Possibilities

Today, my oldest was thrilled to get an A on his art project.  He worked hard on it, and his teacher gave him a great eval which made him smile.   Those kind of moments make me both proud and happy.   He had to make up his own comic book character and describe it, and then draw the character.   But Clay decided he wanted to also do a comic, so he worked several hours above and beyond his regular schooling and over the weekend to do it.   And he had fun.  He never considered school fun before, at least not since we moved to Nevada.

Not bad for an 11 year old.  

But with Connections, it's less rigid.  The curriculum isn't less by any means, but when I see that he's getting stressed, we can take a break.  When he has a question, we talk about it.   We work through problems.   No more coming home with sheets of problems to work through and no instruction.  I can look up any lesson he's taking and know exactly what he's supposed to be learning.   There's learning coach guides to tell me what we can discuss and what he should know.  

Sometimes, with two, it gets hectic; both want/need help at the same time.  Sometimes the youngest decides to start talking about his lesson and it distracts his brother.   Sometimes I'll be asking Clay questions about his lesson and Ethan will answer.  

But they are learning.  With Connections, there's alot of writing, and note taking, and journals.   Something my oldest isn't keen on.   Writing.    For me, that's almost as natural as breathing.  I was telling stories before I could write, and writing them when I discovered the magic of putting words on paper.   But everyone starts somewhere.   And we'll get there.    The truth is, the most important part is learning.   So if he wants to make a science comic to help him remember what he's learning, that's cool with me.  

Sometimes, however, it feels like there's not enough hours in the day!   Today was hectic because I had to take the dog to the vet.   Our big, 150 lb. mastiff.   In addition to needing shots, she kept shaking her head and her ears looked dirty.  Turns out, she had an ear infection, so there was the additional ear flush and medication, and I left the vet $200 poorer.   She was oblivious to my financial pain, and was quite determined to meet the Daschund in the waiting room (who did not share her sentiments and, likely alarmed by her sheer mass, was growling a warning). We managed to get out of the office without her ripping my arm off in her attempts to meet another dog, and got home, had lunch, and then it was back to lessons.  

Since I'm busy helping them with school during the day, I try to think about what I want for supper the day before.   So tonight we had vegan jambalaya and it was amazing.   Yesterday, I'd made the seitan andouille sausage, and today was a simple matter of throwing it all in a pot and having some yummy Cajun vegan goodness.   It was amazing.   I believe I had seconds.   My children at every thing on their plate (unheard of in this house), and even hubby, an avowed Carnivore, ate it up, and had seconds.   And had second seconds later at 10 PM when he felt peckish.

Vegan Jambalaya with Spicy Andouille Seitan Sausage

I also tried out some new things.   I made vegan butter yesterday, which tastes amazing, and today I made some vegan mayonnaise.   The secret to making it blew my mind: Aquafaba, or, in the vegan world, the liquid left over from cooked beans.  It has the consistency of egg, and is thus used in recipes where egg is normally used.   So today, I tried it in a vegan mayo recipe and was astounded by how close it tasted like mayo.  Literally could not tell the difference.   Although the recipe I used called for chickpeas, I used liquid from some white beans, which was thick and goopy, just like real egg, and worked very well.  

Here is the recipe for the Vegan Mayonnaise I found.   

I also plan on making some lasagna tomorrow but needed some Vegan ricotta and most importantly, mozzarella cheese.   I found some melty, gooey goodness in this Melty Gooey Mozzarella Recipe, and it was approved by my 8 year old.  

So we were kinda busy tonight!   

Vegan Mayonnaise and Vegan butter.

It feels incredibly good to put food that I made myself on the table, and for that food to be delicious.  For a long time, I thought being Vegan meant missing out, but now that I've tried it, I'm finding that you don't have to compromise at all.  There's a little more work involved, but it's healthier, and certainly cheaper than buying the store bought version.   

Both the boys completed their 5 day vegan challenge easily, and Clay extended it to a 7 day challenge.   Ethan decided that he "can't live without milk", so declared he could be vegetarian, but not vegan, although he could eat vegan cheeses.  Clay has adapted  quite well.  He likes Rice milk best.   We shall see.  The whole point to this diet change is teaching kindness, and so if they only give up meat, that's a huge step.  And one made at a far younger age than I did.   And if they don't give up meat, well, this was a learning experience for them.   It will set a basis for thinking about what they eat in the future.  Life is about choices.  We must make our own choices.   If someone makes them for us, they are basically meaningless.  We need to know WHY we choose to do what we do.  If they choose to give up meat, I want it to be their decision.  I want them to understand and know why they choose to eat a plant based diet.  Not just that they were "forced" into it.  

