Author: Wick

Husband, Father, Pastor, Missionary, Writer, Poet, Friend, reader, coffee enthusiast, hockey Wing-Nut, musical participator, etc...
Posted in Different Learning, Uncategorized

Gluten Free Donuts

Posted on by Wick

image(1)Over a year ago, my wife found out she’s been allergic to gluten for quite a while now.   It was a pretty significant change, for a woman who’d just discovered a love for baking.

Over the past year, she’s made changes accordingly.  I was aware of it, only as far as we were eating less baked goods actually in our home.  Notice that….LESS baked goods.  She continued to make things for her family and friends that she couldn’t even eat herself…because of her servant heart, love for baking, and gift of hospitality.  During this time, I’ve gone though moments of sharing gluten-free experiences with her.  But I’ve always had my trusty gluten-eating to fall back on when the xanthan gum settled.

So for a little longer than the month of July this year, I told my wife I wanted to experience her daily struggle of living gluten-free.  No gluten for me…even during the private or social hours of consumption away from home.  It’s been an eye-opener, for sure.  The amount of times gluten-ladened foods cross your paths on a daily basis is huge.  The tough times come unexpectedly, and complete with growls of hunger.  You’ve definitely got to be pro-active to stay afloat.  I once had dinner at Subway by getting my kids sandwich covered with fresh spinach, and scooping all of the spinach off before serving it.  With a small side of vinaigrette and some Cheeto’s as croutons, it made a decent salad!

But one thing that had been itching at me, was my wife’s inability to enjoy a great cake donut.  (and yes…my own hunger for them during this month.)  So I gave it a shot, throwing together a few flours we happened to have layin’ around.  They turned out to be pretty awesome fresh, and even tasted great as a lunch-time snack later on!  If you’re gluten-free, give it a shot.  If you don’t have these specific flours, try some other combination!  Don’t be too afraid…it’ll end up being dough that’s sweet, fried and covered with sugar…..you can’t go horribly wrong!  Just be sure to put in the Xanthan gum, and you’ll be alright.

2 Cups Sorghum Flour (I think potato starch would work here too.)

1/2 Cup Tapioca Flourimage

1/2 Cup Almond Meal/Flour

1/2 Tsp. Xanthan Gum

1/2 Cup Sugar

1 Tbsp Baking Powder

1/2 Tsp. Salt

1 Tsp. Ground Cinnamon

1/4 Tsp. Ground Nutmeg

3/4 Cup Milk

1 Egg – Beaten

1/4 Cup Butter – Melted & Cooled

2 Tsp. Vanilla Extract

In a large bowl, stir together the flours, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, & nutmeg.  Make a well in the center & pour in the (milk, egg, butter, vanilla mixed).  Mix until well blended.  Cover & refrigerate (not sure if this part is needed when making donut holes).  I found holes were much easier to make than “donuts” themselves….so we went that route.

Heat oil to 370 degrees.  Seriously – this is perfect donutting temperature.  I’d always fried them in a pot on the stove before, but this time tried our fondue pot with specific marks for temperatures.  It went so much better, and I didn’t end up with uncooked dough balls that were crisp on the outside….like I usually do. 🙂

Spoon out bouncy-ball sized pieces, and put them into the oil carefully.  Let it fry around 8 minutes or so, turning as needed.  When they’re nice and golden all over, remove & place them on a paper toweled plate.  I fried about 10 at a time, and once they were cooled a bit my daughter helped me cover them with sugar.  She loved helping, and making sure they tasted good before we served the family!  Cover with cinnamon & sugar, or glaze (1 1/4 Cup Powdered Sugar + 3 Tbs milk…I had no idea how easy this was!  I wanna try and glaze everything now.)  I hope you enjoy, and if you adapt the recipe with other flours, add your comments here!!

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centenarians. (a book review)

Posted on by Wick

My grandma lived to be over 100 years old.  She sang opera, planted canned pineapple, and always had a giant smile waiting for you.  There’s a woman from our church who’s well over 100, and until recently she drove herself to church every Sunday morning.  One day she called me up to help her stain a gazebo in her backyard, saying she was about to climb a ladder and do it, but “it’s getting too sultry outside”.

I’ve always been impressed by these centenarians (the official term for someone over 100 years old).  It often seems as if they’ve got a flicker of joy from having pulled one over on Mr.Life-Expectancy.  So when I saw a book titled “The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared“, by Jonas Jonasson, I was intrigued.  I took a chance on a book and author I’d never heard before, 100yearoldmanand was pleasantly surprised.

History was never my forte in High School.  Sure I could tell you when Columbus sailed the ocean blue, and the date of our nations’ independence, but that’s about it.  I’d cram just enough studying to pass a test, and not long after that most of what I’d learned would be forgotten.  The unfortunate thing about this, is that so much of the world we live in today comes from recent history.  Which sounds like a pretty ignorant thing to even say. 🙂

I say this, because I think this book could probably be used to trick high school students into learning more about modern history (the past 100 years or so primarily).  Without giving too much away, the book does a great job of introducing world leaders from many major countries, giving brief thoughts on “capitalism vs. socialism”, and even topics of national security and world wars.  Teachers could use this book as a launching point into quite a few important conversations.

