Monthly Archives: November 2011

maple ice cream

Posted on by Hannah


I’m in college. I would be what you call a super-duper senior. Super meaning 5th year senior. Add a duber to that and you’ve got a 6th year senior. It’s a longgg story, so I’ll share the gist of it.

I was the typical college bound, career driven girl, so naturally I went off to college right after high school graduation. Fast forward two years and I’m convicted to live at home, so I declare my sophomore year the last year living on campus.

My Dad works for the school I attend, and as a result I have had the HUGE blessing of attending college for $0. After my sophomore year I commuted an hour and attended part-time. This went on and on until this September when my family and I moved to the town where my Dad works. No more long drives!

Now I live about 4 whopping minutes from campus! Because of this new arrangement I went ahead and plotted my remaining classes and *gulp* submitted a form to graduate. When I initially moved home I had no intentions of completing my degree. I just kept taking classes because I enjoyed learning from the pros about graphic design. However, after so many years of doing that I’ve gotten to a point where I am sooo close to graduating.

Do I “need” a degree in graphic design…uh no. Do I “need” any degree…uh no. However, I know that as long as my Dad works for the university and I still live at home I will continue taking classes. I make a point each semester to pray about continuing, and so far it’s a go until further notice. Some things happen that you have no idea why or how but you know God is going to use it for His good.

Have questions? Don’t assume, ask away! I would love to answer :)

Maple Ice Cream
4-5 c water
14-16 oz. coconut butter
1 1/2 c maple syrup
2 t Celtic Sea salt
1 c walnuts (soaked and dehydrated)

Blend all ingredients except walnuts. Freeze in ice cube trays and process in a food processor or press through a juicer. I recently bought an ice cream maker, so that works too! Just add in walnuts during processing.

[See here for tips and alternatives.]

Next week: orange chocolates sage crackers & cranberry spread.

acorn squash soup

Posted on by Hannah

I try not to complain. No one wants to be that person who’s always whining about everything. If something is genuinely wrong I put it in perspective with eternity and find peace in knowing that Jesus still stands and always will. However, I must be completely transparent, life is really tough right now. I’m going through the most challenging thing I’ve ever experienced and the outcome could be even worse. I don’t want to complain, but when do you share these things? When is it ok to be real even when it means you need help?

In this time I’ve had to battle discouragement and the temptation to celebrate in a seemingly endless pity party, but God still rules and knows what all of this is for. I was running into the grocery store last evening, struggling, when I noticed the young man collecting all the carts from the parking lot, seeming to be physically struggling. I immediately realized, that I was giving in to a lie. I was giving in to a lie that said it was okay to dwell on my hard situation when there is a lost and lonely world that needs conquering for Christ. Often times in a battle you don’t sleep, you don’t eat, but you keep moving. Even if your feet are numb from trudging through snow, or your mouth is cracked from days spent in the blazing desert, you keep moving. My entire life has felt like a race in slowly drying cement, and now it’s almost dry, but I HAVE to keep moving. Even if I have to chisel away a dry mass, I must keep moving.

I’m not on this planet for me. I’m not on this planet even to be happy. I’m here to glorify God. I’m here to fight, and I must keep moving.

Please pray for my family.

‎”God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” Numbers 23:19

Acorn Squash Soup
1 acorn squash (about 4 c shredded)
2 c water
2 c celery (chopped)
1 c walnuts (soaked and dehydrated)
1/2 a medium red onion
2 T coconut oil
3 t Celtic Sea salt
1 t dill
1/4 t curry
1/4 t black pepper

Remove seeds, peel, and shred acorn squash. Boil 3 c water. Remove from heat and add 3 c room temperature water. Place shredded acorn squash in water, cover pot, and let tenderize for about 20 minutes. Strain squash and blend with all ingredients until warm. Enjoy!

Next week: carrot ginger juice.

apple vinaigrette & blue cheese salad

Posted on by Hannah

Thankfulness. Thanksgiving is just around the corner. How is that possible?! I always heard about how fast time went when you got “older”. I guess this is it! I am thankful for it too. Life is precious and time is limited, so I am thankful for the time God has given me. I only hope to better manage that time in order to better serve Him.

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom,
teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you
do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” Colossians 3:16-17


Blue Cheese
2 1/2 c almonds (soaked)
1 T Celtic Sea salt
1 1/2 t probiotics

1 T blueberry juice
1 t spirulina

Apple Chips
lemon juice
cinnamon
Celtic Sea salt

Vinaigrette
1 c apple cider vinegar
1/2 c olive oil
1/4 c coconut butter
1/4 c raw honey
2 t Celtic Sea salt

Make the blue cheese first. As an exception to the soaking and dehydrating rule, this recipe must only use soaked almonds. Peel the skin off of the soaked almonds. This is not as hard as it sounds, and it’s kind of fun! Blend all of ingredients except for spirulina and blueberry juice. Pour blended ingredients into a cheese cloth lined strainer over a deep bowl. Twist cloth around cheese and squeeze out as much liquid as you can. Let set in a warm place overnight.

In a small bowl mix spirulina and blueberry juice. I just thaw a bag of frozen blueberries and pour out the liquid needed. Spread the cheese onto a Paraflexx sheet. Drop small amounts (approx. 1/8 t) of the spirulina and blueberry juice mixture onto the cheese and dehydrate until the Paraflexx peels off easily. Flip and continue dehydrating until dry on both sides. It doesn’t need to be crunchy/crispy, but just enough that it “crumbles”. This dehydrating will take hours, but overnight would be too long.

Make the apple chips next. Coat thin slices of apple in lemon juice, cinnamon, and salt. There aren’t any particular measurements for these. You just need enough lemon juice for the cinnamon and salt to stick to the apple. Then dehydrate until thoroughly dry. These can be dehydrated overnight, but they will dry in much less time and can me made the same day you plan to eat the salad.

Finally, make the dressing. Simply blend all ingredients.

Tear up romaine lettuce (or use your favorite salad green), toss with dressing, and top with blue cheese, apple chips, walnuts, and raisins. Enjoy!

Next week: acorn squash soup.

(This was only a short break in the simple recipes theme. The next four weeks will make up for this recipe’s complexity!)

warm buckwheat cereal

Posted on by Hannah

This recipe is so simple and delicious! I took the ingredients along on a recent trip, ate it everyday for several days, and never got tired of it. My body has just been craving whatever is in buckwheat! One of my first recipe posts was for oat porridge, but I have since discovered an even simpler and faster way to make creamed breakfast cereal. Also, as the weather continues to cool, this recipe can be made warm : )

With many simple recipes there are no rules about measurements. What I have listed are approximates, so feel free to adapt them to your taste.

Warm Buckwheat Cereal
1 c buckwheat groats (soaked and dehydrated)
1/2 c warm water (1/4 c boiled + 1/4 c room temperature)
pinch Celtic Sea salt
raw honey
coconut oil

Grind buckwheat groats into a flour. Mix in water. Top with coconut oil and raw honey. Done.

This simple combination is so satisfying that I have yet to experiment with anything else! I’m sure maple syrup, cinnamon, raisins, fresh fruit, raw cream, coconut milk, raw butter, and dates would all make for excellent additions to this yummm cereal.

Next week: apple vinaigrette & blue cheese salad.