Why Are My Kids Telling Everyone That We Are NOW Gluten-Free Vegans? Oh, Right....Because We Are Almost One Week Into Eating GF-Vegan........

LONG STORY SHORT:   (and when does that ever happen?)

On the day of the Nordstrom's Rack Meltdown, my husband accompanied the kids to the American Girl Store at Tysons for the Valentine's Day Cookie Decorating Event (I don't get mad, I get even! *wink*wink).  He, did, however, get to spend time with the lovely LM (and I would have gone ONLY to spend time with LM, but I was seething....beyond mad.....seething) and she was telling him about The China Study and her decision to switch to a vegan eating style.

Husband was fascinated.  Two nights later when I was finally speaking to him and listening to him, he toldme about The China Study and LM's decision and we decided to give it a try......me more than him probably because I am the one who does all the grocery shopping and cooking.

I sprang into action.  A mere three nights later (I needed time to get up to speed, time to feel like I knew what I was doing, oh yes.....and time to understand exactly what vegan IS) we had our first (cooked by me) gluten-free vegan dinner.  Gluten-free because the ONLY cookbook I could find at Wegman's (that's right - still no trip to barnes and noble) was GF and V.......onward I went.

FTR, they loved the dinner -- it was delicious.  BIG THANK YOU to LM.  I am loving being in the kitchen again.  THIS change makes me have to pay attention and think and plan.

So, I am sharing here with you (my loyal reader:  Cousin Mimi (((hugs)))    b/c I think that mnot days, Mimi is the only one who reads my blog......and I haven't forgotten about the eel story, Mimi) 

THE BEST GLUTEN-FREE VEGAN SNACK RECIPE ON THE PLANET

Tried in my kitchen to quell the whining of 'there is nothing to eat in this house'...which was always heard in THIS house.......no matter HOW much there was to eat

And, no, THOSE are not what the recipe is for......the recipe is even better!!

CRISPY RICE TREATS...HEALTHY STYLE

These are amazing!  My husband LOVED them and he is the pickiest eater on the planet -- my kids are right in line behind him.  TRY THESE!

2 cups puffed rice

1/4 cup sesame seeds (optional)

1/4 cup chopped raw almonds

1/2 cup currants or raisins (optional)

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup vegan chococlate chips

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup macadamia or cashew butter (or other nut butter of your choice - we used cashew)

3/4 cup brown rice syrup (DO NOT SUBSTITUTE - USE BROWN RICE SYRUP)

Place the puffed rice, seeds, nuts, currants, cinnamon,and chocolate chips into a large bown and mix together.  In a smaller bowl, stir together the vanilla, brown rice syrup, and nut butter, then add this  mixtur to the puffed rice mixture.  You will need to stir this together really well so it will hold when you cut it into bars.

Lightly spray a 9-inch square pan with vegetable oil non stick spray and spoon the ingredients into the pan.  With wet hands, spread the mixture out so it fills the pan.  Refrigerate until well chilled.  You can cut into bars, or cut bars as you need them.

ENJOY!!!!!!!