The Beauty Of Pre-Christmas Snow

What is it about a December Snow that feels so magical?

I have often, well every December, why a snow during Advent makes us so much more happy. I think I have it today. I was pausing from my early morning rush to start a Monday with my cup of coffee in hand, when I peeked out the window to see the flurries coming down. The first snow of the year. So majestic, pure white, in the dim crack of dawn light that signals a heavy clouded sky.

I wondered if our traditional school friends would be delayed or would their school be closed. Would it be seen as a much needed pit stop from the high speed track we put ourselves on to get too much accomplished before the much anticipated Christmas Day? Every year, us over reaching moms say, "Next Year I will take time to enjoy the season instead of running myself ragged!" But does it happen? No, we think just one more batch of cookies or fudge then I will be done. This too is not accurate because we suddenly remember one more person we forgot to shower gifts upon. Dreading the feeling of being left out, we race to make another loaf of sweet bread and a pan of fudge to say, "I love you and enjoy the season."

Then the snow comes. This forced condition to cause our slowing down. If schools are closed or delayed, it becomes an omission of the morning scurry. There is time to eat without choking on a bit to big in order to throw one's coat on to race to the awaiting transportation. Roads will have slower traffic in order to keep people safe on slick roads. But these slower paced moments make us see the world around us; the decorated houses, the dusting of white in ever green trees, or in the case of our small town, the snowflake lights strung across the power lines.

Slowing ourselves down so we can remember the magic of Advent so prevalent in the eyes of a child. The overflowing of love, hope, and faith in what is to come. As adults, we put too much focus on getting all the details completed and miss the point of the building of the season. It is not a race to fall exhausted on the sofa in our PJ's all day for a much needed break on Christmas. Each year we say, not again, but society pulls at our ideals of what a good showing will entail. Something, we, as simple human beings, have difficulty in taming; an unreachable desire to have the picture view.

Then God steps in to give us a little nudge back to the point of it all. The snow, with it's peaceful drifting to the ground, forces us to pause for a moment. It covers the distractions of society. It focuses our sensors back to the people we hold most dear whither it be sacrificing the 4-wheel drive vehicle for Dad to arrive safely to work or wrapping another scarf around a child to keep them warm as they trek into the wild unknown. But for others, it could be just a moment to sense the calm of a slow tumbling of flakes as we take in a long sip of a warm cup feeling all cozy wrapped in a blanket. A magical moment feeling time can stand still. A blessing, a little break from hurried agendas, a moment to notice the beauty of it all.

Cameras and Schuberts

Well, I could not take it anymore.....I got a new camera. It is nothing fancy, just a small, fits in a pocket or purse, Cannon that happened to be on sale for less than $100. And it was just in time for the beginning of the Christmas Season. For the kick off...Isabella in her choral group!

These girls do an amazing job and it is hard to believe that with a once a week practice. With an age range of 7 - 13 years old, their voices can fill an auditorium. This performance though was at a local Historical Church mostly as a dress rehearsal for family and friends. It was followed by a small reception for parents to mingle with other parents and comment on their wonderful sound. Well, don't take my word for it, here is a clip from my new camera.

This clip is from a part in the concert where they split the older girls and the younger girls to show certain pieces.

Isabella does not realize how much she is learning with this group. Karl had commented one day after hearing her sing at church that we should look into private lessons. I explained the training she is getting from Schubert Singers is just as good as private lessons for age group and what we pay for the entire season, about 4 - 5 months, is what one or two lessons would cost. The most important point is her enjoyment in the process. She enjoys singing, even if it is not the right words, as Karl and I chuckle over her rendition of Bicycle Built for Two to the tune of one of the songs in Phantom of the Opera.

Granola

Here is my recipe for granola. I originally got it from my friend, Aileen. However, I made some adjustments for my own taste after seeing what my favorite store bought brand, Bear Naked, put into their bags.


I like mine loaded with nuts with a bit of sweetness of dried fruit. So here it goes!

