Fudgy Tahini Bites and a Soccer Tournament

There are so many parents out there whose lives were overtaken by a league soccer tournament this weekend, surely I am not the only one who is completely exhausted. It feels like cheating to say I’m tired when I only watched the four hours worth of games. (However, there was that one parent vs. kids game we played when the opposing team for a friend’s game didn’t show up. That was really fun!!) The Sweet Bean, who played all four games, and whose team won 1st place in her division, is the one who ran herself into the ground. She is allowed to be tired and spoiled rotten today. She and her whole team played so well!

Their coach has had them working on foot skills A LOT and it shows.

Sweet Bean actually got to play several girls from her elementary school who are on other teams.

Those early morning 8:00 a.m. games are hard. I’d say Sweet Bean was excited for the tournament though. She showed up in my room at 6:15 a.m. completely dressed, shin guards and everything.

And even that early she was fired up. This is one of the goals she made in the first half of that early game. Two days and four games later she was still working hard, though not quite as spunky as when she started.

 

It was a really fun season and all the parents have commented that the girls made incredible progress this season.

Soccer is getting to be more of a time commitment and take more effort (groan), but it is really amazing to watch them become such dedicated players and have fun working so hard (proud mama grin). We are lucky to have such a great coach who has put in the effort to grow and improve himself alongside the team.

Half-time huddle. Mr. A helped out as assistant coach this year.

We’ve had players come and go but these four girls and their coach have stuck together for four years.

Hard to believe these two met in preschool.

Sweet Bean and her team, the Black Hornets, were undefeated this season and took 1st place in the Spring Shootout Tournament.

 

Now for the food. These have been a favorite of ours recently. Simple, easy to make, and even vegan. And if anyone needs a pick-me-up high-energy snack right now, it is the Sweet Bean!

Fudgy Tahini Bites (vegan)

(recipe from hypefoodie.com)

Ingredients

1/2 c. tahini

1/2 c. unsweetened coconut

2 tbsp. melted coconut oil

3 tbsp. maple syrup (the original recipe calls for 1/4 c., but that was too sweet for us)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ginger (my addition)

1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

pinch of salt

 

The cast of ingredients from left to right: cinnamon, vanilla, coconut oil, tahini, unsweetened coconut. Maple syrup is shy and hiding in the back row. Ginger, well, she was busy and couldn’t make the photo shoot.

Directions

Add all ingredients into a bowl and mix thoroughly to combine.

Spoon into silicone candy or cupcake mold and place in the freezer for 30 or more to harden.

Pop the bites out of the mold and store in an air-tight container in the fridge or freezer.

I have been doubling the recipe lately. One batch is not always enough for more than one sitting, and it’s nice to have a few around when snacks are needed.

 

Not ideal but this is what I have: silicone cupcake liners and the silicone mold that I use for freezing cubes of fresh squeezed lemon juice, or chicken stock. (In their previous life they were for homemade baby food, but that’s been awhile).

Just before placing them into the freezer.

On the plate and ready to eat. Yum!

 

Undefeated!

Three years ago, when we were still living in Reno, a friend of ours decided to start a fantasy football league for a bunch of his friends and their wives/significant others. He said it was just for shits and giggles. The explanation I got from his girlfriend was that the two of them had very few things in common. Fantasy football would give them something to talk about and do together. The make up of the league was about 50/50 girls and guys, and all friends of ours so I thought it sounded like fun. I was staying home at the time, so I thought this will give me a way to further socialize with our friends, and learn more about football since Mr. A likes it so much. Oh, wait! I’m staying home with a small infant and can barely carve out time to check my email once every few days. Time to research football players and figure out who I’m going to play each week? Not going to happen. So I abstained.

For the last two years I watched Mr. A put together his team, shuffle players around, etc. I’ve laughed as I watched the banter and smack talk that goes back and forth between people in the league. It’s been fun. And this year, because I have more computer time now, I’ve actually been able to play. And I like it. Of course it could be because I am undefeated this season in Fantasy football! Which is funny, because I am not a big football fan.

My mom LOVES watching football. So does my papa, my father-in-law, and my brother-in-law. I like watching if I am invested in the game somehow. Like when several of my students were on the UNR football team I watched college football more. When the Chicago Bears went to the Superbowl we cheered and threw a party (Mr. A and I both have relatives from the Chicago area). But to me football has always been just predictable background noise on Sundays.

Mr. A played football in high school and was a starting player all four years. So as you can guess I am gloating at the opportunity to rub it in that my team is doing better than his. And of course he laughs at me. It’s terrible when your hubbie enjoys seeing you get all riled up and then just smiles, shakes his head, and laughs. He is absolutely maddening! And so cute ruggedly handsome at the same time.