Blueberries, Change, and Gluten Free Pancakes!

I think I've written several blog posts....in my head. I came and thought, Wow, it's been a while! Our family structure has changed a few times in the months that have passed. We are currently emergency foster parents, which means that at any moment we get a call and have kids in our home that need placement. I have said that I want only kids younger than our youngest to maintain the birth order, and to protect the set up. But I must admit, it is a stretching thing for me, to have no idea what will happen next. Toby and I both just feel like God will handle the details, and our only responsibility is to say Yes, or No to the call: to house those little people in need. It will only be a season in our life that we will foster. After our family is full, we will stop (Lord willing, I...um, think). I have been praying for the right sibling group that will need a permanent home to come along. I want our family to grow, the constant shifting and changing is not my cup of tea.

Meanwhile, my papers for me to get my green card updated FINALLY came, last week!!!! On September 11th, (I know, weird, right?) I will go to the federal building and get all my finger prints done and sent in for a nice new shiny green card...then I will need to go to Washington DC to get my Romanian passport....I wish there was a way to get that without having to actually go, in person, to apply. I will make a trip of it to see my sweet and wonderful Grandma, and a friend who lives in maryland.

It has been hot. No, I mean, really, really hot!!!! We went to the fair today (an almost painful torture for me, with 3 kids) and got a sun burn. My plants are all trying to hang in there, but the heat is much for them. The water we go through is a lot. The positives are plenty over the heat wave, also. We don't have to pay for heat. We live in Alaska, too much heat is almost a sin to complain about!!!

So School is almost upon my house. We start on the 21st. Zaya will be a first grader and Bella will be in 3rd, they are currently scheduled to be in the same classroom, but I'm going to try my super hardest to change that bad situation, we'll see if I succeed. And Isaac, well, Isaac is being home-schooled......by me, I know, right?! I was one of those women who said I would NEVER home-school my kids, never! I also happened to say that I wanted a small family (two kids...a boy and a girl) and that I wanted a degree and career. God has and continues to use the very things that I am awful at to show me who He is through me. Not what I consider my strengths, but what I know are my weaknesses. There's this thing that some churches do....where they do these personality tests in an attempt to understand what God has made them to do, or be. I find it a touch ironic, that in my life it's the exact opposite...I boast of what I cannot do (be patient, nurturing, most times...kind, and not stress out) because I know when I am weak, He indeed, is strong. I am actually excited to be doing this with Isaac. He has fallen so far behind in academics, it's heartbreaking to see him have little confidence in math. I am hopeful that he will find his love of learning, and I will gain an ability to teach, that I don't have (and have not wanted...lol)

It is blueberry season....This. is. a. big. deal!! I have been obsessed with the little blue nuggets for weeks. They came out early, and look to be fading away. I want more buckets!! I only have 9 gallons, and trust me, that is not enough to last past the winter. My goal is to not rely on the store bought, flavorless knock offs. But I am only one woman. They do taste amazing with my chocolate vegan shakeology!! I am addicted to the combo. But one of the hands down bestest things to do with these precious blue gems, is to put them in your pancake batter. The tart and tangy with the maple syrup is divine!!!

Best Blueberry pancakes!!!
-prepare your pan for batter
 
1c teff flour
1/2c quinoa four
1/2c buckwheat flour
3t baking soda
1t baking powder
1/2c grated zucchine
1/4c ground organic flax (whatch out, non organic is most certainly GMO) or ground chia
2T oil (olive or coconut)
2-4 c of coconut milk (add 1T of apple cider vinegar to each cup, so you get a nice curdle)
1-2 cups of alaskan blueberries!!

pour and serve (I'll post some pics when I get them taken)

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Moist Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Layered Birthday Cake with an Update

It has been an awfully long time since my last post.  I have several drafts that I never finished and never posted. I read them, and think, totally outdated, trash. So I will try yet again. I have high hopes of posting this though.

