§ Brownies!!

Well, I finally did it! For weeks, maybe months, I've been in search of Carob Powder in natural and organic stores here in town. The stores carry the Carob chips, but not the baking powder! So, after this long time, I broke down and got on Amazon and ordered a 12 oz [expensive compared to cocoa powder] bag of it to make myself brownies...which I've been craving. Knowing that eating anything with caffeine will find me in the ER again with heart racing at 250+ beats a minute. I'm 99% sure that chocolate and all the caffeine I once consumed was the trigger to my SVT episodes and eventually my heart attack. The old saying rides well here in Hootin's abode..."where there is a will, there is a way". Carob is caffeine free. And tastes like chocolate!! Sunday afternoon, bored, I got to the kitchen and started preparing for a pan full of walnut brownies! Now, I must admit, we both really like them [Bud can do without caffeine too] except for one thing. At least for me...the recipe I used was easy enough, very little work involved...but they were too dry [cakey] for my taste and a bit over the top with sugar. I will tweak the recipe a bit next time -less sugar and add oil & milk! The cook's article found on the blog stated the best brownies ever. Good, excellent in fact, but NOT the best. lol In the meantime, my chocolate cravings have been statiated!

§ CAROB-bean!!! Maybe a God Send for me?

This past week, I mentioned that I actually found something I have been looking for at the grocery store. No, it's not anything that is holiday, decorating, themed as some of you guessed! It's a food. Well, more so a sweet treat. You see, many many moons ago, when I had two children at home, a career, and invalid parents to care for, plus a household to run, I practically LIVED off of everything caffeine related: tea, chocolate, fudge, brownies, cola, chocolate covered raisins was my go to snack at work. Eventually, as I aged, my body said "Enough!" And I had SVT [supraventricular-tachycardia]. It all began in 1996 after my father passed. We retired and moved to sunny, dry Tucson Arizona. All of a sudden, my heart rate was 250+ beats a minute.