Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Wednesday Wisdom

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Skillz

I learned a few tidbits about life and priorities yesterday.

"What?" You might ask. Well, I'll tell you, mostly because I need a blog post topic and because you know I wanna tell it. 

I'm involved with a women's Bible Study on lies that women believe. (Basically pro truth and getting rid of lies....if you needed that clarifying statement, if not, move on.) I somehow have become the ice breaker person in the group. (I think I missed a meeting and was voted in...) Anyhoo. I had a great idea for last night's class on priorities. I'd juggle and use that as a visual lesson on accomplishing life without God's guiding hand. 

Only problem? I didn't juggle. Oh, I like to watch those who can, and part of me thought maybe, with grace and skill I could maybe master the basic Cascade Juggle (1st thing I learned, vocabulary of juggling. One word. Nailed it!) 

I thought about this juggling thing all week, intending to watch a few you tubes and pull off an impressive class opener. However, (2nd thing I learned; even though a youtube video is titled learn to juggle in ten minutes, that doesn't mean it's true.) I didn't really take the time to attempt juggling until about 3:30 p.m. yesterday. (Class starts at 6). I bought balls on Saturday, with plans to use them well before two hours before leaving for class. Do good intentions count? 

3rd thing I learned. Not everyone takes to juggling like a fish to water. The videos explained important things like stance. One guy told me the proper way to juggle is toss, pause, toss. Not toss, PANIC, toss. I don't think I got that lesson. I practiced tossing one ball back and forth for a full ten minutes. That's when lesson number 2 dawned on me. 

4th learning point. I'm really glad I didn't start out juggling chain saws. I do not recommend this to newbies. There is not a video titled "Learn to juggle chain saws in ten minutes" on Youtube. I hope. I didn't actually search for that nor do I recommend that search. Yikes. 

5th lesson? Juggling is great exercise. One video suggested juggling next to a bed so there's less bending over every time a ball is dropped. Ha. Well, I did the juggling thing by the couch thinking that might be useful. Sure, if you like crawling under the couch every twenty seconds. That's the picture in this post, my cute scarf covered in tiny little dust bunnies and creature hair from crawling on my hands and knees and sweeping under the couch every 40 seconds. (Not all balls went under the couch. Which was another problem.)

Lesson 6...don't juggle around dogs who love to play. More exercise as I chased Lola around the kitchen island after she grabbed the ball. This happened frequently. She was having a great time. I had to give the disclaimer in class that anyone who was given a wet ball shouldn't be concerned as they had been rinsed due to Lola's interest. 

So. Did I learn to juggle? Well. I can fling two balls and catch them most of the time. Ball three never really got off the ground (er, out of my hand). So I just went with that angle in class. After all, I was hoping to demonstrate that none of us is equipped to do life successfully without God. Oh, yeah. I got that lesson shared, loud and clear. And everyone was really relieved that I didn't go with my initial instinct to go for the drama of chain saws. 

Scraps and Snippets ~ Strawberry Cheesecake Bars

Strawberry Cheesecake Dessert...

10 Oreos (whole, including filing) or Trader Joe's Jo-Jos

10 Oreos or Jo Jo cookies (This is 10 whole cookies equaling 20 cookie shells. Scrape the middles into a bowl for the filling).

1 TBSP Earth Balance or coconut oil

In a food processor whir the 10 whole cookies, twenty cookie shells and 1 TBSP of Earth Balance or coconut oil.

Press the mixture into a 7 x 11, 8 x 11, 9 x 11 or 8 x 8 square pan. 

Filling:

Move the bowl of the cookie middles to front and center. Pop the middles into the food processor or mixer bowl. To them add:

8 ounces cream cheese (I used Trader Joe's Not Cream Cheese) 

3 TBSP Strawberry Jam (I used organic) 

1/4 Cup powdered sugar

Whip with mixer or food processor. 

Fold into: 

1 can whipped coconut cream. I use Trader Joe's again. You don't have to let this one chill as long as other brands and it's mostly coconut cream whereas others are almost 1/3 water. To prepare, Scrape the thick cream into a mixing bowl. Add a couple of TBSP of powdered sugar. Beat until the consistency of whipped cream, make sure to scrape the bowl frequently. 