I'm proud of both of them.   That is the best thing about parenting.  Pride in the wonderful human beings that you are raising and watching them grow and learn and mature.   Watching them make choices, and seeing how they view life.   Seeing how precious and unique and wonderful they both are.  

Parenting can be hard, sometimes, but it is an amazing journey.   I wouldn't trade it for anything.   Life is a classroom.  There's always something to learn, if we're open to learning.  We only have to be paying attention.   My kids have taught me more than anything I could have read in a book.   I  look forward to the new things we both learn each day on this journey called life.   Homeschooling is not something I ever in a million years saw myself doing, but here I am, and we are all thriving.  

Life is good.  Life is plentiful.   And the possibilities are endless.     

Creativity in the kitchen

So after my two boys announced they wanted to try a 5 day vegan challenge, it challenged ME to eat strictly vegan this week.  We have tried lots of new foods and have found a few favorites.  The boys liked the vegan cheese cake I made, and today I made a vegan Butter which was amazing.  It taste's better than anything store bought.   Seriously.  I decided to search vegan butter recipes after looking taking our cat Monkey to the vet (after shelling out $180 for diabetic cat food, insulin and office visit and shots), and reviewing this week's budget.  Instead of buying an expensive brand at the store, could I make my own?  I could.  And it was glorious.  

On that same note, I also tried some vegan sausage (Andouille).   The first batch was good, but wasn't as spicy as I liked, so I looked around online and found some regular recipes and changed it up a bit with spices from the non vegan recipes.    The next batch was much spicier version, and even my youngest approved and he normally hates sausage, but loves spicy food.    So today was a win!  And, as I had all the ingredients on hand, it was cheaper than buying pre-made vegan sausage.  the vital wheat gluten was the most expensive ingredient and that was just under #6 for a bag.   Two weeks ago, I didn't know what vital wheat gluten was!

So today's creation involved the original recipe:

vegan jambalaya with andouille sausage


And then, because I wanted more heat, I did some more searching and came up with Emeril's recipe for andouille sausage.

He had a signature spice mixture that he added, which I made:

Essence Seasoning

I added about 1/4 cup of this to my recipe, and since sage and thyme were in this seasoning, omitted it from the original recipe.  I also omitted the soy sauce, since I didn't want that soy taste.

I then borrowed from Emeril's andouille Sausage Recipe, and used

1 TBSP paprika
2 cloves elephant garlic
1/2 tsp. salt,
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. cumin

instead of the spices called for in original vegan recipe.  The recipe did call for file' powder, which I did not have on hand, so did not use.

The results was a vegan sausage that was tasty yet hugely spicy.   Just what we wanted.   I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.   I want to experiment with some "beef" flavored spices, but this is my first batch and I think it's pretty good.  

So tomorrow, we feast on Jambalaya.

I also made a cashew ricotta, which I have to test out in a vegan lasagna.   It's actually a vegetarian recipe, that I want to make vegan.   Zuchinni, red pepper lasagne.  I just have to make a vegan mozerella and vegan pesto, and I can try it out.  Once tested, will let you know the results.  Hopefully, good.   It sounds amazing.

Over the weekend, we tried some awesome Mozzarella cheese sticks from Vegan Richa's blog, and they were amazing.  They lasted about 5 minutes.   Everyone, even my totally meat eating hubby, loved these.

As for the meat eating hubby, he has been extremely supportive throughout my vegan transition, and has sportingly tried out all my recipes and has given his input on all recipes tried..

We have had fun trying out new things and have all tried things we never would have tried before had I not tried the vegan route.   It's all about new beginnings.  It's never too late to start something new.

Here's to new beginnings.  Here's to changing.  Here's to growing.   Here's to trying new things and being open to options.   Here's to kindness.   Here's to being open minded.   I am so proud of my husband and kids for being open to trying this with me, even though they all love meat, and dairy.  

We have had honest, non judgmental conversations.   It's not about making a person feel bad for liking meat, it's about raising awareness about other options.   I will love my family no matter what diet they choose.   I love them for being willing and open to try.   That is a bigger step than many will ever make.  That is family.  Working together, and supporting each other's choices, even when that choice isn't your own.

