Be still my soul

We pray for patience and a still soul in the midst of this waiting game called life. We feel strong and believe in our hearts that God has control.

Somehow, in the quiet, in the dark, Satan grabs ahold of our minds and uses that lingering ounce of human fear to leave us feeling weak.

When we recognize that we are weak, we pray again for peace and a still soul.....

I know there is beauty in the pain and that God is creating a masterpiece but there are days when it is tiring to be so tired and frustrating to seemingly have a weaker memory with each day.

To know your limits it one thing, to accept them is another.

I used to be the one to remember things for other people, be the extra hands in time of need but I can't remember if I took my medicine last night or this morning. I rely on a chart and phone alarms to be my brain. My words don't come as quickly nor as clearly. I stammer and use incorrect terms to find a match for my intend statement.

I don't often have the energy nor the willpower to get off the couch and actually study or clean or cook. When offered the opportunity to watch little people last minute at a game, I feel this deep pain and guilt for being so selfish as to even consider complaining.

People ask questions so we feel obligated to answer when in reality we wish it would just go away. So, you say you are ok but you cry in private.

We pretend to be strong because if we show weakness they might show pity and we don't want that because self pity is our #1 battle.

We don't want to be weak so we pretend to be strong. Pretend to be strong...for ourselves, for our families, for the general public.

What's the saddest part? When everyone draws near to be there for you but instead,  you wish you could hide and deal with it on your own. Just be healthy or alone.

To not have the questions from loved ones, not have the concern from practical strangers, not have the appointments, it's all a dream. Though the doctors say they think its minimal compared to the original observations, you still can't shake that gray cloud. It may blow away for a week or so but it's there and you know it will be back.

What do you say when your heart and mind feel more sick than your body? What doctor has the powers to heal those pains? The Great Physician.

Only I seem to be one of His worst patients and it appears that His prescription of complete daily surrender isn't such an easy pill to swallow.

It hurts to admit weakness when all your life you have tried to be other peoples' strength.

Just like any treatment though, it takes time and unlike in the earthly medical field, the eternal healing is truly guaranteed.

Just takes some time and a lot of humility. When you stop to evaluate reality, you realize you are blessed beyond compare and lucky compared to most people,  struggling in life. You dry your face and jump back in with your new strength.

So, when you ask me how I am and I say I am ok, I probably need a hug and a verse of encouragement because deep down inside, I'm weak and I need to be reminded that weakness isn't shameful nor is it a burden I must carry alone.

The devil is sneaky and even when we think we are strongest, he is closest...just waiting to declare spiritual warfare through our minds, then our hearts.
Depression and fear are Satan's cheap shots at a child of God. The battle had already been won, we have victory.

So what do we do? We surrender our lives, our comfort, our need for control over to God. Once we have done this, we wake up each day and again lay our burdens at His feet and remind ourselves of His promises and constant provisions.

Because we truly are blessed. I really am blessed. Even beyond the things I do know about my life, I am blessed.


Revelation 21:4-5 ESV

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.

And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”

Psalm 23:1-6 ESV

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 

He makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside still waters. 

He restores my soul.

He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Echo...echo...echo

Yesterday was my first echocardiogram (echo) and let me just say it is my favorite test so far. That month brought a few medical "firsts" but I have yet to experience something that hasn't brought me much joy in return.

As a little one I remember my parents teaching me about the body and medicine. With all of this awareness came curiosity and though I was never good about asking questions, I sought information out in different ways until I found enough to satisfy me for that time.

Around middle school I decided in my mind that I would come up with a pill containing all the elements necessary to life so we could all stop worrying about eating. Ha!

Being a pharmacist had a ring to it but I didn't like how people felt when they took most medicines. However, thanks to my dear mom I was knowledgable in the commercial and  pharmaceutical names of over the counter pain meds.

Advil is Ibuprofen, Tylenol is acetaminophen, ____is naproxen sodium and each had their use and each put a strain on a different organ. I don't remember all of what my mom taught me as it's been about 5 years since I willingly took pain medicines..... But I still love medical facts.

Anyway....back to the echo....

