Our Australian Journey

This "trip" began in early 2012. Rusty was working nights at UPS, I was working from home with my Juice Plus business. We were settling in with the "empty nest syndrome." Rusty had recently remodeled the kitchen and bathroom and the house was really shaping up. We weren't looking for a change as 55+ year olds. All our daughters had gone to university in Australia (another story) and married Australian boys and were permanent residents of Australia. I was just glad they were all together. 

About May, 2012, Candace started having bad dreams.....felt the need for us to move to Australia. We just laughed. We had always planned to move out of California, or at least to northern Cal, maybe Wyoming or New Mexico, but no intention of leaving the USA. She was persistent....."as least look into an early retirement." So we did. Rusty found out that he could retire and collect his full pension at 59 1/2.....June, 2012. Candace started looking into the immigration laws for parents. The cost was out of our range. So on July 4 we felt that all doors were closed for us to go to Australia and decided we would stay in USA, live frugally and save for flights to Australia.

On July 5, Candace went to see an immigration lawyer and they found another parental visa that might work for us. It would cost considerably less for us to migrate to Australia on a parental visa. We checked our 401K savings.....the exact amount! We took that as a sign and we started getting serious about moving to Australia. Then the 'signs' started piling up: Rusty's pension paperwork and first payment should have taken up to four months to be approved and paid. The paperwork was finalized in four days and we received his first payment four days later.  Additionally, Rusty thought his benefits would begin September 1; however, he qualified for benefits as of August 1.  Candace even arranged for a place for us to live.

From the day we decided to 'go for it' on July 5, it was exactly 2 months, September 5, when we boarded the plane to fly to Australia. In that time we downsized our belongings to a 40-foot container and had it shipped to Australia for the girls. We sold, gave away or stored everything else.

We arrived in Australia on a 3-month visitor visa. After a couple of weeks staying with Candace we moved to the 125-acre farm that would become our home. Such a beautiful place! The house was very run down, but we found ourselves in the middle of paradise. 

Views from our veranda

I have always dreamed of having a wrap-around porch......well, it's called a veranda here, but I got my wish! Rusty started fixing the place up (good thing he had all that practice at our house in Fresno :) Soon we had a very comfortable home, nothing fancy, but comfortable.

Before

After

We started applying for residency with an 'offshore application' meaning we were visiting only. We were told we would need to leave every 3 months to comply with our visa. We applied for an extension on our visa and were granted a year stay!

Visitors to the farm:

We have only had to leave the country 2 times in the first 2 1/2 years because Australia graciously extended our visitor visa twice. We were able to be here for our 2 grandchildren's births. Such blessings! After being in Australia for about a year, the immigration laws were changed to accept fewer immigrants each year. Being of a "mature age" we would probably not have qualified. If we had not applied for residency when we did, we would have missed the window to be able to live near our kids full time. Once again.....in HIS timing, not ours. Now we understand Candace's urgency for us to act. God was pushing her!

The laws continued to change every few months and our residency was excelerated. With the new laws they wanted our whole payment at once in 15 days. Normally in order to transfer the funds it would take at least 30 days. My parents helped us work it out from stateside and it transferred in 24 hours!  (Thank you Mom and Dad!) With the exchange rates our money grew and we had the amount we needed, even after Uncle Sam took his cut, which was a concern.

In order for our residency to be complete we had to actually be "off shore." We decided to go to the closest place off shore of Australia, Vanuatu. I had never even heard of it, but it is a small group of islands between Australia and Fiji. We were told we needed to stay 3 to 5 days....depending on how long it took them to process us. We were set to travel on Monday, 9 March, returning on Saturday. Beautiful place, lovely people. Very humid! We were told that on Friday a cyclone would be skirting the island, but wouldn't hit land, no worries. Well, the storm hit land and hovered for 12 hours. It destroyed most of the island. We were safe, but stuck there. We finally were able to leave on Monday. It was an experience that I thank God for and pray never happens again! (If you'd like to read the details about it you can at: http://gale4health.blogspot.com/2015/03/cyclone-pam-port-vila-vanuatu-friday-13.html
We found out later that as soon as we left Australia they had processed our application and we were permanent residences by the time we got off the plane in Vanuatu. Oh well, who wouldn't want to stay and experience a category 5 cyclone?

