Sage's Diner

This is What I'm LOVING this Wednesday in May

LOVING having my Mama here.  What a blessing she has been to both Tirzah and I!  Truly, I have not washed a dish since she has been here and what a huge help and change of pace that is for us! (To make it an even larger gift: we wash by hand!)

LOVING Michael, Danae, and Elliott here for a quick visit last night.  Well, Michael and Danae had a quick visit, that is!  Elliott, there handsome black lab will be staying with Tirzah and I for the next 5 weeks while his parents travel to England!  We are so excited to have him here... and Tirzah loves being on his bed!

LOVING breakfast out at Sage's Diner.  It's one of the most delicious breakfast places I think I have ever visited.  The food and presentation are both delightful, the coffee is out of this world and the whole ambiance is perfect.  Enhanced with the fact that it is nestled right in an older neighborhood, in an old house.  And the fact that they have toys out for the wee ones to play with.  What a genius idea and blessing for us Mamas!

LOVING, the most wonderful gift of all: relief from my headaches!!!  I can't tell you  what an absolute blessing it is to write that!   My Mama actually figured it out, right after I prayed for wisdom.  It was low-blood sugar all along.  I had changed my eating patterns to eat with Tirzah in the morning and then not have anything to eat again until she awoke from her nap, around 2 or 3.  Previously, and what I am now doing and have since lost the headaches, is eat a little meal every 3 to 4 hours, making sure I have protein in that little meal. And I am feeling so so SO much better!  LOVING a head that feels so right and good!

LOVING these protein bars from Passionate Homemaking.  This is one of my favorite blogs and she has such delicious and healthy recipes for a young family.  We made a batch of these for Michael and Danae to have while on their trip.  You will get addicted... guaranteed!

Protein Bars

Place in a food processor and grind until a meal-type consistency and then pour into a casserole dish.  We use a 2 1/2 quart size dish, which is a little larger than a 8 x 8 and they seem to be a perfect thickness.

2 C nuts (we always use almonds and love it)

1/2 C raisins

1/2 C shredded coconut (we have used another nut, like sunflower seeds here in case you are not a huge coconut fan, and they turn out wonderfully)

1/4 C flax seeds

In a sauce pan melt together the following ingredients and then mix in with the dry ingredients until even coated:

1/2 C oil (we use coconut oil and that is the main reason you have to melt it.  I don't think you would need to melt with other oils, like canola...)

1/2 C peanut butter (your preference here of smooth or creamy)

1 T honey or maple syrup (we have tried both and love them both!)

2 t vanilla extract

Press into the bottom of the dish, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hr.  

Melt over low heat 1/2 of a large chocolate (dark chocolate of course!) bar and spread evenly over the bars.

Cover and chill another hour and there you have them!

We just leave them in the dish and in the refrigerator and cut off little bars as we desire.  But you can cut them and wrap to store them in the freezer.

LOVING the sunshine these past few days.

LOVING long skype and phone conversations with girlfriends.

LOVING all the new baby boys in my life! (born to my girlfriends)

LOVING popcorn and Downton Abbey with my Mama each evening

LOVING sowing wildflowers while wearing my beloved red boots

Always and forever, I am LOVING so much so that it hurts, my Soldier, my protector, my best friend.