• 4 Cups of Rolled Oats (Old Fashioned not the quick cook! If you need get Gluten Free.)
• 1 1/2 - 2 Cups of Nuts (A combination of or just one: Almonds, Walnuts, or Pecans)
• 1/2 cup of Flax Seeds or Meal
• 1 - 1 1/2 cups of dried fruit (Raisins or Craisins)
• 1/2 tsp of Salt
• 1/2 tsp Cinnamon (mine is a bit on the heavy side)
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup of neutral or nut oil (I am in love with this roasted walnut oil I found! The more oil the more it will clump up into chunks.)
• 1/2 cup of honey (local is best for pollen allergies)
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F and lightly oil a 9 x13 glass pan.
2. Mix all dry ingredients together in a large bowl or stand mixer.
3. Mix wet ingredients together. A little clue, if you put the oil in the liquid measure cup first, then the honey, it makes getting the honey out easier.
4. Pour the mixture into prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes. At the 20 minute mark, lightly stir to evenly roast nuts.
5. Let the mixture cool for about 20 minutes, then carefully scoop granola into a container breaking up large clumps.

This is great to add to yogurt or just pour milk over. You might want to put in extra walnuts as they are heavenly toasted with a little honey. I find myself searching them out of the container.

Adjustments and Substitutions

So far, the changes into Gluten Free and Dairy Free have been interesting. I have a stack of recipes to try, when I get up the nerve. The problem is, it does not usually taste the same as the wheat and dairy results. Karl keeps telling me to let go of trying to make it just like it was before. For example, instead of pot pies being a staple for left over bits of meat, maybe we should switch to Shepherd's Pie with mashed potatoes made with chicken stock or rice milk instead of cow's milk. Changes to staples comes very slowly.


Things I have discovered:


- I love our Jewish brothers and sisters for this wonderful thing called Parve or Parev. Foods that have been given the Kosher Parve or Parev symbol are certified Dairy Free. This is very important when looking for chocolate. Chocolate Dream from World Pantry Foods has some amazing dairy free dark chocolate candy bars. These are wonderful when you just want something a little sweet but feels so luxurious. For those looking for a gift for me, buy directly from their site is far cheaper than Amazon or local health stores.


- Turtle Mountain makes a Dairy Free, Wheat Free ice cream with coconut milk. For someone who has been without ice cream for nearly 5 months, this was pure heaven! Karl had to warn me to put the container away before I got sick from eating too much. I has been eating the chocolate peanut butter flavor. This product, rightly called "Purely Decadent", comes in container about the same size and price at Ben and Jerry's ice cream. The thing this really did for me was open a door in my brain to the options I could do with a substitution of coconut milk with recipes that require a cream like base. This is very exciting for someone who is trying hard to also make things from scratch. Depending on the recipe, it leaves a slight coconut flavor or under tone but that it fine for me as I like coconut. When I made the chocolate souffle for Thanksgiving, I used coconut milk for the milk/cream. Before it went into the oven, I tried the batter and it had the coconut undertones, but when it was cooked, the amount of eggs and chocolate were too strong to allow the coconut to come through.


-Oh for a love of all things coconut!! Coconut oil can easily be substituted for butter in recipes. It has the same viscosity and fat content, only coconut oil is all good fats and has been studied for it's surprising link in reducing cholesterol levels. Coconut flour adds a sweetness to GF flours which allows the reduction of sugar, and adds some protein. I already spoke of the wonders of coconut milk. I did put it into eggs yesterday and before Isabella asked how I made them, she said they were the best scrambled eggs ever. When I finally told her I added coconut milk, left over from the souffle, she gave me a funny look. I then explained the nutritional value to the children and they shrugged off the negative views of coconut products.


-Pamela's Cookies, especially Double Dark Chocolate. They are Wheat Free are Dairy Free. The cookies are also so rich that eating more than two could cause a tummy ache.


- A love of all things Almond. Almond flour has more protein, vitamins, minerals, and less carbs than wheat flour. Finding one that is finely ground enough to keep a non gritty texture is the current hunt. Almond milk is what I put in my coffee and home made granola. The Blue Diamond Company makes the vanilla sweetened one that I use for coffee and granola. When ever I use this I have to reduce the vanilla and sugar in recipes. Almond Butter has always been a delight for me. I like it better than peanut butter but it is a bit more expensive. Roasted, toasted, or raw, Almonds are a great snack or ingredient.