First off, an update on our adoption process.....drum roll please.....I am exactly at the same place now, that I was several months ago. I am waiting for the US to simply give me a renewed current green card. My mother told me it took her 2 weeks to get one of my brothers lost cards replaced...great.....I am looking at month 8, and still no paperwork moving. I think what makes it difficult, is seeing other families who are at that finish stage. I have met, 2 couples, through our church, whom are doing international adoptions. One is just finishing their dossier and the other couple is watching God topple many great obstacles in Uganda (it should have been easier than it has been). It makes me wonder what our journey is going to be like. That point when we get the green light to go to Romania. It makes me long

I did want to mention that my mother is completely horrified that I would want to adopt from our home country. Why? Well, because most likely I will be adopting a gypsy child/children. Gypsy and Romanian are not the same thing. In fact gypsies are spread all over Europe. They are a very hated people group. As a group of people they tend to place value on material things, and running scams to rip people off. Not many people look favorably on them. In fact, during the Holocaust many of them were slaughtered. I am perfectly fine accepting the child/children that God has for us. So both of us are praying. I warned her that I am kind of a favorite of His. It will make a tremendous testimony for her, I am grateful to be able to be a part. She can see that God is a God who loves orphans (which is what we are) and He can open closed doors when it comes to giving them a home.

I am not going to write about the horrendous weather we have had this May. But I don't believe I'm exaggerating when I say, this has been the most disappointing month of weather, in my entire life. The longing for a place were I can grow food all year round, grows.

Bella and Kenai

Thursday was my little girls' birthday. She turned 8, just like that....in a day. She is such an incredible little girl that I get raise! I have these moments when I stare at her, grateful that I get to watch her grow.  She has blue eyes. Here's some facts about the significance of that: I always wanted blue eyes, and since I couldn't have them, I picked friends who did.  Eventually I married my husband, for the same reason (and a few others, lol). I had a dream about having a little girl with blue eyes, by the time I had Bella, I had given up on that dream (it had been 9 years). Her blue eyes remind me of God's utter faithfulness, they really do.  Bella wants to be an artist when she grows up, it makes me giggle, because it's so different than me. She's truly a farm girl at heart, she has no fear of animals, any of them. She had a choice between a guinea pig, or her own American girl doll. She chose the pet, and since they get awfully lonely, we will have 2 soon. I love her very much


Today Isaac turned 9. That is almost a decade! The days

Isaac and the little chicks

have been slow, but the years have gone sooo fast! I am going to be homeschooling Isaac next year, and I am actually very excited to see how he learns and learn how to teach. I wish I had not waited so long, and had done this earlier, but God certainly had a lot to change in my heart before I was willing. Isaac is the sweetest child to parent, it is hard to believe he was such a challenge as a toddler. That's autism, for you. He has his moments, like with food. But hands down, he's the least challenging to parent. He wants to please, he loves so deeply and with such clear, pure, love. This year for mother's day, he came in our bed in the morning, and proudly brought to me something he'd made at school. He read it to me. I love my mom because she takes good care of me. My mom is a great cook. My mom likes to knit. My mom always takes good care of my family. I couldn't help but weep. Here's my little boy (who isn't so little, anymore) validating all the things I do, day in and day out, that I mostly feel are taken for granted. He knows me....and he loves me. Pretty profound for a 9 year old!

So today we celebrated both their birthdays, inside. My house was full of kids. I think they totally outnumbered the adults. But we all kept our head above waters. No drowning here...lol. A great group of people blessed my kids, and therefor blessed us. Our favorite present was a gift to go on a date night and see a movie! How thoughtful of our friends Dan and Sarah! They are some our favorite people....

But I made a cake. I really like a moist layered cake with frosting. Maybe it's the Romanian in me (they make very elaborate desserts called prăjitură). This cake went first (I had made a raw vanilla/raspberry and a pure chocolate cheesecake). I wanted more. I still want more. I almost ate it all before I could take a picture! oops. 