It is also slightly humbling.   They are watching me, especially my kids.   My choices, even the little ones, are important.  Because someone is always watching.   They will notice if I give in to the easy option.  They will also notice if I stay true to the course.   They will notice if I say something matters and then decide later it does not.   So it keeps me focused on what is important.  

Almost 2 months meat free and I feel great.   I have also been exercising, and can do things now that I couldn't do a month ago.   I am more fit.   I am more toned.   I feel good.  Life is good.   Sometimes, after a 12 hour shift at work, I feel tired.   I don't feel like cooking,  I am hungry.   But instead of stopping at a fast food place, I eat healthy now.  I feel healthier!  

When I first changed my diet, vegan wasn't even an option; I thought, "no way could I try that!".   But my friend Meagan went vegan, and I realized it was possible.   Having watched other friends overcome extreme obstacles and accomplish their goals, I realized this too, was possible.  Alot of things that we think aren't possible actually are.   We just have to change our mindset.  My friends have taught me that.  My husband has taught me that.  

So here's to determination, and courage and being open to possibilities.  Because possibilities are endless.  

One Week In...

Happy Friday, everyone!

We have been doing our online school for a week now, and I'm quite happy with how it has been going.   My oldest, who was getting F's and D's, is now passing his quizzes.   He got up at 6 am the past two days to start class early!   He is working ahead.  Both the boys are ahead, but the change in my oldest, from hating school to this eager interest, is astonishing.  

Today, my sixth grader learned to do internet research.   We did a little project, and talked about reliable sources.   We talked about "click bait", and why some sites weren't reputable, and signs that a site was probably not a reliable source.   It was an interesting and very relevant project.  

His job was to read two stories, choose which one he wanted to research, and then form a question and then research it.   One was a story about an old man who's family was impatient with him as he became old and clumsy, until they realized they were being hurtful;  the other was a story about a wolf pack.  

Clay's compassion was evident when he chose the story about the old man, and so his question was, are old people really treated like this?   So, we went to the internet and found some facts and figures about elder abuse.   We read that 4-6 % of elders in this country experience some form of elder abuse, which sounds like a small number, until it stated that was around 400,000 people.   So we were able to talk about that, and how these people could be helped.  

It was just a small lesson, but I watched him learn.  I watched him understand and not just learn how to research the internet and how to choose reliable sites, but I watched him form his own questions and think.   It's only been a week, and I'm loving this.  I'm loving being a part of his learning, much more than I was a part of before.

Ethan is also doing well.   He has enjoyed his classes, and we have fun little projects we can do to help him apply what he's learning.   In science, he learned about the scientific process.   So, instead of just reading about "hypothesis", he got to make his own hypothesis.

His hypothesis was that all big dogs drooled.   Then, he thought about it and decided that no, German Shepherds were big, but they didn't drool like Mastiffs.   So then we talked about Mastiffs and whether their mouth was the same or different than a German Shepherds.   And he realized that Mastiffs have droopy jowls.   So, he formed a new hypothesis.   That all dogs with droopy jowls drool.   So, because we couldn't go out and observe a bunch of dogs, we went to the internet again, and watched you tube videos of dogs.   And Ethan noticed that all the dogs with droopy jowls DID drool, so his observations supported his hypothesis.   A very simple hypothesis, but it helped him understand the process, and he had fun doing it.  

And the journey of watching them get it, is fun for me, and rewarding.

In addition to the regular classes they have "live lessons", which is a live stream video of their instructor teaching a lesson.   They are able to participate by typing in their answers and having discussions like a regular classroom. They both really enjoy the live lessons as well.  

The teachers are very involved and very available.   They answer calls and emails with any questions or concerns promptly and schedule regular calls to check on the student and see how he/she is doing.  When Ethan's teacher called on Wednesday, to see how he was liking his school, he was very enthusiastic and very talkative and kept calling her "dude".   I was amused, but had to gently remind him that he had to call his teacher Mrs. so and so and not "dude".  

But seeing him and his brother so enthusiastic and excited about learning is wonderful.  Ethan has always loved school, but his brother, not so much.  So watching him realize that learning is fun and interesting is beautiful.   Seeing him gain confidence every day tells me that yes, I did the right thing. It's like watching a butterfly emerge from its cocoon.

His favorite class and thing he is most excited about is art.   He loves to draw comics.  I am forever finding sheets of paper with his comics on them.   So we decided that since he is finishing lessons early, he can start an extra credit project of making his own comic book.  

Today, he drew this on the whiteboard, all though he pointed out he had just redrawn a comic he had seen done by a you tube blogger, who he assured me was famous (how could I not know?) and it wasn't his original comic.  But he has plenty of his own.  But this one amused me.

