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. 

Another Turn....

So my daydream of having more time for Pinterest didn't quite work out as planned.  But that's okay, since I really have so much that I'd like to do away from the computer anyway.

"This Little Piggy" photo by me

I thought I would check in on here though to let you know that we are all doing well and are very much anticipating the arrival of spring.  It looks like we may have a  few more kiddo's running around here soon.  Now that I'm feeling so much better, I have decided to open up our home to do daycare again.  It's been a while (since Chelsea was little) since I have done it, but have been so blessed over the years to learn what an impact it has had on those families.  I wish I would have known then what I know now.  Now that I know, and have grown a little wiser in my years, I feel that I can contribute even more.  I have a lot of love to give!

I am still amazed at how much more I appreciate the little things.  I know that comes from loss - not only of loved ones, but of my health as well.  I hated the feeling of not being able to function as I once had.  My friends seemed to be continually running circles around me.  They may still be lapping me, but I have  picked up the pace a little bit.  I want what I do with my days to count for something - so once again, I look forward to this "turn" in my journey...

"You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand.
      My entire lifetime is just a moment to you;
      at best, each of us is but a breath.” 

Psalm 39:5 NLT

Staying on Task - kids

I have a new love.... a place where I can go and browse, feel creative, be inspired and can get great ideas for pretty much anything.... such as ways to bring order to our home.  I have come to the realization lately that I really do not enjoy repeating myself over and over and over and over and over again - day after day after day after day.  Thanks to my new love (aka Pinterest) we now have a way for our goofy, easily distracted girl to stay on task.  She was excited to pick out the colors, I was excited to think about not repeating myself.

So doesn't that mean more time for Pinterest if I really am implementing some of the ideas?  I think so!

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.

Even in the Small Things

This morning as I was walking, I passed by a tree that was totally covered with frost.  It was so stunning that I had to stop and turn around for a second look.  There were buds already, brilliantly covered with beautiful bright, crisp, minute icicles.  I contemplated taking a picture right then, but kept walking since there were neighbors out and about.  I decided that my camera wouldn’t have been able to capture the beauty, and really, I have so many pictures already…. Who would want to see one of frosty tree buds?

My heart is heavy this morning, as I have a few friends going through some really tough things – so tough that I found myself weeping as I prayed for them.

As I opened up a new devotional to restore my soul, the message was meant for me… and meant for me to share.

From Daily Readings for Difficult Days by Jennifer Carter:

“ … as I innocently bustled my way…. I see the light catching the branches of a tree – nothing surprising you may say.  What struck me is that, even now, before the harshest day of winter has come, the buds of next year's leaves are already furled up waiting for that first warm day of spring.

Even in our darkest times there is the promise of something better to come, if we can only believe and stand firm.  As surely as the seasons come and go, so the dark times eventually pass and a brighter time arrives.

Yet just as in the winter it is so hard to remember the feel of the warm sun beating down on your skin, in the dark times we need to remember that God is faithful and He promises to be with us through the darkest of days.”

Of course, after reading such a beautiful analogy, I had to go back and take a picture of the tree branches before all of the frost melted to share with my friend…. And now you.

‘ And surely I am with you always,
to the very end of the age. ’
~ Matthew 28:20

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.

Rejoicing This Christmas

I am blessed.  There are so many things in my life to be thankful for right now.  I am loving the anticipation for Christmas.

Though I hadn't planned on doing much decorating this year, somehow we keep doing more and more.  A light fixture here, the card tree there, tonight the Nativity.  Though I love all the colors, ribbons and being creative - I think I would be just as content with simply the Nativity up.  That's what my eye keeps going to, even in a room full of lights and twinkles and ribbons and...

The Nativity.

The Reason for the Season.

This has become one of my best Christmas Season's ever.  Yes, I have known great loss, but maybe it's from that loss that I can realize the great love that I have in so many areas of my life.  It has been a goal for Jeff and me this Christmas season to keep things simple... to keep the Main Thing the Main Thing.  In a time when there is stress and chaos all around us, and technology that can easily consume us, it isn't always an easy feat. 

Yet when I focus on Jesus - His birth, His teachings, His love, His sacrifice - then all those things that bombard me lose their draw.  My focus changes.

I don't have the desire to fight traffic and crowds for those perfect gifts... but what I love more than anything is sweet time with my family and friends.  This season, this is my priority - for my time to be well spent on the those whom I hold dear.  Even with the miles that separate, I hope my family and friends know just how much they mean to me.

Relationships.  Encouragement.  Love.
Remembering our Savior, and celebrating His birth.
Humming my favorite carols...

"O come, O come, Emmanuel

And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel."


... and rejoicing this Christmas.

 A couple of Chelsea's ornaments

 He's a professional you know...

 Last year's 'after Christmas' super cheap poinsettas.

 They don't like to have their picture taken.

