Beans and Other Crazy Ingredients for Baking

It's a rainy Friday the 13th. We have a V-Day Banquet for the Hitched & Happy (don't laugh, this is really what its called) group at church. I have to stop and get a to-go order on my way there so that I won't drool on the person to my left as I gaze at the deep-fried goodness of EVERYTHING on their plate. And, so that I won't compromise my eating lifestyle. Honestly I don't crave it. But I need an alternative. Enter- beans.
I have a thorn in the flesh with my sweet tooth in my gums. So I have to get creative and reinvent the wheel. And you know that just kills me to do so. How I loathe creativity.....er...NOT!
Some of my most recent concoctions have included:

Silken Tofu Chocolate Pie with Butter-Nut or Peanut Butter Crust
Chocolate-Cherry, Lemon-Ginger, Blueberry-Cinnamon Bean Muffins
Egg "Crepes"
Frozen SF FF Yogurt with Pecans and Dark Chocolate Chunks
Bean-Oat Breakfast Cookies
Almond Soy Smoothie
Garbanzo Flour Griddle Cakes

My not-so successful concoction:
Tofu Fries. They would be much better if I had marinated them or something. But all-in-all they taste like soggy fried once you dip them in ranch or mustard. But who wants soggy fries? Not this chick.

I've been conbobulating a host of other recipes to try, but for some reason when I get home in the evenings, I don't feel much like getting so many dishes dirty.

I may get strange looks. I may be seen as one of those vain people who always think they're fat and need to be on a diet. I may even draw sympathy from carb-aholics. But I won't ever be blamed for not doing my part to keep healthy and to one day have a baby of our own.

And on to other news: Food Network has an Ultimate Recipe Showdown contest for average peeps to display their culinary expertise. The winner this round for (what else?) desserts has a great recipe for Baby Cakes. Cupcakes made with Baby Food. How cool is that? Now to just find out if they make low carb baby food. hmmm....

Once upon a time...

Once upon a time Sabrina had time to blog. That was pre- the-forty-mile-to-do-list at work. Excuses, excuses, I know. So here's a lunch break post to get back on the wagon. Warning: this may appear to be random, but don't be fooled. Its a very coherent string in my mind.

Last night at Soul's Harbor UPC we had our first Orientation class. Bro. Charles Williams is teaching it and the class is intended for those new to SH or those who just haven't found their niche of minstry yet. He taught on prayer and it was ever so powerful. Referencing the story of a minister in Florida, he told of how on a Tuesday morning in 2001 he was awakened around 2am with an urgent need to pray. I think he stayed on his knees in intercession until around 4am maybe and then headed off to work. As the morning wore on, he was bombarded with the news of that fateful day in September when it seemed all the world was burning and the WTC towers were crumbling. He fell down and wept with the lament of (in his own words, and later a sermon title) "a man who got up from a prayer meeting to quickly." Does that not send chills up your spine?
All is right with the world when you know God is at work. Oh, He's always working. But, its nice sometimes to know that you know He's working.
Josh and I were talking on the way home last night about sayings and thoughts that have made the most impact on us.
His character prod has been "To know you have the heart of a servant, look at how you act when you are treated like one."
One of the many I subscribe to "If you have to say you are, you probably aren't" Such as saying "I am ________" If you truly are, it will show. No explanation or label needed. I think that is the tragedy of the internet age. We spend a lot of time making sure the world "perceives" us as something that we never actually become anything. Or worse, we never find out who God would have us be. All because its not fashionable on a blog or myspace page.
Why in the world did I get on that subject?
Let's move on shall we?
Update on my diet this time around:
I've lost I have no idea how many pounds. I refuse to weigh myself. Instead my trusty measuring tape say's I'm down 2 1/2 inches in the hips and 1 1/2 inches in the waist. I feel great, I have not cheated even once, and my blood sugar seems to be normalized most of the time. I have not done as well this second round of South Beach as I did a year ago. Last January I lost 14lbs in two weeks. This time, four weeks into it, the extra bondage (er- I mean poundage) is coming off slowly. But that's a healthier way to shed anyway.
Update on the laser hair removal:
I've only had one round so far. Back in January. My next appt is Feb. 9th. The bad thing about being four weeks between treatments is that I can't wax or pluck at all. I have to either shave or just leave it alone. I opt for the latter since its my face. I won't call it painless, but it doesn't really hurt. It feels like someone slaps you with a rolled up towel. Quick, sharp, and leaves you red afterward. I jumped everytime she pressed the trigger. (I jump when a toaster pops up too, though) It also takes a couple of weeks for the treated hairs to fall out, so there is no instant gratification for the $100 a pop. I'm thinking long term. I can tell a bit of a difference already in the amount of hair that is not growing back.
Another hair removal tidbit that you probably don't care anything about.... I made Josh buy an epilator for me. I was probably a bit hasty and for the same amount of money could have gotten the brand with the most rave reviews, but I found this one and it works good enough to keep. I absolutely love that thing. It is like tweezers time 30! I can run it on my arms and legs and it pulls the hairs out instead of shaving them. Like waxing without all the mess. The only thing is, it takes forever!!! But I just love every minute of it. I looked up the other night and had not loaded the dishwasher or folded the clothes in the dryer because I had been sitting there epilating for 1 hr and 10 min! Please... I am not a sasquatch despite how this sounds. Its not that I have THAT much hair, its just that my hairs weren't long enough to easily grab and I had to work harder at it. Ok, enough of the graphic personal hygiene routine.
I have got to get back to work. I will not wait so long next time to post to prevent the jumble of information coming at ya.