Simplicity + Chaos = JOY

My how things can change in such a short amount of time...

At the end of last year, I was tired of being sick and tired all of the time.  In many ways, it felt like life was just passing me by as I struggled each day with the continuous head pain and fatigue.  My focus was on simply trying to be the best mom and wife that I could be - and not letting the physical struggles rob my family from the love I so wanted to pour out on them.  It was discouraging to say the least, yet at the same time I think that the Lord had some important lessons to teach me that I never would have grasped had I been feeling good and keeping busy.

Lessons about being still, and resting in Him.... trusting that He uses all things....

Lessons that I don't ever want to forget, especially now as my life is once again taking another turn.  I am delighted to be feeling so much better thanks to the changes we have made in the foods we eat.  I haven't felt this good in years, and though I still often have headaches, they aren't anything compared to the debilitating migraines.

Feeling better and not wanting to waste my days away, we have opened up our home for daycare again.  Not like I did before with many families, but simply one family with 3 very special kiddos that I adore.  My days are full with giggles - and messes, and bickering, and chaos, and ... and.... and.....

.... and I am so thankful!

I have learned that every moment is precious, and that time really does pass by so quickly.

I desire my life to be one of purpose and fruit bearing... not selfishness and trying to find happiness with 'stuff' as our culture so often encourages, the trap that we so easily get ensnared in.

The more simple my life becomes, the more rich I feel, and the more at peace I am.

Tortilla Soup at a Glance

Back in February, I posted a recipe for tortilla soup, very similar to this one.  Today while making it, I decided to snap a few pictures since it was so easy.  I really should call it my "UN-Tortilla Soup" since the only tortillas used were simply for the photos....

Have you had your fruits and veggies today?

I add the ingredients that I want totally blended first with 2 cups of hot water. After blending on high for 3 minutes, the soup was hot without over cooking the veggies.  That's right!  I want those macro nutrients!

Once it's hot, I slow down the speed and add the beans, olives and some of the avocado.

 

Not only does it taste great, but I FEEL great after eating it. 

Simple Rice & Beans with a Kick

It has been cold here, and now that I'm eating better, I don't have the hot flashes like I used to.  On days like this, a hot flash just might be nice as I've been shivering in my socks all morning!

A hot cup of coffee is out - which really I don't mind since I have been sleeping so much better since kicking the habit.  I feel rested and have more energy....

But enough about that.  Let's get to the rice and beans.  Today I wanted something warm and filling - yet easy and fast to throw together.  This dish hit the mark.

Don't let the fact that it's so simple fool you.  It's good, and nutritious... and perfect for those chilly days!

RICE & BEANS with a KICK

• 2 cans of black or pinto beans (or both!)
• 1 can diced tomatoes (not Italian seasoned)
• Jalapeno - fresh or canned - to taste
• Brown rice

That's it!  Simply put the tomatoes and jalapeno in any blender and blend.  Start of with a small amount of jalapeno and adjust to the heat that you like.  It does seem to lose some heat when cooked and mixed with the beans and rice, so you might make it a little hotter than what you would normally like.

Strain and rinse the beans, add them to a pot along with tomato sauce.  Bring to boil and then simmer.  The longer you can let it simmer to let the flavors meld, the better it will be.

Serve over brown rice.
(I like to keep cooked brown rice on hand, so I cook extra when I make it.  I keep individual portions in the freezer for days like this).

Tortilla Soup = Satisfying!

These crisp, chilly evenings have made it a perfect time for some Fresh Tortilla Soup.  This recipe is so easy to make, and packed full of nutrition.  It has become my "go to" recipe when I am chilled and craving a cup of coffee… but so much better for me than coffee, and very satisfying!  I even eat it out of a coffee mug...

INGREDIENTS:

·         1 can of vegetable broth (or chicken / beef)

·         1 cup water

·         1 Roma Tomato

·         1 Carrot

·         1 Stalk of Celery

·         1 thin slice of Onion

·         1 Garlic Clove

·         ½ of a Yellow Squash

·         ½ of Red Bell Pepper

·         ½ Fresh Jalapeno (optional)

·         2 Mushrooms

·         Salt & Pepper to taste

·         ½ tsp. Cumin

·         1 tsp. Taco Seasoning

Additional Ingredients:

·         1 bunch Cilantro (chopped)

·         ¼ cup Black Olives

·         ½  cup Corn – drained

·         ½ cup Black Beans (drained)

·         2 oz Tortilla Chips

1     ½ Avocado, cut into larger chunks - added after soup dished into bowls

High Power Blender:  This recipe is super easy with a high powered blender.  Just add the top ingredients in the order they are listed, chopping larger vegies in half, and blend 5-7 minutes, until heavy steam comes out.  Then turn to low variable speed and add remaining ingredients, blend for about  10 seconds.

