So, this may not be a big deal to anyone else but I am thrilled to announce that last Friday, February 25, we paid off our van!! Nick and I set a goal at the beginning of 2010 to pay our loan off early…three and a half years early. We realistically knew we were unable to do so in one year, but did our best and ended up paying it off in 14 months instead of 12!!! WooHoo!!!
I am so thankful the Lord allowed us to achieve such a huge financial goal. A few months ago, a friend pointed out that God’s grace and provision are what truly allow us to be free from the burden of debt. Yes, we have to work hard and make sacrifices, but so many things could have occurred in the past 14 months to divert our finances. God allowed our circumstances to remain stable, enabling us to pursue the goal of being debt free. That concept impacted my heart and changed how I viewed the whole process of getting out of debt. Now, when an unexpected circumstance creates a kink in our budget, I remember God is allowing it and will faithfully provide for our needs (Matthew 6).
Another goal I set in 2010 was to read 12 books. I flopped…BIG TIME!! I think I only read two books all year. I’m still trying to decide if I want to give it a go again this year or wait until my girls are a little older. So, if you are a mother with toddlers/infants and you have time to read, please share how you fit that into your life. I’d love to know! :)
Monday, February 28, 2011
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Soothing Red Lentil Soup
I found this recipe on The Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen, a blog overflowing with gluten free recipes. I highly recommend visiting this blog if you struggle with a wheat intolerance/allergy or Celiac disease. The authors are extremely knowledgeable and have packed it with oodles of information and resources. I also discovered a number of wonderful recipes that fit in with the Candida diet. Others need to be modified somewhat, but the site has definitely inspired me to think outside the box. Anyway, here is the recipe (please note: my comments are italicized).
Soothing Red Lentil Soup
Add the red lentils and water or stock. I like to prep the carrots at this point. It's just nice to get the lentils cooking first to save time. Then add the carrots, cover the pot, and simmer for about an hour total (start time after adding liquid and lentils).
I recommend using all veggie stock instead of water. The first time I made this soup I mixed stock and water and it was very bland. I also used the minimum amount of the spices. The second time around, I used all veggie stock and the maximum amount of spices. I also doubled the amount of carrots and found it was much more flavorful.
Turn off heat, add greens, lemon, and salt. Stir it all together and let it rest for about five minutes for the greens to soften.
Soothing Red Lentil Soup
- 2 to 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 to 3 cloves garlic, crushed (or more)
- 1 to 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
- 2 teaspoons mild curry powder
- 2 cups red lentils
- 8 cups water or veggie stock (or a mixture of both)
- 3 to 4 large carrots, peeled and sliced
- 4 cups thinly sliced chard (or kale, spinach, collards)
- 2 to 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons Herbamare or sea salt
Add the red lentils and water or stock. I like to prep the carrots at this point. It's just nice to get the lentils cooking first to save time. Then add the carrots, cover the pot, and simmer for about an hour total (start time after adding liquid and lentils).
I recommend using all veggie stock instead of water. The first time I made this soup I mixed stock and water and it was very bland. I also used the minimum amount of the spices. The second time around, I used all veggie stock and the maximum amount of spices. I also doubled the amount of carrots and found it was much more flavorful.
Turn off heat, add greens, lemon, and salt. Stir it all together and let it rest for about five minutes for the greens to soften.
 |
| Be sure to strip the leafy part of the kale off the stalk. I didn't know to do this the first time and our soup was rather crunchy :) |
 |
| Dinner is served! |
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Breakthrough Buckwheat Breakfast!!
Ok, maybe breakthrough is a bit of an exaggeration, but I have discovered a new breakfast option I’m excited to share. I found this Creamy Buckwheat Cereal at Whole Foods and thought it would be a great alternative to oatmeal.
I fixed it with butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, Stevia and coconut milk. Sounds delicious, doesn’t it? Well, it really wasn’t and I was disappointed. I let the cereal sit in the cupboard for a week and thought about what else I could do with it. I had my breakthrough this afternoon as I was making Bri’s peanut butter and jelly sandwich. The peanut butter smelled sooo good and I did a bad thing…I cheated on my diet. I ate a whole, heaping spoonful of peanut butter (peanuts are not allowed because they usually have mold on them. Not helpful when on an antifungal diet). So then I did another bad thing…I fixed a bowl of creamy buckwheat cereal and mixed in another heaping spoonful of peanut butter and some Stevia. WOW and YUM!!! It tasted like I was eating a peanut butter cookie. So, I figure if I use cashew or almond butter instead of peanut butter, it will still be super yummy and kosher for the diet. Here's what you need:
Mix well and enjoy!