Here’s just a brief moment in the hilarity of events that happen from this one man escaping the passive prison of his nursing home:  “And not only that, Mr Stalin. I have been in China for the purpose of making war against Mao Tse-tung, before I went to Iran and prevented an attempt to assassinate Churchill.’  ‘Churchill? That fat pig!’ Stalin shouted.  Stalin recovered for a moment before downing a whole glass of vodka. Allan watched enviously. He too would like to have his glass filled, but didn’t think it was the right moment for such a request.”

From the building of the atom bomb, to being a prisoner of war, to bonding with an elephant – the book goes back and forth between Allan’s life as he aged, and the current story.  It’s a great blend of humor, ridiculous historical moments that could never have happened, and crime drama.  It stands in pretty big contrast to another book I’ve just finished reading, “The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey” (a great resource for understanding the current racial tensions from the perspective of the aged, and a man you’d want to have as your grandpa)…but he’s a young 91 years old, and so doesn’t belong in this review.  Both great books that will make you want to drink in your abilities now, and live a life that offers your 100-year-old self a few things to smile about…

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speaking.

Posted on by Wick

There have been several writers in recent days, reminding us that someone (or someone’s) who wants to make an impact in our world for Christ, cannot remain silent.  (See examples here, and here, and Google for plenty more…)  Although I do think sometimes there’s wisdom in words remaining unspoken, as well as moments where words only frustrate a complex and hard to speak of situation/topic…I agree that in the case of this past weeks events, something should be said.  Especially by those of us who have a voice set up where a few ears may be inclined to listen (thanks for reading, mom!).  On the other hand, there’s also a huge community who simply want to hear your opinion on the specific case of Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman so they can go off on you in opposition.  Those ears may be disappointed here (here’s my original response to the verdict).

So here goes nothing.speak

I believe racism on every level, and in any form, is wrong.  That’s an obvious statement/position, and it’s seems even silly to say it – yet every day there are people (of every shade of melanin) who live out something different.  Ideally, when it’s identified in obvious ways, we should live in such communities and relationships that quick accountability and correction happens – to bring relational restoration.

There is racism on an individual level – we cannot control the thoughts/actions of others, but we can correct and keep ourselves and our neighbors accountable (See Jesus for “Who is my neighbor?”).  We can speak on the behalf of those being ill-spoken of.  Also, there’s no such thing as “allowable levels”.  I know more than once I’ve heard someone older than me say something obviously racist…and silently let it pass, figuring they’re of a different generation.  For those moments, I confess and apologize.  If we tell our children to listen to their elders, then we should continue to keep their elders accountable for words and actions.

Then there are the impacts long-term racism has on our current situation.  The inflammatory language that gets used right away by one person/group or another.  The de facto segregation that happens in geo-politico-socio-economical areas. (That’s probably the wrong term.  You should read smarter blogs.)  The fact that when I began riding our city bus, I realized segregation was happening without anyone saying a word.

If you ask most people impacted by these types of racism on a regular basis, they’ll most likely tell you they believe racism is wrong.

But in the midst of all of this – there is a version of humanity we accidentally promote.  Self-centered lifestyles, power struggles, and systems that promote me-first mentalities and watch-your-back behaviors – creating living environments where our young and the voiceless aged become transformed into something no person should ever be.  Add to that, those same young people growing up to become parents, never having been freed from this way of existing….and then grandparents…and you’ve got yourself more than a little problem.  You’ve got the full-blown impact of systemic living for self over many generations.

Enter – cultural elements that are sometimes related to race, but other times simply connected to the lifestyle mentioned in the previous paragraph.  We may see someone, and make assumptions about their motives or personality simply because of their appearance.  Someone may get a horrible public defender, simply because of their inability to pay for representation.  Laws once regarded as just, eventually becomes ways of manipulation justice to fit the need or desire of those with a voice or power.

It’s a problem so large it can seem impossible to confront.  It can seem like “wishful-thinking” to imagine (or dream, as Dr.King put it) a world free of such injustice.  But our duty begins with being people who hope.  I’m not talking about hope in the same way that my 4 year old “hopes” Santa will come, either…

“Hope is always a tense expectation and rouses the attentiveness of all our senses, so that we can grasp the chances for the things we hope for, wherever and whenever they present themselves.  That distinguishes hope from mere expectation or a patient waiting.” – Jurgen Moltmann, “Ethics of Hope”

It’s something I’m continuing to learn as I ride the bus, as I visit those in jail, and minister to teenagers…there are large populations of the voiceless that until recently, I wasn’t living connected to.  Let alone, seeking to build relationships with.  I’m still just beginning to learn how this might happen, and hope someday I can make an impact because of the shoulders I’m brushing against today.  To understand how to help those living through injustices, we must open our lives to those who might be.  To know them as “thou” (think Martin Buber), and have compassion on their vulnerability .  Whether that calls us beyond our race, our culture, our comfort zone, or our country – we must go, and go as soon as possible…in Love.  Make no changes, and tomorrow will be the same.  Remain silent, and we will hear nothing different.

After all, Jesus didn’t tell a story about a master who returns and says, “Well waited…”