Changing Times?

Can we all agree we hate the biannual time changes? “Losing” that hour each spring seems harder than “gaining” it back in the fall. In reality, all we are accomplishing is messing up everyone’s time schedules. It’s an arbitrary insult to all our systems. Even Mother Nature got thrown off her stride. Her regularly-scheduled Monday snowstorm arrived Sunday morning! My preference, if it counts for anything (and it doesn’t) would be to now and forever remain on daylight savings time year-round. I’m more than willing to have that hour be forever lost.

One seed and plant catalog has been perused. Last week a new one, from a company I hadn’t heard of, arrived in my mailbox. It must have been one of those rare sunny, non-windy days, and my resistance was down. Prairie Moon Nursery only offers native plants and grasses. I thumbed through their offerings. Then I looked outside at the deep snow still covering my yard and remembered I’m not up to gardening - yet. I also remembered how the Canadian poplars have their roots snaking throughout the yard and flowerbeds, doing their best to dominate all. Those roots are nearly impossible to dig through, and when nicked, send up shoots. So I’m finished with adding perennials to my yard.

I did get three of the bird feeders cleaned out last week. They’re refilled with fresh seed and back in place for the birds’ dining pleasure. There is a bully sparrow terrorizing the other birds. He thinks he’s king of the musty-seed-filled feeders but I’m not tripping through the snow to collect for their spring cleaning. Dennis witnessed that bully take down a cheeky rival, pinning him to the ground for a beaky pummeling. We’ve both seen a bird taking refuge from the wind in one of the nesting boxes. He kept peeking out to check the wind. It makes me glad I cleaned those out last fall. We’ve also seen high-flying flocks of geese returning. Spring will get here as well.

The next go-round of the Whole Life Challenge doesn’t begin until April 11, just in time to mess with the Easter feasts. The end of the last season didn’t see me fall off the bandwagon, it saw me leaping, back to sugar and wheat flour. I’m enjoying my whole-wheat bread, chocolates, and pizza. I am trying to keep those to a modest level.

However, at the Outpost Cafe in Opheim, where we regularly partake of the senior dinners (Tuesdays and Thursdays), it’s ingrained into them that I’m not having certain items. Last week the social was hot beef sandwiches. Even though I told both the cook and the server that I was fine with it (the server emphasized there was bread involved), my plate arrived without the slice of bread under the burger and gravy. You’ve got to love being known and cared for, don’t you?

I started that last paragraph as an explanation for why I allowed myself to make the extremely unhealthy treats I’m now sharing directions for. If you’ve jumped on the bandwagon of air fryer ownership, you can enjoy these mock “donuts”, made from those ready-made biscuits in the dairy section of your grocers. Pop the cardboard tube open and separate the biscuits. Use a donut cutter (or shot glass) to cut out the center. Spray the basket with no-stick spray, and “fry” the “donuts” at 360° for 5-6 minutes, spacing them so they don’t touch. The holes take 3-4 minutes. While still hot, brush with butter (if desired), then dip into a sugar/cinnamon mix. Or you can glaze them with a powdered sugar/milk concoction and dip into sprinkles.

Later today I plan to make the following recipe. (I may have shared this before, but didn’t see it in my notes.) Technically, it meets the food standards for my WLC playing level, which is the most lenient. I am to limit my consumption of this treat to “moderate”, which can be hard because these are so good. (Thank you, Tammy, for sharing this recipe on Facebook.)

Mock Twix Bars

Shortbread Base:

1 1/2 C almond flour

3 Tbl melted and cooled coconut oil

2 Tbl maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

Oven at 350°. Line 8” square pan with parchment. Mix ingredients with a fork until crumbly. Pat into pan. Bake 10 minutes. Cool 10 minutes.

Peanut butter layer:

2/3 C nut butter

1/3 C maple syrup

1/4 C coconut oil

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp sea salt

Mix all in a medium-sized pot. Cook over med-low heat until bubbly, about 2 minutes. Pour over cooled base. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

Chocolate layer:

3/4 C dark chocolate chips

1 Tbl coconut oil

Melt in microwave in 20-second increments. Pour over peanut butter layer, smoothing out with a spatula. Cool. Cut into 16 long bars, not squares. Cover and store in fridge. (Try to only consume one per day.)