- I have a new respect for Vegans. When I had to travel to take care of our other house, I found myself trying to find something quick and easy to eat. Browsing through Vegan options makes it free of Dairy. I just have to watch the wheat content. The rise of Vegan demands has forced companies to create Dairy Free options for yogurt, cream, butter/margarine, etc. Since Vegans also tend to be forceful in sustainable or natural products also, I have found and awaiting arrival as I had to mail order because my small town does not stock it, Vegan, Natural, Non-Hydrogenated Margarine. Why is this so important, it could be the last resort to getting a flaky pie crust. (I said giving up staple menu choices was hard to do.) The product is Spectrum's Natural Organic Shortening. The problem and taboo thing about margarine and shortenings before has been the hydrogenation of oils/fats to create an unnatural, plague producing, cholesterol rising medium to replace the once so used butter or lard. It was originally created to reduce the fat content in our foods and pushed by processed food companies due to it's longer shelf life. I have also noticed that during the day, I am eating more vegan but not for a lack of eating animals or by products. It just has been easier to eat fruits, veggies, nuts or nut butters when I need that quick bite during the hectic days I have planned.


- I am looking at recipe books from supporters of Raw food, Primitive or also called Cave Man diets, and Specific Carbohydrate Diets. The SCD books are really interesting as they include information on why this diet helps people with digestion issues and the ability to heal young children from these diseases or syndromes if caught early enough. It has to do with a balance in the bacteria levels of our systems. The heavy wheat and sticky carbs that are so prevalent in our American diets cause an over abundance of the bad bacterias. These types of recipe books aim at using only ingredients that starve out the bad bacterias while creating a good environment for the good bacterias in our bodies. The SCD books rely heavily on home made yogurts that are fermented for 24 hours to create super powerful probiotics. Once the yogurt is made, it becomes a base for several recipes. If lactose is what is causing my dairy issues, then this type of yogurt should be tolerated as all the lactose is eaten up by the fermentation process. I have seen the use of cow and goat's milks used, but a recent trip to a new health store got me wondering if making yogurt from alternative milks (soy, rice, almond) is possible. Soy yogurt is currently available but I have been avoiding it for my want to avoid soy products in general due to their estrogen like make up. However, those qualities are suppose to dissipate when the soy is fermented at in tofu. I guess that would be the case in yogurt?! Anyway in searching for more options, I have stumbled on a company that is working on coconut and almond milk yogurts. It is very new, so not in my small town. Maybe if I go to one of the larger cities and maybe at a Whole Foods store, I might find some to try. Currently, I take capsules of probiotics since yogurt has been on my banned list. Oh so many things being circulated in my mind!!!


- I have successfully adjusted my granola bar recipe I had posted before. Instead of wheat germ, I add flax seed. Instead of wheat flour, I add gluten free flour. If I use straight rice flour it is too gritty. Tapioca Flour is better but I am right now in love with an Almond Flour Blend from Gluten Free Mama. Anyway, I must make a pan of these for Anton every 7 - 10 days to help with his need of calories for his pre-teen growth spurts. I load it up with peanut butter and if he is not looking, chopped up nuts, to give it extra protein and fat. He also requests chocolate chips. I might start substituting the Dairy Free chocolate chips in his as I try to see if weening him off milk will help in his weight gain. Anton is currently not even on the growth charts for weight for his height; the reason I decide he needed to be taken off wheat to see if it was causing an inability to absorb nutrients. Like myself, Anton's histamine levels are off the charts but does not show specific allergens, hummm more food for thought.


-All things from a company called Glutino. Instead of xanthum gum, this company uses guar gum. It has facilities in Italy and Canada which have higher gluten free guidelines than America. Anton loves their crackers; especially the plain ones, taste like a less buttery Ritz, and the vegetable flavor, taste like Wheat Thins Italian flat bread crackers. This company makes the Frozen Flax bread that is great for toasts and a frozen pizza for the kiddos. Our local grocery carries the pizzas, crackers, and fake Oreos from this company. The health store carries the bread.


Well, that is enough of a peaking into my free thoughts for now as I continue to struggle with what to cook and feed my family. Sometimes, just using the basic options of rice or potatoes is best.

