Banana-Chocolate Chip Muffins

It's been busy! I wanted to share a gluten free recipe I tried out last week. The picture is of one that was frozen and defrosted for my son this morning. I can't believe I am saying this, but these are the BEST banana - chocolate chip muffins ever!! They are super moist and not too banana tasting. They even taste great after being frozen. My son is extremely picky when it comes to food. He doesn't like too much banana taste and he doesn't like the nuts. Plus, he has to have chocolate chips in everything sweet! They can be made in any shape pan you would like. I got this recipe from Nearly Normal Cooking for Gluten-Free Eating by Jules Shepard. If you are on a gf diet, I highly recommend this book and any recipe by her. Every one that I have tried has tasted great. My family loves them and my son is the only one that has to be on the diet. I did modify the recipe, and I will include the modifications in parentheses. Enjoy!

Banana Bread

1/2 cup butter or shortening (I used shortening, next time I will try butter)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups Nearly Normal Gluten-Free Flour Mix (I used Bob's Red Mill GF All Purpose Baking Flour mixed with 3/4 tsp Xanthan Gum)
1 tsp Baking Soda
2 tsp Baking Powder (I actually didn't have this on hand, so I used 1 tsp Cornstarch)
dash of salt
1/2 cup of sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup mashed, rip banana (My son doesn't like a strong banana flavor, so I used the smallest, ripe banana I had)
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional, I used chocolate chips)
1/2 cup berries  (optional, picky son = do not use)

Preheat oven to 350 F

Cream the butter or shortening and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs and beat well. Sift the dry ingredients together and add to the butter mixture. Blend well before adding the sour cream, vanilla and banana. Add the nuts and berries, if using, just before pouring into greased loaf pans or muffin tins.

Bake for approximatley 1 hour - less if using smaller pans. Test with a cake tester before removing from the oven to cool.

*Remember to always use confirmed Gluten Free food items.

Future Days

This week has been so revealing to me. God has removed so many of my fears and replaced them with His hope and love. This nation has made destructive decisions and I wonder if it could get any worse. The truth is that it will. But the fruit of the Spirit is peace. Peace in turmoil. I know my God. He has great plans for His children. He is Lord of the righteous and unrighteous. Matthew 13:15 reminds me of our nation: "For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them." Most of our leaders and people in this nation have closed their hearts to God. Much like the prodigal child. And I pray earnestly that they will return, but I know that their lives will have to be shaken. Our nation will be shaken and when we drop to our knees and turn to Christ we will be healed. We should not fear this. This doesn't mean that we allow ourselves to be run over. We remain obedient to God and trust Him to take care of the rest. I am dissappointed with the decisions of our leaders, but I do not fear the future. Our Lord knows the plans he has and His plans always work for His glory. Jeremiah 29:12-14 "'Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,' declares the Lord, 'and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you.' declares the Lord, 'and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.'"

RADICAL

I am almost done with this sermon series and it makes me kind of sad. Sad, because I don't want the change to end. I don't want the old me to return. Feeling the Holy Spirit alive in you is the greatest feeling. Anyone who claims to be a follower of Jesus Christ must watch this series. This man is obviously anointed. It will radically change you. Click HERE.

My Testimony

This is my story. This is where I started and where I gave myself up to Christ. I had a complete family for the first seven years of my life. At that time my mother decided she didn't want to work things out with my father and they divorced. Being so young I don't know everything that happened to cause her to believe she needed to leave. I only know pieces of the story and they have come only from my father. I have never talked to my mother about her decision to leave and the only words she offered were, "It was better for you that I left." Now it is too late for me to get any answers from her. She passed away from colon cancer at the age of 48 in 2006. This is something that I am still going through.