Spoon over crust and refrigerate until ready to serve. I've decided the day before you are going to serve is perfect because everything sets up fabulously. 

This is a not too sweet dessert. Several omnivores scarfed it down at my house recently. My mother-in-law who lives with a cook who makes all sorts of deliciousness commented that I could bring it to her house anytime because it was delicious. 

I loved it because it was stinking easy to make and satisfying. My daughter-in-law who hates/detests/grosses out over coconut ate every bite. The coconut flavor is a subtle undertone. If you wanted it a little more strawberry or sweet you could add one more TBSP jam. Also I intended to make a strawberry chocolate drizzle (melt 2 TBSP chocolate chips in double boiler with 1 TBSP of jam. Place in a ziploc with corner cut off and drizzle over the dessert. 

Love, Love, Love

Scraps and Snippets ~ Chickpea Noodle Soup

Chickpea Noodle Soup

7 Cups vegetable broth
1 Can (or 1 1/2 of prepared) garbanzo beans/chickpeas drained and rinsed
1-2 stalks celery (I used one massive one) chopped
1-2 carrots (I used three small ones) chopped 
1 Small onion small dice
2 Cloves garlic minced
1 TBSP miso (I used the darkest one which darkened my soup)
4 ounces noodles (I used Udon) 
1/2 TBSP oil or Earth Balance

Chop the vegetables. In a dutch oven melt the margarine. When heated toss in vegetables and sauté until tender. Add the vegetable broth, chickpeas and miso. Simmer for a half hour or so. Add noodles about 20 minutes before serving. 

Easy and delish.

Scraps and Snippets ~ Smores Cookies ... Vegan

 Smores Cookies (Vegan)  

Makes about 60 cookies

1 Cup coconut oil

1 3/4 Cup sugar

1/2 Cup agave or maple syrup

6 TBSP nondairy milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 Cup cocoa

2 3/4 Cup flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

Smores Topping

2/3 Cup crushed/broken graham crackers or graham cereal (check for vegan ingredients)

2/3 Cup chocolate chips (check ingredients)

10-12 large Dandies (vegan marshmallows) chopped/ripped into small pieces, about 8 per marshmallow.  Preheat oven to 350.   Crush grahams and rip up marshmallows and mix those with the chocolate chips in a bowl.   In a larger bowl mix the coconut oil, syrup, sugar, vanilla and milk until well mixed

. Add the baking soda, salt and cocoa and mix very well. Add flour and stir dough. Then roll dough into balls about the size of a walnut. Stick the ball into the marshmallow bowl and press a mixture of at least one piece of marshmallow and some graham crumbs into the cookie dough and place onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. 

Scraps and Snippets ~ Peanut Thai Soup

I needed to take soup to a church event and had some coconut milk that needed a home. So this is what I came up with. And well, to quote an omnivore teenager. "If I could eat this soup every day, my life would be complete." 

So maybe I paid her in Smores cookies to say that, but still. (Not really, no money or favors were exchanged in this transaction. Her enthusiasm was real. For reals.) (And if you refrain from snarky comments, I'll post the Smores cookie recipe, too.)

Peanut Thai Soup

serves 6+

1 medium onion small dice

3 cloves garlic minced

1 1/2 cup peanuts, chopped (additional for garnish) 

1 TBSP coconut oil

2 stalks celery, small dice

5 Cups vegetable broth
1 Cup broccoli slaw (or a diced broccoli stem)

1 TBSP chopped fresh cilantro (with additional for garnish) 

Juice of one small lime (or to taste) (additional lime for garnish) 
1/3 Cup soy sauce
2 TBSP sriracha (with additional for garnish)
1-2 Cups coconut milk (unsweetened)
4 ounces Udon noodles (1 sleeve, broken) 

Saute the garlic, onion, peanuts and celery in the coconut oil in a dutch oven or larger saucepan.  When onions grow translucent add the vegetable broth, broccoli slaw sriracha, soy sauce, lime juice and noodles. Simmer 20 minutes or so. Add the coconut milk and cilantro 5 minutes before serving. 

Provide extra sriracha, peanuts, shredded coconut, lime wedges, Vegan sour cream, and minced ginger if desired for garnish. 

I'm posting this recipe at Ricki Heller's Wellness Weekend. Click to see all the other recipes available there.