Quinoa Waldorf Salad

Foodie Friday

Gluten & Dairy Free

This salad can be either a main course or a desert and has been a hit at all of the Christmas Potlucks that we have been to this year.  So here as I promised the sewing club is the recipe.

Ingredient:

• 1 cup of uncooked Quinoa
• 2 apples
• 2 sticks of celery
• 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 cup chopped seedless grapes (optional)
• Seeds of ½ a pomegranate
• 1 cup whipped coconut cream (click here for recipe)

Directions:

1. Cook the Quinoa as per directions
2. Chop the apples and toss in the lemon juice to prevent discolouring
3. Chop the celery, and grapes
4. Seed the pomegranate
5. Prepare the coconut cream
6. Mix all the ingredients together and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving

Seeding pomegranates – many years ago I learned to do this under water where the white membrane floats to the surface and is easily disposed of leaving the seeds at the bottom of the sink or bowl ready to be used.

From our table to yours

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2016 twosnydergirls

Merry Christmas

All the best from our family to yours and may this Christmas season be full of love, laughter, and time spent with family.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Snow on Corn

Wordless Wednesday

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2014 twosnydergirls

Children Creating

Aunt D's getting a frog for Christmas

And though she be but little she is fierce - Shakespeare and this is our Emily when she decides she is going to do something.

Christmas in our home is about the giving of homemade, or recycled/reclaimed gifts.  The thought and time that goes into planning the gift and knowing the pleasure it will bring the receiver makes Christmas Eve exciting.

This weekend Emily made her Aunt D a Christmas gift a frog stuffy to add to her collection.

The first step was to go to the computer where Emily decided on the shape of her frog.  Next she went to Grandma’s fabric stash and there she picked out her green fabric.

Using a making pencil Emily sketched out her first frog, she pinned the two layers that would make up the frog together and cut it out.  Then on to the sewing machine and the final step before stuffing her frog and here she met her first discovery the legs and toes of her frog were too thin to turn and stuff.

Undeterred she went back to the drawing board literally and started over.  This time with success.

It would have been too easy to have stopped Emily in her first design and tell her it would not work.  Instead I wondered out loud if there would be enough room for stitching and then to turn, Emily was sure there was and so she continued.  

When her first attempt failed she was encouraged immediately to think through the design and come up with a solution.

Adults often step in too soon or take over the task worried that the child will give-up and or fail.  Failure is a key step in learning as long as  "One fails forward toward success" C.S. Lewis 

Failures, repeated failures, are finger posts on the road to achievement. One fails forward toward success.C. S. Lewis

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls 

Heavenly Music

From Comfortable to Contemplative to Expectant

Piano music floats over us as we enter the sanctuary, creating a comfortable, and familiar backdrop.  Ethereal with soft harmonies, and comfortable rhythms where our quiet conversation creates the counterpoint in this the pre-worship stage of our service.

Something has changes the music remains in the background yet it is different, still comfortable, yet different the harmonies at times create a dissidence just enough to bring attention to the music where we contemplate the melody.

The rhythm is what has changed the rhythm is wholly unique and with expectation we look to the pianist.

Susan sit at the piano, sheet music spread in front of her yet the music is not for her it is not the musical score of the piece she is playing.  This piece of music comes from her spirit she is playing out of love to her Creator.

We stop talking, we wait and listen in expectation.  Susan’s music draws us into this holy place a place, a place where God has preceded us.  We listen knowing that the music we hear will never to be heard again it is a singular unique offering that we have been allowed to overhear.

We have entered a Holy space lead by Susan’s music, Susan’s gift to her God.

Susan who cannot read musicSusan a single woman in her 40’sSusan defined by her out forward facial features that mark her as having Downs SyndromeSusan who today through her music took us into the presence of God.

She moved us from comfortable in our spiritual expression to contemplating how it is that we worship to ultimately expecting the miracle that is the birth of Christ on this the 4^th Sunday of Advent.  

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls