almond shortbread {fast friendly}

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“Today is the day of salvation and we must never put off prayer for another time. Every moment is the moment to turn to the Lord, to thank the Lord for all His innumerable benefits, to beseech aid from on high, to repent and ask forgiveness, and to ask His blessings. The most essential part of prayer is the inner turning of the heart to the Lord.”

Acquiring the Mind of Christ : Embracing the Vision of the Orthodox Church

These vegan almond shortbread cookies are so easy to make and taste delicious. Because there are no eggs the kiddos can eat all the dough they’d like!! These cookies are

“Orthodox Fast friendly”

“Paleo”

“Low carb“

“grain-free“

These are so easy to make – basically fool proof. The recipe doubles or triples very nicely. I let them cook till they are just a slight golden brown and not super soft to the touch. They will crumble a little easier than other cookies so that really ensures that they are set up nicely. Before you start gathering your ingredients go ahead and preheat your oven to 350F.

Vegan Almond Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Blanched almond flour
  • 2-1/2 tablespoons monkfruit sweetener (preferable), coconut sugar or regular sugar
  • 6 tablespoons melted coconut oil
  • 3 tablespoons arrowroot powder
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips :: I used Lilly sugar free semi-sweet chocolate chips. They are sweetened with Stevia

Preparation

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Using a large melon baller scoop cookie dough and form into a ball. Lay each cookie dough ball on parchment lined cookies sheet and flatten with a fork. Bake cookies in preheated oven about 15-17 minutes checking to make sure they do not over brown. Even if they are a little soft when you take them out they will firm up once they cool. Enjoy with a good book and a cup of coffee!

the feast of the fast

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the light of Christ illumines

Today is the first day of the Nativity Fast!!! ⠀

More than a time of withdrawing certain foods from our diet – it is a time of Vigil⠀

God doesn’t need our fasting but we do – amidst the hustle bustle advertising of the season – we do –  and this season is such an expectant joyous one but it can get lost and overshadowed – and so Christians keep the hidden quiet Vigil of the world  awaiting the birth of Christ.  A vigil evident outwardly on our plates – but more so than that – it is the inner prayer vigil of millions of souls awaiting the Birth of Christ .⠀

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The hidden candle of the heart – the Paschal flame of Hope and life in Christ. ⠀

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🕯 be blessed and be filled with grace • be givers, humble, grateful and thankful • for that is a feast in the midst of the Fast 🕯

Phanouropita {gluten-free}

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On August 27th we commemorated Saint Phanourious and it is customary in many parishes to bake a special cake to bring to Church for a blessing. Some traditions hold that we bake the Phanouropita and distribute it to the poor. Any time we ask his intercession and receive it is also an occasion to bake the bread and bring it for a blessing.

The name Phanrourios means “I reveal”. Through the centuries he has become an intercessor for lost and found things… and so some refer to him as the Saint of lost and found. So if the faithful ask for his intercession and their lost item appears, then it is custom to bake the sweet bread, bring it to Church for a blessing and distribute it to the poor.

Tradition holds that Saint Phanourios mother lived a terrible life and was not a Christian. When Saint Phanourios was martyred he also prayed for his mother. That it why, the faithful also pray for the mother of this beloved Saint… centuries after his repose and hers. And so we co-labor with this Saint in asking intercession for his mother, a woman whose name we do not know – “the mother of Phanourios”.

Several of us in this family have a gluten intolerance, and so I have begun the process of converting many of my traditional recipes, like this one, to a gluten free version. If you have a gluten sensitivity, then you know how bad you can feel after eating it. You also know how challenging it can be when you are in community settings and there is no option for you. Food forms community and social bonds – to break bread with one another binds us together. Having said that, I will say that my non-gluten endeavors do not apply to Prosphora – which I truly believe does not believe needs to be gluten free. The Eucharist is truly the Body and Blood of Christ. Alcoholics part-take without issue, and I have never heard of anyone partaking who has a gluten allergy that has an issue either…

So, here is the recipe….

