Evening O’ Yummy Goodness

 

Q: How many bowls does one girl need?
A: As many as she wants!!!

I’m not sure I could have asked for a better night! Right now I’m sitting in bed watching The House of Flying Daggers (I forgot how much I love this movie! Absolutely beautiful! When’s the last time you saw a martial arts fight scene in a bamboo forest?) with a happy tummy. Tonight I tried my hand at beef stew and home-made healthier brownies, all from scratch. The beef stew came out great, though took longer than I would have wished . . . or at least my stomach would have wished. But good things come to those who wait and it will be even better tomorrow!

While the stew was a’ cooking I tried my hand at my first brownie recipe. Here’s the sitch: Brownies are unavoidable yummy. Unless your tongue doesn’t work or you have a chocolate problem, there’s no denying it. They’re yummy. They are also 300-something calories and uber rich so justifying them can sometimes become difficult . . . like justifying a tub of ben & jerry’s. With the health consciousness that has become more and more prevalent in society these days, especially in Oregon, there are all sorts of concoctions out there that suggest various alternative ingredients for some of the less health-enthusiastic ones. One of the most common ingredient substitutions is applesauce for butter. But alas, I often find the consistency changes and often is accompanied with a fruity taste which isn’t always desired. So, I was immediately intrigued that this recipe instead called for sweet potatoes and whole wheat flour. I’ve never given sweet potatoes a fair chance, mainly due to their easy confusion with yams, but I am now a convert! I changed the recipe just a scoach here and there and had to leave them in the oven just a bit longer, but oh my heaven. I don’t think I’ve tasted anything so divine in quite some time. I don’t even care that I took them out of the pan too early and so they broke apart a bit. They were still ta da for!

PS – I also found Bulgur tonight. I jumped for joy at actually finding this at the grocery store. It’s a grain that isn’t really used in standard american fare so finding it is a bit of a needle in a haystack. In fact, until today, I’ve never come across a recipe that called for it. Now I’m extra excited for my stuffed shells in April!

Hugs & Love!