Grain-free biscuit...dinner roll...things

I'm not sure what to call these. They're not flaky enough to be biscuits, but they're not soft and mounded enough to be rolls. They make excellent breakfast sandwiches, though, so I guess I'll call them biscuits.

Grain Free Biscuits

Makes about 6-7 biscuits--adapted from The Preppy Paleo

3/4 c. arrowroot flour (tapioca should work too)

1/4 c. ground flax seed

6 T. coconut flour

2 t. baking powder

1 t. salt

1/2 c. water

1/2 c. olive oil

1 egg

1 t. apple cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix together dry ingredients. Stir in wet ingredients. Let the batter sit for a while so the coconut flour can soak up some of the liquid. After a few minutes, scoop out the batter in quarter cup amounts and plop onto parchment paper. Bake for 35 minutes and let cool completely before storing in an air tight container.

Links: A whole lot of randomness so I can't think of a title

What food additives look like before they end up in food.

My chemistry class is the best. We start class with music, our teacher (who is also a pastor) preaches us devil sermons, and to celebrate Mole Day Eve we watched Jurassic Cookie in class. (I promise we discuss chemistry as well)

Swedish sheep and Swedish chickens and Swedish countryside and Swedish children. You're welcome.

And of course, grain-free (but nonetheless delicious) things I want to make during Thanksgiving break: chocolate pecan pie, pumpkin roll, pumpkin-apple pie, apple pie, pumpkin panna cotta tart, scalloped sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, mashed cauliflower, and who knows what else!

Taking Stock, Vol. VI

Making: cute labels for our kombucha bottles.
Cooking: lots of chicken stock. We typically roast two chickens at a time, once a week, and make two batches of stock out of the carcasses. 
Drinking: coconut water (BB's score).
Reading: Captain Blood, by Rafael Sabatini.
Wanting: ~
Looking: at Bauman College. I'm very interested in studying holistic nutrition, but not a fan of the new age-y stuff that can come along with it. The Natural Chef and Nutrition Consultant programs look promising, and I haven't found anything suspicious while snooping around their website. Two of their locations are in hippie-central, but they also have a long distance learning option. I've got two years left, but I like to plan. :)
Playing: pop music! I never listen to pop, but I took some of The Art in Life's recommendations (like "Fight Song"), added some of my own ideas (like "Rolling in the Deep" and some Hillsong United), and listened to them while running. Much more fun.
Wasting: time while drooling over recipes. At least I wasn't supposed to be doing anything important (and recipes are important! they inspire, they motivate, they...I'm running out of excuses).
Sewing: ~
Wishing: ~
Enjoying: The Nourishing Buzz podcast. The ladies are fun, the topics are interesting, and they give simple and doable tips. 
Waiting: ~
Liking: Forever 21, Gap, and Loft's petites and X(X)S.
Wondering: if our trees will get toilet papered tomorrow night. The local TP-gang hasn't been particularly active in the past couple years. Maybe they're all in college.
Loving: the trees. This year especially, I'm grateful we live in the country, with hills and hills of beautiful color.
Hoping: for snow. I've said it before, and I'll probably say it again. Not immediately, of course, but anytime after December 1st.
Marveling: ~
Needing: to clean out the chicken coop. humph.
Smelling: nothing. I don't think I notice that sort of thing (plus my nose has been kinda stuffy). 
Wearing: my pajamas until lunch time. Too comfortable and too lazy.
Following: Downshiftology and Honestly Nourished.
Noticing: how much Spanish I actually know when I try to have a conversation.
Knowing: I was much more relaxed with school this week. I tried not to make too many plans and overload my brain, but just got one thing done and moved on to the next, as cheerfully as I could.
Thinking: about all the things I want to make for Thanksgiving dinner.
Feeling: glad I don't have any actual allergies, so I can have something with grains or dairy if I want, and not need a trip to the ER (pecan tart? Don't mind if I do).
Bookmarking: ~

