Although I'm not a fan of all the recipes in Sally Fallon's book, Nourishing Traditions; THIS recipe rocks!
It takes a tiny bit of preparation, in that you have to soak the whole wheat (or whatever grain you use) overnight. It's definitely worth it.
Nourishing Traditions Pancakes:
2 C. Freshly ground (yeah right) Whole Wheat, Spelt, or Kamut Flour.
2 C. Buttermilk, Yogurt, or Kefir. (I use buttermilk.)
2 Eggs lightly beaten.
1/2 t. Sea Salt. (Never have it--table salt won't make the batter spontaneously combust.)
1 t. Baking Soda.
2 T. Melted Butter.
Soak flour in buttermilk 12-24 hours.
Stir in other ingredients and thin to the consistency you want with water.
Cook.
(I line 'em up on our electric griddle.)
They take a little longer than the usual pancake batter. A few minutes on each side.
In the book, it says the recipe serves 16-20. However, I find that when I make them, I end up with 12 pancakes. I use a 1/4 C. measuring cup to pour onto the griddle.
They don't look like much. But, give grain soaking a chance! Nutty, chewy, a little sour. They are REALLY good. Pour on a little love, butter and real maple syrup. Happy me. Happy kids.
I’ve been hesitant to post anything about adoption since we came home. Mostly, because I can’t quite wrap my brain and
heart around what’s going on. I would
best describe it as being broken.
Mr. Deem has been away training for the past couple weeks. I’ve found myself on more than one occasion crying out
to God, “WHY on earth did I want this life?!! WHY did you let me do this? Why
five kids? Why did you let us join the military? Why adoption? What was I
thinking? I’m a FOOL...because it
obviously isn’t working!!”
Grant has had some major regression in potty
training. I’ve cleaned up more potty accidents than I can count during the past
5 days. Honestly, the yuckiness doesn’t bother me all that much…it’s the laundry.
I’m tired of, “just making it,” I want to be successful at my job! So, between
the messes, being on an anaconda-like
budget, and being a single-mom right now; I've been pretty low.
Then, during our bottle time, Reagan started pushing me away
again. Not in big fits of anger or fear…but in that uncomfortable way a child
who’s not your own, pushes you away. “OK lady, you’re nice and all…but that’s
enough. I’ve gotta be on my way now.”
And, that hurts. Because...I want her for my own. And, yet I realize that none of my children are my own. That's the beauty and the pain of having children.
So, on top of the bitterness and anger I had for just being home with
the kids, I was adding, “Why doesn’t she like me yet!? Why doesn’t she trust
me?” You can see how it progresses. And, you can probably see how foolish it is
of me to demand love and affection from a toddler who has only known me for two
months. Alas! Emotions cloud logic again.
So! The past week has
been rough. I’ve been whining a lot to God about why I can’t seem to overcome
my selfish personality, and why He let me take on this life in the first place!
Last night Reagan woke up screaming and
terrified. I ran in and tried to comfort her. She very deliberately pushed me
away and avoided all eye contact. She only was soothed by my placing her on the
floor. It breaks my heart when she does that! Makes me feel like crap. I feel like she has been
abandoned so many times, that just being left alone is comforting to her. I
believe she had a night terror. And, that I may not have been the person she
was hoping to walk through the door. Who knows? But, she cried for over 30
minutes. Eventually, I joined her. Finally, the crying woke Ked up, and Ked started singing,
“Twinkle-Twinkle Little Star.” She's so sweet. That seemed to lighten the mood. And, eventually
Reagan let me hold her and was fine as long as she didn’t look at me. Then she
asked to be put in her crib, and I tucked her in and left the room.
I went to bed determined to ask God for help. I was in over my
head and drowning in my own strength. So I prayed. And, whined. And finally opened
the Bible…to wherever it fell open. You know—one of those, “OK God…TELL ME!”
moments. So, my Bible opened to Romans 8. The chapter was split down the middle
on two pages. Verses 1-14 were on the first page. I poured over and over them. Paul
talks about not living according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. The
flesh is dead because of sin; the Spirit is alive because of righteousness! I
felt like God was telling me I had been relating to our daughter in a very,
"fleshy" way. I wanted to have the rewards of this relationship. I wanted the
cuddles. I wanted her trust. I didn’t care necessarily about what she’d been
through…I expected her to trust me.
Today. And, when I didn’t feel loving , compassionate,
or connected to her—I tried to “fake it ‘till I felt it.” Which is great
advice. And, in general, I believe we are required to treat others with respect no
matter what! But, God was calling me to something more. He was calling me to
trust Him. And, even more, to trust Him with miracles. To delight in her as a miracle of
His grace and supplication in our lives! He was calling me to STOP, “just
getting by,” and reach for something deeper, and more meaningful. Something
that was IMPOSSIBLE in my own strength. And would only happen through Him.
I felt exhausted just getting through those first few verses.
THEN I started the next page:
