Peanut Butter Granola Balls

These were originally called "No Bake Energy Bites." I like the "no bake" portion of the title but don't like the "energy bites" part. It makes them sound healthy. Lets not kid ourselves. I don't think they're unhealthy per-se, but involve chocolate chips so I'm not gonna go so far as to make some crazy claims about them being good for your heart. Bottom line is they're super delicious and convenient and easy to make.

They're a bit messy to make too. I think kids would have tons of fun to make these. I don't have access to any elementary school kids to test that theory though. If you have kids and they like making them, let me know.

 

PB Granola Balls

from this site

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup ground flaxseed
• 1 cup oatmeal
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (I prefer mini)
• 3/4 cup unsweetened coconut

To Make:

1) Microwave peanut butter and honey for a few seconds until they're melty enough to mix in.

2) Stir together flaxseed, oatmeal, chocolate chips, coconut. Pour in honey and peanut butter and mix until combined. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

3) When chilled, take about 2 tablespoons and form a ball in your hands. Keep in a covered container in the refrigerate and enjoy!

Observation Tuesday: Volume 38

Happy Tuesday!

I wish this could be my life plan.

Found at a bookstore in Pouslbo, WA.

I found the humor Ted Talks video on my netflix account and am really obsessed with this one by Ze Frank (link here). He is both hilarious, brilliant and touching. Watch it if you have a free 18 minutes.

Also from Netlifx, I watched TLCs short-lived show "Best foods in America." There were 5 episodes and it was narrated by the husband from Roseanne, which I hated. Anyway, they featured this place called Gourdoughs in Austin, TX. They serve GIANT doughnuts with crazy toppings. Their PB&J is on my life list.

Recipe Fails

Sometimes my recipes just don't turn out. Here are my latest fails. 

Eggnog Pound Cake adapted from All Recipes. It starts out all well and good. Lots of potential. Pound cake and eggnog what could go wrong?

The timer goes off and this comes out

A giant caved in cake. BOOOOOO

Second fail, this recipe for hot chocolate. My issue with this situation was that I could NOT get it smooth. It was just bits of not melted chocolate and sort of gritty when you drank it. SAD.

I think I'll let my sister make me homemade hot chocolate from now on because hers is delicious.

To my Husband

On this, your 25th birthday, I would like to officially wish you (on the internet) the Happiest of Days!

I'm glad I've been with you the past 5 and a half years to grow with you, learn from you and experience life together.

I love that you are adventurous, hard working, and follow Jesus; that you'll go to art museums with me, hike mountains, eat my ice cream and pick huckleberries.

 I'll do my best to make this coming year one that is memorable! You deserve the best and I'm so glad I get to celebrate many more birthdays with you.

Book Reviews: Food, Dogs and Little Bee

In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto

by Michael Pollan

Pollan sums up his book in the first chapter when he says, "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." The first part of the book he uses a lot of research to identify his beliefs about what food means. He identifies that a lot of food research is not reliable due to multiple factors, discrepancies in diet, the government's investments and research methods themselves. However he ends up using some of these studies to support his own ideas. So I didn't totally agree with a lot of the first section. The end of the book he gives a break down of this thesis and real world techniques. I think his general idea is excellent and something I continue to strive to do; eating less processed foods, more fruits and vegetables and healthier quantities. 

The Art of Racing in the Rain

by Garth Stein

This is my first book club book that we're discussing at the end of the month (which I'm really excited about). Anyways, this is Stein's novel about Enzo, a dog, and his family. Stein writes from a Enzo's perspective on his life, his family's journey and how he wishes he were human. It's an interesting point of view as Enzo tells about Denny, his wife and daughter as they struggle through illness and custody battles and life. Denny gets dealt blow after blow to his life, which I just found depressing. I also started out thinking it was really cheesy but about two-thirds of the way through the book I found myself really invested, probably because Enzo is so lovable  Thankfully it has a happy ending and despite myself I liked it.

Little Bee 
by Christ Cleave

Cleave, also the author of Gold, writes the story of Little Bee, a refuge from Nigeria whose life intertwines with Sarah, a magazine editor in London. Sarah's husband as recently committed suicide and when Little Bee shows up on her door  she doesn't quite know what to think. They have history together from a vacation Sarah and her husband took in Nigeria but it's been years since they first met. As they go through the weeks following her husband's death more and more comes out about their history and the reason Little Bee is in the UK. I do think Cleave is a good author but I didn't like this book nearly as much as I liked Gold. I think it's partially because the characters didn't seem as real to me and this story is really sad. I'm glad I read it but I'd give it 3/5 stars overall.

Banana Bread Pancakes

I am a huge advocate of weekday pancakes. They make you slow down a little bit. In those span of days where you're working, running errands, meeting people for coffee, stopping to make pancakes for yourself may be just what you need. 

There's something about getting up in the morning at a decent time, not too early but not late enough that you feel lazy. Whisking together some flour and milk, nothing too loud first thing in the morning. Mashing a banana can even be therapeutic first thing. Oh, and definitely make these while still wearing your pjs.

One of the bes things about these banana bread pancakes is you don't even need syrup as a topping. They've got just enough sweetness on their own. Or you can add it if you're into it. Maybe even some peanut butter would be delicious. Go with your gut when you make these.

Banana Bread Pancakes

adapted from How Sweet It Is

makes 4 medium pancakes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1/8 cup of brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• pinch of nutmeg
• 1/3 cup milk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 large ripe banana, mashed
• 1 tbsp butter, melt

To Make:

1) Whisk together flour, powder, salt, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add in milk and vanilla extract and stir just until combined. Finally, stir in banana and lastly the butter.

2) Preheat pan and spray with non stick cookie spray. When warm enough, measure batter out but 1/3 cup and pour onto pan. Flip when bubbles burst on top of pancakes and cook for another couple minutes.

3) Serve with butter and maple syrup or your favorite pancake topping. Enjoy

Observation Tuesday: Volume 37

Confession: I only wear my seatbelt in the car so I'm not the person in the news that was ejected from their car because they're not wearing their seatbelt. Not because it's the law, not because it's safer, but because I don't want people to think I'm an idiot if I die.

Some favorite links from the web this week:

• "Stop Riding That Penguin We're Leaving!" One of my favorite quotes of a Dad's Illustrations of What He Says To His Kids.  
• Do you know what Tartle means? It's the Scottish equivalent of that feeling you get right before you have to introduce someone whose name you don't remember. Read about more words with no English equivalent. 
• From BuzzFeed, 13 Junk Foods you Won't believe are Vegan. Gives it a different thought process on vegan automatically meaning healthy. My favorite, Nutter Butters and Doritos :)