On My Mind Today

Always on the lookout for healthier options for my sweet tooth, I was pleased to find this recipe via social media. I decided to make them when my daughter and granddaughter were visiting, so I was able to get the opinion of others. We all agreed they were great, and would not have know they were made with black beans if we had purchased them at a bakery. The picture below is from the online recipe (I forgot to take a photo before we ate them all). Give them a try - you will be happy you did. Black Bean Brownies 1 - 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed 1/2 avocado 1 cup brown sugar 3 tablespoons cocoa powder 1/2 cups chopped walnuts 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 tablespoon coconut oil (plus more for greasing) Large pinch of salt 5-1/4 ounces dark chocolate 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and grease a 12-slot muffin tin with coconut oil. 2. Drain and rinse the beans, then add beans, avocado, sugar, cocoa powder, half the

With the sun shining higher and brighter in the sky, and the days getting longer, there is a hint of spring in the air. Although the temperatures have not become warm enough to open windows here in New England, I can see it on the horizon. In three weeks we will turn the clocks ahead and the first day of spring will quickly follow. Even if a couple of snow storms come in after that they will rapidly disappear. As spring approaches my desire to start cleaning takes over. I have been told by my daughters that my obsessive inclination to clean has been imparted on them. They are not thrilled to have taken on this trait. My youngest daughter was visiting recently and she found a bottle in the closet with dust on it. She took a picture and sent it to her sister as she couldn't believe it was possible in my house. I let her know that I have relaxed a bit with age. Anyway, I still have the desire to clean every closet, curtain and wall, I just don't have the same drive. As time al

Every day it seems more and more hatred is being spread in every country around the world. As an adult, it creates anxiety in my life; I can only imagine how stressful it is for children. Children do not come into the world knowing hatred - it is taught. There are two kinds of parents; the ones who contribute by teaching hate, or the ones who spend a lot of time trying to shelter their children from it and teaching the them why it is wrong. I often wonder if those talking the loudest ever stop and think before they spread hatred and fear. Do they ever think about the impact on their families, friends and neighbors, or how this hatred they hang on to keeps them in a cloud of negativity? Do they really believe that people from a different ethnic group or religion than they are should be hated? Is a world where everyone is exactly the same, with the same beliefs, a world worth living in? I would like to challenge everyone to take a close look at who they are and where they come from.

Even in the middle of winter, we can enjoy recipes from the summer file. This soup from Food Network Magazine is low calorie and delicious. Even if you can't find any good fresh vegetables in your winter climate, you can always substitute frozen. Any hot soup is great on a cold winter's day, so why limit it to summer? Summer Vegetable Soup with Andouille 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling 1 - 12 ounce package fully cooked andouille sausages, halved lengthwise and sliced into 1-inch pieces. 1 pound red-skinned potatoes, cut into chunks 4 ounces wax beans, trimmed and halved 4 ounces green beans, trimmed and halved 1 ear corn, kernels cut off 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock 1 large tomato, chopped 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirrin

I made the decision last fall to semi-retire at the beginning of this year. I felt extremely fortunate to be able to take this step into the next phase of my life. So many things to do that I have put off for too long. My plan with some extra time off was to start writing the short stories for a  book I have had on the back burner. I also was hoping to have time to travel the back roads a bit and take photos of Mother Nature. If I could add a few pictures to my print collection, then I could go in search of somewhere local to sell them. A place to start as they say. And even the best of intentions don't always go as planned. It's amazing to me how the minute you have more "free" time the less time you seem to have. Since I reduced my work hours the "extra" day off has not afforded me the opportunity to jump into my passions and projects. There have been so many other obligations (real or perceived) that have held me back. Perhaps some of it is procrastin

As I went in search of pictures from the past to share with my daughter for her birthday, the flood gate of memories burst open. It was difficult to pull myself away from the multitude of photos of she and her sister from birth, to toddler, school days and beyond. Although there are many they would probably rather not revisit, they all brought a smile to my face, and even a tear or two to my eyes. How can I not cry a tear of joy as I look at them as infants. Remembering the great (and some not so great) days when my heart was filled with dreams of the wonderful things that life would hold for them. Hoping I would always have the strength to get them through the challenges they would encounter along the way. Pictures that can bring forth laughter - maybe it was a goofy face they made or even a "don't take my picture" look. Either way it's certainly funny seeing it now. Others that bring a warm smile - the ones from Christmas mornings or Easter, when their faces wer

Looking for something easy to make that family and friends will love? You won't go wrong with these delicious homemade English muffins from Fleischmann's Yeast. In a recent search through my large collection of recipes, I came across this one that I used to make when my children were young. We always loved them, so I decided to give it another try. They were just as delicious as I remembered. Next time you are planning your Sunday morning brunch, whip up a batch of these English muffins - your guests will love them! English Muffins in a Loaf 2 packages Fleischmann's Active Dry Yeast 6 cups sifted flour 1 tablespoon sugar 2 teaspoons salt 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 2 cups milk 1/2 cup water Cornmeal 1. Combine 3 cups flour, yeast, sugar, salt and soda. Heat liquids until very warm (120-130 degrees F). Add to dry mixture; beat well. Stir in the rest of the flour to make a stiff batter. Spoon into two 8-1/2 x 4-1/2 inch pans that have been greased and