I fixed it with butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, Stevia and coconut milk. Sounds delicious, doesn’t it? Well, it really wasn’t and I was disappointed. I let the cereal sit in the cupboard for a week and thought about what else I could do with it. I had my breakthrough this afternoon as I was making Bri’s peanut butter and jelly sandwich. The peanut butter smelled sooo good and I did a bad thing…I cheated on my diet. I ate a whole, heaping spoonful of peanut butter (peanuts are not allowed because they usually have mold on them. Not helpful when on an antifungal diet). So then I did another bad thing…I fixed a bowl of creamy buckwheat cereal and mixed in another heaping spoonful of peanut butter and some Stevia. WOW and YUM!!! It tasted like I was eating a peanut butter cookie. So, I figure if I use cashew or almond butter instead of peanut butter, it will still be super yummy and kosher for the diet. Here's what you need:
- ¼ cup of Creamy Buckwheat Cereal
- ¾ cup of coconut milk (unsweetened)
- 1 large spoonful of cashew/almond butter
- Sprinkle of Stevia
Mix well and enjoy!
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Big Girls!
I have missed my blog. We've been busy lately and when you're running around after a 2-year-old and 10-month-old, updating the blog usually takes a backseat to cooking dinner. But, so much is happening that I just have to write it down here. (This blog has turned into a makeshift scrapbook until I can find a time to actually sit and scrapbook). Also, please note the photo quality in this entry is not stellar...most of the cute things the girls do are done and over by the time I run to get my good camera. :)
Our little Emmie is turning into a big girl overnight, it seems. The biggest change has come in the area of food. A couple of weeks ago, meal time turned into a battle. The child refused to eat the baby food I wanted to lovingly spoon into her mouth. She would cry and scream the minute I set her in her high chair. As I approached her mouth with the spoon, she would clamp her lips shut, squeeze her eyes closed and arch her back. I was baffled. Bri never did anything like this!! So after a few days of these shenanigans, I did a little reading and discovered she was ready to feed herself. After her first meal of being able to feed herself with finger foods, meal time has become incredibly pleasant. However, she is still extremely particular about what she allows me to feed her. When I offer a piece of food, she draws her head back, narrows her eyes and carefully inspects the morsel to determine whether or not she wants it. If said food particle passes inspection, she opens her mouth just enough to touch it with her tongue. Then, if it tastes okay, the food is allowed into her mouth. It’s quite a lengthy process, but at least she’s eating. So far she likes bananas, buckwheat pancakes, scrambled eggs and baked ziti (made with rice pasta). That last menu selection threw us for a loop last night. I put it on her tray just to see what she would do with it and the stinker gobbled it up. She was literally shoving it into her mouth after the initial “inspection.”
Bri has turned into Momma’s helper. My sister was over for a visit and in the midst of talking, we lost track of Bri. There was also no noise to help us locate her…never good. I opened the door to the bathroom and found her with the toilet scrubber in one hand and the bottle of Ajax tipped over on the floor. Sweet thing was cleaning the toilet all by herself with the proper cleaning instrument. I was genuinely impressed, praised her up one side and down the other, and then helped her clean the toilet. Jen got a cute pic of the moment.
Drawing has also begun to fascinate Bri. She likes to spell out her name as she’s trying to draw. It’s the cutest thing to hear her saying, “B-R-I…Beenanna!” We still haven’t mastered the concept that we only draw on paper but we’re working on it. This ink took two days and two baths to come off.
Our little Emmie is turning into a big girl overnight, it seems. The biggest change has come in the area of food. A couple of weeks ago, meal time turned into a battle. The child refused to eat the baby food I wanted to lovingly spoon into her mouth. She would cry and scream the minute I set her in her high chair. As I approached her mouth with the spoon, she would clamp her lips shut, squeeze her eyes closed and arch her back. I was baffled. Bri never did anything like this!! So after a few days of these shenanigans, I did a little reading and discovered she was ready to feed herself. After her first meal of being able to feed herself with finger foods, meal time has become incredibly pleasant. However, she is still extremely particular about what she allows me to feed her. When I offer a piece of food, she draws her head back, narrows her eyes and carefully inspects the morsel to determine whether or not she wants it. If said food particle passes inspection, she opens her mouth just enough to touch it with her tongue. Then, if it tastes okay, the food is allowed into her mouth. It’s quite a lengthy process, but at least she’s eating. So far she likes bananas, buckwheat pancakes, scrambled eggs and baked ziti (made with rice pasta). That last menu selection threw us for a loop last night. I put it on her tray just to see what she would do with it and the stinker gobbled it up. She was literally shoving it into her mouth after the initial “inspection.”Bri has turned into Momma’s helper. My sister was over for a visit and in the midst of talking, we lost track of Bri. There was also no noise to help us locate her…never good. I opened the door to the bathroom and found her with the toilet scrubber in one hand and the bottle of Ajax tipped over on the floor. Sweet thing was cleaning the toilet all by herself with the proper cleaning instrument. I was genuinely impressed, praised her up one side and down the other, and then helped her clean the toilet. Jen got a cute pic of the moment.
Drawing has also begun to fascinate Bri. She likes to spell out her name as she’s trying to draw. It’s the cutest thing to hear her saying, “B-R-I…Beenanna!” We still haven’t mastered the concept that we only draw on paper but we’re working on it. This ink took two days and two baths to come off.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)