Mmmm..... cookies.... although these Chocolate Macadamia Nut cookies sound fancy, they were super easy to whip up for my scrap booking (Stampin' Up) afternoon last weekend. I hate to go to someone's house and not bring something!
They were really, really good straight out of the oven, but after a couple of days they got kind of hard. They aren't very sweet - but good and chocolaty. Oh, and they came from the Candle Cafe Cookbook. I thought the book deserved a second chance after last week's tabbouleh debacle. I'm giving the book yet another chance to prove itself (after all, it has given me incredible dishes and that yummy Power Porridge, which I've been eating hot all week) with a Lentil Vegetable Soup tonight. Wish me luck!

Meanwhile (back at the ranch), my lunch this week was pretty tasty. I found some lavash bread at BJ's, of all places (that's one of those large volume discount stores with membership dues), so I thought some wraps were in order. I'm kind of hummused out.... So here's what was inside these Lentil Veggie Wraps from The Everyday Vegan: red lentil spread, green leaf lettuce, shredded organic carrots, red bell pepper strips (alas, not organic) and cucumber strips, topped with a Sweet Red Wine Vinaigrette.
Here it is, all neatly wrapped up! I further wrapped it in some parchment paper and aluminum foil, which I was able to reuse several times during the week. Unfortunately, the lentil spread left much to be desired. It was a bit dry (ok, I could have fixed that) and bland, despite my having added extra seasoning. The texture was a bit off. At any rate, I won't make that spread again, but the whole wrap was yummy, yummy! I'm using the rest of the lavash bread this week for similar wraps, this time with Dreena's very successful and delicious Cannelini Yam Hummus, from Vive Le Vegan. This particular hummus had got to be my favorite sandwich spread ever! It is slightly sweet from the yam (sweet potato- whatever!), mild from the white beans, with a great kick from the hot pepper sauce and fresh zest from the lime juice! I can't wait :)
Now, I have to end this blog with a thought about what has been nagging me for a day or so now.... because of my personal goal to lead a more peaceful life, and to make life more peaceful for those I interact with, I am attracted to news stories and discussions where peace and non-violence are the message. I was really struck by what Nicholas Burns, a top U.S. Diplomat who has just left his current job, had to say about peace, the United States, and our foreign relations. Basically, he stated that we must meet other countries halfway, show respect and interest, and rebuild our alliances, because globalization has made it impossible to solve certain problems on our own (I hate to reference Iraq here, but isn't that a good example? Imagine how much more progress we could have made by now with worldwide assistance and/or support??). A lot of fear-mongering and hatred has been aimed at foreigners, immigrants, etc, and has not helped the world's perception of us. Some people might say it shouldn't matter what others think of us, but unfortunately, if we want to get things accomplished (or get what we want) we often don't have the luxury of being the Lone Ranger.
It is funny because at the UU (Unitarian Universalist) church I have begun attending, today's sermon was "Non-Violent Communication." Timely, huh?