Baldy

Yesterday I hiked up Santa Fe Baldy 12,000 feet in the air without a care (except the harsh winds) I packed plenty of the power bars only replaced honey instead of sugar and put coconut,flax seed,goji berries, and kept the cherries. The worst pa-rt was on the way down I got 10 mosquito bites by just a couple of breaks and my shoes were two small. I just had the hugest breakfast of oatmeal pancakes and bacon!

Power Bars

Last night I made delicious power bars they were amazing! They had coconut oil instead of butter and it had brown rice cereal! It was really really good it had a bite (because of the ginger) it made 14 bars for us although I cut it a little unevenly. No mistakes for me! No baking accept for the walnuts and if you count cooking then yes but that was only for very few ingredients and for about four minutes. Here is the grand recipe.

ingredients

1 tablespoon coconut oil (for the pan)

1 1/4 cups rolled oats

1 1/4 cups chopped toasted (baked for five minutes) walnuts

1/2 a cup oat bran

1 1/2 cups unsweetened crisp brown rice cereal

1 cup dried cranberries coarsely chopped

3 tablespoons finely chopped crystalized ginger

1 cup brown rice syrup

1/4 cup natural cane sugar (we used raw sugar)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt

Preparation

Grease a baking pan with the coconut oil. If you like thick bars, ( I don't) opt for an 8 by 8-inch pan; for thinner bars, use a 9 by 13- inch pan.

Mix the oats,walnuts,oat bran,cereal,cranberries, and ginger together in large bowl and set aside. Combine the rice syrup, sugar,vanilla, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir constantly as it comes to a boil and thickens just a bit, about 4 minutes. Pour over the oat mixture and stir until syrup is evenly incorporated.

Spread into the prepared pan and cool to room temperature before cutting into whatever size bars you desire.

Sweet Soba

Tonight twas a delicious dinner made by me... buckwheat soba noodles with a spicy sauce and cilantro. So you are probably thinking "Gee is she finally going to take a picture?" Yes I will, in fact I did that half an hour ago. The biggest problem I had was that the soba's bed (pasta pot) boiled over (not very major). It was all organic including the tofu and it used very little of my decorative skills (not the best of things) just sprinkles of sesame and cilantro. Just to let you know it had a bite (spicy) but very flavorful.

Watermelon Cutting

A water melon you'd suppose everyone knows how to cut, but no! No I am sorry to say for today I had to give a full on lesson to teach watermelon cutting. For you see some cut the watermelon far to small (when it's for elves not people) and then some just prefer scooping the watermelon halve with a big spoon. I however do not prefer either of them just a piece the size of my head will do quite nicely. I can not cut a watermelon (because I am far to weak) but I have seen experts do so. My guess is you're eyeing this and saying "I don't know how to cut a watermelon." Here is your chance..

If you want to get fancy...

Look up watermelon carving that's worth a try!

Um...

It just slips my mind I thought I made an angel food cake hmm

gosh I just wonder where it went I saw it I touched it I felt it I held it I opened my mouth and thats all I remember anyway I suppose I ought to tell you about it! If you must know everything about my life I will tell it Waliv (wallace) is sighing on my lap and rolling around is that enough or do you want to know how often I brush my teeth or how often I pet,hug,and kiss Wallace? Now it's getting personal. Well anyway it was my first angel food cake making and eating it twas good very sweet and delicious and I had to sift the dry ingredients three times (that took awhile) after that I was panting hoping it was done but you never have such luck. Yes that's right there was more now being interested in what else I have to say I say I had to get ten egg whites (with some yolk it's impossible) the rest was pretty simple here is the dreadful recipe!

For cake:

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Sift flour, 1/2 cup superfine sugar, and salt into medium bowl; repeat sifting 3 times. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites, lime peel, and vanilla on medium speed in large bowl until frothy (mixture may turn neon green but color will change when remaining ingredients are added). Add cream of tartar; increase speed to high and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Sprinkle 1/3 of flour mixture over whites and gently fold in until incorporated. Fold in remaining flour mixture in 2 more additions just until incorporated. Transfer to ungreased 10-inch angel food cake pan with 4-inch-high sides and removable bottom (do not use nonstick pan); smooth top.

Bake cake until pale golden and tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 38 minutes. Immediately invert cake onto work surface if pan has feet, or invert center tube of pan onto neck of bottle or metal funnel and cool cake completely.

Using long thin knife, cut around cake sides and center tube to loosen. Lift out center tube with cake still attached; run knife between cake and bottom of pan to loosen. Invert cake onto rack, then turn cake over, rounded side up. Set rack with cake atop rimmed baking sheet.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Lime-Angel-Food-Cake-with-Lime-Glaze-and-Pistachios-358238#ixzz0qadbQ7jG

Cake:

• 1 cup cake flour
• 1 1/2 cups superfine sugar, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 10 large egg whites, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons finely grated lime peel
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Lime-Angel-Food-Cake-with-Lime-Glaze-and-Pistachios-358238#ixzz0qaec84NE

Disaster!

Without Olive Oil.

A disaster has happened this fine evening I was making inside out pizza I used the wrong cheese and I did not turn the oven on right well I called for help and now relaxing.

First Taste Of Summers

Summer has arrived! Well... I suppose you already knew that but I came home after a bike ride took a cold shower and made cold shrimp with lemon,tomato,and olive oil with leftover hummus homemade hummus from the night before. After that I took one of the four nectarines from our fruit basket and took a bite. It was still a little way to being ripe but good. It is a tradition of ours to eat nectarines every summer.

Granola Festival

I just took out my wonderful granola I don't mean to brag but it is really good my mom couldn't stop picking at it I held myself back although right now my stomach is growling like borniv (Wallace Thor) to the neighbor's dog or the cats. Here is the recipe....

3 cups old-fashioned oats

1 cup coarsely chopped pecans

1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (we skipped it because we didn't have it)

3 tablespoons (packed) brown sugar (we replaced it with 4 tablespoons of maple syrup)

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon ( I love cinnamon so we put in 1 teaspoon)

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (I suggested putting more in but I am the only one who likes ginger)

1/4 teaspoon (generous) salt

1/3 cup honey (delicious!)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil (we used 2 tablespoons sesame oil)

1 cup (or more) assorted dried fruit (best place to get dried fruit is Trader Joe's)

here is what I added....

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

medium sprinkle of nutmeg

zest of one lemon (my mom does not think it needs it but I do)

tad of chopped walnuts

1 tablespoon of pumpkin seed

2 tablespoons flax seed

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Mix first 7 ingredients in large bowl along with my additional ingredients. Stir honey and oil in saucepan over medium-low heat until smooth. Pour honey mixture over oat mixture; toss. Spread on prepared sheet. Bake until golden, stirring every 10 minutes, about 40 minutes. Place sheet on rack. Stir granola; cool. Mix in fruit. DO AHEAD. Can be made 1 week ahead. Store airtight. Mix all the ingredients I added before baking.

I am having my granola for breakfast!