Flourless Brownies...I Have No Words

To Cook With Love linked to these brownies at Tessa the Domestic Diva (I love how word gets around on the internet). I have been put off by box mix brownies lately--to sweet, or too gooey, or too dry, or too oily--they just weren't doing it for me. I felt like I needed to cover them with ice cream to disguise the fact that I wasn't enjoying them (what a shame, right?). These Dark Chocolate Flour-less Brownies looked so out-of-the-box (heh) that I had to try them. I am verklempt (Yiddish--speechless with emotion). Smooth. dark chocolate. honey. No. Words.

Tessa's recipe is a little lower in fat and sugar, but I used what I had on hand. Also, her comments section is a good resource, if your unsure how these will work out. This is how I made them, and its really easy:
Yield: 1 8 x 8 pan

• 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and thoroughly drained
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 T granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 2/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp. apple cider vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a food processor bowl (a blender should work too), add all the ingredients through the egg.  Puree until smooth.
3. With the motor running, add your other ingredients and mix well.
4. Pour into a greased or parchment lined 8 x 8 pan.
5. Bake in a preheated oven until 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (which means 30+ minutes in my finicky oven).
6. Cool, cut into desired shape, and store in an airtight container.

So, so, good! I spread one with peanut butter! A glass of milk is a must. Thank you so much Tessa, you have a new fan! Next I want to try everything Char Sui Pork!

Inspire Me Monday

 

Inspire Me Monday is a meme from Create With Joy that really resonates with me. I have always felt the excitement of new beginnings when Monday comes back around. So here are a few things that are inspiring me today: 

Music

 The Pandora station created when I simply typed in Rich Mullins. Relaxing, worshipful, and challenging...so good.

 

People

I highly admire people who set goals and go after them. I usually float through daily life without any goals bigger than finishing the laundry and making dinner. While there is definite value in being faithful in the small things, big things usually don't happen without big dreams and goals. My sister's mother-in-law has lost 43 pounds in a year on WW and I admire her perseverance and commitment to her goal!

 

Blogs   

Sara blogs about spinning and dying by hand and makes really lovely yarn. I love reading about a craft I know nothing about! Not only that, but I recently won a skein of yarn from her blog giveaway--yay! And thank you :-)

Flowers

Breathe...cherry blossoms.

 

Food

Cocoa Cherry Energy Bites...time for another one!

 

The Word of God

 

2 Peter 1:2-4 (NKJ)

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, ³ as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, ⁴ by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

 

All things that pertain to life and godliness...note to self, meditate on that.

 

I'd love to hear what inspires you today!

Welcome to the Bright Starts Ultimate Baby Shower Giveaway!

Bright Starts and Mom to Bed by 8, the Iowa-Mom have teamed to offer an amazing Bright Starts Sunnyside Safari Collection giveaway to one lucky reader!

This includes the Sunnyside Safari™ Chair Top High Chair, Playard, Plug in Sway & Swing, Portable Swing and Saucer making this truly the Ultimate Baby Shower Gift.

Special thank you to the wonderful bloggers who made this possible including our co-hosts: To Sew with Love, The Lucky Ladybug and Mom Blog Society.

Garden Me is happy to team up with these great blogs to bring you this giveaway. You will find the entry form after all of the lovely product descriptions :-)

Big smiles and bright adventures go hand in hand in this exciting, fun-filled collection!

Take a walk on the sunny side-where baby gear goes together in delightful new ways. It's a win for infants and parents alike, with irresistible jungle characters adorning an array of fun coordinated products you'll use every day. Each piece of the collection does its job charmingly, with non-stop fun at an unbeatable value.

The Bright Starts Sunnyside Collection is available at Wal-Mart!

Sunnyside Safari™ Chair Top High Chair
A good high chair is a must for moms, and Bright Starts™ Sunnyside Safari™ Chair Top High Chair is as good as they come! It does what a full-sized model does and more, adjusting to four different heights (and nearly any table), reclining to three positions, and converting to a booster seat for smooth transition to the toddler years.
The reversible seat pad is made of stain-resistant fabric you can wipe clean or machine-wash. The removable Stay Level Tray™ remains flat even when the seat is reclining. All this, plus the friendly characters of the Sunnyside Safari™ Collection. Make mealtime and snack time more enjoyable for baby and you. Start the fun with Bright Starts!™

Product Features:

• Convenient 2 piece reversible seat pad is made of stain resistant fabric that is wipeable and machine washable
• 4 height positions to fit most table sizes
• 3 position recline
• Removable Stay Level Tray™ remains level even when seat is reclined
• 3 locking positions to grow with baby
• Built-in holders are convenient for drinks or snacks
• Converts to booster for easy toddler transition
• 5 point convertible safety harness