Recipe for Phanouropita

WET INGREDIENTS

  1. 1 can coconut milk (not cream of coconut)
  2. 1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice)
  3. 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
  4. 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  5. 1/4 cup honey

DRY INGREDIENTS

  1. 2-1/2 cups almond flour (I prefer Bob’s Red Mill)
  2. 1 cup gluten free flour : I prefer King Arthur or Bob’s Red Mill
  3. 1 scant cup arrowroot flour (Bob’s Red Mill is a good brand)
  4. 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  5. 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
  6. 1/2 tsp salt (optional)
  7. 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  8. 1 teaspoon cloves
  9. zest of two oranges

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and lightly grease one standard 8-inch round cake pan, with butter or coconut oil and dust with gluten-free flour. Shake out excess and set aside.
  2. In a small bowl combine coconut milk and vinegar. Let set a few minutes. Then add applesauce and vanilla and honey. Whisk/stir to combine.
  3. Add dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine and get out any lumps. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until well incorporated and no large lumps remain. The batter should be thick but pourable. Add more almond flour if too wet or dairy-free milk if too thick.
  4. Pour batter into the prepared pan and place in the oven for approximately 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the edges and surface appear golden brown.
  5. Let cool 15 -20 minutes so the sides pull away from the pan. To remove, run a dull knive around the edges toloosen the cakes. Then place a plate or cooling rack on top and quickly invert.
  6. Let cool completely and dust with powdered sugar.

Additional reading about this beloved Saint may be found at the links below.

Homily by Father Josiah Trenham about Saint Phonorious and the Richman

The Life of Saint Phanrourios

Orthodox Church of America

Traditional Recipes for Phanouropita can be found in these links:

John Sanidopoulos

Saint Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church

Serious Eats

grilled broccolini and cauliflower

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A ‘word’ spoken from the heart of the hermit, as from the Holy Spirit, in the language of the desert, is considered revealed and authentic and the one who requests it, receives it as the fruit of Grace, without elaborating on it in his mind. This ‘word’ from the spiritual father is absolutely necessary for the one who asks. The ‘word’ comes from a soul which is the friend of God, wounded by the love of God, and is spoken in accordance with the measure of ‘thirst’ of the one who asks. As the Holy Mother of God, conceived the Word of God and gave birth to the Theanthropos Christ, becoming therefore the ‘joy of all creation’ in the same way, do the Fathers, because of their purity, conceive the word and transmit it to those who thirst for it, becoming for them their joy…

A Night in the Desert of the Holy Mountain : Metropolitan Of Nafpakos Hierotheos

Fasting for our family these days needs to be an effort in absolute simplicity. If I find I have a lot of time, I will make something that requires for time, but mostly I find myself making tapas style meals for dinner. Leftovers mixed with side dishes and meals prepared the same day. It’s how my German family eat. Dinner is a simple affair – because that is also the time of day when I am getting a little tired.

This Grilled Broccolini and Cauliflower has pine nuts that give it a little nuttiness and goes nicely with the caramelization on the veggies. It is a great side dish because you can grill it in the oven while you prepare the rest of the evening meal.

Grilled Broccolini and Cauliflower with Pine Nuts

Ingredients

  • 1 head cauliflower
  • 3 bunches of broccolini
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 clove of garlic minced
  • pinch of celtic sea salt
  • pinch of pepper
  • 4 tablespoons pine nuts

Preparation

  • Preheat oven to 350F
  • Wash and cut cauliflower into bite sized florets
  • Wash and cut off ends of broccolini (I cut them up and freeze them to use later in mashed potatoes)
  • Place olive oil, pepper, salt and minced garlic in a large mixing bowl and whisk together. Add cauliflower and broccolini to the large bowl and toss to coat evenly.
  • Place vegetables on a large cooking pan and place in preheated oven.
  • Place pine nuts evenly in a saute pan over low heat. Stir constantly until fragrant and a little toasted. Not more than 10 minutes.
  • Bake for 45 minutes or just until the edges get a little crispy and brown..
  • Remove cooked veggies from oven and place in serving dish.