Taking Stock, Vol. V

Making: ~
Cooking: not a whole lot, at least compared to last week! 
Drinking: chamomile tea and chocolate milk.
Reading: the Leviathan series, by Scott Westerfeld. I think this is my third time around. :)
Wanting: to run more, especially outside. Unfortunately, no one else in my family wants too, so I wouldn't have a running partner. Maybe I can bribe someone with cookies....
Looking: forward to when all our mini-butternut squashes are ripe. Stuffed, thrown in a soup, pureed....
Playing: my Pride and Prejudice station on Pandora. 
Wasting: avocados. When Mom and Dad were in England, I kept wishing we had avocados. Little did I know that there was a bag slowly rotting away in the corner. oops.
Sewing: nothing, but I would love to knit little booties for my youngest niece. I don't think I has da skills though.
Wishing: ~
Enjoying: the sunshine of the past few days. I was able to do school-reading outside, which was a nice change.
Waiting: for my analytical essay to come back, butchered by my older sister. Ah well, that is what rough drafts are all about. :)
Liking: all the souvenirs my parents brought back from England (hey, this doesn't have to apply to the internet all the time, does it?). These include little recipe booklets for traditional Welsh and British food, which I'm quite excited about (there's a LOT of lamb involved).
Wondering: ~
Loving: soup I made up last night. I had it for supper, then breakfast, and then lunch! It was just beef with carrots, golden beets, leftover mashed cauliflower, and peas, but I whipped in some dried sage, white pepper, turmeric, rosemary, fennel seeds, red wine vinegar, garlic, and salt. With some chimmichurri and butter to top it off. Delicious!
Hoping: ~
Marveling: ~
Needing: ~
Smelling: honey. See why below.
Wearing: food on my face. I've been slathering raw honey all over my face in the mornings, leaving it on for a few minutes, and then rinsing it off. 
Following: Carrie Vitt, the author of that amazing brownie recipe I linked to last week, and some amazing cinnamon rolls I made on Friday. 
Noticing: the leaves changing color. Gold, rust, and red. The chickens like eating all the berries on the bushes and small trees, too. :)
Knowing: we need to harvest most of the veggies this Saturday (except the kale), since it's supposed to get down to 31 that night. Which means we will have piles of lettuce. Which means I will be eating lots of salad next week. Not that I'm complaining. #saladvore
Thinking: that our chickens are heading for the stewpot. Egg production has dropped considerably in the last few days (even though it's been sunny and warm), and I don't want to buy feed for them during the winter. So maybe we'll butcher them this year and get a new batch in the spring. 
Feeling: pretty good, considering last week's grumpy post. :) PSATs were yesterday. English sections were good, math sections are wanting in...umm...everything. Oh well, it was only practice! School's not as hectic and I think I've got things in order.
Bookmarking: ~

Taking Stock, vol. IV / Links

Making : these delicious fudgy brownies.
Cooking : suppers! Since my parents are over the Pond for their 30th wedding anniversary, I've been in charge of dinner. Thankfully, Mom prepped most of the meat before they left, and the only mishap was forgetting to defrost some kielbasa (we made do with some random ham in the fridge).
Drinking: kombucha. I finally figured out how to make it more carbonated, and it makes a satisfying pop when you open the bottle. :) 
Reading: "Of Plymouth Plantation", by William Bradford himself. Omnibus, yo.
Wanting: to sleep. I have a feeling I'll be mentioning that quite a bit.
Looking: at the computer screen a lot. Between online classes, projects, essays, voice lessons, and random Instagram stalking, I stare at this for hours everyday.
Playing: Hillsong United. At youth group on Sunday we sang "Empires". I really liked it, looked it up when we got home, and proceeded to make a playlist.
Wasting: some arrowroot flour trying to make grain-free tortillas. Whoops.
Sewing: nothing now, but I did sew the ears onto that fox scarf. Finished except for the eyes and nose (and maybe some whiskers).
Wishing: days could be extended to 26 or 27 hours a day, so I have more time to sleep, do fun things, and accomplish schoolwork with minimum stress. 
Enjoying: bahahahahahahaha.
Waiting: ~
Liking: pictures of my parents in England. 
Wondering: how I will deal with all the reading, writing, and experimenting heading my way. I CAN do this, and I WILL do this! 
Loving: siblings. I can call my big sister and talk, have adventures involving (almost) overflowing toilets with my third-biggest brother, and listen to Adventures in Odyssey with my lil' brother.
Hoping: ~
Marveling: at how tiny we are. And that God can find and care about us in this gigantic universe.
Needing: to go to bed earlier. 
Smelling: ~
Wearing: sweaters and socks! It's finally cool enough.
Following: ~
Noticing: ~
Knowing: ~
Thinking: honestly, I'm mostly trying to keep all the due dates straight in my head and figuring out what I need to get done for school. 
Feeling: stressed and nervous about the pSAT in a couple weeks. And about school in general. ugh.
Bookmarking: ~

hmmm, most of that was me ranting about school stuff. Alack and alas, this is my lot in life.