My cozy evening. I am thankful.

Joyful Surrender

It’s one of those times again…. I have been sensing change on the horizon. The Lord has been doing a work in me. Thankfully, it’s been a gentle work, rather than my whole world crashing in around me as it did a few years ago during Chelsea’s battle with cancer.

This change is different. I am different. I am changed – because of what He showed us those last several years. The things we had to endure were horrible, devastating in many ways. Yet at the same time, we got to see the Lord move in a magnificent way.

So now, I trust Him.

I don’t know what the future holds, but I am at peace. There is a contentment even, in knowing that I don’t have to worry. God knows what I need better than I do. My focus simply needs to be on focussing on what is right and true, remembering the promises in His word. (Jer 29:11, Prov. 3:5,6 and so many more…) This time of year, when it’s so easy to get caught up in the chaos.... keeping the main thing the main thing is more important than ever.

Today is a new day.

I will face it surrendered, and with much JOY.

CHRISTMAS JOY.

Banana Crepes (Grain Free, Protein Rich)

Banana Crepes (Grain Free, Protein Rich)

So I saw a great new recipe this morning, and decided to try it out right away. I love the idea of grain free simply because I know so many who are avoiding grains. I was surprised and delighted with the simplicity of this recipe. If it’s catching your eye, let me just say that you probably already have the ingredients on hand.

These Banana Crepes were impressive, and if you’re a foodie, than you’ll love the idea of getting your fruit and protein in such an easy, fast, delicious, REAL food way.

Here’s what you need:

1 Ripened Banana

2 eggs

butter, palm kernel oil, coconut oil or ghee for frying.

Simple Directions:
Heat 1 tablespoon oil or butter in a cast iron or stainless steel skillet over medium-low heat. Mash banana with a fork and then add the eggs and whip with a fork. Spoon the batter into the oil.  Once they firm up, flip them once... just as you would a pancake.

At first, I was hesitant to mix the egg and banana flavors, but it really turned out well. It tasted more like crepes than it did egg. I didn’t top with anything this time, but it would be delicious with nutmeg and cinnamon or whatever else you normally would top pancakes with. 

It's a great way to use those ripe bananas that you may have in the freezer - just thaw them first.

With a healthy easy breakfast out of the way, I can spend my time on more important things....

Soupas! Portuguese Feast Roast

This is a recipe that I remember my dad and my uncles getting so excited about. I love how my Grandma Dutra could always bring the family together with a good meal.  It has a very distinct aroma and taste, and it seems people either love it or hate it. After my father passed, I went without Soupas for several years, until just a couple of years ago when my cousin made it for the family at the annual Yosemite camping trip. The aroma was amazing, the anticipation as it cooked unbearable... and that first bite.... Delightful! I'm not sure which I like better, the taste, or the wonderful family memories that come flooding back when I smell it cooking.

Ingredients:

•4 lb chuck roast
•oil, salt, pepper, water
•4-6 cloves garlic
•2 med white onions
•4 sticks cinnamon
•3 small cans tomato sauce
•1 ounce or more ground cumin (to taste)
•1 1/2 cups red wine (optional)
• fresh spearmint (as much as you can fit in the pot)
•1 loaf Sourdough Bread

In a little oil, fry roast on each side, adding salt and pepper.

Put roast in a crock pot and cook for a couple of hours. Add the chopped onion and garlic. Add water to 1/2 - 3/4 way up the roast. Add tomato sauce, cumin, cinnamon and mint. Simmer several hours until meat falls apart and sauce thickens. The roast should be covered with liquid. Add the wine for the last hour of cooking. Adjust cumin, cinnamon to taste. If juice is too thick, and more water. If using a chuck roast, it will need at least 8 hours of cooking on high.

Strain and pour over thick slices of toasted sourdough bread. I love the flavor of the sourdough and the sauce together... even more than the beef. Enjoy!

 There is a roast under the onions and garlic.  Next time, I'm not going to use quite so much water.

Thick slices of sourdough french bread toasted work best...

and definitely make the flavors come together.

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.  

Friday Favorites 10/30-11/5

All in all, it was a good week.  Tuesday was rough - but the other days more than made up for it.  Here are some of my favorite moments...

 Road trip...

Clouds and ponies...

I love entering Warm Springs....

Blue skies and crazy rock formations....

 Waterfalls....

And snowball fights....

 I'm not alone with my passion for rocks...

The twins hounding...

Bumpy roads...

 And hidden mountain tops....

Beautiful ride home...

A new favorite place...

 

Chicken Phyllo Pie

Moroccan chicken, dried cherry, cinnamon

 Beautiful decor that doesn't even compare to my friend....

  Stained glass...

 Walks with my monkey...

 Changing seasons...

  And the best company.

Trust in the LORD, and do good;

Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.

 Delight yourself also in the LORD,

And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

Psalm 37:3,4