Family and Food

Right after I finished my post yesterday I received news that my sister-in-law's mother, age 95, had passed away.  Off I went to purchase a plant and had a good visit with my brother, my sister-in-law, her two brothers and my nephew. After keeping a long bedside vigil my sister-in-law was in good spirits and the focus now is on giving her mother a proper send-off.

Over the past week it's been difficult to stay on my "real food" eating plan. While helping my friend move she provided donuts, muffins and then pizza. At least there was veggie pizza! I did fairly well while looking after my brother this week as I made cabbage soup, baked chicken and cauliflower/potato/garlic mash and salad. I made more scones using my substitutions for sugar and flour and he enjoyed my molasses cookies as well.

Here's a meal from earlier in the week - chicken fajitas. This is something we eat quite often using up various veggie leftovers in the fridge. This time we're adding avocado, red pepper and fresh jalapenos, cucumber, a mix of tomato and onion and romaine. I skip the tortilla and add extra romaine to my plate. Not in the picture is grated cheese and Frank's hot sauce. I am VERY happy that Frank's hot sauce contains NO UNREAL food, no additives or dyes just real food!!

Here are my molasses cookies. I used 2 cups of 12 grain flour plus 1 cup of brown rice flour. Instead of spreading out like they used to do when I used white All Purpose flour they were more cakey due to the density of the 12 grain flour. I used blackstrap molasses which just happens to be quite nutritious!  For nutritional information on blackstrap molasses click HERE. You'll be amazed! This is the "good stuff" that remains after making refined white sugar which has NO nutritional value at all!

By the way my brother thought there was cocoa/chocolate in them and when I ate my first one I also tasted chocolate. VERY yummy cookies!

My version of fajitas :)

I tried making "flapjacks" using a recipe I received years ago in a recipe exchange. It was a recipe wherein all the baking takes place in a microwave. I found it dry and crumbly, not at all like the ones I ate in the UK. Back to the drawing board...

These don't look dry!! (Not mine!)

At my sister-in-law's house I succumbed to eating crackers and cheese and luncheon meat in addition to lots of celery and carrots. The worst thing was eating quite a few pretzels after I played volleyball last night.

I tell myself that after I fall off the wagon I just have to get back on. No point in worrying about it. I'm wishing I could get out on my bike but we've had snow twice at least in the past week as well as several torrential rainfalls. Grrrrrr! At least the sun is popping in and out today so once in a while it looks pleasant. From the inside looking out.