Apparently silver bullets don't kill vampire, but it does make them grouchy if they are shot.   Last year, he drew alot of comics during class, instead of doing work, so while he can't do that here, I think the comic book project after his regular work is completed (and done correctly) will encourage his talent.  

What I love about an online school is you can make it work to fit your family, instead of making your family work to fit the school.    If he's interested in something, we can find a way to make it a learning experience.   When we get to the point of having enough comics to publish, we can learn all about editing, printing, and even publishing, etc.  

I never thought that I'd be home schooling my kids.  I didn't have the experience or credentials to teach.   But this works for us because they HAVE teachers that have the credentials and experience and knowledge.   I'm the learning coach.  But I get to see them grow and learn and watch them discover.  I get to be a bigger part of that then I was before because I'm spending more time with them.  

As a full time working mom, more time with them is always valuable, so this is a win-win for me.  I work three 12 hour shifts, and my husband works with them, and the rest of the week, I'm home with them.  

No more mad scrambles in the morning to find lost homework or book bags or errant shoes.   No more trying to help them with homework while trying to make supper and clean up a kitchen after. Now, we get up and have breakfast and Clay starts right away while I gulp down coffee, and Ethan, who is not much of a morning person, starts a little later.  We are done in the afternoon, and I have plenty of time to make supper and no rushing out to pick any one up or waiting around.

It's more work, because I have to check lessons and make sure the work is done  and keep up with correspondence with teachers, etc., but it is less stressful!

It has been a busy, but lovely week.  I enjoy seeing my kids learn and become more self-assured, confident, autonomous, and develop independent thinking.  I love seeing the "aha" moments.   I enjoy watching them take initiative and start lessons on their own, and not have to be nagged or begged to do school work.

I love that they can be whoever they want to be.  I love the possibilities.   I love that they are in a program where each child is unique and it is recognized that there are different learning styles.   Where learning and creativity is celebrated, not discouraged.  Where teachers aren't discouraged from going "outside the curriculum" when they use every day events as teaching moments.   Where teachers aren't discouraged from letting a student work ahead, because "everyone needs to be at the same level".  

I love this quote by Steve Jobs.  It quite literally feels like our new family theme.

We may not be geniuses in this house, but we are definitely square pegs in the round holes, and we are rebels.   We aren't perfect,  we don't always follow the status quo... or all the rules.  People probably think we're crazy for doing this.   And maybe we are... crazy enough to believe that with endless possibilities in front of them, they can change the world.   And maybe, with that crazy belief that anything is possible, with alot of love, determination, hard work, and perseverance, they just will.    

Joy and wonder.

Joy and Wonder.  That's what I feel when I see my kids.   Today, Clay's enrollment finished, so we went through the student orientation.   He's going into middle school, and is excited about being able to do art this year.    Actually, both the boys will be able to have art class, which they both are happy about.   He is also pretty excited about the clubs this school has, one of them being a gaming and technology club.  He said to definitely sign him up for that.   For a child that really had zero interest in school, I'm pretty excited to see him start to look interested.  

Ethan is pretty excited.   His teacher called the house today, to see if we had any questions and to talk to Ethan a bit to find out a little bit about him.  I'm afraid she found out alot about him; he totally talked her ear off!  He took her on a guided tour of his school room, describing his Harry Potter decor, and the House Points (and the ways to win house points), the chore chart and how to free a house elf, and also told her all about Star Wars and proudly showed off his light saber, turning it on and holding it to the phone so she could hear the sounds.  He told her all about Kaos, and Monkey.  I had to tell him several times to let her talk, he was so animated and excited.   However, I think she may have gotten the impression that he likes his new school room.   Well, that he likes alot of things, actually.

There is this amazing feeling watching your child talk about his interests and see his animation and confidence and pure joy.   Childhood is so magical and innocent.   I feel blessed that I'll have a bigger part of that now.

I think this year will be fun.   I will be seeing a whole lot of that.  I will be watching them learn, and grow.    I think we'll ALL grow this year.   I hope every day will be full of joy.  And wonder.   Of new beginnings, and new discoveries.  

What a week!

So the week started out rather spectacularly, with me wondering if I'd hurt my back at work, because my lower back was really hurting.   And then, on Monday night, when I came home from work, I started having labor like pains.  Only problem is, I'm not pregnant.  The next night, I "gave birth" to a... kidney stone.   So, instead of being all crafty and making vegan cheeses, I've been kinda lazy.