Enjoy!


turn over the world to find it

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“Just as we regularly eat in order to maintain the body so the soul should constantly be filled with prayer. The one who prays feels divine blessedness and has the help of God. If we had something previous and we lost it we would turn over the whole world to find it. This is how we must pursue the name of God.”

the blessed Geeondissa Makrina

this fasting

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A clear rule handed down by the Fathers is this: stop eating while still hungry and do not continue until you are satisfied.

Saint John Cassian, Philokalia, Vol. 1 Faber & Faber, 1986, p.74

This fasting is in regard to food. Living in an age in which man much too easily lives for the sake of exterior effects, we can be fooled into thinking that fasting from food should be sufficient for spiritual growth. But in the holy Gospel, our Lord Jesus Christ says, “For from within, out of the heart of man, come….all these evil things,… and they defile a man.” (Mark 7:21-23) Here the Savior teaches us that most important is the purification from within of our heart and soul. Fasting of soul is the defeat of egotism, the renunciation sins and the abstention from passions. It is a a humble realization within ourselves emulating the example of Saint John the Baptist, the greatest man born frogwoman and the greatest faster. He says, He [Christ] must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30) In order to receive Christ in our hearts… we must work to destroy all that separates us from Him. We have the means close at hand to accomplish this”

  • repentance and sincere Confession, which are the hyssop which makes our souls whiter than snow (Psalm 50:7)
  • love of God and fellow creatures who are made in the image of God” this is the great commandment of God, making us like Him Who is true Love
  • charity, which covers a multitude of sins and changes the vanity of this world into eternal glory
  • spiritual hymns and pure prayer, which is the center from which all good deeds draw their power and strength
  • and above all, participation at Holy Liturgy and receiving of Holy Communion

When we join these efforts to bodily fasting, then our fast truly becomes a knitting together of ascetically effort in both body and soul. All these things we must accomplish with joy of heart as the Lord teaches us when He says: “but when you fast, anent your head and wash your face that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (Matthew 6:17-18)

“

“Life Transfigured”

A Journal of Orthodox Nuns, Volume 50 #3

lenten quinoa cakes

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lenten zucchini quinoa cake

seek Him with your whole heart (Jer 29:13)

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The Lord seeks a heart filled to overflowing with love for God and our neighbour; this is the throne on which He loves to sit and on which He appears in the fullness of His heavenly glory.  ‘Son, give Me thy heart,’ He says, ‘and all the rest I Myself will add to thee (Prov. 23:26; Matt. 6:33),’ for in the human heart the Kingdom of God can be contained.  The Lord commanded His disciples:  Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things (Mat. 6:32,33).

Saint Seraphim of Sarov

Lenten Quinoa Cakes with Zucchini and Hummus

This recipe is adapted from a family favorite at Le Pain Quotidien cafe.   The quinoa is a good source of protein during the fasting periods of the Liturgical year.   Combined with whole wheat bread and hummus and you have all the amino acids, which means it is also a complete protein, and that is important to your health.

These cakes are kind like a burger served over hummus and topped with fresh avocado

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 fresh raw zucchini grated (can be any color – we used green)
  • 1 small white onion, minced
  • 1 cup chickpeas, cooked and mashed coarsely (we use a potato masher)
  • 2 cups cooked quinoa (rinse your quinoa before cooking – quinoa can actually be bitter and rinsing it has the effect to remove that bitter quality)
  • 1 tablespoon each resh oregano and thyme
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 1/2 cup marinara sauce for garnish (we use Victoria brand from Costco)
  • fresh avocado for garnish
  • fresh hummus

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Mix all ingredients except hummus, marinara sauce, olive oil, and avocado in a bowl and mix to incorporate well.

Press the quinoa mixture into a loaf pan   Really press it together because you want it to adhere to itself, since we will slice it and sautee it in a pan to finish it off.