While at my initial visit with Dr. W, my new conventional doctor, he had me overview my health, specifically this past year. When he heard that I had gone over 2 weeks with strep without any antibiotics, he expressed his concern for my heart.

I had known that strep back in the day was known to cause permanent damage if left untreated but somehow thought I had mine under control.....that is until I admitted I didn't. Obviously I was both a bad doctor and headstrong patient.

He took a listen to my heart (which I later found out by the cardio tech to be a false way of identifying such a concern) and simply said "Sounds like we have a slight mitral valve prolapse but we will order an echocardiogram just to be sure."

A week later, I went in and the procedure was very simple. After changing into a hospital gown, the tech had me lay on my back. She started the ultrasound machine up and applied gel to my chest. I was instructed to lay on my left side to allow gravity to move my left lung away from my heart. She then used the ultrasound wand to identify my heart and various settings on the machine to narrow in on each valve.

I was warned before we began that the machine would be making noises throughout the procedure but I had no idea that those noises were actually going to be the blood flowing through each valve. There was a distinct sound for each one and I was so intrigued that the tech allowed me to turn my head and watch the monitor.

Not only did I get to hear each valve individually but I heard my heartbeat and saw each ventricle and valve as well!

She told me that the photo was not only backwards but also upside down due to the nature of the waves (a concept that is beyond my understanding) so I had to readjust my attempts to identify the parts of a heart. It was a lot of fun to quiz myself and she was so kind to play along with me!

Once she was finished taking the photos and sound clips, she had me lay on my back again and attempted to tuck the wand under my ribs to view my heart in that position but due to the enlargement of my spleen, she said she couldn't get a good view.

That was it! I was done and on my way home. Smiling really big because I got a sneak peak into my heart!

My first CT Experience

A couple weeks ago, I experienced my first Computed Tomography (CT) scan. Their focus was my abdomen from just below my shoulders to my hips. Since I had never had any kind of scan before outside of a knee X-ray, I did some research and made calls to the radiologist to verify safety and contrast ingredients.

I was told that based on the scan's focus, they have the patient drink a couple glasses of liquid with small amounts of iodine contrast mixed in. This contrast will work it's way through the body and during the scan a contrast IV with more iodine will further aid in blocking rays causing a bright spot to appear on the slides indicating an organ, abscess, tumor, lymph nodes, etc.

One of the main differences between a CT and a standard X-ray is that the table is centered in a doughnut shaped machine that rotates as your table is moved in the direction necessary to capture photos of your body in thin slices. When all the photos are taken, the radiologists and doctors are then able to see your body segment by segment to better evaluate and identify possible issues. Each organ, blood vessel, etc shows up in order of placement in your body.

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As you can see on the body, a slice photo is taken and to the right you are able to see organ placement.

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For you medical and non-medical fans alike, here is a standard CT scan photo of the abdomen with labeling.

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I was able to get in for the 9:30 am scan which I was happy for since they ask you to fast from food and water after midnight the day before your test and I was unbelievably hungry and thirst when I woke up. Due to the time necessary for your digestive track to process, we went in at 7:15 to begin the oral contrast. I was offered whole milk, cherry koolaid or water as my iodine carrier. Being a curious person I asked if it helps the test to choose either way and he told me that the whole milk's fat content helps the iodine stick to the GI lining for better identification. 

Since I am dairy intolerant, I opted out and with the sugar content and tendency for there to be dextrin or dextrose in drink mixes I was concerned about tapioca in the koolaid so water it was for me. Apparently I was the first person he knew to drink it with water so he warned me it might taste metallic and to just drink it quickly. 

If you've ever tried to strengthen your hair or nails by adding unflavored gelatin to your water, you know exactly how this tasted....all 32 ounces. Needless to say I will do whatever it takes in the name of health but he was correct and I chugged those down as fast as possible. So, we did one cup at 7:20 and one at 8:20 while being entertained by Meet the Robinsons and studying in the waiting area. Right when the show started over, they called me back and the tech talked through the process with me and gave me a pair of scrubs the size of Africa to change into. I'm just thankful it wasn't a high fashioned open back gown ;). 

