Saturday nite date...

I wanted to ride...that bike has become my obsession. It used to be chocolate or candy or junk food but now I can't get enough of my bike...hehe...any ways...I rode five miles to the Chinese restaurant and hubby drove and met me. We dined on shrimp with hot pepper sauce and veggies and rice and then he drove back and I rode my bike back. He offered to stick the bike in the trunk so I could ride in the car home but NO WAY...I am a rider...I got on the bike and pedaled back...I am not losing weight but I sure am destressed after riding the bike. I kind of hum along when I ride and can't ever remember what I thought about, probably concentrating on not getting flattened by a fast moving vehicle, but it is the greatest passtime for me next to writing...riding and writing...writing and riding...am I eleven years old? LOL

HAPPY DAY EVERYONE!

I might take off one day and just keep going...

Okay, so that was attention getting...I took another 16 mile bike ride and I find that I enjoy it so much I don't want to stop...not a bad thing...but I do have to go home at some point...hehe

Yes, Flamenco Mom...get on a bike and ride...having written that, I do caution you...there are dangers out there, getting hit by a car, falling off the bike...well, you get the idea, so I don't want to be responsible for you putting yourself in harm's way. I wear a helmet always and a bright ORANGE jacket while riding...they certainly can't miss my shallwesay big old butt...but perhaps in time I will reduce that bubble...although even when I was much thinner I had junk in my trunk...

SO...any ways...two times out on the bike, 16 miles each time and three days with NO sugary foods...I sure feel at the top of my game when I avoid sugary things...of course I have NO problem not eating gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, yeast, anything acidic, but I was slipping back into my sugar obsession and thinking about it all day long...when can I have some more...more...more...so I KNOW I am more in control when I just don't eat it...

Oh...wow...what a feelin'...

Just wanna hug someone...hubby?

16 miles baby!

Probably the only one who will appreciate this sign is Lea...but I just had to photograph the moment...I rode my bike 16 miles today. Caneadea NY is halfway. I stopped there for an iced tea and a break from pedaling before riding back home. I saw lots of sticks on the shoulder of the road where I ride and a huge chunk of a tree on a roof that some folks with chainsaws were attending to, must have been from the storm the other night...I heard about five dogs barking at me, but no sign of them, so luckily they must have been tied up. Phew!

I did very well on my eating today...I was slipping back into too much sugar in my ingestion, but today I had very little. I sure do feel better when I eat less of it...

I am hooked on watching everything and anything about the election...I am a registered Democrat and will vote accordingly...BTW I loved the Saturday Night Live opener...SARAHOUSLY HILARYOUS! :)

Farm-style GF oatmeal cookies

I loved making the farm-style oatmeal cookies in my Betty Crocker Cookie cookbook, so I adapted the recipe so the whole family could enjoy them.

375 deg. oven

Mix the following well
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup shortening (I used palm oil shortening)
1/2 cup milk (I used rice milk)
1 tsp. vanilla

Add
4 cups oatmeal (I used Bob's Redmill certified GF)
1 3/4 cups flour (I used white rice flour)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. Xanthan gum
3/4 tsp. salt

Drop by 1 inch balls on an ungreased baking sheet. Flatten the balls and bake 8-10 min. and then remove immediately to a wire rack.

Okay...you got me on the use of sugar. I try not to ingest fructose but for cookies I give in...so sue me or thank me for this scrumptious adapted recipe...oh yeah...LOVE YA BETTY CROCKER!!!!!

I rode my bike 25 miles so far this week. One day 10 miles, another day 2, another 3, and another 10 mile trip...feelin' good!

Have a fun Friday and weekend...HUGS

Hamburger stew

I browned hamburger and then removed it and drained it and set it aside...then I added water to the pot and boiled cut up potatoes, carrots, onions, celery, zuccini, garlic, and one skinned and seeded tomato (from our garden)...I added salt and pepper and let it simmer until vegetables were soft and then added the meat and scooped out some yum...a squirt or two or three of hot sauce in your bowl gives it a nice kicked up flavor.

Cooler weather here...feels good. Late afternoon fires in the yard, the smell of autumn approaching and the sight of leaves turning to bright colors...my favorite time of the year.


ENJOY!

GF Mexican meatballs

Hubby saw a recipe in a magazine while we were passing the time in a waiting room and I jotted down the ingredients and tried to make it today...Mexican meatballs!

Mix together
12 oz. ground pork
one small ground zuccini
1/2 cup chopped corn chips
1/4 cups chopped onion
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp oregano
some powdered garlic
1 egg

Form into small meatballs and fry. I fried them and then baked them at 350 deg. for a while. I really can't remember how long, but I kept checking them. I served them with a side of grilled white corn tortillas, and a leftover rice, black bean, and green bean mixture that was also seasoned with oregano, cumin, and garlic.

The family enjoyed the dish. They put sour cream on their food and my son used a little salsa. I did nothing but dig in...delish dish!

GF Granola

So I made those oatmeal bars the other day and crumbled one up in a bowl, poured almond milk over it and ate it and it got me thinking about granola, so I made granola last night and this morning I had...drum roll...homemade GF granola.
I know most of you have probably already made your own granola but this was my first time...I know it won't be my last...yummy!

Googled (cooks.com) and adapted (of course)...

Put the following in a microwaveable bowl:

2 cups GF oatmeal
1 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup br. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix well. Cook in microwave for 6 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes. Cool. Store in an airtight container.

I watched both political conventions and I am a registered Democrat but I must say this is proving to be an interesting race. I look forward to the next two months. It will be anything but d-u-l-l.