 Stove Top:  Chop  vegetables listed in top ingredients and add to pot of broth and water.  Cover and bring to boil.  Lower heat and simmer until carrot chunks are soft.  Add seasonings.  Using an immersion /hand blender, or batches in regular blender (let cool to avoid burns) – blend ingredients until desired consistency.  Return to heat.  Return to simmer and add remaining ingredients.  No blender?  Try using a potato masher once the vegies are soft.

This is one of those recipes that you can adjust to how you like it.  Play with it and find what you like... and then kick back and enjoy the warmth it brings.

Extreme Migraines call for Extreme Measures

Up until this point, I haven’t been inspired to continue posting on my blog.  The last few years have been filled with chronic pain and fatigue, and really, other than the day to day happenings of being ‘Mama’, there wasn’t a lot new and exciting going on.  It took all I had just to get through each day.

Oh yeah, the chickens have been fun for us, but really, there’s only so much you can post on that before people start thinking you’re crazy.

But I’m so excited to report that things are improving rapidly in my life and I am so thankful!  Jeff and I have started out the new year with a new lifestyle.  And yes, maybe we are a bit crazy with this one.  We have eliminated caffeine, sugar, dairy from our diets, as well as most meats.  I know!  CRAZY!!!  But let me say that it has been the best month health wise for both of us.  We feel so good!  (recently, we both ate meat and cheese, and both times could definitely tell how much worse we felt after….).  No worries, we are getting plenty of protein, calcium, etc from the foods we are eating.  We take vitamin D supplements since we don't have much sunshine now, and the small amount of meats that we will eat will give us the B12 that we need.

It’s been over 3 weeks now, and it is so much easier than I thought it would be.  Really, I wasn’t sure if we would last this long.  But we aren’t hungry – we eat a LOT – and our tastebuds are changing.  Food that we used to love doesn’t taste the same, it tastes salty and gross, and we are finding that we don’t even want it.  We both have lost more weight than what we thought possible without an extreme exercise plan – and because of our new found energy we are finding that we are becoming more active and are looking forward to family hikes and such.

Get this… I ENJOY waking up with Jeff in the still dark hours of morning to make his breakfast and meals for the day.  Mornings used to be the hardest part of the day for me as waking up in constant pain is exhausting and discouraging.  Now I bounce out of bed ready to start the day!

Best of all, I feel inspired – to be a better wife, mom, and all that God created me to be.  Kate’s giggles this morning as I ran up our hill ahead of her were priceless.  She was in shock and delighted at the same time, and she couldn’t wait to share with the other people at the bus stop.

If I feel this good in just a few short weeks, what’s the rest of the year going to be like for me??  I am excited to find out!

What has inspired us?

Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead (a documentary found on Netflix)
Eat to Live – book by Joel Fuhrman (available at Amazon)
Vitamix – my new fun blender that we invested in when we knew that this was going to be a lifestyle for us.

Incorporating KALE - Breakfast Scramble

I love kale, though I have to admit, I’m pretty limited in the ways that I know to prepare it. Yes, I love it in my Calde Verde soup (ground turkey- italian style, potatoes, garlic, onion, kale, italian seasonings)…. but other than in soups, I don’t use it much. Since I don’t use it much, obviously I don’t buy it much. But this year is different, thanks to my garden, and I now have kale that I need to use.

Kale is one of those super foods that I want to incorporate into our diets more. I’ve recently read that it’s “amazingly nutritious”. Amazingly?? Who can pass that up? Kale is great for protecting your health, providing you with a rich source of vitamins and minerals, and preventing cancer.

Here are a few facts that impressed me about this green giant:
It has large amounts of vitamin A, vitamin C, B6, manganese, calcium, copper and potassium.

Benefits of vitamin C alone include helping to reduce cell damage that results in inflammation (one of the primary causes of heart disease and autoimmune diseases). It helps to oxidize cholesterol, fight infections, and ladies, it renews collagen in our skin for a “healthy youthful appearance”.

There is so much more, but I realize that not all are interested in such facts. But for those interested, a few minutes googling kale can give you tons of information on how all this nutrition can affect cholesterol, osteoporosis, mental decline, eye damage/cataracts and more.

One of the most impressive facts to me is that the organosulphur compounds have been proven to be highly effective against many cancers, including stomach, colon, breast and ovarian cancers. It seems everyone has been impacted by cancer, and it seems to be happening more and more. I’m not saying kale is a cure for this, but I am willing to recognize it’s benefits and to incorporate it into our meals, hopefully helping our family stay as healthy as possible.

Breakfast Scramble:
1 egg (another superfood for another day)
1/2 tsp of butter (doesn't take much)
1 slice turkey bacon (cut into 1/2" pieces)
2 cloves garlic (that might be a bit much for some, but I love it... also a superfood)
2-3 kale leaves (stem removed, chopped)
2 tbsp Pepperjack cheese (shredded)
 
I crisp the bacon, add the butter, saute the kale for a few minutes before adding the garlic (more health benefits the less you cook it).  I bring it all to the center of the pan.  I scramble the egg and pour it over the mixture.  I let it cook until mostly solid, and then flip it like a pancake. I sprinkle a small amount of PJcheese on top for that added kick.