~ Lavender ‘N Chocolate ~

Hmmm… been going out EVERY day for the past month or so. Today I am just staying inside! It feels good to just hang out with my daughter, listen to music, dance, and play on my computer. Of course, our four-legged furry little friends just love all the extra attention, as I am certain they felt quite forgotten lately! We love them all the time, but Life seemed to take us away from home more often than not. We are not usually so busy, but we seem to find ourselves spending more time at my daughters, working out, swimming, and playing with my Grand Children. While this is quality time, and very well spent, some days we love to chill in the house and just enjoy each others company.

This is also a great opportunity to catch up on our adventures in the cyber realms. The virtual worlds online tend to bring a lot of interesting opportunities to socialize with the world at large, and our faraway friends do miss us as well… LOL

So, I have caught up on my blogs (I have 5 blogs, one of which I share with my daughter… our Book blog) and responded to comments in my social spheres. Now I am going to grab a snack and get back to preparing for our camp out of nearly three weeks of Lakota Ceremonies, to fill up on Spiritual goodness. Although this year brings a mixture of Joy and Sadness, as we will have a Placing in the Ground Ceremony for a very dear friend, whom only just recently crossed to the Other Side. I sure miss my brother D, and will shed many healing tears before the next few weeks have passed.

To all who happen upon these pages, I wish you much Happiness and many True Friends to help Light your Path!

Rich, creamy, and simple. Many thanks to Mamaste for the original recipe that inspired this.

4-6 cups chopped veggies, whichever ones you like (I like broccoli tops, red bell peppers, mushrooms, and green onions)
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp minced fresh ginger
Soy sauce
Maple syrup
1 lb of rice noodles (I like the ones that are fettucini-sized)
1 can of coconut milk
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp cayenne pepper
Sea salt to taste

Bring a large pot of water to boil. When it boils, turn off the heat, and add the package of rice noodles. Let these soak in the hot water for about 6 minutes, and then drain in a strainer and set aside.

Return the pot to the burner and turn the heat to high. Add a few tablespoons of oil to the pot, and immediately add the chopped veggies, garlic and ginger. Stir-fry these for a minute or two, then sprinkle with a few tablespoons of soy sauce and a light drizzling of maple syrup. Cook for another minute over high heat, then transfer these to a large plate.

Return the pot to the hot burner and add another couple of tablespoons of oil. Immediately add the drained noodles and stir while they sizzle for a few seconds. Add the coconut milk, soy sauce, maple syrup and seasonings and stir until the entire mixture is heated through. Remove from heat and either stir in the cooked veggies right away, or serve the noodles out onto plates and top with the cooked veggies instead. Mm-mm, creamy spicy goodness.

Serves 4-6 people… Enjoy!