Taking Stock, vol. III / Links

Making : muffins. I've made five batches this week: three of lemon chia-seed, one of blueberry, and one of pumpkin. 
Cooking : tomatoes in the oven. I just had a brilliant, late-night idea that I'm sure someone else has already done. I sliced a fresh tomato, topped it with cheese, and put it in the oven for five minutes. Teeny pizzas!
Drinking: smoothies. Blueberries, pineapple, kale, carrots, lettuce--they all go in.
Reading: all. the. time. Fortunately, we have a treadmill. I've set up a "treadmill desk" and walk while I read. Otherwise I'd probably fall asleep on the coach or chair.
Wanting: a kitten. There, I said it.
Looking: forward to youth group! I've never been part of a regular youth group, but after YXL I wanted to get involved with one.
Playing: "Think of Me" (Jackie Evancho's video). I'm singing this for voice lessons, but the timing is a little tricky. 
Wasting: tea. I'll often make a big travel mug-full for choir or voice lessons, and then I only drink half of it.
Sewing: still nothing. I'm knitting that fox scarf, though. Hopefully it will be ready for Christmas. 
Wishing: We could make it out the Central Market more often.
Enjoying: the feeling of accomplishment. My online Veritas classes started this week, and I decided I was going to concentrate on school all day, and then in the evenings I could check blogs, instagram, etc. It's worked out well, and I don't have those distractions that last ten minutes instead of five.
Waiting: for approval from my teacher to take a class off. Then I can go with my choir to see "Amazing Grace" on Broadway! Love our annual NYC trips.
Liking: pictures of the cutest nieces in the world, as well as pretty pictures my talented friends take.
Wondering: How some people have the time to do stuff outside of school.
Loving: Little Women all over again. I watched the movie on Thursday (I laugh and want to cry pretty much every time. never gets old) and started rereading the book yesterday. If you haven't done either, DO IT NOW!
Hoping: September starts to cool down and we'll have a snowy winter (because I don't have to drive...yet).
Marveling: At the beauty of the crows that have been hanging about. They are not very pretty birds by themselves, but seeing them glide across a still, grey sky is wonderful.
Needing: to cry. Sometimes I get that need-to-shed-some-tears-and-get-out-this-pent-up-emotion feeling. Happens about once a week, haha.
Smelling: a lot of wet mornings. It rained all day today and the poor chickens were soaked.
Wearing: lots of skirts, since I'm doing Skirtember. 
Following: Smitten Kitchen, Caroline Potter, and Urban Poser instagram accounts. Because food! And pretty pictures!
Noticing: the mornings are getting cooler. Maybe it is wishful thinking.
Knowing: everyday is a new day.
Thinking: about all the things I should have done, should be doing, should do. 
Feeling: fairly at peace about above thoughts.
Bookmarking: nothing much. Too much school to do any research, and I use pinterest for all my recipes.

In His plan

"Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of falsehood,
    who draw sin as with cart ropes,
who say: “Let him be quick,
    let him speed his work
    that we may see it;
let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw near,
    and let it come, that we may know it!”
Woe to those who call evil good
    and good evil,
who put darkness for light
    and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet
    and sweet for bitter!
Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes,
    and shrewd in their own sight!"
-Isaiah 5:18-21

I'm working my way through Isaiah using this Bible study. One of the questions asked which of the "woes" in chapter 5 struck me the most. Verses 18-21 were what got me. The people described in this passage are impatient and think they know best. They run along their sinful way, and demand the Lord adhere to their plans, times, etc. They think their plan is best. 

I often stumble into this way. I have a plan as to what my life should look like. I think I know what is best, and it does not include any trials I may be going through. I wonder if God really has my best interests in mind. Does He really love me? If so, why would He give me this?

I'm also reading the Westminster Confession of Faith for school (yay Omnibus), and it is constantly stressing the perfection of the Lord's counsel. He is wisest, strongest, mightiest, highest, and yes, He does love me. I am in His plans, His wondrous, incomprehensible  plans.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts."-Isaiah 5:8-9