Um, hi. Remember me? Cookies. I have cookies!

Hellooooooo! Daaaaaanaaaaaa! You still there?


Yep, I'm still here. In the break between this and my last post, life has gotten in the way. Summer break with the kids, a big derecho storm that knocked out power to our area so we hosted some people in our home (we didn't lose power), and some weird neck injury/pulled muscle have been keeping me busy. Oh, and my Etsy shop, yeah--super busy there too--which is AWESOME! 


Anyway, I'm managing to avoid the question that is probably on your mind. Am I still doing Rapid Fat Loss? Am I still on the diet? The short answer is no. I won't bore you with a list of excuses, other than to say that I did a much better job when I had time to focus on what I was eating, and food preparation, than I am doing now. School starts back in a few weeks, and I fully plan on being back on it with full gusto. In the meantime I've been eating a lot of crap here and there mixed in with some good things.  As hard as I try (which isn't really any), I'm attempting to make better LOW carb choices, rather than the more strict NO carb choices the diet lends.  I've put back on a few pounds of water weight, but I'm hanging steady. So, what is this post all about then?

Cookies!


Yep, cookies. I'm laughing at myself for you. Irony is not lost on me. However, they are low carb-ish cookies. I really wanted to make a big pan of chocolate chip cookies tonight, but in my restraint, I settled on a lower carb version of the oatmeal cookie.  And it's really good in a pinch!  I took straight to Pinterest to find the perfect recipe, and I landed it the first time. These cookies are super easy to make, taste completely authentic, and only require a few ingredients, most of which you will already have. I have taken this recipe from the blog Eating Well, Living Thin. Originally posted as a make-one-at-a-time recipe, the blog author, Linda, adapted a version that makes roughly 16 cookies.

Don't you love my henna? Friend and artist deluxe, Ashley (same one that made my blog banner), did this last night. She's awesome! Find her Facebook page HERE.

"Just One" Oatmeal Cookie: The whole batch

1/3 cup melted butter

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon baking powder

1 egg 

2/3 Splenda brown sugar, or a mix of splenda and brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

1 1/3 cup oatmeal, Old-fashioned or Quick (Quick holds together better)

Raisins, chocolate chips, chopped nuts – optional (I used about 2 tbsp mini chocolate chips)

Mix all ingredients.  Using a cookie baller scoop, form cookies and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350F for 8-10 minutes.  


Nutrition info per cookie: 69 Calories; 3 g Protein; 5 g Tot Fat; 3 g NET Carb; (2 g Fiber); 1 g Sugar; 41 mg Sodium

Like with all recipes, I usually figure out that I didn't actually follow the instructions once I start blogging about it. This time is no different. I left out half of the sugar! Even better, right!? These cookies are pretty crumbly, but soft and moist.  I'd say eat them warm, then crumble the leftovers to use as granola.  Undoubtedly, we are going to eat these up tonight, and I won't feel half as bad as I have when I've dogged down those few pieces of Cheesecake Factory cheesecake I've eaten lately. (I'm actually sick of cheesecake, and I had no idea that could happen!)  I hope you enjoy these. I hope to be back soon, but if I'm not, I'll see you towards the end of August!

Why You Should Rethink Biblical Gay Bashing. Religion and Politics Pt. 3

I've had a lot of blowback on Facebook lately, and while it is tiring, it is evidence that a lot of work needs to be done, and I'm on the right side of this fight. At least that is what has been confirmed to my spirit.  So this is going to be my last and final post on this topic for a while, and while I would LOVE to take credit for what I'm getting ready to post, I can't. While reading through several Mormon/LDS Affirmation and Marriage Equality blog posts and articles, I ran across this article about Affirmation marching in the San Francisco Pride Parade, and this gem was in the comment section.  Anyway, please read on to see some of the great Biblical points that many use to explain why (as I heard lately) "God doesn't agree with gays" and why those arguments contain fallacy and/or inconsistencies. 

Monya Baker

June 26, 2012 at 12:21 PM

Posted on behalf of Josh Behn:
One could also argue that God may indeed never change, but eons have been spent by imperfect men and women who have tried to interpret God’s will to match the lens through which they see the world.

What does scripture teach us? The Book of Mormon is silent on the topic, as is the D&C. Christ never spoke in any of the new testament writings about homosexuality nor same sex Individuals in loving relationship (though he did speak harshly on condemning your brother, and sat down to dinner with sinners).

The apostle Paul’s writings are about the closest we get, and biblical scholars tell us that it really wasn’t about homosexuality, but temple prostitution and gender roles within that society (Paul also spoke heavily against women having a voice in religion, as well as being subservient to their husbands).

The old testament of course has its own law of Moses prohibitions, but then again, Christ did fulfill that law and we can confidently throw out men lying with men along with eating shellfish, banishing women from the presence of men during menstruation, and putting to death disobedient children.

Finally we get to the section known as the Torah, to the story of Lot and Sodom and Gomorah, which really seems to fuel the fire. Hate to rain on the parade, but ask any seminary teacher and they will tell you the sin of sodom was in-hospitality to strangers (the ultimate offense in any tribal civilization). If a secondary sin could be identified it would be aggressive rape.

So, nowhere in scripture (spanning 4,000 years) do we actually have any prohibitions against men and women in same sex relationships. What we do have in scripture is plenty of stories of war, slavery, inhumanity and civilizations with very little in common with our own.

What is better than scriptural defense is personal revelation. And for thousands upon thousands, the personal answer received was that God loved them the way they are and they were to embrace and live the gifts they had been given. If we are to discount this, than we must also throw out the idea of personal revelation as a church. We must remove the Joseph Smith story and be done with it. Who would you feel comfortable in the day of judgement having disobeyed? Imperfect men or God in Heaven?

“To reach the heavens is sublime, but also on dear Earth is life wonderful and amazing; So let us remain mere mortals.”
Bro. W.A. Mozart

This is beautiful, eloquent, and far better than I could do. One last thing I want to leave with is a special song (from the Hunger Games soundtrack) by The Secret Sisters. Every time this shuffles through my playlist, all I can think of is this topic, and the beautiful future on the horizon. It's worth the 3 minute listen, I promise.

Over and out. :)