But I did try falafel tonight.  It was an amazing gluten free recipe from Vegetarian Times.   I tried it and they were DELICIOUS!   The secret was soaking the chickpeas for 24 hours,   No breadcrumbs or egg needed to hold these babies together.   They were lush.   In fact, so lush, that if you have dried chick peas, throw a cup in a pot of water and in 24 hours, you'll be on your way to Nirvana.   Trust.

Chickpeas soaking

Throw chickpeas, leeks, parsley, cumin, pepper, garlic and salt in food processor and turn into a thick paste...

Scoop up tablespoon sized portions and form into balls...

Fry in oil... turn those suckers frequently, otherwise they'll stick to the pan.  Or, you could just use a non stick pan... 

Finished product.   I served them with a yogurt sauce, but you can serve them with mint sauce, tahini... etc.  Delish!

Anyway, if you want to try this recipe, which I highly recommend, it's the Vegetarian Times Traditional Falafel 

You're welcome.   

Cheese Louise!!!

Well, I found the Agar powder, and happily made my pepperjack vegan "cheese".   It looked amazing, just like in the recipe; but unfortunately, it was not very good.  My 8 year old sampled it and did not approve.   My 11 year old sampled it and also did not approve.   My husband refused to try it. The dog liked it.  The dog also likes eating poop.   So she may not be the best judge of food.

So, I'll try some more recipes.   It tasted heavily of nutritional yeast, and I had already put in less than the recipe called for.   I think with less it would taste better.   I think most people will tell me that the problem lies with the fact that it is NOT CHEESE!!  When and if I find something good, I'll post a recipe.

I have found alot of good vegetarian and vegan recipes, however.   I made some meatless "meatballs" today, that everyone loves.   The secret is, they're made with *gasp* -- mushrooms -- and the boys hate mushrooms.   But they love these meatballs.

Chef John's Meatless Meatballs

I'm not saying a word.   Shhhhh.   They're soooo good!   They are a little time consuming.   The "meatball" mixture should sit overnight in the fridge for the best flavor, so we're having them tomorrow.

We are having monsoon weather here in Nevada, and right now, some flash flooding.   So, I'm pretty content to just stay at home and try out recipes.   I have laundry, but since it's raining, and I can't hang it out, I'll either have to hang it inside and make a temporary tent city, or ignore it.   I'll probably ignore it and cook; there are some recipes I want to try tomorrow.  

That's all for tonight.  

Teaching moments

So, with me choosing to be vegetarian, I get asked alot of questions about why I am doing this.   Or how I can "force it on my family".   I wouldn't be making food I didn't 100% believe was healthy for them, and they still eat meat.   I'm not going to force it on them.  However, if they ask me, "why do you want to be a vegetarian," I'll tell them.   In addition to health issues, it also definitely became a compassion for animals issue.  

My dog is an animal.   But she definitely is capable of feeling love and is deeply loyal, and feels emotions.   Anyone who has a dog knows what I'm talking about.   I could never kill my dog and eat her or sell her for meat.   So then, I had to ask myself, what's the difference?   I grew up in a farming community.   I grew up around farm animals.   I grew up around people who raised animals responsibly and were not cruel or neglectful.   So my choosing vegetarian is NOT saying people who eat meat are evil or terrible people.   Most of my friends  are farmers, many are hunters, at least 90% are definitely meat eaters.   So alot of them are asking why?   Like in, am I crazy?      So for those who are wondering, this is why.  

I grew up watching my friends raise calves or pigs for 4-H.   They  loved those animals.  They got up early and stayed up late, training, feeding, bathing, and caring for their animals since birth.   Those animals showed affection, and trust.   I remember one friend refusing to eat beef after she had to sell her calf at the auction.   So it got me thinking about it.   I mean, they were pets.   And it's hard on kids when they have to sell them.  But you get told that's just the way it is.   I mean, you NEED meat to be healthy, right?   We need meat to survive, right?  That's what we've all been told, all our lives.    I initially told myself to stop being such a softy because that was life and I liked a burger just as much as the next guy, so I really couldn't feel bad about it.

