Three Tomatoes are Walking Down the Street

Papa Tomato, Mama Tomato, and Baby Tomato. Baby Tomato starts lagging behind and Papa Tomato gets really angry. Goes back and squishes him. Says, "Ketchup." (from Pulp Fiction)

My kids love ketchup. They can eat it straight out of the bottle. Usually it's high in corn syrup. Even the organic brands are high in sugar. I made some from scratch, using stevia to replace some of the sugar.

24 oz. of tomato sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons agave nectar
1 1/2 tablespoons pineapple salad vinegar (white vinegar or apple cider vinegar is fine)
16 drops Lemon Drop Stevia by SweetLeaf
onion powder, Spike, and other desired seasonings to taste
1 tablespoon of honey or to taste




Combine all ingredients except honey, simmer on low heat in a heavy bottomed non-aluminum pot, until very thick. Take off heat, stir in the honey.

Protein Bars

August 11, 2008

Weather today: 103.3°F | 81°F, humidity 7% Clear skies, visibility 10 miles, UV 6 out of 16, air quality index: good for ozone, moderate for particles current moon phase waxing gibbous 78% full

The heat isn't too bad, especially if we can stay hydrated and in the shade. We didn't leave the house
after 9:00 a.m., and probably won't go out until 7:00 p.m.

I've been experimenting with no-bake bars because today it would be absurd to use the oven.

No-Bake Protein Bars

The point of these was to come up with something a little more nutritious and lower in sugar than a standard candy bar. These came out a bit crumbly. They won’t travel well. They are very rich and filling, and small portions are recommended. I’ll keep fiddling with the recipe until it’s moister and more chewy – maybe use honey instead of agave, maybe double the applesauce - comments welcome

Dry Ingredients:

1 cup quick cook oats
1 cup oat flour
2 cups dry nonfat milk powder
½ cup Naturade Vegetarian Protein Booster
1 scoop Benefiber
2 tsps Wilson’s Meringue Powder (takes the place of egg whites)
1/8 tsps NuNaturals White Stevia Powder
1 cup carob chips, or chopped nuts

Wet Ingredients:

2 cups peanut butter (no sugar added)
½ cup agave nectar
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tbsp. liquid lethicin
1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix the dry ingredients thoroughly in a bowl except for your carob chips or nuts. It’s important to blend everything well, since the stevia powder is very concentrated.

Mix the wet ingredients in a large bowl until well blended. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, a large spoonful at a time. As the mixture stiffens, you may want to mix it with your hands. Rub the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, similarly to cutting flour into butter. When it’s all mixed together, mix in the carob chips, nuts or other add-ins. Next, knead and squeeze the mixture. Use a lot of muscle, and work it for at least five minutes. It should reach a point that it holds together well when you squeeze it.

Line a jelly roll pan or rectangular baking pan with foil or waxed paper. Butter the paper, (or just be prepared to peel the wrap off the bars just before eating.)

Press the mixture firmly onto the pan, using compression to form a tight, even rectangle. Use a spatula to press it down evenly. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm. Cut into small rectangles about the size of small protein bars. Good with a glass of milk or juice.