He helped me get comfortable on the scanning table and prepped me for the IV contrast. He told me it'd help highlight the veins, arteries and blood vessels. After getting all connected, we began the scan. The machine wasn't silent but it was a modest volume. Unlike an MRI, I was out in the open with the table moving forward and backward a few times. We were done in a matter of about 20 minutes and once I got changed I was treated to a peek into my body! He told me they normally don't allow the patient to see the slides but since I'd shown medical interest and promised not to ask specific questions that he really wasn't allowed to answer, he'd let me look. It was so cool to see inside my body and use my Anatomy and Physiology course knowledge to identify the organs as they appeared. I even noted out loud that my left kidney was really low and slightly larger compared to be right to which he replied "you know I can't say anything but yes that is your left kidney". His face reaffirmed that I had noted correctly the misplacement and slightly larger size. 

As we were leaving, I asked when my doctor might get the results or when I could expect to hear back. They said it was normal for the radiologists to review and send off the results about 2-3 days after a scan unless they find something of concern. I didn't expect anything so my mom and I went to run errands and when I got home I decided to take a nap. About 10 minutes into laying down and falling asleep, the phone rang. Our phone will talk to us and read off caller ID and sure enough, it was my doctor. Mentally I just knew something was up but I let someone else answer it and finished my nap. We went to see the doctor a couple days later and he explained that the radiologists had found my spleen to be enlarged with a lesion and two spots on my liver. My kidneys, pancreas, gallbladder,stomach, and liver were otherwise fine except they were being pushed out of the way by my spleen. It clicked with me why my left kidney was larger and had shown up multiple slides before the other, it was being bullied! Ha! 

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This is NOT my scan results but this is a photo of an enlarged spleen.

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I'm glad I didn't allow radiation or iodine concerns to keep me from getting my CT. There is a time for conventional medicine and God used it to aid my doctors in identifying an issue. Dr. O reassured me that the iodine passes out of the body within 24-48 hours and as long as I guzzled water for the following two days, my kidneys wouldn't be stressed. I didn't feel any side effects but I do wish I had followed the water drinking order more religiously. Pros and Cons aside, I'm blessed to be in an era where medical technology is readily available when we need it.

Have you ever had a CT scan? How was your experience?

Trip Down Memory Lane with Gluten Free Tiramisu

As military brats, my sister and I were blessed with the opportunity to live and travel across the pond for half of our childhood years. First was England, cold and wet with sun maybe a a few weeks out of the year but memorable nonetheless. We were then stationed in Italy and boy does our family feel incredibly blessed to have experienced everything that beautiful country had to offer. Since we knew our time there was limited, we aimed to experience as much raw culture as possible. This meant "living on the economy" and spending four hours each month with our landlords, because paying rent was occasion for visiting (and spoiling the American girls with amazing European chocolates...shhhh). I can remember the fruit trees in our backyard, the fresh produce left on our kitchen window sill by GiGi, our landlord, hanging our laundry out to dry and being invited to harvest grapes. Everything was so warm, green, and alive! I'd often ride my bike not far from our house but somehow that short trip always seemed to transport me to another place all together. Trees on both sides of a narrow dirt road rose up to meet each other and created a shade canopy while honeysuckle and wild blackberry bushes lined the path. I would stop and have a feast, completely mesmerized by the thought of tasting honey from a flower.

Our church family was incredibly close knit and if you ask any of us kids, we probably will have a hard time remembering holidays and weekends not spent together. After every church service during the summer, it seemed, we all would walk over to the Gray Mall (affectionately called the Green Mall by us "kiddos" thanks to the green awnings). Within this modest strip mall stood an amazing gelateria. Just as fascinating, at the time, was the concrete jungle where all of us, under four feet, gathered to play tag, jump off the barrier walls and enjoy gelato that could never be compared to the attempts sold in America. When we weren't here, we could often be found in a coffee shop called Desiree where of course the traditional cappuccino, espresso, and cafe macchiato were served along with more gelato. However, my favorite memory from this little cafe, was my first taste of Tiramisu. My parents had tried it a few times before at restaurants in town but since it was often made with rum, my sister and I, being below the age of 10, hadn't the privilege. Once I got my hands on some that was alcohol free, boy was I in love. Ladyfingers soak up the coffee so well and bring a sponge quality to the dessert. Mascarpone, though bland and boring on it's own is paired with egg yolks to create a delicate mousse capable of cutting through the espresso infused ladyfingers and balancing the dish all together.