Sunnyside Safari™ Playard
A bright, sunny place for baby to rest, play, get a quick diaper change and spend a few moments with some friendly jungle pals! That's the Bright Starts™ Sunnyside Safari™ Playard. This playard includes a removable bassinet with our time-saving One Less Step™ feature for easy fold-and-go mobility.
There's a convenient changing table, a handy side storage pocket, easy-roll wheels, a travel bag, plus a colorful toy bar to delight baby. And like all Bright Starts™ products, this playard is an unbeatable value. Part of our coordinated Sunnyside Safari™ Collection. Start the fun with Bright Starts!™

Product Features:

• Removable bassinet with One Less Step™ to quickly fold and go
• Convenient changing table
• Toy bar with 2 fun toys
• Side storage pocket
• Wheels for easy portability
• Includes travel bag

Sunnyside Safari™ Plug in Sway & Swing™
Some swings go back and forth. Some go side to side. This one does both—and does it with music, toys, and delightful jungle style. With a seat designed for 180° rotation, allowing three swing directions, the Bright Starts™ Sunnyside Safari™ Plug in Sway & Swing™ uses our unique TrueSpeed™ technology to sense baby's weight and adjust for consistent speed—so it grows along with baby.
The swing also boasts a volume-adjustable 20 minutes of melodies and nature sounds, an overhead mobile—even an AC adaptor to save on battery expense. And it features the fun and engaging characters of the Sunnyside Safari™ Collection. Start the fun with Bright Starts!™

Product Features:

• Seat rotates 180° for 3 swing directions
• TrueSpeed™ technology maintains 6 speeds as baby grows
• Mobiles with 2 playtime toys easily pivots out of the way
• 20 minutes of melodies and nature sounds with volume control and auto shut-off
• AC adaptor saves money on batteries
• Swing time with 3 settings: 30, 45 and 60 minutes
• Whisper Quiet™ operation
• 5 point harness
• Machine washable seat pad
• Non-slip feet

Sunnyside Safari™ Portable Swing
Find baby's favorite speed with this innovative portable swing. The Bright Starts™ Sunnyside Safari™ Portable Swing is a win for parents and babies—from its machine-washable padded seat right down to its bright yellow, non-slip feet. With six distinct speeds to choose from, you'll find it easy to suit your little one's mood—and our patented TrueSpeed™ technology keeps those speeds consistent even as baby grows.
The Comfort Recline™ seat gives you a choice of two positions, and WhisperQuiet™ operation makes this swing silent in use. Wrap it all up in the super-fun animal decor and you've got a perfect travel companion. Part of Bright Starts™’ Sunnyside Safari™ Collection. Start the fun with Bright Starts!™

Features:

• TrueSpeed™ Technology maintains 6 speeds as baby grows
• Comfort Recline™ seat with 2 positions
• Whisper Quiet™ operation
• Easily folds for storage or travel
• 5 point harness
• Machine washable seat pad
• Non-slip feet

Sunnyside Safari™ Saucer
This is where babies go for serious fun. A Walmart exclusive, the 7-activity Bright Starts™ Sunnyside Safari™ Saucer offers entertainment options galore—and a lighthearted jungle theme with fun characters you'll adore.
The seat rotates a full 360° for endless interaction with the activity stations. Twin overhead toy arms provide even more entertainment options. And the three different height positions make this one saucer your baby won't soon outgrow. Four link loops mean still more toys can be attached. Part of the Sunnyside Safari™ Collection, this saucer will quickly become a family favorite. Start the fun with Bright Starts!™

Product Features:

• 3 adjustable height positions allows entertainer to grow with baby
• Seat rotates 360° for nonstop interaction with 7 activity stations
• 2 overhead toy bar arms with mirror, hanging toy and fabric crinkle leaves
• Hanging elephant toy
• Bendy giraffe teething stalk
• Bead chaser with easy to grip textured beads
• Lion popper with spiraling beads
• Rotating ladybug barrels with fun textures and beads
• Rocking toucan on leaf stalk
• 4 link loops for attaching more toys
• Lays flat for storage
• Built-in toy tray is easy to clean

Giveaway starts on May 7 at 12:01AM and ends May 28 at 11:59PM. Open to the US residents only; must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

Enter to win the Bright Starts Ultimate Baby Shower Giveaway including the Sunnyside Safari Collection on the rafflecopter form below.

