Life is Good

Today was a fun culinary event for me. The other day I had an inspiration for a recipe come into my head, and today I was able to create it. I don't do that all that often. I usually re-work other recipes that I try, and I'm pretty good at that, but this one, I actually came up with in my head.

I had been having some fruit with my other yogurt on it, and it was tasty and everything, but the consistency wasn't as good as real yogurt is. So I was trying to think of how to make it better. Then I was impressed to put irish moss in it which is the substance from which the food industry extracts carageenan (commonly used in ice cream - read the label). We've used irish moss in other applications with great results, but I hadn't used any in a while. I made some irish moss paste last week - I can't remember why. Oh yeah, Alicia had put it on to soak and left it there. We had to do something with it, so I made it up into paste.

Anyway, I decided to put some in my yogurt recipe, and I also added part of a vanilla bean. It was perfect, in fact, better than perfect! I loved it. I tried it out on the family tonight, and I think everyone enjoyed it. Here's the recipe, I think:

3 cups fermented raw cashews
1 cup irish moss paste
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup honey (or to taste)
1/2 a vanilla bean

All of this is mixed in the blender. We had some nice blueberries left from the market, and I topped them with this mixture, and then sprinkled them with buckwheaties for some crunch. It is truly too good for words. It is one of those foods it would be very easy to overeat. I had some on a really ripe banana tonight, and it was perfect because the tanginess counteracted the oversweetness of the banana. Anyway, I think we'll take it to market Saturday for one of our samples.

I didn't get breakfast this morning because I got caught up in the recipe, and the next thing I knew was I had to leave for work. I was also making some Queso Dulce (that's our new name for raisin cheese). So no breakfast today even though Roger had food in the car on the way to the school visit. I guess I didn't feel like eating. I had 3 mangos before going to bed last night, so maybe I really wasn't in need of any calories anyway. No exercise this morning either, so it worked out all right.

For lunch I had marinated veggies over zucchini noodles with an alfredo type sauce along with a salad and avo soup. Then I made another avocado soup for dinner with one avocado, 2 stalks of celery, 1 huge cucumber, and 1 whole bunch of cilantro. We put some miso in there too. It was pretty tasty and not overwhelmed by the cilantro as you might think. It felt so vivacious and alive. (I feel silly saying that food feels like that, but I don't know how else to describe it. It is really amazing.)

After Alicia and I went to the gym, I cut up 2 pineapples for all of us. They were so sweet and delicious, it felt almost decadent. I think they put yogurt on their's, but I ate mine just the way it was with a few sprinkles of blueberries. Life is good. I feel bad that it takes food to make me feel like that. Driving home from the YMCA, we saw one the prettiest sunsets I have seen in a long time. Yes, life is good for more reasons than just wonderful food...

Now, this is a boring day to write about!

Well, I think the ones who were reading this have gotten bored with it, and it is just as well. My intent is to record what is going on in my life, not attract a crowd. It is fun getting the feedback. It is also interesting that something I think of as boring might be interesting to someone else. or not.... i do live a boring life.

I was thinking about that at John's wedding reception tonight. That is an incredibly talented family (in the entertainment field). When I am around people like that, I realize what a small microcosm of a life I have.

I'm really tired tonight, but I am trying to record something every day. Maybe I should try to do this BEFORE I check my mail...

There are 20 people confirmed dead from the tornadoes. There have been so many disasters of late, I think people are getting conditioned to them. This one has not gotten nearly the press the tornadoes of 1998 did. Of course the 145,000 left homeless from Indonesia floods makes our little incident pale in comparison. This truly is a day for the prophecies that were made: signs of the times. Plus I heard there has been an outbreak of the bird flu in England. A quarantine is not IF but WHEN.

We worked at the HSC this morning. We had a nice group from Kingsland, Georgia. We had to make up 2 monthly kits, and they were pouches which I have never done, so you can learn something new everyday.

I put together 2 cases of Pinto beans for John and his new wife who were married / sealed today. We also through in a can of dry onions. Then we went to the Penzey spice store where you can make up a box of herbs/spices in a decorative way. It was less than $20 for what looked to me like a nice gift. I had also purchases a bean smasher from BBB. He was a good friend to Orion when he was trying to figure out where he wanted to live. I guess some people think food storage is a dumb gift, but I always imagine how they will feel about it if they ever have to use it. Not often you get to save someone's life. How's that for dramatic?

We talked to the bishop of the Atlantic ward today about doing a date night there. I guess I should make up a flyer about it, so people will know what we are trying to do. Bishop Owen asked us to make up a flyer for him to pass out in his ward as well.

I got a knitting needle and yarn charm at Hobby Lobby today to put on one of my yarn markers. Too cute. I almost finished my first Kroy sock today.

I purchased most of the supplies at Costco for our RS Valentine's party. We are making Lasagna. Graciella is going to do all the decorating and table settings, thank goodness.

I found a DVD with Mister Ed's greatest hits. That should be fun! One of my more enjoyable childhood favorites.

It was nice to see Jac and Orion and some of their friends at John's reception tonight. We are blessed to have some wonderful young adults in our stakes here. I marvel at their strength. Jac was in a really good mood and had a new dress. Could there be a connection there? They had been at the temple yesterday and today, so I'm sure that's it!

I bought another carton of pineapple at Costco. The previous ones I dried earlier this week are soooooooooooo good. I've got these on drying now. I like dried pineapple with almonds.

There was a bag of fruit and nuts with the following combination: pistachios, dried cranberries, dried cherries, almonds, white chocolate chips. I think I'll make some of that up for the FHE tomorrow.

Uh oh, I have to teach in RS tomorrow, and I don't have my lesson yet. Better get on it. I'm using the Visiting Teaching topic for February: testimony.