We have enjoyed our first 3 years on the farm near Beaudesert, QLD. It was a perfect place to start our journey here in Australia. Sometime this year we plan to move closer to the coast where we will have less driving. God is still opening doors to keep us in Australia with our family.

There have been so many wonderful experiences since we started this journey. The biggest joy, of course, are those grand babies! We are so grateful to be here. Thank you for all the prayers that have accompanied us through this journey. God is definitely in the details!

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11 When you put your hand in God's Hand, hang on tight,  He will take you places you never dreamed of.

                               

2018 Ammendment: We now live on a farm near Murwillumbah, NSW. Our family has grown to 13 with the addition of 3 more Grands. Such a blessing! We still miss our family and friends in America, however, I can't imagine being anywhere else right now. God knew I couldn't handle being an ocean away from our kids and their children. We do a lot of babysitting! I have taken up quilting and Rusty has been improving his golf game. Retirement is good!

Family and friends have visited occasionally and we enjoy sharing our new home country with them. It will be 6 years on 5 September that we began this journey and God continues to be in the details. We trust God for the rest of the story........

May 2018, Visit from Mom and Dad, Vicki and Kelly

2022 amendment:
We have purchased a home just north of Brisbane, QLD. We moved shortly before Covid hit and we would have been locked in NSW away from our kids for two years. Again, God’s timing!
We are well and enjoying being grandparents in this beautiful country. We became citizens of Australia in 2019. So we have dual citizenship. Rusty has remodeled our home. A major task. He survived a major heart, with no damage, a year and half ago. We are cherishing life and taking one day at a time in this crazy world.
God is good, always!

Marshmallows

I love this recipe! And very easy to make. 

Before the mix sets, if you take a cup of it and add a Tablespoon of orange juice and a smidge of nutmeg, you have a delicious fruit dip! Enjoy!   

Marshmallows

Makes about 3 dozen marshmallows

2 1/2 Tablespoons unflavoured gelatin

1 cup water, divided

2 cups white sugar

1/2 cup honey

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

2 egg whites

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2/3 cup powdered sugar

1/3 cup arrowroot starch or corn starch

Line a 9x13 baking dish with parchment paper, up over the sides. Spray with oil, or butter, the paper.

Place gelatin in a bowl and cover with 1/2 cup water. Allow to soften and bloom for about 5 minutes.

Combine sugar, honey, salt, and 1/2 cup water in a medium saucepan. Stir occasionally over medium heat until mixture reaches 120°C (about 8 minutes). Careful, it will boil over quickly. Remove from heat. Break up gelatin and whisk it into the pan. 

Working quickly, beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks (an electric mixer comes in handy here— love my kitchen aid!) Then drizzle the gelatin mixture into the egg whites while you continue to whisk them together until the mixture stiffens, about 8 minutes more. Add the vanilla extract and continue whisking 2 or 3 minutes, until it’s thick but slightly warm and pliable.

Pour the mixture into your prepared pan and let it sit at room temperature until set, at least 4 hours or up to overnight. 

Whisk the powdered sugar and arrowroot starch together in a bowl, set aside. Spray a sharp knife with baking spray, and then gently lift the parchment paper out of the pan, peeling it away from the sides of the set marshmallows. 

Cut the marshmallows into squares (I cut small squares cause it IS still sugar and don’t want the grands to get too much). Then, working one at a time, toss them into the powdered sugar mix. Transfer to an airtight container and enjoy right away or store at room temperature up to a week.

Gluten Free Bread Mix

** Bread Flour Mix GF**

This is one loaf (I make this times 10 in a big bowl. Mix really well and put it in a Tupperware. Approximately 486 grams makes one loaf) 

100g maize starch

100g potato starch

100g brown rice flour         

50g sorghum 

35g flaxseed meal

35g millet flour

10g psyllium husk

10g sugar (2 t)

15g quinoa flakes    

10g salt

8g pea protein

2g xanthan/guargum mix (half and half)

2 T chia seeds

2 T potato flakes (Costco)

In bread maker on GF setting:

580g warm water

1 recipe bread mix (486g)

7g yeast (apprx 2 teaspoons)

(I like to add 1/4 cup sourdough starter to dough if I have any. Seems to make it even better)

Optional: Sunflower Seeds

This could be mixed and poured into a bread loaf pan. Place in warm (not hot) oven and let rise for about 30 minutes. Turn oven up to 350F and bake for about an hour. Slice when cooled.  Haha, I can never wait that long!

THE BEST WAY TO BAKE IS IN A BREAD MAKER ON GLUTEN FREE SETTING. Must have GF setting. All bread makers are not created equal.

Sourdough Bread

I’ve been playing with gluten free sourdough bread making. I’ve come up with a pretty good formula. I’ve made a few bricks, but finally have a tasty, SOFT sourdough loaf of bread. But you will need the right equipment. If anyone finds a better recipe, please share!

Sourdough Bread

I use a gluten free brown rice sourdough starter. Making that is a whole other recipe.

Mix together:

200g           Active Brown Rice sourdough starter

400-450g    water

100g           Brown Rice Flour

80g             Sorghum flour

150g           Potato starch

20g             Pea Protein Isolate

35g            Ground flaxseed meal

2 tsp.          Psyllium Husk

Ferment above mixture in an Insta pot on yoghurt setting for about 3-4 hours. Until the mixture has doubled. 

Then add following and mix together until smooth (add more water if needed to make a thick batter consistency):

150g         Potato starch

2 tsp          Sea salt

1 Tbl          Raw sugar

1-2            Eggs

1 Tbl         Extra virgin olive oil

Place the mixture in a bread maker on the GF setting.  You have to have the GF setting because GF baking is entirely different from wheat bread. Also I’ve found that since gluten free baking is so temperamental, I use about 7 grams of dry yeast to the last mix to help with the rise. Otherwise, it is hit and miss on the fluffy vs. bricks. But you still have that wonderful sourdough flavour. 

Sounds like a lot of work, but when you are set up for gluten free baking anyway, it’s not that bad. If you would like to set up a time for me to call you to help trouble shoot, Email me. gale4health@yahoo.com

If you have the starter add a couple tablespoons to your gluten free pancake batter…..best GF pancakes I’ve ever made!

Mango Salsa

 Mango Salsa

2 large ripe mangoes

1 medium cucumber, diced

2 medium red capsicum, roasted, seeded, diced

1 medium red onion, peeled, diced

1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh coriander 

2-3 Serrano chilies, minced (optional)

Fresh lime juice to taste

Salt to taste

1. Peel the mangoes, cut flesh away from pit, cut into small chunks.

2. In medium bowl, combine all ingredients, toss gently but thoroughly.

3. Let salsa stand at room temperature for 20 minutes to allow flavours to meld. Serve at room temp or slightly chilled. Delicious with fish tacos or with tortilla chips.

Sugar

Did you know medical research shows that today by 8 years of age children have consumed as much sugar as people did in a lifetime 100 years ago? 🤯

Did you know that our bodies can only process 1 tablespoon of sugar and anything above this causes inflammation? Inflammation is the root cause of all disease.

Diabetes, Cardiovascular disease, Cancer, diseases Hypertension or Hyperactivity....can be linked to inflammation related to sugar.

This is why we eliminate sugar!

Know the names for sugar. Read labels!

Thai Yellow Curry

During this 2020 Quarantine eating out has been curtailed. So I’ve been craving my favourite Thai Sa-On restaurant yellow curry. The canned yellow curry paste you can purchase in the market is too hot for this ‘no heat gal’. So to scratch for me! This recipe has large chunks of potatoes and other vegetables. I’m excited that it is pretty close to Thai Sa-On! Next time I will make a double batch of the paste to have it on hand. It should keep in the fridge for a few weeks.
Enjoy!

Ahead bake or boil at least 2 potatoes.

Ingredients for yellow curry paste 
In a small blender or coffee grinder pulse until smooth:
1 small onion
2 t coriander seeds
2 t cumin seeds or ground cumin
1/4 black pepper
1 t ground turmeric
2 fresh red Thai chilli (leave out if you don’t want heat)
1/2 inch fresh ginger, chopped
2-3 fresh garlic cloves
2 T coconut milk
2 kaffir lime leaves (can sub 1/2 t lemon or lime zest)
1 stalk lemon grass finely chopped (skip if not available)

ingredients for Thai Yellow Curry

2 T coconut oil
2 potatoes, baked, chunked
One small carrot, chopped
5-6 button mushrooms, chopped
1 medium bell pepper, chopped
Add whatever green veg you like, snow peas are a favourite for me.
1 cup thick coconut milk
1/2 t raw sugar
1 T Thai basil, chopped
1-2 t soy sauce
1.5-2 cups water or vegetable broth
Salt to taste

Instructions:
Heat oil, add curry paste, sauté 1-2 minutes.
Add 1/2 cup of the coconut milk, sauté another minute.
Add vegetables and mix well.
Add water or broth, sugar and salt, stir well and cover.
Simmer vegetables until starting to tender.
Add remaining coconut milk
Add soy sauce and simmer until desired doneness.
Add basil.
Serve over brown or white rice.
Reheats well.

I'm thankful for chocolate......

The subject of Sugar has been beaten to death, but yet most of us are still addicted to it in one form or another. We all know it isn't good for us, but yet......My own personal addiction is in the form of CHOCOLATE. Chocolate is everywhere. It is good to have a 'defensive plan' in place before it hits. My own way of dealing with it is to have healthier choices available so I don't feel deprived by not indulging in the sweet temptations. It is just like any healthy eating options, you have to plan ahead and make a commitment to do it. The only bad part about making your own chocolate bars is that they have no preservatives or chemicals in them so they melt at room temperature. If you take them out of the refrigerator, you have to eat them all. (oh darn!) Here is my favorite - play with it and make it your own! 

Chocolate Bark (or as we say Down Under - Chocolate Slice)

1 cup coconut oil

1 cup almond butter (or any nut butter)

1/2 cup raw Cacao powder

1 tablespoon raw Maca powder

1/2 cup honey, maple syrup, date syrup or rice syrup (rice syrup has no fructose in it but it isn't as sweet tasting, which I like because since giving up white sugar, I find I don’t want it so sweet. In fact I cut back to 1/3 cup when I use honey or maple syrup)

In saucepan, on low heat, melt coconut oil and nut butter, add and stir sweetener, cacao and maca. Pour onto tray lined with parchment paper. (Parchment paper hack: if you wad it up into a ball, then flatten it out again, it will stay put better in the corners) Sprinkle with whatever your favorites are, i.e.: nuts, coconut, blueberries. Place in fridge or freezer until set, about 15 minutes. Cut into squares for a healthy treat.

I’ve tried all four sweeteners and my favorite is organic date syrup which is simply pureed dates and a little water.

Eat beans to live longer better

There are several spots in the world where people seem to live longer than others called Blue Zones. The zones pinpointed were Ikaria in Greece, Okinawa in Japan, the Barbagia region of Sardinia, Loma Linda in California (which contains the highest concentration of Seventh Day Adventists in the US) and Nicoya in Costa Rica. The lifestyles in these areas vary. They have different diets and beliefs. One of the things they do have in common is beans. Yes, something as simple as beans.

From studying the blue zones, it is believed that beans are "the world's greatest longevity foods" and that eating beans - of every variety, including fava, black, soy and lentil - is fundamental to healthy living and the "cornerstone of every longevity diet". The blue-zone people are "eating a cup of beans a day on average".

Why are beans so special, though? We know they are high in fiber, vitamins and micronutrients but they also remove the need for animal protein, so are better for the gut. The Blue Zoners eat only 5 percent meat. The majority of their food is plant based.

When you eat a lot of meat, the gut bacteria (the flora) of your gut changes to digest it. So a certain type of bacteria thrives when you eat a lot of meat; that bacteria causes inflammation, which is at the root of every age-related disease.

When you eat beans, however, you switch to another type of flora (it is during this changeover that flatulence occurs, but it only lasts a couple of weeks), which lowers inflammation and obesity rates.

The goal isn't necessarily to live to be 100, but to LIVE until you die. It is amazing how something as simple as beans can increase your quality of life. So eat your beans (take a walk if they cause flatulence and let it rip - exercise is the bonus!) and enjoy a longer, healthier life.

Homemade Chocolate Syrup

You can now have delicious hot chocolate that is 'junk free'. If you read the ingredients of the popular chocolate syrup brands you will see lots of 'junk' there. I just noticed that the Nesquik one also has yellow dye in it, which would make it NOT gluten free. Heres to getting the JUNK out of your diet!

Homemade Chocolate Syrup :: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Refined Sugar-Free

Ingredients

• 1 cup filtered water

• 1/2 cup coconut sugar, maple syrup, honey, or any other sweetener of choice*

• 1/2 cup cocoa or cacao powder

• 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

• 1/8 tsp sea salt

Instructions

1. Place all the ingredients in a small saucepan and warm over medium-low heat, whisking regularly. You don’t want the mixture to boil or simmer. You want it to just get hot enough to melt the sugar and help everything blend together.

2. Remove from heat and pour into a small glass jar with a tight fitting lid.

3. Let cool to room temperature and then store in the fridge.

4. Note that because we are not using any emulsifiers, this may separate a little when stored in the fridge. That’s OK. Simply shake well before use.

Note: To make your homemade chocolate milk, simply combine 2 teaspoons of syrup per 8 ounces of milk (more or less to suit your personal tastes) and whisk or shake to combine. You can also heat this to make hot cocoa. 

*I like coconut syrup with cacao recipes.

Adapted from Delicious Obsessions by Jessica Espinoza

An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

As a kid we were given apples and walnuts at the door when Trick or Treating. (Yup, I'm that old!). That was a treat for us. Maybe we should try to get back to those basics.......An Apple a Day keeps the Doctor Away! Here are three ways that the nutrients in apples keep those doctors away and help keep your body healthy and ready for weight loss.

Soluble Fiber
 - Unlike insoluble fiber (think: kale), soluble fiber can absorb and trap liquids (think of how oatmeal absorbs water). In your body, soluble fiber absorbs and traps cholesterol, and actually helps to remove it from your body. Because of their soluble fiber, apples have been shown to decrease total cholesterol (yeah!).

Antioxidants - in nearly every fruit or vegetable, apples are filled with them to protect the body from oxidation (think rust building up on iron). Apples help prevent the rust from building up.
Protect your heart by eating apples!

Blood Sugar Regulation - Apples include nutrients that slow digestion, slow glucose release, and increase the available insulin to process the glucose. We couldn’t design this process better if we tried! Don't you just love God's Pharmacy!

Apples are the original "fast food". Ready to eat on the go. I have some yummy Gluten Free apple recipes. Message me if you are interested.

A handful of nutrients in apples work together to help keep blood sugar stable. First, some nutrients increase the amount of time it takes for the apple to be digested into the simple sugars (glucose) that your body uses for energy. Then, other nutrients slow down the process of pushing that glucose into your blood stream. This is good—when the release of glucose is slower, your blood sugar does not “spike,” your body does not have to work as hard to manage a large dose of sugar, and you are satiated for a longer period of time. Meanwhile, other nutrients in apples ask the body to produce more insulin, which helps to take the simple sugars out of our blood and turn them into energy. So apples include nutrients that slow digestion, slow glucose release, and increase the available insulin to process the glucose. We couldn’t design this process better if we tried! Don't you just love God's Pharmacy!

Healthy Doses of Vitamin D*

We have been warned about skin cancer and harmful exposure to the sun. I remember the day we put baby oil all over our bodies and baked in the sun for hours. Oh the wrinkles! Come on now, who remembers that? I think we even put a little iodine in it to help with the color. 

We do need vitamin D from the sun, is there a safe way to get it? We have been told to put on sunscreen. Most sunscreens are loaded with chemicals that are also harmful. And if we put sunscreen on every day and never actually get ANY exposure to the UV rays we need, then what?

Once again, we go back to nature. If we are eating healthy foods that have lots of lycopene that protects our skin from sun damage, we can safely get the vitamin D we need. Common sense has to come into play here. Staying out in the sun long enough to burn is never wise. So how long is long enough? When the skin just starts to turn pink you have gotten the dose of vitamin D needed. Obviously the time will vary for each individual and skin type. My friend, Steve, has much darker skin than I do and will need to stay out longer to get enough vitamin D, but he can still burn, so he has to be careful too. Anytime, year round, if you are getting a pink glow to your skin from sun exposure, you are getting Vitamin D. 

How about Vitamin D supplements? Supplements might help if you are severely depleted, but can never give you the healthy levels you can get from the sun. So forgo the makeup with sunscreen in it, roll up those sleeves and get some sun! After you have your D fix for the day, then slather on some natural (chemical free) sunscreen. Vitamin D will store well in your cells to carry you through cloudy days.

It continues to amaze me at how our bodies work. Did you know the eyes receive a signal from the sun and the pores then close to protect the skin from the harmful effects of the sun? If we wear sunglasses when going out into the sun, the signal is missed and the skin is not naturally protected. (Don't you just love trivia?)

Get your Vitamin D fix as often as possible. Let those eyes receive and send signals to the skin. A healthy pink is what you are after, not a burn. Use lightweight clothing to cover up after you have had enough sun. Then put on those sexy sunglasses and enjoy your day. 

Posture

Did you know that your posture is a good measure of how you are and how you are perceived? I'm reading Jordan B. Peterson's book 12 Rules for Life. Rule #1: "Stand up straight, with your shoulders back." Sounds pretty simple, but has great consequences.

"Some of the positive feedback loops instantiated by body language can occur beyond the private confines of subject experience, in the social space you share with other people. If your posture is poor, for example--if you slump, shoulder forward and rounded, chest tucked in, head down, looking small, defeated and ineffectual (protected, in theory, against attack from behind)--then you will feel small, defeated and ineffectual.  The reactions of others will amplify that."

So, good posture isn't just for your good health -- which it also is, letting those organs expand and breath -- it is for your social health as well.  FYI: a good read.

Routines

Our bodies love routine. Even with our busy schedules we can keep our body routine. Regular bedtimes, regular meal times, right down to taking our Juice Plus at the same time every day. This is especially true if we are fighting an illness. The most challenging for me is travel. My life takes me away from home for a couple nights a week taking care of my grandkids, giving mums a break. I have my 'Grandma travel bag' with the 'equipment' I need to help me keep my routine. I carry a small jar of coconut oil for daily oil pulling, my portable alarm clock so I don't have to keep my cell phone in the same room, my small devotional to keep me on track spiritually, my water bottle, earplugs, my walking shoes and my Juice Plus and Complete. It is important to find the routine that works best for my body so I can keep up with these special little people in my life! And for heaven's sake, don't forget to keep up with your exercise routine so when your 4 year old grandson wants to teach you how to play Aussie football, you will be able to walk the next day!

GLUTEN FREE HONEY GRAHAM CRACKERS

If you have given up Gluten, you probably miss this old favourite. Even if you can tolerate gluten, you might want to try this healthier version of Graham Crackers. Using the gallon size baggies to roll out the dough makes this is a very easy way to make these crackers.

Serves: 34 crackers

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup sorghum flour

• 1 cup tapioca starch

• 1/4 cup millet flour

• 1/2 cup organic brown sugar (or coconut sugar*)

• 2 tablespoons psyllium husk powder**

• 1 3/4 teaspoons ground ceylon cinnamon***

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

• 7 tablespoons coconut oil, at room temperature (or cold butter, or vegan butter)

• 3 tablespoons honey (or maple or coconut syrup)

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
   6-8 tablespoons cold water

 

INSTRUCTIONS

• In a large mixing bowl (I used a standing mixer), whisk together the sorghum flour, tapioca starch, millet flour, organic brown sugar, psyllium husk powder, ground cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt.

• Cut in the coconut oil until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

• Add the honey, vanilla extract, and 4 tablespoons of the cold water. Stir, and continue to add the cold water, tablespoon by tablespoon until the mixture forms workable dough.

• Divide the dough in half and form each half into a disk. (I weigh it to divide it equally) Place each disk into the center of a gallon-sized sealable bag (so you have 2 bags filled with dough). Remove the excess air from the bag and seal it. Roll the dough out so that it is evenly flat and reaches all four corners of the bag (if necessary, open the bag and readjust the plastic). Roll the second bag of dough. Lay both bags of dough out flat in the refrigerator, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees (F), and line 2 large baking sheets (or pizza stones) with parchment paper.

• Remove the first bag of dough from the refrigerator, unseal it, and cut the bag to remove the top layer of plastic. Use a pizza cutter to cut the dough into squares or rectangles. Carefully use a spatula to transfer the crackers to one of the prepared baking sheets. Prick each cracker 2-3 times with a fork if desired. Repeat this step with the second bag of dough. (I removed the top plastic, flipped it over onto a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper and removed the rest of the ziplock bag. I then cut it into squares with a pizza cutter. Less mess)

• Bake for 22-26 minutes, or until the crackers are golden brown, and slightly deeper golden around the edges. (Don't overcook, take them out before they look done. I burnt a few before catching on to this!) Transfer to cooling racks and cool completely before enjoying. Crackers will be soft when hot, but will crispen as they cool. 

*For a slightly healthier version I use the coconut sugar. It tastes almost the same, with a slightly stronger molasses taste. I like it better. 

**I've been told that psyllium husk is hard to get in America. I had a look on Amazon.com and found it for a reasonable price. Not sure what I would substitute for this. It helps with the texture and makes it more like a "real" graham cracker. 

***Ceylon Cinnamon is best - see http://gale4health.blogspot.com.au/2018/01/cinnamon.html for more information on healthy cinnamons. 

Adapted from Megan at Allergy Free Alaska

Powerballs

A treat your body will love.

Start with a nut butter (cashew, almond, peanut- ok, I know it’s a legume, not a nut, but it works) of your choice. OR you can just take about a cup of whole nuts and it will be more chunky.

Put it in a food processor. Start adding whatever sounds good (sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, cacao nibs, chia seeds, etc. Add sweetener (maple syrup, honey, rice syrup, stevia). If you like chocolate you can add cacao powder. Blend. Drizzle melted coconut oil until it is the consistency you want. Roll into balls and place on cookie sheet and place in frig or freezer until set. 

These are all just suggestions. Play with it and keep testing until you get the consistency you like.

Gluten Free French Bread

GLUTEN FREE FRENCH BREAD

1 1/2 cups almond meal 

3/4 cup Arrowroot flour or Tapioca Starch (same thing) 

3/4 cup Potato Starch (not flour, big difference) 

1/2 t Salt 

1 T rapid dry yeast *

___________

1 T Olive Oil 

3 Egg Whites 

1T honey 

1 t Raw Apple Cider Vinegar 

2/3 cup Warm Water 

In mixer, blend all dry ingredients. Add egg whites and oil, mix to blend. Add remaining wet ingredients and mix for 2 minutes. The dough will be like a thick pancake batter.  Lay parchment paper over French bread pans, folding up at the ends to prevent runoff.** Divide dough between the two sides.

Note: the original recipe (https://healthstartsinthekitchen.com/grain-free-french-bread/) was a bit confusing for me so I rewrote it and combined the tapioca and arrowroot flours since they are basically the same flour. I made this the first time without the French bread pan and it was ok, but it was MUCH better when I used the French bread pan. The French pan is made to bake more evenly. You have to line the pan with parchment paper** because the dough is more like a batter and will run. 

* the original recipe calls for rapid dry yeast. I’m not able to get that here, only “dry yeast”. So to get around that I let the dough rise in the mixing bowl for about 45 minutes, mix it to break it down, then pour it into the pans to bake. I skipped this ‘let rise’ step and the result was a much dencer bread. Won’t skip it again!

