Mommmm, can I have a snack?

Peanut Butter Granola Bars With Chocolate
I am not sure if it was the cost, excessive and flashy packaging, high-fructose corn syrup or “grams of sugars” of store-bought granola bars that finally pushed me into making my own. My goals were 1) protein, 2) lower than average “sugars” (and no corn syrup) and 3) my kids need to like them! (But not too much or they’d “go” too fast)! There are many, many recipes online. I tried several and then tried these with many modifications and then quit trying other recipes. It doesn’t actually have granola in it. But it does have oats that have been toasted…which is close. The original recipe had “easy” in the title but that is relative…there are bowls, pans and dishes to wash afterwards. And lots of cutting at the end…and wrapping. It’s a once a week endeavor and it’s always worth it to have something sweet and healthy to toss into the lunch box and have handy after school.

5 cups puffed rice cereal or cups Cheerios/Joe’s O’s (I used Joe's O's)
3 c of quick cooking oats.
2/3 c ground flax
½ c flax seeds
½ wheat germ
2/3 c sunflower seeds
2/3 c pumpkin seeds or sliced/chopped almonds1/2 cup chocolate chips
1+ c honey
¼+ c agave nectar  (Maple syrup would be a good alternative)
1 ¼ c crunchy or creamy peanut butter

Measure the cereal into  a large mixing bowl.

Toast oats, flax, wheat germ, seeds and nuts 12 min at 400°. Stir every 3-4 minutes. The ground flax and the wheat germ can burn easily so it is important to “watch” this. Combine with the cereal in the bowl.

Line a buttered 9x13 dish with wax paper—the wax paper should overhang at least one of the sides enough to cover the contents of the dish. Butter the wax paper on the bottom of the pan and the overhanging sides—these will be put on top of the granola bars. If they are not “greased” in some way the wax paper will stick, stick stick. (The first time I made these my boys ate their life-share of wax paper). Sprinkle in chocolate chip.

In a small saucepan, combine the honey and agave and bring just to a boil over medium heat. Turn off the heat and stir in the peanut butter until mixture is smooth. Pour over the cereal mixture and stir well with a big spoon, making sure to coat every bit.  I add extra honey or agave if the mixture seems too dry.

Pour into the prepared pan and press down with the back of a spoon (or your fingers) to evenly distribute. Cover with the overhanging wax paper and then use another pan and press down. I stand (or if my boys are around they stand) and jump up and down in the top pan to press the mixture down into the chocolate chips and to compress it all.

Allow to cool several hours before cutting into bars. Wrap each in plastic wrap

Makes 24 bars.

Back at a Beginning

When I first agreed to become a vegetarian, I felt lost. My carefully collected recipe repertoire and tested and refined ways of shopping and cooking went...POOF! As I crossed beef, chicken and pork off my menus and shopping lists, big holes appeared in the grocery cart, many meals and our nutrition. It has been a (mostly) fun-filled adventure filling in those holes. AND to my complete surprise and delight they're now full and overflowing with many extra, unexpected blessings, only made possible by stepping into the unknown of vegetarianism.

I have deep heart and mind memories of those early no-more-meat times four years ago and will draw from those imprinted cycles of frustration and breakthrough as I begin this new adventure of blogging. It occurs to me (as a runner) that if "blogging" is to "running" there should be a term to fill in the blank of "_______" is to "jogging" for newbies learning how to really blog. Whatever that blank is, that is what I am doing right now. What would that be? Plogging? Slugging? Blagging?

Many times my running has been replaced with jogging and even walking (due to injury and having babies) and each time the walking and jogging has given way to running again. So I take heart and have hope that some day my plogging or slugging will break into blogging! I have to start somewhere, so I'll start from where I am--here. It's a good place and I look forward to discovering where the plogging will take me!

Here I am

I once was a new vegetarian and plodded through the early stages of new ways of eating and cooking; today am a new blogger--a "plogger"I call myself. There's one place to start new things-- at a place called "here". That's where I am and where my food is when I transform it into snacks, breakfast, lunch or dinner--with mixed results. I am a CSA-member and a baby gardener and produce preserver. I've learned to and like to cook what's in season in my garden, in my CSA share or at the farmer's market. But it hasn't always been easy or fun. My most successful approach is to transform a recipe lifted from the internet or a cookbook into my transcendent vision for it to fit the ingredients I have at my disposal. Some times I create a new and amazing dish. Some times I create something new...and maybe "interesting".  Other times the vision just crashes and burns, (yes sometimes literally). I'll share some of my "food from here" in this space.  I hope my journey will encourage fun and learning in the 'here' of your life.  Enjoy!