After moving back to the States, our family gave up hopes on good pizza, gelato, truly ripe and delicious fruit, along with many others treasures of Europe. Then came my discovery of being gluten intolerant (ding ding, dots connected) and out the window went those last dreams of my favorite memories being recreated. However, last year while working in my first bakery, my boss asked me why I drooled every day when I arranged and decorated the Tiramisu cakes and why I hadn't created my own gluten-free recipe yet. My stage was set and challenge named...it was time for me to enjoy a memory. As I was sure someone out in the world had also been entrapped by the spell of this European dessert, I Ggogled "Gluten free Ladyfingers". As for the rest, my brain remembered the authentic ingredients and I searched until I found was seemed like a good ratio. Hallelujah, my day was made and I set a date with my oven. After some minor alterations, here is the result:

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Gluten Free LadyFingers

8 eggs, separated

1 1/3 cup white sugar, separated

1 3/4 cup GF all purpose flour

1 tsp guar gum or xanthan gum

1 tsp baking powder 

Preheat oven to 425°F and prepare two baking sheets with silicon mats or parchment paper. Beat egg whites until you reach a soft peak. Slowly add 4 tablespoons of the sugar, continue to beat until glossy and stiff. In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks and remaining sugar. Sift flour and baking powder onto parchment paper. Fold half of the whites into the yolks. Fold in the flour mix and then the remaining whites. Transfer to a piping bag with a 1/2 inch round tip. Pipe no longer than 4 inches and bake for 10 minutes or until lightly tan. Allow to cool for 20 minutes on the sheets before attempting to remove. If them seem fragile still, allow to cool more. Make in advance to allow time to dry out just a little before using in cake.

Note: I piped mine too thick the first time and they in turn didn't soak up much coffee so try to keep them thinner. They will spread a little in the oven. 

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Tiramisu

2-2 1/2 cups espresso, room temperature

4 large eggs, separated

5 tsp sugar

16 oz mascarpone cheese, room temperature

Homemade gluten free ladyfingers

2 tbsp cocoa powder, optional garnish

Beat egg whites into stiff peaks, set aside. Beat egg yolk with sugar until creamy, add mascarpone and gently mix until smooth. Fold egg whites into cheese mix. In a deep bowl, pour espresso (add sugar if you wish) and dip ladyfingers until well saturated, then lay down as first layer of a 9x13in casserole dish. Pour half of the cheese mixture onto cookies and spread. Repeat with dipped cookies and remaining cheese. Refrigerate overnight. Right before serving dust the top with cocoa powder.

Note: Can be done in a round cake pan with acetate around the outside and parchment on the bottom. Freeze overnight. Once frozen, slowly try to pull cake out before completely thawed (might need to heat bottom of cake pan up with a candle lighter, handheld torch, or gas range....be careful not to burn yourself). Once cake is out, carefully peel off the acetate and allow to thaw completely before serving. Dust with cocoa.

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Outside of the cookies not being completely soaked due to their thickness, oh my was this a treat and trip down memory lane. For those who have tried Tiramisu before, you won't find much different outside of the density of the cookies but then again, they are gluten free. Not gluten free? Use the same recipes with regular flour or traditional ladyfingers without any other alterations.

Few things bring me more joy than Italy memories being revisited. Feel free to play with the recipe and share your discoveries!

Tirzah's Pumpkin Muffins

A friend shared this recipe with me after I voiced my love for fall and pumpkin flavored foods. Not only is it a delicious recipe but the ingredients provide nutrients not often found in pastries or desserts. *Check below for allergy friendly alterations :)

Tirzah's Pumpkin Muffins

15 oz pumpkin puree

1/2 cup maple syrup *

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup milk*

2 eggs*

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups whole wheat flour*

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ginger

1/4 tsp clove

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cup chocolate chips*

Preheat oven to 375­­°F. In a large mixing bowl, combine all wet ingredients, whisk well to incorporate. In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients, mix well. While mixing at a low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Once all the dry ingredients have been added, allow the batter to mix for a minute. Do not over mix. Add chocolate chips and stir in by hand. Divide into an oiled muffin pan and bake for 25 minutes. 

