Healthy Chocolate Snack

I'm craving for my cousin Rachelle's Choco-Oatmeal Bars. She's out of the country right now enjoying the streets of Tokyo. She'll be back before the month ends and I cannot simply wait. 

So, I searched for the healthiest recipe I could ever find. Being 4 months pregnant makes you crave sweet and salty food all together and at times I do end up eating the bad stuff meaning chocolates and the ones that aren't supposed to make you healthy. 

This recipe calls for Whole Wheat Flour, Whole Grain Rolled Oats, Coconut Oil which I substituted with Canola Oil, Eggs, Raw Sugar, Rock Salt and 75-80% Dark Chocolate. 

With the simplest procedure --- just mix the dry ingredients all together and combine it with the wet ingredients and you're good to go. Bake in a 350 degree oven and cool slightly. Cut into bars and enjoy it with tea or coffee. If you're a breakfast person like me, it's good to crumble the bars and mix it with plain yogurt. :) 

Cheese Pimiento

Homemade Cheese Pimiento.

The very first time I’ve tried Cheese Pimiento was during my college days in Cebu. I would have it for snacks with very soft bread and coffee. But this particular one was just store-bought. The second time I’ve ever tried it was just last year, during our holidays in Manila. There was overflowing of gifts from friends of my in-laws and amongst all that belonged to the food category, there was the Cheese Pimiento.

I remember it was a Saturday afternoon. There was hot bread, particularly hot pandesal in the kitchen waiting to be ambushed. We all gathered in their lovely dining place and had a snack attack. There was leftover spam, which was steamed just because it would taste way better than the fried one and it was tasty, less oil and just yummy. I tried a bottle of Cheese Pimiento from what came to be a pretty neat packaging and smothered a teaspoonful into my hot bread and oh, a slice of spam too. The taste --- oh was just oh-so-yummy. I had another piece lest the spam and it was so good.

My homemade Rosemary Crackers.

What better way to pair up the delicious spread than to make yourself some homemade crackers. I am so happy with the outcome.  

The littlest of things.

My thoughts for today...

Teach them to appreciate the littlest of things. Everyday is a new day to learn and to explore. They won't remember Angry Birds so much when they've grown into human beings as they are but they will remember the fun, their first swing ride, the bloody knee after a fall,  how the fish food stinks when held in their tiny hands, the scratches from walking around wild flowers, how the dreadful clown looks like on a kiddie party, how the balloon pops scaring them to pieces, their first carousel ride, the stories you make up and how they love for you to repeat them over and over again,a doctor's visit and the afternoon well spent with people they call family. 

Take time to let them see what life is all about. They might not know it just yet, but you're trying to help them become better human beings. You are molding them to stand up on their feet when the going gets tough. 

Stop and smell the flowers.

Parenthood is not just about DNA. 

It's about LOVE.

My little sparkle.

A tiny bud you were, oh so little, oh so rare.

The gentlest being I've ever held, not a day goes by I thank the Lord for you are heaven sent.

You've become the brightest star amongst all.

Leaving Mama full and always in awe.

Now, you're slowly becoming your own human and I'm so proud of you.

Soon, there will be two of you and time will tell how exciting the test of time can be.

Little sparkle please don't let your magic run dry,

For you are my only hope, my living sunshine. 

You make the odd days seem better.

You are my invisible summer.

Never a dull moment with you, my little sparkle.