Say You're One of Them

Say You are One of Them is a compilation of short stories written by Uwem Akpan about the lives of the children of Africa. It gives glimpses into the lives of some of Africa's smallest people.

Now, I cannot tell a lie. I was hesitant to read this book for two reasons. First, I don't like real-life depressing stories. I know they are supposed to make you feel blessed and grateful, which I do feel to some extent, but I mainly feel guilty and helpless for living my "luxurious" life. Second, I'm not a big fan of short stories.

But, this book blew my mind and I couldn't stop talking about it for days! Although, these children go through such horrors, which I am very lucky to not have experienced and I would never wish on my worst enemy, their resilience and hope through it all is INSPIRING. Their ability to not only survive their situations but to go forth and live imbued in me a camaraderie of humanity. And thank God they were short stories otherwise, I may have come out depressed after reading. No wonder this book was one of Oprah's book club picks of 2009!

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH

I have to read many children's novels because ironically I tutor elementary students English. Recently, I had to re-read a childhood favorite of mine, Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls, and the story didn't affect me as much as when I had read it when I was younger. I attributed this to the fact that maybe I have grown older and thus my skin has grown thicker. In any case, I don't have much gung-ho when I have to read children's novels.

Robert C. O'Brien single-handedly changed my blase attitude with Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH! I adored this book especially the rats! So much so that I was getting upset that my tutor kid wasn't reading it fast enough! I had so much fun imagining! And as an advocate of animal rights, I feel the lives of animals must mimic this story somewhat. It was a wonderful read! Brilliant and refreshing! Maybe my heart is not as cold as I thought! =)

Brownies and Blondies

I found this great baking book for vegans! I just happened to browse through the cooking section at Barnes and Noble. To my delight, all the delicious sweets in this book are all vegan and allergen free! I found out that Erin Mckenna is the owner of the bakery Babycakes in NYC and this is her first cookbook. However, the big news is that she is looking to expand her business to California! I cannot wait for her bakery to come here so that I can try it out. Until then I must rely on the book and my humble baking skills. For Christmas, I made my bible study group and my tutor kids brownies and blondies respectively. (I am posting this late) The difference between them, in my opinion, is that blondies are brownies minus the cocoa powder. Needless to say, they all LOVED it and I know you will too. Not only are they yummy but consider them healthy too!

On a side note, I would just like to add that these brownies were the best I had ever seen. They were perfectly moist and fudgy even with the full 10 minutes cooking time. I had been searching for a good brownie recipe and this is it. The fact that it is vegan is just cherry on top!

brownies
makes 36

1 cup garbanzo-fava bean flour
1/4 cup potato starch
2 tablespoons arrowroot
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup coconut oil, plus more for the tins
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup hot water or coffee (I used water)
1 cup vegan chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 325 F. Lightly grease three 12-cup mini-muffins tins with oil.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, potato starch, arrowroot, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, and salt. Add the 1/2 cup oil, applesauce, vanilla, and hot water to the dry ingredients and stir until the batter is smooth. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the chocolate chips just until they are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
3. Using a melon baller, scoop the batter into each prepared mini-muffin cup. Bake the brownies on the center rack for 10 minutes, rotating the tray 180 degrees after 5 minutes. (For a fudgier cake, bake for only 8 minutes total.) The finished brownie will have a firm edge with a soft center, and a toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean.
4. Let the brownies stand int he pans for 10 minutes; they are best served warm. To maintain freshness, leave the brownies in the tins until ready to serve. Cover with plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.

The yummiest brownies ever! The blondies looked like these except white~

blondies
makes 36

1/2 cup garbanzo-fava bean flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup potato starch
1/4 cup arrowroot
1 1/4 cup evaporated cane juice
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup coconut oil, plus more for the tins
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup hot water
1 cup vegan chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 325 F. Lightly grease three 12-cup mini-muffin tins with oil.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, potato starch, arrowroot, evaporated cane juice, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, and salt. Add the 1/2 cup oil and the applesauce, canilla, and hot water and stir until the batter is smooth. Using a plastic spatula, gently fold in the chocolate chips just until they are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
3. Using a melon baller, scoop the batter into each prepared mini-muffin cup. Bake the blondies on the center rack for 9 minutes, rotating the tins 180 degrees after 5 minutes. The finished blondies will be golden brown and firm to the touch.
4. Let the blondies stand in the tins for 10 minutes. To maintain freshness, leave the blondies in the muffin tins until ready to serve. Cover with plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.

my littlest tutor kid, and my favorite of the bunch, who loved the blondies the most =)