Romans 10:9-13

This morning my five year old and my eight year old asked Jesus to guide their lives. Such an emotional moment for me to witness first my son say that he loves Jesus and wants him to help him make the right choices in life then my daughter said the same. I think they were a little confused when I started hugging them and crying. I knew that Tay understood right from wrong and she believes that Jesus was sent here by God to die for us but it wasn't until now that she could actually put it into words. Now begins the training up of little Christ followers!!!

GMO Kauai

Yeppers, they are all over the island. I wasn't too disgusted by GMO farmers until the other day I saw a Pioneer "farmer" with a security badge for clearance to get into work. Hmmm. That's odd that someone who is just a seed provider for farmers all over the world has to have a picture id with barcode on it just to get in to his work. Sounds more like this company is trying to hide something. Kind of like Monsanto who used to be known as a major chemical producer but now if you look at their website they show you how they are helping people all over the world with their products. When really they knowingly poisoned their neighbors in Anniston, Alabama by dumping waste into the creeks.

When I go to the most secluded campsite on this island I get to camp next to a gmo corn field that wreaks of pesticides. When I go to Lihue I see corn fields. When I go to our favorite secluded beach I can't help but wonder what is leaking out of the neighboring corn fields into this little bay that you constantly see people dive fishing in. This fragile island is inundated with chemicals now. Here's a long but very good video about rbgh in milk and monsantos practices... http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6262083407501596844#

Today is going to be a good day, I declare it to be so. After dropping my husband off to work, (we are a one car family right now because the vanagon is overheating) I stopped the car at the end of our road to pick up our rubbish can and there was our prodigal rubbish can next to our good can that has remained with us. This prodigal can left us over a month ago and since no one returned after a week we thought for sure it got tagged by a car at high speeds on the main road. For those of you ho don't live on this blessed island let me tell you why it is so important to have your cans. The rubbish pick up is free. Yep, free. So we just haul our cans to the end of the road and these special men come at 3:00 am and take our not so lovely goods outta here. We are back to being a 2 trash can family perhaps that will make up for not being a 2 car family.

Meet my friend Summer

Friends, I want to introduce you to my friend Summer. She is a mom of 5 beautiful keikis, she's a masseuse (still haven't had a freebee though), and she is a great bargain hunter (best garage sale'n partner!) She has been such a huge help to our family as we transitioned to this whole new world called Kauai. We are the same exact size and even share the same maiden name. This picture was taken on a night that we attempted to go out. I picked her up wearing dark jeans and a brown tank top and of course she was wearing the same exact thing. I knew she was a true friend who understood me when we were at a garage sale in Hanamalu (no offense but slightly ghetto) and she picked up this piece of fabric that was brown with orange and yellow flowers on it (totally from the late 70's) and says "Shannan, this looks like you." When others would have said "gooo, that's hideous." Yep, she had me at hanamalu.

St Patty's

Well yesterday was St Patty's day and I knew it was but I didn't tell the kids until 4:00 when we were headed to the grocery store and going to check the mail. Taylor was a little disturbed saying, "Mom, how could you go the whole day without telling us?" I simply didn't think it was a big deal since they weren't going to be in school and wouldn't be teased or pinched for not wearing green. So we had some fun by making some green rice to go with our tamale pie. It was so easy to do and delicious too. Just throw some salad greens, cilantro, green onions, cumin, salt, olive oil and splash of water in a blender and mix til the chunks are gone. Just combine with some cooked brown rice and consume.

Healthy Alternatives

Whole wheat tortillas

2 cups flour (I haven't tried gluten free yet so let me know if you have)

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup olive oil

2/3 cup warm water

Combine ingredients to form a dough (by hand, mixer, or by foot)

Cover dough w/ plastic wrap or foil and let rest for 30 min.

Divide into 12 portions and roll each into a ball. Press into a flat circle using a tortilla press but since you don’t have one use a rolling pin and flour. Roll it until it’s 1/8 inch thick.

Mist a cast iron skillet with olive oil and heat the pan.

Cook until crisp on both sides, turning once. I stack them in a pyrex dish with a tea towel on top to keep them warm.

If you choose to freeze them they suggest putting parchment paper between each tortilla and will be good up to 6months.

I can't take credit for this recipe but I just wanted you to enjoy what my family has enjoyed!

Quinoa Pancakes

Do the first part the night before you want to eat them or at least 6 hours before.

Place in blender and mix for 2 minutes:

1/2 cup buttermilk, rice milk, or any milk

2 tsp olive oil

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups of uncooked quinoa
After mixing leave the lid on and let it sit on the counter all night.


Top of the Morgan to Ya! Here's what you add to the blender:
1 egg

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

lil salt
Blend again until well mixed and add some milk if it stops spinning in the blender. Cook as usual.

Experimental gluten free crackers/biscuits

I didn't measure when I made mine but the basic idea is about 2 cups of cooked and cooled brown rice, then 1 1/2 cups of quinoa soaked for about 4 hours then blended, 1 egg, then 1/2 cup rice flour. Blend in the blender til well mixed. I added bits of seaweed flecks for flavor but this is where you get to choose want you want. I spread olive oil on a baking sheet with the oven set at 400. Then drop dollops on the sheet about 12/ sheet and flatten slightly with a measuring cup. Bake 10 minutes per side depending how crisp or soft you want them. We ate most of them in one night and the rest sat in the microwave all night and were really soft like a pancake the next day. I only made these once so don't get angry at me if they don't turn out to your liking!

I'm in the blogging mood. When it rains it pours!

Here is the infamous cinnamon tree that we have looked for...

So we have some friends who Aunty has a home with an orchard of all sorts of trees and they let us go up there and pick what we want. This time I brought my camera but only took a few pictures because I get so excited about picking everything. We found the Cinnamon tree and picked a bunch of leaves for tea and the kids gathered sticks to shred at home but the old stick just taste like cinnamon and dirt so we are done with the sticks for now.
This property is about 10 minutes away but it feels like you are driving on a forbidden road, winding road that is basically a one laner and if there is a windstorm you might want to bring a chainsaw along. At the top of the hill you see a beautiful view all the way to the ocean. Very peaceful at the top and well worth the journey since we get to enjoy oranges, guava, limes, jabons, and starfruit fo days. It's broke da mouth.