Place in oven and cook for 45 minutes.  It should be fragrant when it is done.

Once it is cooked you can either place in the refrigerator to use the next day or carefully slice pieces of the quinoa loaf and place on a heated seasoned cast iron skillet with olive oil.  Cook on both sides until brown.

Serve over hummus and top with a few spoons of marinara sauce and avocado.

Goes great with a fresh green salad!

Enjoy and may your fasting be blessed.

kitcheri

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Screen Shot 2017-11-16 at 2.58.07 PM

 

With prayer and fasting in the Lenten spring, the Christian clears the self’s soil of stony sin and makes rooms within for the birth within of the pierced heart and bleeding  flesh of Jesus.  “A new heart I will give you and a new spirit I will put within you and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26)  Our love and labor along with God’s grace can make even the poorest stony soil grow round red beets, sweet hearts of flesh.  Vigen Guroian – Inheriting Paradise : Meditations on Gardening

 

Healing foods : tonight I am making my family an Indian dish called  Kitchari  – pronounced kitch-r-ree.   It is fast friendly, and aside from that it is an alkalizing nutrient rich meal which is so easy to digest and brings balance to the body. It is very good for anyone suffering intestinal discomfort.  It is traditionally vegetarian, but one can use chicken or bone broth instead of vegetable broth.
KITCHARI

1 cup basmati rice – rinsed
1 cup mung bean dal (split yellow) 6 cups fresh organic spinach
1 tablespoon turmeric powder
1 tablespoon cumin seed
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 tablespoon Celtic sea salt or Himalayan pink salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
2 inch piece fresh peeled minced ginger
4-6 cups water, vegetable broth or homemade bone broth
3 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter) or coconut oil
1 can coconut milk

Preparation
Soak Mung Dal overnight.  This makes them easier to digest. .
Place ghee and seeds in large skillet over medium heat. Once seeds start to pop and are fragrant add remaining spices and ginger.
Add rice and beans stirring to coat. Do this quickly to avoid burning. .
Add liquid (bone broth, veggie stock and/or water)

Bring to a boil and lower heat. Co we with lid and cook for 45-60 minutes. .
Add spinach and coconut milk. .
Stir to wilt spinach. Add salt and stir. .
This recipe makes 4-6 servings.
The lentil and rice combination makes for a complete protein. It stabilizes blood sugar and helps the body detoxify. It is so easy to digest that it soothes the intestinal wall.

fast friendly paleo chocolate delight

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To no longer live exclusively for myself, but for God, also means that I now live for my neighbor, loving him as myself. + Elder Aemilianos of Simonopetra

 

My kids often want a sweet during Great Lent.  But I also try to keep sugar to a minimum.

Did you know that sugar is actually a toxin to the body,and  robs you of minerals (1 molecule of sugar takes over 50 molecules of magnesium to digest!).  But most relevant to us about sugar, with two in the house recovering from Chronic Lyme, is that sugar is an immune suppressant.  Not only does sugar  compete with vitamin C for valuable space within your white blood cells.  It has been shown that 1 tablespoon of sugar reduces immunity for hours after consumption.

We have modified our fasting for Great Lent – due to the Lyme and some threats from the doctor.   My doctor said that I am so aenimic due to one of the coinfections of the Lyme that she threatened me with IV iron.  (I have resorted to my least favorite food – liver – but just a few bites a day.  It’s all I can bear.  The iron pills were not raising my numbers sufficiently and despite the taste, I feel better after eating the liver.  Just more proof – and in no way strange – that God made always nourishes better than man made.)

Other than that we are mostly adhering to a very vegetarian Paleo diet.

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We tried this Super moist orange laden chocolate cake yesterday, which you can find at Strictly Delicious.  It is definitely “strictly delicious” and beyond yummy.   I have to share on their behalf.

Normally I cut back the sugar in every recipe but found it wasn’t necessary to reduce it one bit in this cake.

This dessert is fasting and family friendly.  We will be making it again!

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