2012/07/12/wellness-weekend-july-12-16-2012/

Chocolate quinoa power breakfast cookies



Wow, Mom, did you know I'm good for your health?

Pet lovers have always known that cats and dogs were good for their health but now research backs that belief up. The long-term benefits of owning a cat include protection for your heart. Over the 20 years of one study, people who never owned a cat were 40 percent more likely to die of a heart attack than those who had. (Does that mean cats are better than dogs, Mom?)

(Well, Bailey, it is something to gloat about.) But another study showed that dog owners had a significantly better survival rate one year after a heart attack. And, overall, pet owners have a lower risk of dying from any cardiac disease, including heart failure.

I'm helping Mom stay well too!

(Yeah, Bailey, we pull Mom all over the place but that must be good for her. And sometimes we curl up at her feet when she's doing office work. That probably makes her feel good too!)

Chocolate quinoa breakfast bars

Pets aren't the only thing good for your health. Chocolate can be good for you too!  Studies show that eating chocolate, primarily dark chocolate, may contribute to improved cardiovascular health. Packed with natural antioxidants, dark chocolate and cocoa sit in the same good-for-you category as green tea and blueberries.

With that in mind, who can resist Chocolate Quinoa  Power Breakfast Bars?

(suitable for ACD-maintenence unless omitting applesauce; replace with pumpkin or squash puree for ACD-phase 2)

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups quinoa flakes (or substitute gluten-free rolled oats)
• 2 T. chia seeds
• dash of salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. gluten-free baking powder
• stevia
• vanilla stevia (no alcohol)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/4 cup cacao powder
• 2 T. cacao nibs
• 2 scoops chocolate rice protein powder
• 1/4 cup fresh blueberries
• 1/2 cup chocolate almond milk
• 1 T. tahini
• Optional: chocolate glaze made from 3 T. melted coconut oil combined with 2-3 T. cacao powder and vanilla stevia to taste

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Put 1/2 cup quinoa flakes, chia, cinnamon, cacao powder, salt, stevia, protein powder and baking powder in a coffee grinder and grind until it resembles a coarse powder.
• In a medium bowl, combine ground quinoa mixture with 1/2 cup unground quinoa flakes (or oats). Add cacao nibs.
• In a small bowl, mix tahini with chocolate almond milk (unsweetened) and applesauce. 
• Mix together the quinoa mixture with tahini-almond milk-applesauce mixture.
• Add more almond milk if necessary to bring the dough together.
• Stir in fresh blueberries
• Scoop batter onto a sprayed cookie sheet.
• Bake 15 minutes.
• Cool slightly and glaze with chocolate coating if desired
• Makes 3 (2-cookie) servings.

Not in the mood for chocolate? Try these breakfast cookies instead: http://catsinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2012/04/quinoa-blueberry-breakfast-cookies.html

Contributed to: http://www.dietdessertndogs.com/2012/07/05/wellness-weekend-july-5-9-2012/

Two-serving, brownie cookie-dough cake for Mom

Backyard kildeer parent protects her eggs

I think I'm going through parenthood, Chapter 2, but this time the kids have fur. Funny thing, this second chapter is pretty much like the first chapter. You get to spend sleepless nights tending to sick doggies, just like kids.You get to spend your money on the dogs or kids (e.g. doctor/vet visits, toys), rather than on yourself. And then there's the money you spend for your own medical care after one of the kids or dogs accidentally injures you. My son, as a baby, almost broke my nose, and my dogs have given me whiplash.

Ah, parenthood! Whether you're a parent of fur babies or human babies or bird babies, there are ups and downs associated with parenthood. Talk about downs. Our backyard kildeers, pictured above,  suffered through wind, rain and hail storms to raise their brood. But I celebrated, along with the parents, when the little guys hatched.

In honor of Mom's Day, I'm sharing a few of my joyful moments with my fur kids in the photos below.

Enjoying a spectacular view

Parenthood can have high points, like enjoying a spectacular view with the fur kids after hiking to the top of a bluff.

I just like soft sleeping bags!

Sometimes what they do is so cute, you just can't be mad at them for long.

A face to love

Or they look at you with their big brown eyes.

Nika and Misha lounge in tent

Sometimes, they're just quiet and calm, and you can appreciate how adorable they are.

Two-serving, brownie cookie-dough cake

Happy Mother's Day! If you want to celebrate with something really delicious, try this two-serving, brownie cookie-dough cake.

Ingredients for cake:

1. 2 T. melted coconut oil
2. 3 T. unsweetened almond milk or other dairy-free beverage
3. 4 T. cacao powder
4. 2 T. unsweetened applesauce
5. 1 1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
6. 1/2 tsp. vanilla
7. 2 T. ground sunflower seeds or other nuts or seeds
8. 2 1/2 T. gluten-free flour mix
9. stevia to taste
10. 1/4 tsp. each baking powder and soda
11. Pinch of sea salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix ingredients #1-6 in a small bowl. Mix #7-11 in a separate bowl.
3. Then, whisk the wet and dry ingredients together.
4. Spray, with pan spray, two single-serve cake pans, and fill each two-thirds full.
5. Bake 12-15 minutes. The top and edges should be set while the middle will be slightly loose.
6. Cool  before removing the cakes from the pans.
7. For serving, slice the cakes in half and pipe on sunbutter frosting in the middle and on top. To make the frosting, cream together 2 T. each of coconut oil, palm shortening and sunbutter. Add stevia, vanilla and a pinch of salt.
8. For more deliciousness, sprinkle on 1 T. cookie dough (made from this recipe http://catsinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2011/11/vegan-chocolate-kiss-cookie-dough.html). Ignore the direction to make the dough into balls and simply use freeform.
9. Garnish with some strawberries/berries and a drizzle of chocolate sauce.

Contributed to: http://www.dietdessertndogs.com/2012/05/10/wellness-weekend-may-10-14/