Our Daily Red...Wine

It can get Über frustrating reading all kinds of different scientific claims regarding what's good for you and what's not good for you.  We all know alcohol is not the best for our bodies as it turns to sugar in our bodies and creates acidity in our tissues.  However, red wine is one of those beverages that I consistently hear is not so bad for you, and that in fact, a glass a night can actually have beneficial cardiovascular effects.  Don't quote me, though.

All I am saying is, I was happy to find a decent, organic sulfate-free red wine.  I am allergic to sulfates, my face gets numb after half a glass...suffice to say I'm a cheap date.  But, with organic wine, I was able to drink 2 small glasses and not slur my words! No numbness!

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CSA: To Join or Not to Join...That is the Question.

I have been debating whether or not to join a local Community Supported Agriculture group.  The following benefits of joining a CSA appeal to me:

1) We would obtain fresh produce, that is in season and grown organically and locally - so we know where it comes from and when (relatively speaking)

2) We are supporting local farmers :) and

3) It would be kind of fun to get a basket of fresh fruit and veggies every week or every other week - I mean, how cute is that!?

Has anyone ever joined one? Any pros or cons? I mean I am all for getting fresh veggies and fruits that are grown without pesticides, hormones or GMO's, but is it worth the money? It would lessen time at the market which I am all for! And I wold kind of like to meet the farmer who grows the produce we are putting on the table! I mean how old fashioned and fantastic would that be?

I am wondering though, just the two of us, would we need a weekly or bi-weekly (2x's a month) pick-up? Decisions...Decisions....

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Raw Vegan Chocolate Pudding!

 

I am a woman of her word.  I posted yesterday about how excited I was that Mother's Market & Kitchen is opening near our neighborhood.  Mother's has this amazing Raw Chocolate Pudding from their deli that I was blessed to experience because my sweet friend "K" brought it over the other night along with other raw veggies and food:

 

                                                                                                                                                                
The bottom line: this pudding is the richest, creamiest chocolate pudding you've ever tasted!  And you would never guess the ingredients!

Ingredients:

1. 4 avocados
2. 1 1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa or cacao powder
3. 1 c. Raw Organic Agave Nectar
4. Pinch sea salt
5. Water (not that much, about a tbsp or 2 - depending on what consistency you desire)

Most recipes say online to blend together ingredients in a blender.  About halfway through that catastrophe, I beg to differ.  B looked at me, covered in cocoa powder and said, why don't you just use the beaters? That's why I married this man!

So I transferred all the half blended ingredients from the blender to a bowl, and used the beaters on high speed until everthing was perfectly blended.  Then I folded in some Carob chips to add texture.

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Vegan + Gluten Free: Banana Coconut Quinoa Bars

To be honest, I was completely afraid how these would turn out.  I specifically did NOT tell B there was tofu in them, or else I knew he would never lay a finger on them.  To my pleasant surprise, B loved them! 

With the hubby's approval, I wandered over to the neighbors' house so their 4 and 6 year old kids could be my next guinea pigs. After all, kids and drunk people are usually brutally honest.  Not sophisticated or manipulative enough to compliment so as not to bruise my ego.  I knew if they passed the kid test, then I could be sure these were actually a decent creation! 

The six year old boy first tasted a bite, paused, and we asked him what he thought.  He paused again and continued shoving more in his mouth to make sure he could make an informed decision about what he thought of the little yellow bars.  Then he started screaming at the top of his lungs and jumping up and down.  It was SO cute, and I definitely took that as a good sign.  As a props to his mother, this young child knows that quinoa is and even more impressive, likes it!  If I had heard the word "quinoa" at age six I would have thought it was a foreign language!

So here's the good stuff:

1/2 c. quinoa flakes
1/2 c. coconut flour
2 tbsp. baking powder
1 tbsp. baking soda
1/4 c. Organic unsweetened coconut flakes
2 very ripened bananas
1/2 c. silken tofu
1/4 cup Organic Natural Peanut Butter
2 tbsp. Raw Organic Honey

Directions:
Mix together dry ingredients in medium bowl.  Blend together bananas, honey, tofu & peanut butter and add to dry mixture, mixing together.

Spray loaf pan with olive oil, press mixture into pan, cook for 15 minutes at 375 degrees.
Remove, cool, and slice into bars.

Garnish plate with raw honey swirls or sprinkled cinnamon before placing bars onto plate!

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