**if you wad up the parchment paper and then spread out flat, it will lay where you put it. Little tricks of the trade! 

Baking with Kids

As you start your holiday baking, here is something that I have found very helpful when baking with kids. They don't always have the attention span to wait patiently while you measure out all the ingredients for them to pour in. When I am making something, I have a seperate bowl set aside to put the exact dry ingredients in. I then label a baggie with whatever I'm making. Sometimes I write right on the baggie the wet ingredients that need to be added. Set this ingredient bag aside for when your little ones want to "help" with your baking. This way you won't be distracted and miss an ingredient (yup, speaking from experience here). The kids get so excited when they get to eat what they created! And you are a rock star at this grandparent gig!

This is a really easy Gluten Free, Healthy Banana Bread recipe that can be Vegan if you prefer.

 Banana Bread 

2 cups blanched almond flour

2 tbsp sweetener of choice (if needed) * See notes

1 tsp baking powder 

1 tsp cinnamon 

1/4 tsp salt

2 large overripe bananas, mashed

2 flax eggs Can sub for 2 whole eggs

1/2 cup coconut oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Grease a loaf pan or 10 x 10-inch square pan and set aside. (I used 6 small kid-sized loaf pans)

In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients and mix well.

In a separate bowl, melt your coconut oil. Add your mashed bananas and flax eggs/eggs and whisk together. 

Combine wet and dry mixture and mix until fully incorporated. Pour into the greased pan.

Bake for 40-50 minutes (square pan tends to be around the 40-minute mark, loaf pan 45-50 minute mark and small loaves take about 30 minutes), or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center. 

Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and enjoy.  

NOTES

* Optional- Only add if you prefer a sweeter banana bread/breakfast cake

Healthy Flourless Banana Bread (Paleo, Vegan, Gluten-Free) should be kept refrigerated, for up to 3 days. It is also freezer friendly.

Musing.....

As I am cleaning and baking, prepping for the Sabbath, my mind is wondering. I got to thinking about what Grandma used to say: "We shouldn't clean before guests come over, they will just make a mess and you'll have to clean after anyway." (Such a wise, practical woman!) However, I remember getting her house ready for large groups of people for Sabbath afternoon. One of the jobs that fell to my sister and I was polishing the dining furniture - huge oak table, chairs and buffet. Lots of nooks and crannys! I can still smell it.....

But that got me to thinking about one particular Sabbath my grandparents had the guest speaker from church and a whole slew of people over. I only met that pastor that one time (I think his name was Elder Espinosa?), but he made such an impact on me! Why? Because he took the time to teach us kids some songs. I have enjoyed those songs throughout my life!

So I guess my point is....no matter how silly the little ditty (who knew that John Brown's Baby Had a Cold Upon His Chest would be so much fun!), or how little time you have with a child. If you teach them a song or tell them a story, no matter how silly....time spent with a child will make a difference.

If a one time visit can make a difference, just think the impact we Grandparents can make! Even if we can't carry a tune in a bucket!

Sugar - Fructose

Fructose is the only food molecule on the planet with no corresponding hormone in the brain that tells us when we've eaten enough of it - we have no 'off switch' for the stuff. Which means we overeat it. That's why you can drink a mega cup of Coke and not 'feel' full. Worse, studies show it stimulates appetite, making us eat more of everything. Worse still, research shows it's more addictive than heroine and cocaine. Fructose is in almost every kind of sweetner.

DATES: 30% fructose (total sugar content 60%)
HONEY AND MAPLE SYRUP: 40% fructose
AGAVE: 70-90% fructose
COCONUT SUGAR/NECTAR/SYRUP: 38-49% fructose

RICE MALT SYRUP: The only sweetener that is 100% fructose free, is a natural sweetener made from fermented, cooked rice and a blend of complex carbohydrates, maltose and glucose. It is relatively slow-releasing so does not dump on the liver as much as pure glucose.

(BEWARE: Even rice malt syrup, stevia and artificial sweeteners can cause blood-sugar spikes and mess with the reward centre in our brains - continuing the sugar addiction. Also keep in mind that like other sugars, rice malt syrup is empty calories with almost no nutritional value)