If you wish to bake in a loaf form, the temperature will stay the same but time will be increased. Set timer to 30 minutes and check every 5-10 minutes until a toothpick can be inserted into the middle and removed without batter residue. 

Note: If the end result is on the tough or rubbery side, this indicates that the batter was over mixed either in time or in speed. Lower your speed and shorten the time. Been there, done that ;).

 I have also made them multiple times using these replacements and all went well:

1/4 cup molasses+1/4 cup honey (or just 1/2 molasses) = 1/2 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup almond/rice/coconut milk = 1/2 cup dairy milk

2 tbs flax meal + 6 tbs water = 2 eggs

2 cups GF flour = 2 cups whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cup Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips (soy, nut, dairy, gluten free) = 1 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Dear Problem, God is Bigger

When I decided to start my food and nutrition blog , I never intended to create another "online journal" but as I thought about posts, deep inside I felt this overwhelming burden to share the details of my active struggles even to the point of pushing the boundaries of personal comfort. When other people in my life shared their testimonies through the trials, that is when I felt most encouraged. My heart didn't seek feel good, everything will be fine kinds of stories...I wanted to hear how God completely changed a person in ways only He is known for. This is my prayer for you also as you join me through my valley as God guides me to the mountain, that you may see Him in every step. When I am weak, He has promised to be strong :).

~Warning: Medical symptoms and body processes are discussed.~

(If these things bother you, please skip this post I promise it won't offend me ;). I aim to be as open as possible for anyone else struggling with similar medical issues. If this is you, I pray you find the same hope and encouragement in my honesty as I found in others' when I needed to know I wasn't alone.)

Here is a short intro and overview from my other blog. Below is a more detailed description of my struggles over the past year.

Around May of 2013, my headaches were getting out of control, I was tired of not being able to enjoy food or even digest it, and almost over night two of my toe nails started separating from the nail bed in the middle of the nail. Sadly, as a vain human being, the latter discovery encouraged me above all the others to find a natural minded doctor who could help me out. I drove an hour and a half each visit but I truly appreciated Dr. F. Not only was he helping me seek answers but as a nutrition and anatomy professor at his local college, he went above and beyond to help me in my studies as well. Through our discussions about my health, anatomy and physiology in general, and my attempted supplementation we concluded that my digestive system was struggling. Since this wasn't a new struggle, my body's immune system in turn was getting progressively weaker. He suggested a two week liver/gallbladder cleanse consisting of drinking a pea protein powder & amino acid shake and taking some cleansing herbs for breakfast and lunch then a very small, restricted meal for dinner. I began the cleanse the week after the Fourth of July....neither of us expected my body to respond as it did.

One week in, my skin turned slightly yellow, all my lymph nodes became swollen and my sinus cavities inflamed. Out of concern, I contacted Dr. F and he said to keep an eye on it but add lemon water to my routine to increase the flush of toxins. We both believed these were merely signs of a very toxic liver so we pressed on. My abdomen became swollen on the left side and during an office visit, he thought it might be an impaction due to the nature of the cleanse.

During the last bit of the cleanse, I got strep throat which lasted a total of 3 weeks so I caved and went to see a conventional doctor. Since I had his attention, I asked Dr. L about testing my thyroid due to my low energy levels, he agreed it'd be a good idea since my immediate family members have thyroid problems. While we were discussing, my abdominal enlargement was mentioned so he went ahead and tested my blood count as well. We found out that my white blood cell and platelet levels were on the low end but decided to wait a little bit and retest. Three weeks later, they had dropped a slights more and I was then referred to an Oncologist for a consult. He ordered another CBC (complete blood count) and with the results being the same as before, we concluded it'd be best for me to find another Oncologist after my move home in November.

By the end of August I was starting to feel somewhat human again. Swelling slowly went down and problems that arose during the cleanse seemed to disappear with time. (I don't believe the cleanse to have been harmful. My immune system just couldn't handle both the cleanse and outside viruses.)