Moist Gluten Free Chocolate Cake

1/3c buckwheat flour
1/3c quinoa flour
1/3c garbanzo/fava
1/4c brown rice
1/4 c of chia seeds ground 
1/2c oil (coconut or olive oil)
1/4c of coconut yogurt (or applesauce)
1/2c coconut crystals
pinch of salt
1t of baking soda
1t of baking powder
3/4c coconut milk add 1T of apple cider vinegar

Frosting! (very sugary, sorry)

1/2c of vegetable shortening
1/2c of soy free earth balance
4 1/2c of organic powdered sugar
1T of vanilla extract
4T of coconut milk (use as needed
-mix the first 2 ingredients in a mixer, till fluffy, add sugar 1 cup at a time, adding 1 T at a time.  350 for 12-15 minutes (they are very thin in the round tins I use)

I bake the cake in 3 round non stick pans that I have to spray with olive oil (go figure) then add the frosting as I go.   Enjoy!




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Runts and Raw Gluten Free Vegan Granola

I called the office that is supposed to be reviewing my application to get my green card current, the other day. They said they were working on applications submitted last September, and that I should call on the 15th to see if they moved on to October (I submitted my application Oct. 2). I wait. But I believe the waiting time is not wasted, it's a time where God prepares. I have been studying scriptures, and there is this overwhelming theme that runs through the lives of every single believer, and that is God's overwhelming love, that causes those of us that are His children to birth perseverance. None of my spiritual ancestors escaped long bouts of waiting for the Lords promises. It is a time of much growth. But I must be honest, not all of me is thrilled with this.

The sun is heating up my home, and I have one word for how that is.....GLORIOUS! I have these big south facing windows, and the sun overwhelms my whole main floor. I love it! I am basking in it, right now....all my little seedlings are loving it. I just got a batch of seeds I ordered from here. So I will be planting some more.   

The baby chick drama continues. There is a runt, ironically she is the one that I named and am bonded to. Did you know baby chicks poop, and if the poop sticks to their bottom, they can die? Yah, I didn't know that either. But if you should happen to need to clean the bottoms of baby chicks, do it without much water anywhere else, because getting them too wet, can also kill them (the dramatic temperature change can be too much). So I learned two things about baby chicks and I think that it's through mistakes that I will learn. That runt is still alive, and for that, I am grateful. This is what I must deal with every single day...Lexi.

We have all been home for the past few days, the kids and I. I have noticed that I have developed a strong sweet tooth. It is a bit concerning, since it's a new thing. But I am watching the whole craving take hold. It is strange. I am also going to be buying a whole bunch of probiotics today. My whole family needs it. There is a yeast infection, a few colds, and 2 of us who have taken anti-biotics. Now, I know that they are expensive. But I think a doctors visit costs way more, and provides a lot less help. So off to Sunshine foods  we go.

As a result of that sweet tooth, though, I decided to make some granola. This recipe is my great excuse to never buy that store bough cereal. It's such a widely consumed food, and it breaks my heart. Cereal has no real nutritional value, but worse than that, it is where most of the Gmo's are put, and that is just not ok for our kids to be consuming.

This is what I made, it lasted a whole morning, then it was gone. All my friends out there who have dehydrators...this is the time to use em! You can also put the granola in the oven at the lowest temp setting, and check every 5 minutes, till the moisture is gone from the granola....

Gluten Free Vegan (but of course) Granola

2c gluten free rolled oats
1/2c of whole flax seeds soaked in 1/2c water for about 10 minutes
1c crushed cashews soaked in water for about 20 minutes
1/4c maple syrup
1/4c coconut crystals
1/4c hemp seeds (if you have em, which I did)
1/2c raisins
1/3c melted coconut oil
1/3c shredded coconut flakes
1/2t salt
2T vanilla extract, I highly recommend making your own, such a easy task!
1/2t almond extract

 let all the ingredients that need to be soaked...soak...then mix, once mixed spread in the dehydrator let dehydrate a few hours then flip. I hope you enjoy it, as much as we did...I will be making more...Yum!

