Back to the Real World

Well, now it is time to put down the drumsticks and head back to the Real World, the cubicle, the car pool, whatever defines you outside the holiday home front. Seems like a fabulous time for some Cool.


Your Daily Cool Things:


















Animation gone wild!

This project took this kid 3 months to make. Well worth every second, I think. Go look at his other work. Really wonderful art, from a pretty cool kid.


Your Daily Wonderful Design:












Amazing Flat Stainless Bowl
Simple. Gorgeous. Wow!















Painting by Anna Greaves

Your Daily Inspiring Words: “When you begin to touch your heart or let your heart be touched, you begin to discover that it's bottomless, that it doesn't have any resolution, that this heart is huge, vast, and limitless. You begin to discover how much warmth and gentleness is there, as well as how much space.”- Pema Chodron


Your Daily Wicked-Good Food:
















Yummy Vegan Apricot bars:

1 12 oz bag of dried apricots
1 1/2 cups water
2 Tbls. sherry
2 Tbls. coconut oil
2 Tbls. corn starch


1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 Tsp. Cinnamon
1 Tsp. salt
2/3 cup Rice malt syrup
1/4 cup olive oil


Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Simmer the dried apricots in the water in a pan and add the sherry. Stew until soft.
While those are plumping, in a food processor or, if making by hand, in a large bowl, place the oats, flour, salt, olive oil and rice syrup. If necessary heat the syrup so it is easier to use, as rice malt is thick. Press the crust mix into a 9 x13 (or similar) greased (lube it up well, please) pan. Bake the crust at 375 for 10 minutes. While that is baking place the stewed apricots in a food processor. Whirl away while singing "Don't Fence Me In" at the top of your lungs. Add the coconut oil and the cornstarch and whirl a bit more until incorporated. Take out that crust before it gets brown, m'kay?

Next, take the apricot mixture and place it into a sauce pan and bring to a simmer for about 5 minutes, until the starches are cooked and the mixture appears glossy. Pour this lovely goo onto the crust and return it all to the oven to bake for 20 minutes.

Take the whole shebang out. Cut into squares while it is still warm and let it cool in the pan.

Amaze your Vegan Friends and Astound your Non-Vegan Peeps. See, Vegan does