The Opportunity

As Autumn arrives our minds and taste buds turn to the crisp air, the smell of apples being made into sauce and pies, and of course dangerous comfort foods like chocolate.
Now some of you may not be a seasonal chocolate fan and others maybe chocolate purists. I'm hoping to help those who'd like to stay healthy and still not give up on their chocolate desserts or snacks as the case maybe...

I like chocolate, but prefer dark to all else. This recipe is out of a book called 'Trim and Healthy Mama'. They use a lot of stevia and truvia sweetener in their recipes. I have found that the truvia is best to use in this kind of recipe. It's also more forgiving in that it's about 1/2 tsp. to 1-1/2 tsp. of sugar. It doesn't have a bad flavor or after taste like most alternative sweeteners do. You have to watch how much you use or you will have a problem. If you've used stevia before and didn't like it I'd suggest trying out Nu-natural's stevia. It does have bad after taste if you use too much in a drink or recipe and is a bit difficult to work with at first. I use truvia all the time which is from the stevia plant and is better then xylitol which seems to give some people bad digestive problems.

~ Homemade Sugar & Dairy free Chocolate ~

1/4 c. Cocoa Powder (don't use dutch processed)
1/2 c. Coconut Oil
3-4 Tsp. Truvia (to taste)

1 ~ Melt Coconut Oil in small sauce pan on medium heat
2 ~ Whisk in Cocoa Powder
3 ~ Grind truvia in coffee grinder until powder then add to Cocoa mixture and remove from heat.
4 ~ Let cool for a few minuets.
5 ~ Use a jelly pan or cake pan cover with wax paper.
6 ~ Pour chocolate into pan and place in the freezer.
7 ~ Once hardened break up and put into a zip lock.

A Espresso variation - Grind up some coffee beans until powder and add to coconut oil in the saucepan. It takes about 1 to 1-1/2 Tablespoons.

Enjoy!!!

Dairy Free Chocolate Pudding

This pudding is one that would taste amazing with raspberry sauce and some chopped nuts on top.

It's really quick and easy to make and is dairy free, gluten free, and very in low sugar. This is from the website ~ The Nourishing Gourmet

~ Chocolate Pudding ~

1/3 c. Arrowroot Power or Cornstarch
1/3 c. Cocoa Powder
dash of salt
1/3-2/3 c. agave syrup, maple sugar, or honey to taste ( I use less when using agave. You can play around with using Truvia which requires a scant 1/4 c.)
4 c. Coconut Milk ( you can also use other dairy or dairy free milks that you like)
1 tsp. Vanilla extract

1 ~ In a large size sauce (2.5 - 3 qt) pan whisk together the arrowroot, cocoa powder, and salt. Make sure there is no lumps.

2 ~ Add 1 cup of milk and sweetener and mix until thoroughly mixed with no clumps.
Stir in the rest of the milk and heat on medium heat, stirring continuously. Heat until the mixture until it starts to thicken. Simmer for no longer than one minute.

3 ~ Take it off the heat and add in the vanilla. Pour into desired containers and refrigerate for at least a couple of hours to cool and set. after it is cooled cover with plastic wrap.

A Mocha variety - Replace 1 c. milk for strong coffee. Add about 1-2 Tablespoons of very finely ground coffee beans to the dry mixture.

Different Types of Investments

What is an investment? Well when you look in the 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language we see this, "The laying out of money in the purchase of some species of property, literally, the clothing of money with something."

But we also know that beyond the physical realm of investments there are also the spiritual investments. "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21.Then there is, I think, another investment, "Wise people store up knowledge, but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction." Proverbs 10:14. "A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, but the wealth of the sinners is stored up for the righteous." Proverbs 13:22. "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6. Do you see it? The third investment is in your children and their spiritual life.So let's review the three investments we can make...

1 ~ Investing in stocks, bonds, property, or other alternatives to hard cash.

2 ~ Investing all aspects of your life into Christ's eternal "trust fund".

3 ~ Investing your time, wisdom, knowledge, and God's Word into your children and your children's children.

So what made me think on the differing investments of life? Well, as I was working on reorganizing all my hope chest stuff, I realized that all my cookware and other home making necessities were really investments. They were things that would later save me and my future husband money, thus allowing us to use that money we saved for other expenses. In the same way, all the studies and research we do in our Bibles are another kind of investment. As we study and search the Scriptures God gives us wisdom, knowledge, and a deeper love for Him. Same goes for our children. The investment of all you've learned from God should be poured out on your children. Teaching them from the Scriptures and other godly books.That got me thinking. How could I better invest in my children, before I'm even married? Then I had, one way was getting books! But not just any genre. Rather good, godly books that would encourage my future children to grow in Christ. With some of the money I've made on yard work and selling flower bouquets this month I spent on some amazing books! At least I think they are are a wonderful additions to my library!