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Baby Chicks Drama and Gluten Free Vegan Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins

The other day a small miracle occurred in my house. We all sat down together and heard about our day. We do this thing around our table, when we eat together (it's not every night that we eat together, but it's a lot of nights), where we all take turns sharing our favorite part of the day, and our least favorite part of our day. Sharing was not the miracle, neither was the eating together....the miracle was what was on the plates. Every single plate had the SAME meal!!! I made some of that gluten free vegan pizza, the other night. I decided to skip making gluten crust and just make the gluten free....it was the easier choice...I made a pizza with a white sauce (always my favorite) and the traditional red red. Both came out tasty and my mouth had a party. I believe I ate almost the whole white sauce pizza by myself. So I took a picture of my momentous occasion, so that I could remember it.
I know that in most households one meal is made and that is it, but I have really not been that way. I make smoothies as meals in a second, and I believe, they are the more nutrient dense then anything I prepare, so I usually offer it to my kids as an alternative to the prepared meal. Isaac, my oldest, loves them. Since he has textural food issues, it is his favorite meal!

Today we went to a "church". I put that in quotes because I believe that a group of believers that intimately know and live together, and express Christ, qualifies as a church, more than a group of people who, out of tradition, gather together every Sunday, with smiles and greet each other, barely knowing what is going on in the life of the people that they greet. (<-Is that a terrible run on sentence?). But it was very good to be around other believers and listen to a sermon that was just the Word, with it's proper context. I think it will be a place that we begin to serve.

I have been watching my little foster grandbaby, because my foster daughter, got all 4 of her wisdom teeth pulled out. It is a strange thing to be watching over a baby, again. It's funny how instant, all the things I learned as a mom, come flooding back. It's about naps, food, diapers, and doing laundry. He's a great little boy, and somehow, it is incredibly easier, this time around. Maybe it's easier because he's not mine, permanently.

We got 9 baby chicks yesterday, and the chick drama began. First off, they are soooo flipping cute! But one of the chicks decided that it was a bully, and it never changed it's ways. This baby chick would go up to the lighter colored Buff Orpington's and peck at their eyes. It was awful! These helpless little chicks would get dragged around by their eyes, to the point of bleeding. When we finally had enough, Toby made up a wire cage to stick on top of our bully, so that she could see the others without being able hurt the other chicks. This made her "cheep, cheep" with a thunder that continued through the entire night. In the morning we would let her out, only to stick her right back in, because she'd bolt for one of the other chicks, to peck their eyes. She was unrepentant, but hated to be segregated. I sent her to my aunt Tami's to try her home, only to have her come home, because she pecked the eyes of her chicks, as well. Our bully's thunderous "cheep, cheep-ing" finally ended, as I returned her to the feed store I got her from.

But with baby chicks, I have to monitor all the chicks, all my kids, and one terribly troubled dog! Lexi wants so badly to "play" with them. Her tail wags, and she stares at them, pretty much the whole day! Fun!

When I came home today all I wanted to do was hang out in my kitchen. I made a couple of gf pizzas, a pot of Hungarian Mushroom soup (I am a creature of habit), and a couple dozen of these muffins. I routinely make up recipes for muffins. I absolutely love to use zucchini to soften my muffin batters, it is my favorite way to make a great batter. I doubled this recipe. Prepare oven for 350.
*I grind my own grains/seeds, I highly recommend it to everyone, either with a vitamix, or a mill, it saves so much money, and it's great to have rice as rice...or as a flour, etc*

Gluten Free Vegan Chocolate Chocolate Chips Muffins

1/2c garabonzo/fava flour
1/3c sweet brown rice flour
1/3c quinoa flour
1/3c buckwheat flour
1/3c melted coconut oil
1/4c ground flax (I use my coffee grinder, since my grinder would get no other action, otherwise)
1/2t salt
3t of baking powder
1/2t baking soda
2/3c coconut crystals
1/2c or so of chocolate chips
1c of coconut milk (add 1T of apple cider vinegar)
1small zucchini or half a medium/large one, you can grate it in your batter
*I blend the zucchini with half the mixed coconut milk*

Mix the dry ingredients first, add the wet, then add the chocolate chips... Bake for 20-24 minutes...My muffins take 22 minutes ;)Isaac ate 5 of them, right out of the oven. 


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