Recommendations

The Hand That Rocks the Cradle

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Blessings on the hand of women!
Angels guard its strength and grace,
In the palace, cottage, hovel,
Oh, no matter where the place;
Would that never storms assailed it,
Rainbows ever gently curled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

Infancy’s the tender fountain,
Power may with beauty flow,
Mother’s first to guide the streamlets,
From them souls unresting grow—
Grow on for the good or evil,
Sunshine streamed or evil hurled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

Woman, how divine your mission
Here upon our natal sod!
Keep, oh, keep the young heart open
Always to the breath of God!
All true trophies of the ages
Are from mother-love impearled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

Blessings on the hand of women!
Fathers, sons, and daughters cry,
And the sacred song is mingled
With the worship in the sky—
Mingles where no tempest darkens,
Rainbows evermore are hurled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

-William Ross Wallace

Recipes

Banana Chocolate Chickpea Muffins

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What is it with me and muffins this week?

Yesterday I had some extra time, and I also had no bread of any sort to go with our eggs for breakfast.

The only kinds of flour I had left in the pantry were brown rice and chickpea, so I did a little searching online to see if I could find something tasty.

I found this great recipe for vegan chickpea banana chocolate muffins. She had veganized a recipe from another site, and also muffinified it. (Her word- I like it!)

So I un-veganized it, but kept the muffin idea.

They turned out delicious-so moist and chocolatey. My 22 month old was gingerly walking around with one singing, “Hap-Bir-Day-To-Yew” so I’m pretty sure he thought it was a cupcake. Yep- they were pretty sweet.

The chickpea flour is great because it is high in protein, iron and folate, and is naturally gluten-free.

Banana Chocolate Chickpea Muffins

3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
7 tbsp coconut oil, melted
2 bananas, mashed
2 tbsp sour cream
1+1/2 cups chickpea flour (garbanzo bean flour is the same thing)
4 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 175°C/350°F.
  • Whisk the egg and sugar until fluffy before adding the coconut oil, sour cream and mashed bananas. Stir until completely combined. I used the electric mixer to make sure all the banana was totally blended.
  • Sift flour, cocoa powder and baking powder into the batter and stir until completely mixed. (My four year old loves sifting and the younger one loves stirring- no need to worry about over mixing, since it’s gluten free flour.)
  • Fill greased/lined muffin cups 2/3 full- this will make 12 muffins that barely come up over the edge of the cups, but i prefer it that way- a better serving size for kids.
  • Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

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Recipes

Leftover Oatmeal Muffins

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Every time I make oatmeal, I have a lot leftover. I usually make “Fried Mush” from Sally Fallon’s cookbook Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats.

All you do is add one egg to the leftover oatmeal, and then sauté by spoonfuls in butter until the edges are crispy. We serve it with honey or maple syrup, and it makes a great mid afternoon snack.

But yesterday I wanted to do something different. I searched online for leftover oatmeal cookie or muffin recipes, but every one I found called for adding a CUP of sugar. Not really what I had in mind for a healthy snack for my kids.

So I decided to adapt one of my favorite low sugar muffin recipes to include cooked oatmeal.

Leftover Oatmeal Muffins

1 to 1.5 cups cooked oatmeal ( mine always has raisins cooked in it)
1.5 cups flour (I use a combination of whole wheat and spelt)
2 TBSPs aluminum free baking powder
1 egg lightly beaten
1/2 cup milk
4 TBSPs maple syrup
1 to 2 TBSPs softened butter
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Sift the dry ingredients together, then mix everything else in. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes. Yields 12.

The muffins were a hit. Both boys helped me with the whole process, and there were only two left at the end of the day.

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Prevention

The Happiest Place On Earth

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“When I turn 5 will you cry?

Because when I turn 5 I’ll be grown-up.  And when I grow up I’ll be a construction worker and a band guy during the week, a detective at night, and then work at the hospital on the weekend.”

What will you do at the hospital?

“I’ll try to make all the kids there laugh by telling jokes, I’ll also do magic tricks for them. And I want to look inside bodies to see bones and stuff.”

My son. The magician-musician-comedian-surgeon-detective-construction worker.

So I followed up by telling him what I wanted to be when I grew up.

When I was little I wanted to be a teacher during the day,  a waitress at night, and work at Disneyland on the weekends.

After defining a waitress and explaining what Disneyland is, he observed-
“Mom- you didn’t get to be that when you grew up. Maybe when I’m 5 and you don’t have to take care of me anymore you can.”

At first I said, “you’re right, I didn’t.” But the more I thought about it I realized I’m a waitress 24/7, am definitely teaching now, and am considering homeschooling. I am exactly what I wanted to be when I grew up- during the week.

As for Disneyland on the weekends, it’s all a matter of perspective. After that little chat with my son I have a new goal for our household. And not only on the weekends, but all the time.

Making our home the happiest place on earth.

A friend’s recent status update read “I wonder what would happen if I woke up tomorrow morning thinking….I GET to mother my little ones, instead of feeling like I have to mother them??? This is a good thought for me!”

And then I heard JJ Heller’s song “I Get To Be the One.” Which includes the lyrics:

Well hello,
Little baby.
Your eyes have never seen the sun
You should know
Little baby

That I am the lucky one

I get to be the one to hold your hand
I get to be the one.
Through birthdays and broken bones
I’ll be there to watch you grow
I get to be the one.

Perspective matters. I need to change mine on a daily basis. And since I only have a few more months before my big 5 year old strikes out on his own, I will make every moment count.