SS&GF: Simply Sugar and Gluten Free

My Chewy Granola Bar recipe is at the bottom. The important stuff is between here and there.

Joe and I would love to have children – so far it just hasn’t happened.  It’s been emotionally draining, and there was lots of sadness.  It’s funny – everyone seems to tell you ‘how to make it happen’ as if we don’t know.  I just smile and politely change the subject.

But to actually have a child and then watch her have to battle a life threatening disease has to be even more heart-wrenching.  Or to be a precious little child – as young as two or four – and have to endure what no child should ever have to – is more than I can wrap my heart around.

Once Joe and I accepted that having a family of our own might be more difficult than we initially hoped, we decided to help people who have kids and need the help.  After investigating different charities, we decided on St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, a haven for children affected by cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.  No child is ever turned away due to inability to pay. Watch this short video about their philosophy and accomplishments.

We support St. Jude on a monthly basis, and it’s not a life-shattering amount but we give what we can. We get monthly information about the children we’re helping – the last six months alone 5 out of the 6 kids have been 4 our younger and one family had two children with cancer.

Sean, a 4-year old boy with a form of brain cancer, is currently undergoing treatment at St. Jude.  He’s had 2 brain surgeries and 30 rounds of chemotherapy since August 2008.  He’s still undergoing treatment.

What can you do to help?

On Saturday, November 21st Joe and I will be walking in St. Jude’s 7th annual “Give thanks. Walk.“  The best part is that it’s being held in 40 cities all over the United States so there is a good chance that it’s in a city near you.

I’m asking that you consider helping in one of the following ways:

• Send your favorite kid-friendly recipe to me: amy2804 (at) gmail dot com. I’m going to compile an e-book with great kid’s recipes from the blogosphere.  People will be able to download the book and will have the option to donate to the Give thanks. Walk.  Please include your name, your blog’s name and a picture of your recipe if you have one.  I will include a link to your blog in the e-book.   Deadline:  Monday, November 2nd.  I hope to have the book ready for download by Friday, November 6th.
• If you don’t have a blog, you can e-mail your original recipe. I will include your name and the city you live in if you choose.
• Join our team! Joe and I are the “Green Team” in Dallas, TX.  (There is a “The Green Team” in Richmond – that isn’t us!)  You can join our team – no matter where you live – by entering our team name in the registration field and walk in Dallas with us or anywhere in the country.  Our goal is to raise $2000 for St. Jude’s.
• Create your own team and invite your friends and family to walk.
• Donate to St. Jude’s Give thanks. Walk. here.

Mother Teresa said, “We can do no great things.  Only small things with great love.”

I have found it is true with all areas of my life – including donating.  I used to think I didn’t have the money to give.  But even $1 makes a difference. I didn’t always have $25 or $50, but I had an extra dollar.  And I gave it with love.  It wasn’t much but it felt good.  Years later after giving small amounts I have found that I have more than $1 to give, and I do.  With lots of love.

And there were those days, as humbling as it is to admit, that I didn’t even have a dollar.  I had to find other ways to give.  If you’re having that kind of day, you can help by sharing this with others via your blog, e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, StumbledUpon, and any other networking outlet.  One person can’t make a huge difference but together I believe we can.

I am going to add my Chewy Granola Bar recipe to the e-book.  Please take a few minutes and send me your recipe today.

A note about this recipe:  These are a favorite of my husband’s.  They aren’t overly sweet, but we like them that way.  There is lots of sweetness from the figs and sultans.  If you want yours a little sweeter, add more agave. If you don’t know how to make your own flax meal, I have a short tutorial here.

This post has been shared at Finer Things Friday, Fight Back Friday, and Foodie Friday.

Printer-friendly recipe

Chewy Granola Bars
makes 12 (2 inch x 3 inch) bars

2 cups gluten-free oats
2 tablespoons flax meal plus enough teff flour to make 1/2 cup total
1 cup walnuts, chopped to desired size
1/2 cup dried black mission figs, stemmed and chopped to desired size
1/2 cup sultans (a.k.a.  golden raisins)
1/2 teaspoon good quality cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon good quality ginger
1/3 cup agave
2 extra large eggs
1 – 2 tablespoons water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Prepare a 9×13 baking pan generously with cooking spray.

Mix oats, flax meal, teff, walnuts, figs, sultans, cinnamon and ginger in a large mixing bowl.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together agave and eggs.  Dump wet ingredients into dry and mix until combined.  Add water 1 tablespoon at a time to help moisten granola.

Fit a food processor with a steel blade.  Put once cup of the mixture into the food processor.  Pulse 3 seconds at a time until mixture is chopped and sticks together.  You don’t need to make this too fine, but it needs to be a little sticky.  It will help keep your bars from falling apart.

Dump the chopped granola into the remaining granola and mix with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until combined.  Turn into prepared pan.  Using wet fingers, press granola into pan.  Keep pressing until the granola covers the entire bottom of the pan.  Check for any little gaps and push them together.

Bake for 15 – 20 minutes, or until edges are just starting to brown.  Remove from oven and let cool in the pan on a rack for 15 – 20 minutes.  Remove from pan and place on rack to finish cooling completely.  Once cooled, use a very sharp knife to cut into 2 inch x 3 inch bars, or desired size.  Store in an airtight container.  These also freeze well.

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