Day 9: Bounteous harvest

I have been blessed to always live in countries where food is plentiful. 

Not that we haven't had our challenges with putting food on the table, especially in the early years, but there was always a way to do it. I cultivated friends who, like me, had to be imaginative with their grocery budgets. I had friends who would call me when they came across free gallons of milk, or when they heard that farmers were letting gleaners onto their fields. We ate well, in spite of being cash poor.

Not until I spent time in Haiti did I understand that many people in the world just don't have a way to get food to eat, for themselves or their children. I have learned a new appreciation for my three squares a day and all the snacks in between. And I have gained a new sense of responsibility to help where I can in Haiti, where most people go to bed at night with empty stomachs.

Today, I am thankful for the easy access we have to food, and for the many choices that are available. We can eat as healthily or as badly as we choose.

I am trying to choose more healthy food. Today, I tried a recipe that has been calling to me for a couple of weeks. You can find the original recipe here, or you can try these Apple Scones the way I made them.

These are delicious served warm and are low in sugar, high in fibre and nutrients.

Double Apple Scones with Raisins

Stir together: 

3 c whole wheat pastry flour

1/3 c brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbs B.Powder

1/2 to 1 tsp cinnamon

Cut in 1/2 c cold butter with a pastry blender. 

Mix in 3/4 c grated apple, about one medium apple, and 1/2 c raisins.

Mix together:

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 c applesauce

and add to the flour mixture will well blended.

The mixture may be sticky, so use a little flour and pat out to a rectangle about 3/4" thick. Cut into squares, place on a baking sheet, separating the squares slightly. Brush with milk and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and you're almost done. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. 

The resulting scones were a perfect snack, moist and not too sweet. The original recipe called for a caramel glaze, which seemed to negate the whole "healthy" thing, so I made do with the sugar sprinkle.

I've been thinking these would be good as pumpkin scones with chocolate chips.

Hmmmm. Endless possibilities.

And if you have a heart to share some of your bounty with a mama or baby in Haiti, go here to make a donation. 

Every bit helps.

Thanks for reading.