I have been Craving Spice Lately

This week my holiday taste buds returned for a brief stay and demanded Gingerbread cookies. So what is a girl to do when Ginger Bread cookies sound fabulous for Breakfast?  Simple  I made  a Gingerbread shake. I drank it two days in a row I loved it so much.  Here is the recipe:
Gingerbread Shakeology
1 Packet Chocolate Shakeology
4oz Almond Milk or Coconut milk
4oz Coconut Water
2Tbs Molasses
1tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Ginger and Nutmeg
I also Added 1Tbs Peanut Butter for fat, but found I didn't really need it.
Here are the  Nutrition facts                
Molassess, 2 Tbls     116 Cal
Peanutbutter 1Tbls     100 Cal
Almond Breeze1/2 Cup 30 Cal
Shakeology Chocolate Packet 140 Cal
Zico Coconut Water 4fl oz    17 Cal

After dinner on several nights I was craving Gingerbread again and I found a fabulous no bake recipe on Chocolate Covered Katies blog. I highly recommend these, there was a slight taste of Peanut Butter but chilled in the fridge they were so tasty and will be my next after hike snack.

Gingerbread Butter

• 6 T Peanut Butter (I use this peanut butter)
• around 1 1/2T Molasses (20g) (I used blackstrap)
• heaping 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• scant 1/8 tsp ginger and nutmeg
• Optional: cloves, sugar (I didn’t use either)

Mix together your peanut butter and molasses, either using a blender or fork. (I just used a fork to mix.) Add the spices and mix again.

This is CCK's recipe. But I love it and hope that you try it, I will be making them for Grandma with Cashew butter this weekend. 

Have you had any strange cravings lately, if you have what are they?

Merry Summer;) 

Meatless Monday

Yes I am totally late on this post, I was in the throws of trying to complete a final essay, but I did take pictures and prepare for sharing this delicious meal. Thanks to crockpot365 I found a meal to make meatless. Sweet Potato and Chorizo Soup. I know I know if there is Chorizo it can't be meatless, but thanks to Trader Joes and their Soy Chorizo it is. 

I had to weigh out my sweet potatoes and add some regular potatoes, because this wasn't a planned meal and I didn't have many sweets laying around. 

 Peel them

Chop um

 Lay everything out artisticly so you don't have to take picutures of each item. (Artisitic right;)?)

 Some stock (this is what was in the cupboard)

 Dump it all in the Crockpot and Relax.

 When I saw this I was totally grossed out, seriously could that red be any grosser?

 Whip out the Vita Mix and blend.Oh you don't have a Vita Mix that is fine an immersion blender or regular blender will work.

 Now the recipe calls for a dollop of Sour Cream, but I no longer eat dairy products so I passed on it and opted for an artichoke. This was a fabulous mode of transportation for the soup to my mouth and much healthier then the former butter I use to bathe my artichokes in. If I hadn't already eaten dinner I would have had a dinner redo. Though this may have been a bit obsessive  considering this meal was Sunday night and Monday night I paired the soup with a piece of Corn Socca and Amy's Gluten Free Vegan burger.  Wishing you many happy meatless meals .
Heres the Recipe:

Sweet Potato and Chorizo Soup

7 cups chicken broth

7 ounces chorizo sausage, sliced (pork, beef, turkey, veggie; your choice)

2 large carrots, peeled and chopped (or a handful of baby carrots)

1 large onion, peeled and chopped

1 3/4 pounds (about 3 large) sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon curry powder

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

8 tablespoons sour cream (for serving)

The Directions.

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Pour in the chicken broth and add the sliced chorizo (no need to brown first, YAY!). Add the carrots, onion, sweet potatoes, and garlic Don't worry about chopping your vegetables in pretty shapes----it's all going to be blended together anyhow (after cooking).

Stir in the curry powder and chile flakes.

Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or on high for 4 to 5 hours (low is better, IMO). Before serving, use a hand-held stick blender to blend the soup completely (even the chorizo. I know, it sounds weird, but trust me). Ladle into bowls and serve with a dollop of sour cream

Be good and find Tasty treats!

Letting Go

Letting go.

 This is a task I have never been good at, I remember events all to well. I really wish that I could remember names as well as I can remember things that have happened to me, but alas I have not yet mastered this skill. Letting go has been the theme of my life for a week and a half, it all began with a Bible Study where I was going to give my Final Speech for my class.  Beth Moore is a moving speaker and I was convicted about how I had cut people out of my life and continued to try and be fertile on the plot of land God is currently loaning to me.
I asked for prayer to know how to tear this wall around my heart down and begin making amends to the friends I have blocked out and also know who to invite back in.  Three days later while writing something mundane on Facebook, I received a private message that a friend I had not seen in almost 12 years was at the same event from Seattle Washington. Neither one of us had a clue the other was close, but once we got connected we were stoked to spend some time together.
Being with this friend was like being with family. It made me remember what it was like to have someone know my flaws and my crazy  history and still love me. I hope that they know I love them as well, because I do. Every fiber of my being hopes and pray for their happiness.

But what do you do when two people have grown apart and God is going to be the wedge in the friendship. I had to let go, and as much as I would love to be there no matter what happens I know for my own well being it is the right thing to do. I am at peace about the decision and I am thankful for the time we had to reunite. It made me realize what I was looking for in a relationship and what I have been missing since I was 16 in all the friendships that have come and gone over the years.
As we grow up and grow apart I think the only thing that can be is thankful for the time we have had together and the things that are learned.
Your Friend who is trying to find Balance,

My Day in Pictures

Saturday I chose to take pictures of my day rather than just writing about it. I went hiking in the morning then ended my day working at the Fila tent at the BNP Paribas Tennis Tournament. Enjoy my day and the SUN I enjoyed!

That is everything I did, hiking, catching up on tweetdeck, and working at the Tennis Tournament.  It was a fun day, especially the hiking and I realized how quickly my body had forgotten what walking up hills, through gravel and dodging mountain bikers is like.

Wishing you happy, sunny days

Penny Lane