My father took care of me and my brother. He made all the sacrifices and tried to offer us the best life he possibly could. And he did. He is a wonderful father and did more for me than I even needed or wanted. When I was young I was taken to First Baptist Church in Yuma, AZ. My brother occasionally went, but I mostly went alone. I was baptized at about eight years of age and I knew all about God. During those many years at church I met my best friend (definitely chosen by God) MG who was in a similar, but worse, situation as me. She, above anyone, has taught me about true, Godly friendship. I was spoiled, made very good grades, and had so much "potential." I saw my mother occasionally (she lived in the same town), but mostly resented her for her life choices. Her and my brother were very close, but we were very distant. I graduated high school and went to college unprepared. I thought I would be very successful in college, but it was difficult being away from home. I wanted something more and I turned to everything except Christ. I thought the world would fill my emptiness. I was very wrong. I left college and went back home. My father was disappointed with this but allowed me to make my own choices.

Open Nacho Bar

I really try not to cook whenever possible. Yesterday I really didn't want to go all out for dinner. So, I came up with a meal idea that didn't flop! I am sure some other smart wife has done this also, but none have shared this with me. For dinner we did a nacho bar! It came out very tasty and was fun for the kids because they were able to create their own. This was especially easy because I had some leftover ground beef. I had about 12 oz of beef and it was more than enough for a family of four (our baby doesn't really like meat or tortilla chips, but loves shredded cheese!!!) This was super easy and GF!!! (I love Mexican food for that very reason :-) ) I didn't measure anything (except the beef because it was in a container that has measurements on it, haha). You can get very creative. I would have liked to add beans and Spanish rice, but I am the only one that eats those.

My Ingredients:
Tostitos Tortilla Chips
Pico de Gallo
Green Onions
Cilantro (we love cilantro!)
Ground Beef cooked
Mexican Mix Shredded Cheese
Sour Cream

Place chips in bowl and top with your favorite toppings. Please make sure all your ingredients are gf if you are on a gf diet.

It was tasty. I heated for 30 seconds in the microwave to melt the cheese slightly and then added sour cream on top. I was supposed to use avocado also, but forgot. I didn't take any pictures, because I didn't think it would turn out so great. The family loved it and we will surely eat this again.

The Ride of Your Life

Our God is amazing! And I wish there was a better word to use. He is so utterly awesome and surprising. He is alive and He still performs miracles. When we say something is impossible, God says, "Watch Me work!" That is just it. We keep our eyes on Him and allow Him to work. Today I heard some news re: a friend that made me jump up and down and I just couldn't stop talking. The most amazing part of this story was that God had already performed this miracle, we just didn't know it yet! I remember every time I prayed about this, I had a strong feeling of confidence that God would do what I was asking. I had no idea how He would or when He would, but I knew that He was going to accomplish this for HIS glory. He had this accomplished before being asked! God knows what we need before we ask Him, we are valuable to Him, and God is so gracious to give. He is worthy of all my worship; He is worthy of all my praise!!! His plans will give you the ride of your life.

Belated VDay Treats

Most of our family was sick over the holiday weekend, so we were not in the mood celebrate. Today we are all on the road to recovery. My little boy asked me if we were going to do anything special. Well, I didn't have anything planned, but I thought we should at least have a special treat. I made mini cupcakes with chocolate chips inside and chocolate icing. I used Betty Crocker's Gluten Free yellow cake mix, Nestle Semi-Sweet chocolate chips, and Betty Crocker's Chocolate Icing. I am not a baker, so I try to make things as easy as possible. This can be difficult when cooking gf.They came out pretty tasty. The chocolate definatley helps the taste. We have tried all the Betty Crocker gf mixes. The best ones are the brownie mix and the devil's food cake mix. The yellow cake is okay, and the chocolate chip cookies are just edible. You can really taste the rice flour in the cookies. The best thing about Betty Crocker is they have many gf recipes using their products. Thank you to Betty Crocker! I hope all had a relaxing President's Day and Valentine's Day.

Let's Go Again!

Don't you just know God is amazing?!?!?! I mean, here I am worrying and wondering and God just tells me why I shouldn't be and then gives an expression of His love. Yesterday was wonderful. We actually had snow this year! I thought for sure our chance had past. Isn't that usually how things work? You give up and think there is no longer any reason to hope and then God says surprise!! I was looking outside at this snow and thinking how stunning everything looked covered in sparkling white. And this voice came to me saying, "That's what God does to you." He takes our dirty, broken hearts and covers them with His love. Then we are sparkling white. Not only does he do that, but he also gives us a new person. Just like after the dead winter, we have a new and alive spring. God is AMAZING!!!!!!!!

