The Simple Woman's Daybook, Monday, December 28, 2015, and Quorn Turk'y Roast

For today...Monday, December 28, 2015


Outside my window... the sky is getting lighter as dawn nears.

I am thinking... that I'm glad I remembered to do this Daybook! I like writing them and reading other people's Daybooks.

I am thankful... for God's mercy. He loves us more than I could ever imagine, and I'm grateful.

From the kitchen... leftover Christmas pies. :)

I am wearing... a pink shirt and denim shorts.

I am creating... this blog post. :)

I am going to... get some rest this week before our trip on Friday to see our oldest daughter and our four beautiful grandchildren! We haven't seen them for a long time, and we're very, very excited!

I am wondering... what kind of new job my husband will get. He's working now but wants to find something else.

I am hoping... we continue to recover from this 'bug' that's been going around.

I am hearing... the morning network news program.

I am looking forward to... seeing those precious grandchildren this weekend!

Around the house... it's very quiet. I like quiet. :)

A favorite quote for today... "Happy is the man who finds a true friend, and far happier is he who finds that true friend in his wife." -- Franz Schubert

One of my favorite things... is having something very easy for lunch or dinner. I don't like to cook, so an easy meal is great, like leftover pie for breakfast! :)

A few plans for the rest of the week... washing the dishes, making an important phone call, going to a follow-up doctor's appointment, doing laundry, and getting things together for the trip. Thanking God even now that the weather forecasts for here and there look great - no snow, ice, or freezing rain!

A picture thought I am sharing...

Our family tried a Quorn Turk'y Roast for Thanksgiving this year
and really liked it, so we had it again for Christmas!
It's meat-free and gluten-free. Easy to cook and
paired well with stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce, and potatoes.
You can learn more about Quorn products here.

I hope you all have a wonderful week!

To read more Daybooks or to participate,
visit
The Simple Woman's Daybook.

Two easy Christmas fudge recipes!

  Free printable here

I hope you all have a wonderful and blessed Christmas! I know a lot of people are rushing around shopping and getting ready for all the cooking to come. That's why I especially wanted to share with you two very easy fudge recipes that we have made as holiday traditions for years! You won't need a candy thermometer for either recipe. Photos below are from the linked websites. Enjoy these delicious, easy to make treats!

                                                    Chocolate Fantasy Fudge here
                                        (the classic, made with marshmallow creme)
                                                         from Christmas-cookies

 

Creamy Peanut Butter Fudge here

from Taste of Home

Recipe - The Best Healthy Vegan Chili Cheese Fries

I love poutine - a French Canadian dish of french fries covered with cheese and a spicy beef (or chicken) gravy (see a Pinterest pin here). Love it!

This vegan recipe isn't poutine, but it is looking good!

The Best Healthy Vegan Chili Cheese Fries

I am going to try these! If you'd like to try them, too, you'll find the recipe here and the Pinterest pin here. Mmmm, yummy!

Recipe - Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars - WFMW

This is a seriously easy recipe to make and looks absolutely delicious! Take a look at this:

 

Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars

I could even make these!  :)

Definitely a pin to add to your Pinterest recipes board! The original recipe can be found here.

And since easy to make, warm, peanut butter-y, melty chocolate cookie bars work for me, I'm also linking this post to



Visit WFMW for some great tips. You can add yours, too!

Recipe - Stir Fried Quinoa with Tofu - WFMW

After some starts and stops over the last couple of years, my husband and I are regularly eating vegan, plant-based, whole foods meals. I'm not someone who likes to make new recipes, so this has been a challenge for me. My daughters have supplied me with some great recipes, but I don't usually see much online that I'd actually like to make. Then along comes this recipe!

Stir Fried Quinoa with Tofu

The recipe is posted here, and to share the Pinterest pin, click here.

This dish looks good and sounds easy to make. That makes my life easier! Since that kind of recipe works for me, I'm also linking this post to



Visit WFMW for some great tips. You can add yours, too!

Recipe - Vegan Gluten Free Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies - WFMW

With Valentine's Day coming up, what could be a better vegan treat than something that's as chocolate-y and peanut butter-y as this:

And they're gluten free!

You'll find the recipe here at Minimalist Baker, and here is the Pinterest pin you'll want to share!

These brownies look like they would work for me, so I'm also linking this post to



Visit WFMW for some great tips. You can add yours, too!

Recipe - Best Vegan Chocolate Cake

This, my friends, is how a chocolate cake should look...delicious, and what's more - it's vegan!

Best Vegan Chocolate Cake

You can find the recipe here and the Pinterest pin here.

I'm definitely going to try out this recipe! Yum! :)

Recipe - Crockpot French Dip Sandwiches - WFMW

I gotta admit, this recipe makes me long for these sandwiches!

 Crockpot French Dip Sandwiches

This simple, tasty lunch or dinner is just waiting to be made! You'll find the recipe here, and you can share on Pinterest with this pin.

Having these waiting for me after a cold winter's day out and about would work for me, so I'm also linking this post to



Visit WFMW for some great tips. You can add yours, too!

Recipe - Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you're looking for a vegan, gluten free cookie that looks as good as this...you've come to the right place!

Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Here is the recipe, and here is the Pinterest pin to share. :)

Recipe - Spaghetti with Garlic and Spinach - Vegan

This vegan recipe is quick to whip up and only uses a handful of ingredients. It smells wonderful when it's cooking and tastes wonderful, too! (I've eaten it!)

Spaghetti with Garlic and Spinach

You can make this gluten free by using gluten free pasta.

The recipe is here on my youngest daughter's blog. :) Enjoy!

Things I Love - Delicious Dishes Made in a Crockpot - WFMW

Now here are some things you'll want to know! Pull out your crockpot (or slow cooker), and get ready to make some fabulous dishes you never knew you could make in a crockpot!

Whether you're looking for a recipe for main meals, breakfasts, or desserts, you'll find great information here at Lifehacker. Happy cooking!


Cooking awesome foods for my family works for me, so I'm also linking this post to




Visit WFMW for some great tips. You can add yours, too!

Things I Love - Crockpot Time Conversion Chart - WFMW

I love the convenience of using a crockpot (you might call it a slow cooker), but sometimes the hours I have to work with don't agree with the hours the dish needs to be cooked. I might need to speed it up or slow it down, depending on my day.

I was very happy to see this pin on Pinterest that showed me just how to convert the recipe's time in the crockpot from a High setting to a Low one or vice versa. This chart will definitely come in handy for me, and it could be for you, too!

Because this great conversion chart works for me, I'm also linking this post to


Visit WFMW for some great tips. You can add yours, too!

Recipe - Black Beans and Rice - WFMW

Here is a classic, simple recipe for black beans and rice. You can make it vegan/plant-based by using water or vegetable broth in place of the olive oil and by using vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth. Easy substitutions!

Doesn't this look good? That would hit the spot on this cold, cold winter day!

 Black Beans and Rice

You can find Mel's Kitchen Cafe on pinterest here.

Having a tasty vegan recipe at my fingertips works for me! I'm also linking this post to


Visit WFMW for some great tips. You can add yours, too!

Tasty Tuesday - Four-Cheese Chicken Fettuccine

photo from Taste of Home

This contest-winning four-cheese chicken fettuccine recipe from the Taste of Home website looks so delicious and easy! To find more wonderful recipes, visit Tasty Tuesday, posted this week at incourage.