A week into the cleanse, my eyes and cheeks look deformed due to lymph and sinus swelling

End of August, still not looking "normal" but I was pleased with this photo at the time

As my boss at the bakery could testify, I didn't really recover until mid October. My energy at work was horrible and my heart's desire to do the things I loved were bound by my body's need to rest.

Moving home in November, I was finally able to see a highly recommended local doctor who takes a natural approach to health and wellness. After consideration, I decided to give Dr. O a try in another attempt to find the source of my health problems. In January, I toted my large bag of supplements into his office hoping he could translate what my body was trying to tell me. Surprisingly, Dr. O said I was on the right track but that it was time to dig deeper and again ordered another CBC along with further chemistry levels, two sets of allergy tests, a bacteria gut test and a leaky gut test. We had no change in blood count but new insight into my levels of nutrition, some identified allergies, and a positive for leaky gut syndrome (gut permeability). He put me on a strong probiotic along with a herb mix meant to heal my gut, and discussed eating habits tailored to my needs.

While on a trip near the end of March, I began having sharp pains in my left side. Lasting 30 second to two minutes, these pains made it hard to walk. I just wanted to double over or crawl into the fetal position. It was during one of these "attacks" that I felt my left side and rediscovered that "mass" from my liver cleanse. Not only was it still there, but it felt larger. Once we got home, I brought it up to Dr. O's attention and he too felt it. We were two months into the gut healing process so he went ahead and ordered another CBC to see if we had found the source of my low blood counts and also ordered a CT scan to identify this lump in my abdomen. 

So here we are, on May 7th....my CT scan was yesterday morning and I got the results this afternoon. After my scan, I was told to expect 2-3 days before Dr. O got the results but not 6 hours after my scan, his office called to say I needed to come in as soon as possible. I had worried so much about getting a CT scan, the possible radiation, and what the results could possibly be. I worked myself up so much that I lost sight of the reality that God is in control, He always has been and He isn't going to leave me!

As of today, I know that my blood counts haven't changed but my spleen is enlarged and the "mass" I was feeling is actually my stomach and intestines being pushed out of the way. My diaphragm is subsequently higher on the left side due to the size of my spleen. There is a legion on my spleen and two spots on my liver, we don't know anything yet but it is possible they are cysts or growths, we are hoping a MRI will provide more insight. Dr. O has passed me on to my local conventional doctor, Dr. W, for further testing and care so things should move fairly quickly now. 

On a positive note and of great encouragement, I learned that my gut healing is progressing very well. Based on my blood chemistry, many of my levels went from low to normal and some even reaching into the optimal ranges. This brings me peace to know that my body's immune system and ability to absorb nutrients from diet alone continue to strengthen and will be able aid in whatever treatment is ahead. Based on current knowledge, best case is an infected spleen and small cysts on my liver, worst case being cancer.

To think all of this came to light thanks to a case of strep throat still amazes me. I've learned to be grateful for the small things and seemingly annoying parts of life. God brought me to Dr. F to identify gut issues, then allowed me to get strep so I could get in to see Dr. L who was able to order a CBC. God then blessed my family to be able to send me to Dr. O and through all of this I have grown just as much as a student.

Last week, I struggled like never before to come to terms with my need for God's strength as I walk in darkness. My family and close friends have shown such love and faith as they bring me before God in prayer and offer words of encouragement and hugs when I need them most. Finally, I truly realize this life isn't mine, I am not promised any more than the moment I am living in, the breath I am taking. All of my life I knew these things in my head and had a superficial application in my heart but it wasn't until I completely surrendered my life, my health, my future to God's will that His peace and strength took the place of fear and worry.

"Don't tell God how big your problem is. 

Tell your problem how big God is."

Come what may, my God is bigger.

Personal Blog

This last week has brought a lot of insight into my health and I've chosen to create a separate blog as a way to share my discoveries and talk about my road to recovery. If you are interested in following this part of my journey, you can find more information at joythroughthevalley.blogspot.com 

As for recipes and research, I had three wonderful recipes planned to share with step by step photos but there was a camera issue so I'm going to try and redo those before too long :). Hoping to get a post up about mystery baking ingredients within the next few weeks. Stay tuned!

Do you have any ingredients in your kitchen that you'd like to know more about? Send them my way, I'm always up for the challenge.