Back to school mom's lunch

I had a last minute lunch with a few of my favorite ladies on the first day of THEIR kids going back to school!

Back to school day brings back bittersweet memories for me.  For a while it was exciting, but stressful when they were little.  Sticking to the school's schedule and demands for my kids' and my time was painful, 2nd grade homework and drama drove me insane, and the almost immediate labeling of kids as learning or behaviorally challenged rubbed me the wrong way. But then we home schooled for quite a few years.  It was stressful in a different way, but so much more relaxed and low key and playful and freeing, So then back to school day was awesome, we started when we wanted, stayed in our PJ's most of the time, went to the library, to the park, played, read, read, and read some more. The later high school years came and it was stressful again sticking to someone else's schedule for their days but in the end it was all for good because they made awesome friendships and had experiences that to this day we are all grateful for.
So, even though my kids are not going back to school on this day, lots of people that I care for are going through all these emotions and experiences in their own ways so I decided to just have a little lunch and I raided the garden and came up with all kinds of yummyness.

Cucumber cups with Tzatziki sauce and a friend brought pickled blackberries (yum!)
Bruschetta
Grrilled eggplants and tomatoes
raw zucchini noodles
chicken with dairy free faux pesto sauce (with a secreted ingredient instead of parmesan)
garden fresh watermelon
gluten free bread cut in cubes and broiled with olive oil, garlic & basil

I work on getting the recipes up soon.

9 FREE Kindle books today 8-13-13

9 FREE books today only 8-13-13

**Make sure they are still FREE before you click buy**

If you see a free Kindle book that you want then get it as soon as you can.

Prices often change and it's difficult to tell how long the book will remain free.

When downloading a free Kindle book on Amazon

verify that the book is still free by making sure the price is $0.00.

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the book is not free anymore.

Easy Gluten-Free Slow Cooker Recipes (Gluttony of Gluten-Free)

The Gluten-Free Dessert Bible (Gluttony of Gluten-Free)

Boxed Set 1 Carrier Oils Guide

The Homemade Medicine Book

Confessions of a Raging Perfectionist: Learning to Be Free

The Juggling Act: Bringing Balance to Your Faith, Family, and Work

What's It Like to Be Married to Me?: And Other Dangerous Questions

25 Cool Things to Do with Wine Bottles

PUPPY LOVE BUNDLE (New Dog Series)

If you are interested in purchasing oils or learning about essential oils and how to incorporate them into your quest for a healthy life let me know, I'll be glad to share.

**ask me how to save 25% or more on the best essential oils available**

Fancy Tostones

Sorry about the lack of posts in the last two weeks. I got that new "phablet" I wanted and it's been fun setting it up just right and playing with it. Between working, having out of state family visiting for a week, and... somehow I've taken on a different little project. Helping the local animal shelter get into the 21st century with some social media exposure. You can check them out on Facebook and www.petfinders.com
I got all OCD on that project and knocked it out, but I'm sure there's more to do, and I'll be like... "ooooh shiny!" and I'll disappear again.

Anyway, I still gotta eat so I still gotta cook. So here is one of last week's experiment.

TOSTONES! (toes-toe-ness)

What the heck is tostones you say?
Only pure natural gluten free deliciousness. Duh!

Normally I just peel and  cut up the very green plantains into 1 inch or so slanted rounds, but this time i decided to use my new spiral slicer.
I made little tangled mounds and fried them until golden for about a minute on each side in grape seed oil.

Added some salt and pepper and enjoyed their crunchy goodness with some pan fried fish and a baby spinach, cucumber, tomato salad fresh from the garden.

Did you know that you can get tostones instead of french fries at most fast food franchises in Puerto Rico? And they ARE your side of fries at most authentic restaurants on the island.
True Story.

now I'm hungry, and homesick

Early morning sendoff oatmeal (Gluten and Dairy Free)

We've had family visiting us for the last week. They are planning to leave early tomorrow morning at 5am, or so they say ;) So I'm planning to feed them a warm breakfast before they go, but that is too early to even think so out comes the trusty crockpot!
Ingredients
2 apples cored and chopped
1/2 cup brown sugar (or more to taste)
1 tsp cinnamon or 1 drop of Cinnamon Essential Oil
1dash of salt
3 cups gluten free rolled oats
3 cups coconut milk
3 cups water
Directions
Place the ingredients in your crockpot in the order listed.
Don't stir.
Set to cook on LOW for 8-9 hours.

The plan is;
Wake up.
Gobble it up.
I'll let you know how it goes.

8-11-13 update

It was way to early in the morning to remember to take a photo of the finished dish.

It was quite mushy and I personally like my oatmeal sweeter, but 6 out of 8 ate it and survived to tell the tale.

The bottom stuck and burnt a bit, but that was my fault, I should have used my other crockpot that actually has a High & Low setting, and maybe grease the bottom with either butter or coconut oil and cook it for 6-7 hours instead.

Grain free secret ingredient brownies (gluten free, dairy free, grain free)

I've been a little busy with work and with family visiting from out of state. I've made lots of (I hope) yummy food but there's been no time to blog. Today I wanted to whip up a quick dessert and remembered seeing a recipe for black bean brownies.  Here's my version.

2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp salt
3 eggs
2 ripe mashed bananas
2 tsp vanilla

optional
nuts, butterscotch chips or chocolate chips

Directions
Grease a baking dish with butter
In a high powered blender puree all of the ingredients until smooth.
Add optional chips or nuts
Pour batter into dish
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes
They are done when the top is dry
and slightly cracked and the edges have pulled away from
the sides of the dish.

I didn't have any chocolate chips to mix in so after I cooked this I went to the store and got some butterscotch chips. I sprinkled about half a cup on top of the still warm brownies in the pan and stick the whole thing in the microwave for 90 seconds. I spread the butterscotch goo all over and then cut them into squares.
Yum!

Nobody could guess
the secret ingredient and they were declared delicious both at home and art work. Win!