The Copeland Ramblings/

24 days! Senegal history part 2

24 days left! Crazy! Yesterday I (Deb) made some whole wheat dinner rolls and cinnamon raisin swirl bread. I have been trying to get better/quicker at making breads and things that I can easily make in Africa.  I have also been prefecting some healthy banana bread muffins, we can get pretty much everything for banana muffins in Africa and are a great breakfast option. There are so many different way to make banana muffins, so I have been trying a few new ones. I have also been trying to figure out how to make things like that a little more healthy. I found a “healthy recipe” online and made it once, changed the recipe a little the second time and then totally revamped it the third time and I cut the calories nearly in half! And they still tasted great! =)  Here is the original recipe and then the healthier revamped recipe:

Oatmeal Banana Muffins:

Original version

1/2 cup margarine, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup mashed ripe banana
3/4 cup honey
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup quick-cooking oat
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chocolate chips (optional)
(150 calories per muffin without chips, 200 calories per muffin with chips)

My revamped version:

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup apple sauce
2 eggs
3 bananas
1/3-1/2 cup honey
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup quick oats
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt

Makes 22 cupcake size muffins
(106 calories per muffin)

Blend all wet ingredients together and mix dry ingredients in a sperate bowl and then mix into the wet ingredients. Either grease cupcake tins or use cupcake liners. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 min. Also, I will occasionally throw in a cup of chocolate chips!! It depends on if I want it to be a dessert or a breakfast item! =) In Africa I will usually make probably a quad batch and then keep them in the freezer for breakfasts or snacks. They defrost out in the warm air in no time and them being super cold feels so wonderful in the hot weather!

Ok back to Senegal History! Part 2 (These are taken from the Senegal History article on Wikipedia.com

Independence of Senegal:

In January 1959, Senegal and the French Sudan merged to form the Mali Federation, which became fully independent on June 20, 1960, as a result of the independence and the transfer of power agreement signed with France on April 4, 1960. Due to internal political difficulties, the Federation broke up on August 20, 1960. Senegal and Soudan (renamed the Republic of Mali) proclaimed independence. Léopold Senghor, internationally known poet, politician, and statesman, was elected Senegal’s first president in August 1960.After the breakup of the Mali Federation, President Senghor and Prime Minister Mamadou Dia governed together under a parliamentary system. In December 1962, their political rivalry led to an attempted coup by Prime Minister Dia. The coup was put down without bloodshed and Dia was arrested and imprisoned. Senegal adopted a new constitution that consolidated the President’s power. In 1980, President Senghor retired from politics, and handed power over to his handpicked successor, Abdou Diouf, in 1981.

Celebrating Independence Day

1980-2006:

Senegal joined with The Gambia to form the nominal confederation of Senegambia on February 1, 1982. However, the envisaged integration of the two countries was never carried out, and the union was dissolved in 1989. Despite peace talks, a southern separatist group in the Casamance region has clashed sporadically with government forces since 1982. Senegal has a long history of participating in international peacekeeping.citation neededAbdou Diouf was president between 1981 and 2000. He encouraged broader political participation, reduced government involvement in the economy, and widened Senegal’s diplomatic engagements, particularly with other developing nations. Domestic politics on occasion spilled over into street violence, border tensions, and a violent separatist movement in the southern region of the Casamance. Nevertheless, Senegal’s commitment to democracy and human rights has strengthened over time. Diouf served four terms as President. In the presidential election of 2000, he was defeated in a free and fair election by opposition leader Abdoulaye Wade. Senegal experienced its second peaceful transition of power, and its first from one political party to another.On December 30, 2004 President Abdoulaye Wade announced that he would sign a peace treaty with two separatist factions of the Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC) in the Casamance region. This will end West Africa’s longest-running civil conflict. As of late 2006, it seemed the peace treaty was holding, as both factions and the Senegalese military appeared to honor the treaty. With recognized prospects for peace, refugees began returning home from neighboring Guinea-Bissau. However, at the beginning of 2007, refugees began fleeing again, as the sight of Senegalese troops rekindled fears of a new outbreak of violence between the separatists and the government.

The President of Senegal Abdoulaye Wade

Thanks for checking in! We love that you take the time to keep up to date with us! Tomorrow I hope to update you about some of the basic facts of Senegal, like population, religion, languages, etc. =)

On this day..

• Edufire Video Contest - 2009
• April - wow! - 2008
• Pictures of Gregg's Accident - 2007
• The Other Side of the Family - 2006