4
in other words/events
july3
2014
An Unlikely Culinary Column
By Karen Kain
For years I have been taking pic-
tures of people living with disabilities. I
also like to cook, but I never thought I
would be taking photos of food and writ-
ing a column for the local paper.
It is funny how life has led me
in an unlikely direction. The last three
years, I have been traveling around the
US and Singapore, talking to families
who live with unique (disabled) chil-
dren. I am always meeting wonderful
people who inspire me. I love taking
photos and making videos of individu-
als doing amazing things no matter their
ability. With the help of the Mac Store I
designed my own website and began ed-
iting and sharing videos of people living
a unique life experience. My daughter
Lorrin was born in 1994; she was vac-
cine injured at six weeks of age. The
vaccine gave her severe brain damage
leaving her body a train wreck but her
soul powerful. Lorrin died in 2009, and I
have been trying to figure out what I will
be when I grow up ever since. Writing
a food column was not anywhere in my
sights.
During Lorrin’s life I stayed
home and focused on cooking
healthy and healing meals. I learned
much about how important it was to
eat fresh and local. I focused on nu-
trition to keep my daughter healthy,
but it was equally as important that
I stay healthy too. I love to eat and
I love to cook, and experiment with
new recipes combining my favorite
foods.
My husband and I moved
from the Los Angeles area to a small
town of 300 in Eastern Oregon called
Halfway. My niece Mackenzie Kero and
her husband just bought their first home
in Vernonia. Each time we visit I think
maybe we should have moved here. I
love Vernonia and it is an honor to be a
part of the local paper. I hope my recipes
inspire you to explore new foods. I look
forward to sharing with you and would
love to hear what you are cooking.
ice cream in the summer? Here is my
version of a Klondike Bar, it is easy to
make, healthy and delicious. I think you
will find your kiddo’s sweet tooth fully
satisfied and have them asking for more.
Healthy Klondike Bars – Dairy Free
A big trend in today’s diet is
called the Paleo way of eating. It is re-
ferred to as a caveman diet; if a caveman
couldn’t eat it, neither can you. This
includes eating meat, fish, nuts, leafy
greens, veggies, fruit and seeds, omit-
ting pasta, cereal and candy. You don’t’
have to keep track of how much you eat
or count calories. The thought is that our
bodies have not adjusted to eating so
many grains and today’s diets are full of
grains. As obesity remains an ongoing
battle I was excited to try a paleo, vegan
sweet dessert.
The weather is heating up and
providing healthy choices for summer
snacks will be in demand. Who doesn’t
have that childhood memory of eating
NOW RECRUITING
current EMTs and
EMT students for volunteer
positions in Vernonia
Healthy Klondike Bars
Dairy Free
Directions:
Line a casserole sized pan with
parchment paper and set aside. In
a blender combine the ice cream
ingredients; blend until they are
well combined. Pour the batter into
the lined dish. Place in a freezer
until the ice cream is frozen solid,
4-6 hours. Remove the pan from
the freezer and pull out the cream
via the parchment paper. Using a
solid knife cut the ice cream into 8
squares, then return to the freezer
while you prepare the chocolate
mixture. Whisk together the melt-
ed coconut oil, and cocoa powder
and maple syrup, breaking up the
clumps. You can add more cocoa
powder for a darker chocolate flavor
or more maple for sweeter choco-
late. Spoon the chocolate mixture
over each ice cream bar, making
sure to coat all sides evenly. Place
the bars once they are coated on a
plate lined with parchment paper
and put back in the freezer. Once
each bar is covered store in a sealed
container in the freezer until you
are ready to serve. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
Vanilla Ice Cream Bars:
• 2 Cans light coconut milk
• 1/4 Cup melted coconut oil
• 4 Tablespoons honey
• 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 1/2 Vanilla extract
Chocolate Coating:
• 13 Tablespoons cocoa powder
• 8 Tablespoons melted coconut oil
• 1/2 Cup maple syrup
Upcoming
Events
Vernonia Area Chamber of Com-
merce Meeting - Tuesday, July 8,
6:30-7:00 PM in the West Oregon
Electric Board Room, 652 Rose
Ave.
Baby & Toddler Time - Wednes-
day, July 9, 11:00-11:30 AM at the
Vernonia Library. Songs, rhymes,
very short books, toys and bub-
bles! For ages 0-3. Older sib-
lings are welcome.
Summer Reading Program per-
formance by storyteller Christo-
pher Leebrick - Tuesday, July 15,
10:00 AM at the Vernonia Library,
701 Weed Ave. Leebrick’s pro-
gram includes world folk tales,
original stories, narrative poet-
ry, whoppers and jump tales.
Vernonia Night Out - Tuesday,
August 5, 5:00 PM at the Verno-
nia Fire Station, 555 Bridge St.
This is a community appreciation
night for all the first responders
that help keep our community
safe and healthy. BBQ, Family
Fun Activities, Raffle & Demon-
stations. Contact: Brandi Abney
503-429-8252.
Vernonia Volunteer Fire & Res-
cue Golf Benefit - Sunday, August
3, 7:00 AM at the Vernonia Golf
Course, 15961 Timber Rd. Enter
by July 28. Contact: Randy Carl-
ton 503-429-8252.
Bear Creek 10k/5k Run/Walk -
Saturday, August 16, 9:00 AM
start at Anderson Park. Contact
kelliem@westoregon.org
Vernonia’s 16th Annual Community Garage Sale
The annual Community Wide Garage Sale will be held on Saturday Au-
gust 23, 2014 from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Any resident or business wish-
ing to be included on the map can sign up by calling Helen Bateman at
503-429-6203. Deadline to sign up is Wednesday, August 20th. The map
showing sale locations will be available Friday, August 22nd and the day
of the sale at Vernonia Realty, 953 Bridge Street.
Find out how you can become an emt
For more information
call 503-429-4600
D
DM
an
E
C
I
V
SER PAIR
& RE
Vernonia
Dental
Warranty on all parts and labor
Now offering
2 and 4 wheel
alignments
58605 NEHALEM HWY. S.
Next to Storage, Too
503/429/7972
291
A
Street
call Kim
e rm
VERNONIA
D
h
r. C
r
h
p
o
is t
M
er
. S
e
ch
u
622 Bridge Street Vernonia, OR 97064
phone (503) 429-0880 -- fax (503) 429-0881
Lovable service at
a reasonable price
• Bathing
• Haircuts
• Nail Clipping
• Nail Polishing
• Specialty
Shampoos
