Apocalypse Chow! (How to Eat Well When the Power Goes Out)

From the back of the book:

Right now, somewhere in America, a storm has knocked out the electricity. With Apocalypse Chow! John Robertson delivers a very practical guide to eating with elegance even when the refrigerator, stove, and microwave are rendered powerless.

There is so much to learn about long-term food storage and preparedness. But that's not what you will find in this book. No, this fun little book is a great place to start, I guess, if what you want is a way to "make the best" out of a short period of time without electricity. The focus is away from emergency beans and weenies and instead encourages more elegant fare. The book contains over 60 recipes including Almost Instant Black Bean Chili and Cruchy Asian Salad with Peanut Dressing.

At the bare minimum, every family should have provisions to make a week of simple, familiar meals in the absence of electricity. If you need encouragement to get to that point, then perhaps this book will get you headed in the right direction. If, however, you see a need for more extended preparedness, you will need to expand your search to books devoted to long-term food storage.

Apocalypse Chow is available through Amazon.

Finally! An Awsome (and Inexpensive) Solar Lantern

When the power goes out, this is the lantern I will be reaching for! You have probably read about the socially-responsible company that makes these little gems, but had no idea they were available for purchase.

This product came out of Stanford University's Entrepreneurial Design for Extreme Affordability program. The company's goal is to replace every kerosene lantern in the world with safer, brighter, and more affordable lighting and they are making a difference in the lives of many people. Read more about this amazing company here.

I love supporting a company with such a noble cause. But it's a win-win situation because they have developed a product that is much-needed right here, too. When the power goes out, I would rather not have to worry about worn-out batteries or dangerous candles.

This little lantern puts out an amazing amount of light. The handle makes it easy to hang or provides support for setting it on a level surface. Overall, I couldn't be more pleased with this little lantern. I will certainly be ordering more!

The D.light Kiran Solar LED Lantern is available at Amazon.

Chocolate Chip Pancakes (Dairy-Free)

After much experimentation, I have come up with a dairy-free recipe for chocolate chip pancakes. I have tried using milk substitutes in our favorite traditional pancake recipes but it just doesn't come out right.

So here it is... our favorite dairy-free pancake recipe:

1 cup flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons coconut oil (I use Nutiva Organic Coconut Oil)
3/4 cup water
1 egg
1/4 cup dairy-free chocolate chips (I use Enjoy-Life semi-sweet chocolate chips)

Spray skillet with olive oil. Heat skillet using medium setting. When a droplet of water jumps, the skillet is ready.

Sift dry ingredients in medium bowl.

Combine coconut oil, water, and egg in a small bowl. Add to the dry ingredients and stir until thoroughly moistened. Add chocolate chips and stir to combine.

Makes 6 pancakes.

GFCF Version:
Substitute 1 cup almond flour and 1 cup oat flour for the wheat flour. Yes, I realize this doubles the amount of flour in the recipe, but for some reason this is what works for me.
Yield 8 to 10 pancakes.