But so many people are vegetarian and vegan and we now know you don't have to eat meat.  Or any animal products, for that matter.     So, I thought about this alot.   I've watched videos of what happens to chickens, and pigs and cows in these slaughter houses.  I've watched videos of male baby chicks be thrown live into crushing machines, just because they are male and won't produce eggs.   Mass meat production farms where animals are packed into very tight spaces for all their short, miserable lives.  And they're very, very hard to stomach.   It's hard to stomach realizing this was what animals went through just so I could have a juicy burger, or some friend chicken.   Seeing what happens to baby chicks is why I'm considering going Vegan. Right now I get free range eggs.   Right now, the big compromise in our family is, at least we can eggs and dairy, so we'll try this.  But this works for us.   Compromise and working together as a family.  However, I have been exploring alot of Vegan options and many are great, and tasty.    It's a big process for this whole family.   We're learning as we go.

Instead of having my 8 and 11 year old son's watch the videos, which are pretty traumatizing,   We talked about how animals are capable of loving, and I talked to them about Kaos.   My kids were pretty upset about the thought of someone eating Kaos.   Because she loves us and we lover her, right?  So I just asked them, what if Kaos was a calf or a pig?   I talked to them about how kids raise their calves and pigs and are sad when they have to sell them.   My 11 year old wanted to know why they didn't just refuse to sell them, or hide them.   Because it isn't seen as an option.   I mean, you can't keep an 800 steer hidden in your bedroom.   But it made him think.    He didn't like the thought of raising an animal as a pet and then having to sell it for food at all.   Again, I grew up in a farming community.   Raising an animal and learning to care for it helps a child learn responsibility.   They learn to care for something other than themselves.   They aren't doing it to be cruel or inhumane.   But I always thought it was sad that the animal they loved had to be sold for meat.   So for me, personally, the logical question then became, why?  

My question became, if an animal is capable of showing affection and trust and happiness, then would they would also feel sadness and despair, just like us?   Animals do show signs of depression and sadness when they suffer loss.   We know this.   Not just dogs and cats, but other animals.   So then I had to ask myself, why am I okay with other animals being treated this way, if I think killing dogs and cats for food is inhumane?

But I want to give my kids that option.   So, no.  I'm not forcing them to do anything.   But I am trying to teach them awareness, and compassion and to make healthy choices.  

When Your Dog Weighs More than You Do..

So Kaos entered our lives a little over a year ago, and she is a big, slobbering, joyful, crazy girl.   And we love her.   Even when she shakes her head and sends drool flying everywhere, or covers us in slobber.  Or waits until I have company and horks on the floor.   She's like a huge, adorable, lovable but messy toddler.  She has grown tremendously this year, and is still growing.

Staying cool.  

Hanging out in her favorite place, the kitchen.   She loves veggie scraps when I'm cooking.   Which are good for her, so it's a win.  

This one is my favorite.   After her walk, she wanted to hang out with my youngest.  Best buds.

Learning curve

Well, school starts on the 14th, and the computer came yesterday, so we set that up, and today I watched the Learning Success series for Connections Parents, AKA Learning Coaches.   I feel that I may be slightly insane for doing this, but I've been reviewing the curriculum and it is awesome.   So I keep telling myself it might be a little crazy at first, but I got this.   I want to see my children thrive, and learn and grow.   So when I feel overwhelmed, I remind myself why we wanted to do this in the first place.

The vegetarian thing is going well.  I've been finding lots of blogs and recipe sites.  I have been reading  some vegan blogs and decided to make vegan cheese.   But I didn't look at the recipe close enough and discovered I needed agar powder.   I also discovered I didn't know what that is.  So apparently, it's a substitute for gelatin.  I can't wait to buy it and see how it works.

I'm hoping it tastes better than the terrible "no cheese sauce" I made last weekend.  I followed the recipe exactly, but it was nothing like cheese.  At. All.  In fact, Ethan described the taste was like "a cow farting directly into my mouth".   I'm not sure how he would know what that tasted like, but he has a pretty active imagination.   And it was a pretty accurate description.   So, I'll never make that recipe again, and try something new.   I also found a recipe for Queso dip, which I LOVE, so if i can find a good vegan queso dip, I'll be pretty happy.

Yesterday, we made avocado brownies, and they were pretty good.   We also tried some avocado ice cream, which was not such a hit.   Ethan couldn't make up his mind on whether he liked it or not.   It had an interesting flavor.   It tasted good, but it was very unusual.

Four avocado desserts. You won't believe how good they are!

Last night's supper, sweet potato and red lentil stew wasn't a hit with the boys.   I guess red lentils are a no. They did like tonight's pizza, although they did pick off the veggies.  *sigh*

That's all for today's adventurous cooking.  I'll try to post about how the cheese making goes.