Whole Grain Oatmeal Banana Bread
Finding healthy and delicious recipes for traditional favorites is a challenge but after I discovered Fran Costigan’s Vegan Chocolate cookbook, I realized that desserts we all grew up on – chocolate cake, brownies, and cookies – can be just as delicious without dairy, copious amounts of oil, or eggs. The trick is to search for recipes, use alternative ingredients and be fearless (you really do learn from mistakes in baking). Search, read, make, taste, adjust, and try again. Read more 
“Such Good Girls”
I knew I was Jewish, but I didn’t know I was Jewish.
There are hundreds if not thousands of books in print about the Holocaust, most of which cover the Nazi regime, concentration camps, survivors of the camps, and the political environment but there are very few books about the “hidden children” – the infants, toddlers, and school age children – who were hidden, often in plain sight of the Nazis during World War II, and survived.
These children grew up, often left Europe, and for the most part were silent because they were taught to stay quiet to avoid detection, didn’t know if they could trust their memories, and didn’t have the resources to process what had happened to them. And so, very little has been written about them because so little has been known, until recently. Read more
What A Woman Of A Certain Age Wonders About
Middle age comes upon us quickly. First, we’re teenagers on the cusp of adulthood and then we’re in our 20’s and can’t wait to be 30 so we have a bit of credibility. We slide into our 30’s full of confidence and life becomes so busy that we wonder how did we all of a sudden become 40?
50 is just a blink away which brings big changes: our kids are grown or almost grown and we’ve entered an age where many things don’t matter anymore (a friend of mine calls these years the “Fu#% you 50’s”) and some things matter more than ever (like comfort, patience, logic, and compassion). We also have time to think about issues more deeply, especially: Read more
Potomac Chocolate
The Washington, DC metropolitan area is a powerhouse of intrigue with politicians, lobbyists, judges, lawyers, and government offices but today the spotlight is on a chocolate maker in our nation’s capital. Ben Rasmussen owns and operates Potomac Chocolate: a real bean-to-bar chocolate maker who handcrafts truly incredible dark chocolate bars in a suburb (Woodbridge, Virginia) of Washington, D.C. Read more
Günter Grass and “What Must Be Said”
This past week, Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu on the invitation of US Representative, John Boehner, addressed the US Congress on nuclear weapons and specifically how dangerous Iran would be with these weapons of mass destruction. Few would dispute that point while others would go even further asserting that none of the countries in the Middle East should have nuclear weapons. But, no one has made this bold statement more eloquently than Günter Grass, the 87-year old Nobel Prize laureate, German writer (novelist, poet and playwright) and artist (illustrator, scepter, and graphic artist). Read more
NuttyPirateGranola Bars
The western coastal waters off central Florida are known for treasure hunting opportunities with long ago sunken ships waiting to be discovered but this area (Ellenton, Florida) is also the home of Nutty Pirate Snacks – the makers of NuttyPirateGranola Bars: all natural, gluten and lactose-free granola bars that come in a variety of flavors.
Made of wholesome ingredients including oats, tapioca flour, nuts, seeds, dried fruits, dark chocolate chips, and nuts blended with agave nectar and homemade brown sugar (organic sugar and molasses), NuttyPirateGranola Bars are flavorful, chewy, slightly crunchy, and delicious. Read more
Josh’s Firehouse Dog Treats
Dogs are the leaders of the planet. If you see two life forms, one of them’s making a poop, the other one’s carrying it for him, who would you assume is in charge? ~Jerry Seinfeld
As much as we like to think we’re in charge, most dog owners are totally gaga over their pups and go to great lengths to keep them happy and healthy. If Queen Elizabeth had an i-phone, bets on the cover photo would be on her corgis (the Queen is purported to prefer her dogs over her blood relatives). But, I digress. Read more
Bonbon Barnier
The words “Bonbon Barnier” seem to just flow out of my mouth when the discussion turns to lollipops (or what the French call sucettes). Maison Barnier is a 130 year old family company (established 1885) located in St. Etienne du Rouvray in the Normandy region of France, dedicated to creating quality confections using traditional ingredients and methods. Almond-shaped (large) with a short stick, the BonBon Barnier sucette was invented in 1922 and became very popular with children and remains so generations later.
“Elizabeth Costello”
I say what I mean. I am an old woman. I do not have the time any longer to say things I do not mean.
Elizabeth Costello is an elderly Australian writer who despite having written several novels is primarily known for a book she published decades ago about the wife of a principal character of another novel, Ulysses by James Joyce. Frustrated that her other works are often ignored, she chooses to speak on controversial issues, philosophers, and unrelated topics when asked to give a lecture, conduct a seminar, or interact with those in the literary world. Read more
Veeps, Veeps, and More Veeps
All you need to do is take one bite and you’ll realize you’re in Veep nirvana.
Meet Skipper and Sunny, the most delicious soft and chewy vegan peeps (hence, the reference to “Veeps“) available this Easter season. Forget those incandescent yellow peeps sold in every CVS and supermarket in America. Sweet & Sara’s version is different and irresistible because of one reason: the ingredients. Read more
Paddock Post 