My New Favorite Cookies

I have a little love affair going on with these cookies (just don't tell the lima beans I'm cheating on them....)

They are wheat-free and gluten-free but certainly not taste free.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I present Banana Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Cleaning with Just Water

Apparently this was the Christmas of floor cleaning appliances. Maybe my Mom and Mom-in-law just assume I don't have a clean apartment (which, incidentally, is mostly true most of the time). Nevertheless, I was actually super stoked about my new vacuum cleaner and Shark steam pocket mop for hard surfaces.

So I took the Shark for a test drive. Here is my product review (for lack of a better term) and little pictorial explanation of how this contraption works......

Green Pancakes!

I've become a bit more of an experimenter in the kitchen these days.

To satisfy my craving for pancakes the other night, while understanding that I really needed to eat some vegetables, I ended up with Green Pancakes.

Now, let it be known that I don't make very pretty shaped pancakes. Never have and probably never will.

Tractors are Sexy

Oh Blog, how I've neglected you!

There is so much to catch up on, I'm simply feeling overwhelmed. Where to start?

To begin with, I finally bit the bullet and bought a VitaMix! But I don't regret a single penny I paid (rather like my MacBook Pro!) I don't even have to chop an apple into more than 4 pieces in order to blend it into my smoothies. Or my pancake batter. I make hot soup that is still considered raw and full of nutrients and enzymes. Homemade hummus is super easy and cheap. Yes, I will post pictures and recipes. Soon. (Someone had better hold me accountable to that!)

In other news, I'm now on the lookout for a large piece of earth (to borrow a phrase from the Secret Garden). And by large, I mean at least 25 acres or more. In a second-best case scenario (the best being what God already has planned--which we can't even imagine yet), a retiring farmer (or anyone, really) would donate said land to us and our compadres to support our cause and mission of communal farm living.

Snake Oil Salesmen Had it Right?

I almost deleted an email this morning, writing it off as a silly forwarded message that would tell me to send it along to 14 other people in the next hour or I didn't really love Jesus (are they kidding me?). But I'm so glad I did read it (and that it didn't judge my email habits in connection with the King of the Universe).

Inside was a great little article shedding some light on the evolution of "healthcare" in the West. With all the talk about "healthcare" reform in the government (which I don't really keep up with since I don't watch the news....better things to do.....), this offers a fresh perspective on an alternative--a "third way," if you will, to borrow a phrase from a respected author, Shane Claiborne (changed my life.....I recommend his stuff).

ps-I'm not hating on people who became doctors or nurses because they wanted to help people. But I do believe there are far, far better ways to build health and help others. Ways with no harmful side effects and big corporations who stand to profit big time from people's illness and/or fear.