Our Thanksgiving Feast

Many are wondering what we were able to eat while following our new diet. Well, it became a compromise between struggling to make it almost right to letting go of expectations.


We began with the most important part, the bird. We took a little trip on Wednesday to pick up our freshly butchered turkey at the sustainable farm. As we were driving up to the house, Isabella, in a heartfelt almost heart broken sigh, asked, "Where are all the turkeys?"


I chuckled through the word, "Processed!"


The children are use to being greeted by a gaggle of about 18 turkeys when we have ran by the farm to pick up various meats and eggs. Anton, this morning, specifically wore a blue sweatshirt instead of his usual red and blue jacket because it riles up some of the toms. After some explaining and releasing the children to check on chickens and ducks, I payed for our bird (and two ducks) and we were on our way home to get him in the frig.


So, first is the hormone-free, Non-GM fed, free range Heritage Breed turkey. For those of you wanting a bit more details, it was a Bourbon Red, the second best rated turkey breed for flavour in the world. The first is the Midget White.


For weeks I have been failing (yes it does happen!) at a good pie crust. On Monday, I gave up on the traditional crust and made a crushed pecan crust for a sweet potato pie. It was good! But since we had that on Monday, I decided to forgo having one on Thursday. For dessert, we made a Gluten Free/Dairy Free Chocolate Souffle. It turned out well, but I wish I had found my whisk attachment for my Kitchen Aid mixer as it would have made the whipping easier on my arms. I am not going to buy a new one, I know it is, it is one of the two boxes left of kitchen items down in the basement that has not been unpacked. (See, I am not perfect. I have not finished my sorting after two and 1/2 years! HAHA!)


For sides we had green beans, roasted sweet potatoes, stuffing (I will explain.), and home made gravy. It did not dawn on me until Thursday Morning, I forgot to pick up cranberries. When I expressed my guilt ridden sorrow to Karl, he shrugged and told me he never really liked cranberry sauce anyway. Then he teased me about not having it for my left over turkey sandwiches, then apologized because of the bread issue. The frozen GF bread in the stores is not good for sandwiches, just for toast.


Alright, stuffing. I have also been having problems with bread recipes. I got the bread right on the first try, a sour dough like GF bread. Then I had problems with one ingredient, Xanthum Gum. The good thing, I have finally figured out why some lotions burn and irritate my skin and others do not. The bad thing is the discomfort it caused me and to a lesser extent the rest of my family. Xanthum Gum is a very gross thing that most American companies put into their products to make them thick. Why, because it is cheaper than what they use to use, Guar Gum which is used in most foreign and some American products. Xanthum Gum is a bacteria found on rotting or molding corn, soy or wheat, but mostly corn. Scientist discovered if they scrape off the mold, dry it, and then grind it into a powder, it has thicken properties like corn starch, Guar Gum, and potato starch. Since then, I have been having several failed attempts at getting the bread right by trying other thickeners, changing flours, etc. On Wednesday night, the health store called to say they finally got my Guar Gum order in the store and it was ready for pick up. A bit too late to try yet another attempt at bread, so I did the next best thing. I had went to various places that sell GF foods and picked up three types of frozen GF bread; one white rice, one brown rice, and one flax seed. All were made in or by Canadian or Italian companies. I thawed half of each loaf, cut into small squares, tossed in olive oil with herbs, and dried in the oven to become the base for home made stuffing. The next morning, I sauteed onions, celery, and bacon fat together. Anton came running down the steps thinking I had made a batch of bacon and was frying potatoes with onions. He was mildly disappointed as I served up some GF doughnuts and eggs instead. I tossed the sauteed veggies with the bread, home made chicken stock, herbs, chopped apples and raisins. It turned out pretty good but next time I will leave out the raisins as it was a bit too sweet. With Karl's help, we stuffed our bird, rubbed down the bird with oil and sprinkled it with herbs.


After that, we went about relaxing with breaks every thirty minutes for basting. The children played a few games on the Wii, we all watched a classic, Willie Wonka (the one from our childhood), and I got to settle into a nice fiction book. Over all, it was a nice quiet time with our family!