The Drop

The biggest feeling I struggle with is envy. I am very envious of one certain thing. I know that I shouldn't be and I know that God has a personal plan for me; I KNOW these things. But some days it is hard to feel them. Yesterday and today are those kind of days. I can write about this so easily, but it is very difficult for me to talk about even though all my close friends know about this. I don't understand what God is doing and the only thing that keeps me going is His hope and promises. But I do have days where I give in to myself and wonder what do I have to do for God to answer my prayer? I think just about every Christian has a time where there is something they want so badly. This thing that they want very well could be God's will. It is not something that goes against what God's Word says and many other believers have been blessed with this same thing you are asking God to accomplish in your life. I have a prayer such as this. I find myself at the top of the rollercoaster awaiting the drop. And I am asking God to remember me and why couldn't this be part of His plan for my life? Why is this part of other's plans. Why not me? Why not now? And I want to get off the ride. I want to get out. I don't want to go up and down anymore. I want to stay flat.



But his Spirit is calling my name. He is telling me to lift my hands up and cry out to Him. He tells me the drop will be more than I can imagine and more than anyone else could accomplish. And I feel Him surround me and there are no butterflies in my stomach. There are no more questions; just pure love that only comes from Christ. And I know I can make it because HE goes before me. He tells me that he remembered Sarah and he remembered Elisabeth. He knew me before creation and He can't wait for me to see all He has planned. So, here goes. I am letting go of the bar.



Please pray for me and my family. Specifically pray for and on Feb. 28th between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. At this time my son will be baptized and someone I love will prayerfully be in attendance.

Praise Day!!!!!!

1. My son made the decision to be baptized on Sunday!! At church there were a lot of people going up to the front during the invitation and I thought I would ask my son (again) if he wanted to go up and talk to the pastor about being baptized. He is so sweet, you know. He says "Yes, Momma, but did you bring me extra clothes?" He was ready!! We walked down there and he is not bashful at all, so he tells the pastor that he wants to be baptized. Well, it was a great experience.

2. I recently changed churches, which was extremely difficult. The praise in this is that everything that I am doing (Sunday school, worship, bible study, just life!) is flowing together. God is personalizing everything for my benefit. I see that the Holy Spirit is guiding me in this way. Amen!!!

My Ups and Downs

Blogging can be a difficult thing. I feel I have so much to say, but am unable to articulate my thoughts into typed words on a daily basis. So, here goes. My son's gf diet is going. When I heard about the disease I, of course, researched a ton on the Internet. Most of what I read was about what a miracle the gf diet was for someone or their family member. This has not been the case for us. My son had slowly cut off different foods and now has a very short list of foods he is willing to eat. This makes it very difficult when you add medical limitations to your diet. He has not changed the way he eats. He has always been a grazer and does not eat large amounts at one sitting. He has definitely not gained any weight, either. The only change we have seen so far is that he no longer complains about stomach pain and his bowl movements are much more normal. He also has not vomited for 8 months (I am not counting when actually had a bug, since it was not caused by gluten ingestion). So, I can see that this is an improvement, but we were expecting so much more and are somewhat disheartened that, for us, the miracle we were hoping for will occur at a slow rate. This is a daily battle for me especially, being that I am responsible for all food preparations. I am constantly filled with guilt and worry about whether or not I have contaminated his food. I sometimes am so desperate that I will pray over his food asking God to ensure that it is in fact 100% gf. I have finally accepted the fact that, at least for awhile, he will be a grazer of food. I am so thankful to God that this disease is treated naturally and will cause him no long term damage (as long as he is gf). That is the biggest blessing of all. I am also blessed to have friends who support me and encourage me. My friend R.R. who went so far as to prepare a gf meal for my son so he could spend the night with her son. Also my friend C.D. who is always on the lookout for new gf foods that I can't find where I live. My friend L.C. who found other bloggers going through what I am. And of course, all my other friends who listen to my frustrations and triumphs and offer their prayers of support. I love that God gave us friend relationships!!!