Cherry blossoms take my breath away

When I went to D.C. over Easter, most of the cherry blossoms were past their peak. Like here in Western NY, they also had an early Spring warm-up. The average peak bloom date is April 4th and this year's date was March 20th. Since I was there the first week of April, I resigned myself to not seeing the thousands of blooming cherry trees. Well, we were walking from the Metro to the zoo in an endless parade of families with strollers, when I stopped and caught my breath. I immediately exited the parade and meandered about the grounds of the Marriott, taking pictures, while bbC patiently waited in his stroller and was rained on by cherry blossom petals. How very nice of the Marriott to invest in and share a beautiful landscape!

All good things must come to an, um, end. These type of seasonal displays are all ripped out and re-done with the next season's bedding plant. I wonder what they put in next? If I lived nearby, I would be tempted to ask them for the bulbs. On  the other hand, I don't care for the way tulips decline each year. That's why they make good bedding plants.

Green Your Mom Giveaway Hop and Two Mother's Day Gifts with Coconut Oil

 

Welcome to the Green Your Mom Giveaway Hop, hosted by Happy Mothering, Eco-Crazy Mom and Simple City Life. Each of the participating blogs has a prize package worth at least $20 that will help you Green Your Mom for Mother's Day. After you enter my giveaway, be sure to visit all of the other fabulous blogs listed below the Rafflecopter form. Thank you and good luck!

Win 1 quart of  Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil!

Tropical Traditions is America's source for coconut oil. Their Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil is hand crafted in small batches by family producers, and it is the highest quality coconut oil they offer. You can read more about how virgin coconut oil is different from other coconut oils on their website: What is Virgin Coconut Oil? You can also watch the video they produced about Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil:

Tropical Traditions also carries other varieties of affordable high quality coconut oil. Visit their website to check on current sales, to learn about the many uses of coconut oil, and to read about all the  advantages of buying coconut oil online. Since the FDA does not want us to discuss the health benefits of coconut oil on a page where it is being sold or given away, here is the best website to read about the health benefits of coconut oil.

Tropical Traditions is generously offering one Garden Me reader their very own 1 quart size Gold Label organic virgin coconut oil!  Your can read my product review here (its good stuff!). And just in case you are scratching you head over coconut oil for Mother's Day, I'll show you some lovely things you (or your mom!) can do with it: Cocoa Cherry Energy Bites and Tropical Brown Sugar Scrub.

Cocoa Cherry Energy Bites

Rich with dark chocolate flavor and tart from dried cherries, these bites are filled with healthy fats, omega-3 from the walnuts, antioxidants, and fiber. All that, and no added refined sugars! With the exception of the coconut oil and cocoa, I bought all the ingredients from the bulk section at our local natural food store, Green Hut. Next time I will replace the peanuts with almonds or macadamia nuts to bring out chocolate and cherry even more. Adding cinnamon would add some depth, too. So many yummy permutations!

• 2/3 cup walnuts
• 1/3 cup peanuts
• 2/3 cup dried cherries
• 1/3 cup date pieces
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 2 Tablespoons cocoa
• 1 Tablespoon virgin coconut oil

Combine all ingredients in a food processor until almost smooth. Form into a rectangle and cut into bite size pieces. Roll in dessicated, unsweetened coconut. Yield: 30 1-inch balls.

Tropical Brown Sugar Scrub

 Making your own sugar scrub is such a frugal and easy gift! My friend Janice made a heavenly one with lavender and rosemary essential oils--perfect for a relaxing foot scrub! But maybe you don't know what scents your recipient likes, or they are sensitive to strong scents like my mom is. This brown sugar scrub smells sweet with light coconut and a hint of citrus. It tastes so good I occasionally scrub my tongue face with it. The large crystals of the brown sugar are perfect for exfoliating feet and the coconut oil is soothing and nourishing. (Unsolicited advice: use a basin or a no-slip mat since all types of scrubs will make the bath slippery.)

• Fill a small jar with brown sugar
• Pour melted coconut oil over the sugar a little at a time, stirring to make a paste. I think this is a 2 cup jar and I used about 3 Tablespoons.
• Stir in 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice and 1 Tablespoon of lime juice. I used bottled from concentrate.

And you're done! I modified this recipe from HealthyGreenKitchen


To enter the giveaway,  just fill out the Rafflecopter form below (it may take a moment to load). The only mandatory entry is to sign up for the Tropical Traditions email, which will let you know what's on sale, give links to new recipes, and (my favorite) give a link to a list of ongoing giveaways of TT products.

This contest is open to US and Canadian residents age 18 and over. I will email the winner who will have 48 hours to respond or another will be drawn.