On another note, I wanted to share a praise with all of you. My son had asked Jesus to come into his heart about two months ago. Well, the worrying mom that I am, I prayed for God to show me that His spirit was living in my son. Yesterday, my son was reading his AWANAS book (he needed to memorize some scripture) and he read this verse: "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9. Then he tells me that this verse was for him; that God was telling him this. I told him (while saying a thank you to God) that yes, that verse was just for him from God. Amen!!! (Back story: He is scared of the dark and has a difficult time falling asleep alone in his room)

Moments

Today was moving along nicely until about 3:30. That is when my two oldest come off of the bus. Everything suddenly begins to move at high speeds. This evening was spent reading seven books to them and then rushing to make dinner while my baby is crying for me to hold her. Trying to be creative for dinner, I decide to take a normal recipe and not only make it gf, but also change the cooking directions. Hmmm, this sounded great at the time. Well, it was a pretty big flop, but I managed to save some. The plus side of all this was that my son actually requested a second helping, plus desert, plus cereal. He didn't quite finish his second helping or the cereal, but I have no memory of him ever asking for a second helping or for more food after desert. Very big victory! On top of that he tells us that he ate all of his lunch. So we are feeling increasingly grateful for gf foods. Here comes bedtime 30 mins. late and I am ready to go to bed myself, but my oldest wants me to put curlers in her hair for tomorrow. Yesterday I said I would do it today and feeling guilty about my promise, I put curlers in her even though we are way past schedule. And you know, it was completely wonderful and relaxing. I am curling her hair, having mother/daughter talk, and listening to her sing. Listening to your child sing is just amazing and you can't help but have a better day; even at the end of it. God has blessed me with these moments and I know that this is where He wants me.

Gluten!!!

As it turns out, Twizzlers have flour in them. Why didn't I know this???? My gf (gluten-free) son comes off the bus, with Twizzlers in his hand, upset because he didn't get a ring pop. Okay, well you have Twizzlers; just eat the Twizzlers. So, he's fine with those and asks me to check out if the ring pops are gf. I think to myself, maybe I should double check those Twizzlers too. And there you go! (By the way, ring pops are gf.) I thought we had a handle on this, but the thing about gf is that you are not allowed to be lax at all. That part makes me weary. Constantly having to know if a food is gf and, not only that, but also having to know if there is any cross-contamination. Everything must be made separately and before anything else. So, we have separate cabinets, separate shelves in the pantry. All cookware must be washed immaculately and then rinsed prior to use, just in case. This is just the beginning. He has been gf for only one month. Very weary...
That evening he didn't eat dinner, barely ate breakfast, and unfortunately was very gassy.

-A brief description of Celiac Disease: CD is an autoimmune disease where the person cannot eat gluten (which is a protien found in wheat, rye, barley, and sometimes oats). When these foods are consumed the villi (long finger-like appendages off the intestinal wall) are damaged, leaving the person with less surface area for absorbing nutrients. This obviously leads to many other problems such as malnourishment and even cancer. It is really important for someone with CD to stay away from gluten at all costs.

About Me

Greetings to the blogger-world! I just want to start off by telling everyone out there about myself. I am married and have been married for over 7 years. My husband is in the military and I am a homemaker. We have three children. Our oldest daughter is 8, our son is 6, and our youngest daughter is 1. They provide us with endless entertainment and headaches all at the same time! We are currently living in North Carolina, and are beginning to enjoy the East coast a great deal. I am a follower of Christ and I am imperfect. Everyday is a struggle for me to follow Him or just watch from the stands. Everytime I have followed, He has been faithful to His promises. The life I have is a choice; I choose Jesus. I will go into greater detail regarding that in later blogs. My son was recently diagnosed with Celiac Disease and the only treatment for this is strictly following a gluten free diet. I will blog on that later. I don't really have a theme for my blog. This is mostly for my friends and family so they are able to keep up with my rambling. Until you read again...