Clean Eats!

Have you ever been disgusted by food...like all food? We get to that point around here sometimes; it usually happens after a long stretch of eating heavy baked goods, casserole after casserole, party dip after party dip, and a bunch of pop (aka, winter!). After watching Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead, I think we're there again. We don't succumb to fast food all that often anymore, but we could improve further by giving more thought to what we eat at home. We do love healthy food - fresh fruit a
nd veggies - those things just take more time to prepare, so we don't eat them like we should. And, there's something about being pregnant... icecreamcakerollsbread--carbs!carbs!carbs! When I'm not pregnant, we all eat much better.

We're in the process of nixing processed foods from our diets. While I don't think you'll catch us firing up a juicer any time soon (because of the expense of buying fruits and veggies simply for the sake of juicing - unless someone can tell me how to juice cheaply {{for a family of 5 soon 6}} - we are looking for healthier options that include basic natural ingredients fixed up to be delicious. I'm especially trying to get the kids away from hot dogs and chicken nuggets. These things are easy to fix and I think that's why we turn to them so often. After all, it's a lot easier to nuke a hot dog on one plate than make a big mess in the kitchen while preparing something more involved.

So, today at lunch I tried something a little different. We had oven-baked turkey and cream cheese crescent rolls (yes, the turkey was from the deli...baby steps...), oven-baked carrot fries, and sliced apples. I have to say, I was much happier serving that to my family than hot dogs, cheese-its, and cheese sticks. I think they enjoyed it also.

I'd love to hear your clean-eating ideas and recipes. Please post in the comments section below. Have a great weekend and see you in a few days for Grace Laced Monday. :)

If you're interested in either of these recipes, here they are:

Stuffed Crescents

Here's what you need: 

• 1 package of jumbo crescent rolls.
• 4 slices of deli meat (chicken, turkey, or ham) each ripped in half
• Approx 1/4 brick of cream cheese, softened

Here's what you do:

• Pre-heat your oven according to package directions
• Un-roll each unbaked crescent triangle
• Place one half slice of meat and about 1T of cream cheese on each crescent and roll up loosely. 
• Bake according to package directions. 
• Serve and enjoy! :)

Note: If you're thinking ahead, you could use a flavored cream cheese OR mix cream cheese with your favorite seasonings/chopped green onions, etc. 

Baked Carrot Oven French FriesRecipe Source

Here's what you need: 

• 6 large carrots
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ teaspoon celtic sea salt

Here's what you do:

• Cut each carrot into 2-inch long sections
• Cut each section into thin sticks
• In a large bowl toss carrot sticks with olive oil and salt
• Spread out carrot sticks on a parchment paper baking sheet
• Bake at 425° for 18-22 minutes until carrots are browned

Note: I just used regular sea salt and added some dried minced onion as well. The fries had a great flavor. You can season them however you wish.

Oh yeah, the hospital bag...

I'm always entertained by my friends and sisters who pack for a trip ahead of time (and, by ahead of time, I mean not throwing stuff in a bag while the rest of the family is waiting in the car ready to go). I make things simple when it comes to packing (or harder, depending on your personality type and how you look at it).

About an hour before we leave, I throw a bunch of clothes in our bags, grab toiletries and towels, all of the needed electronics, and we're out). This has always worked for us...with the exception of having to buy a few forgotten things on occasion when we reach our destination, but it mostly works and cuts out the stress of packing. Now, I do admire you pre-packers, I really do! If I could have it all ready a week ahead of time, that would be great! Hearing about all friends and relatives packing up and heading out for spring break lately got me thinking about another type of packing I'll have to do before long...the hospital bag.

When I was pregnant with #1, I actually was packed early (though I searched high and low for these sour suckers recommended in birthing class...I never found them and didn't need them, fyi). I can't remember what all was in my bag, but I do know that I found I could survive on less and less each time I checked in to have another baby. With baby #2, I was literally throwing clothes and things in a bag (out of the dryer, mind you) as my contractions were 4 minutes apart at about 4:30 a.m. With #3, I think I packed the day before my due-date or so.

I know there are lists and lists of things to bring and not to bring to the hospital, but I'm going to give you the real-life run down of what worked for me.

• A few pairs of your own clothes that you could afford to part with should they get ruined (I like yoga pants and tank tops) and a robe if you're a robe-wearer. Your pre-baby clothes most likely will not fit, so don't even try it get too eager there. I wouldn't buy anything new for the hospital, just be comfortable. Also throw in about seven to ten pairs of your ugliest underwear. 
• Camera, phone, and necessary chargers. 
• Toothbrush, toothpaste, and your own hairbrush, headbands/hair-ties, soap and washcloths and a pack of giant overnight pads. You're going to a hospital, not a hotel. Plan accordingly.
• Flip flops that you can throw out after your hospital stay. Socks if you get cold feet.
• A spray bottle. Quite honestly, I feel like the hospital's furnace is on every time I'm there and, no, they probably won't turn a fan on you during labor. A wet washcloth on the face or spray bottle helps.
• Nursing bras and nursing pads.
• Snacks for afterward.
• Going home outfit for baby and baby blanket. PS. Your baby will probably appreciate something that doesn't have a bunch of snaps, buttons, etc. Just something that's one piece and cozy is usually best. They've been swimming around in your womb for 40wks, getting dressed is going to be a bother. 
• Boppy pillow! I'd like to shake the hand of the person that invented this thing. 
• And, finally, a big bag for dirty clothes.

I'll update this list again if I think of anything else. Happy bag packing, friends! :) 

Re-Post: Banana Pudding Milkshakes

I posted this up on my old blog last year when Chick-Fil-A brought their banana pudding milkshakes out and after I drastically cut sugar from my diet; it's my lower-cal rip off of their delicious drink. I haven't checked to see if the calories are still current, but you get the idea. If you try it, let me know if you like it.
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Re-Post from 3/6/2011

Just because I’m finished being a sugar fiend doesn’t mean that I can’t still think about it and talk about it. At work the other day one of my co-workers mentioned that he had the new banana pudding milkshake from Chick-Fil-A.“Say whaaaaaaat?” I didn’t even know one existed, but that crazy banana pudding with nilla wafers is my fave of all faves. I love milkshakes more than just about anyone does, but I can’t often justify wasting more than half a day’s calories on one drink (no matter how awesome and ESPECIALLY not on weigh-in week). Nonetheless, I couldn’t stop thinking about it or Googling pics of it (I know). So, I decided to try some of my magic smoothie making tricks to create a lower-cal version that will be close in deliciousness. I’m going to go ahead and give it 4/5 stars!

Recipe:

1. 1/4 cup crushed ice (0 cal)
2. 1/4 cup water (0 cal)
3. 1 whole banana, sliced (105 cal)
4. 1 single-serving of Archer Farms Vanilla Yogurt (low-cal and the lowest sugar I could find) (80 cal)
5. 4 Nilla Wafers (broken up into small pieces) (70 cal)
6. 2T Cool Whip whipped topping (25 cal)

Directions:

Blend ingredients 1-4 until you reach desired consistency (some people like a thicker milkshake). Stir in cookies pieces and top with Cool Whip. Enjoy!! 

Total Calories: 280
Chick-Fil-A Shake (as of 2011): 780 calories (small) and 1,010 (large) — I love you, Chick-Fil-A, but Ouch!!

I love doing experimental recipes so if you have an idea for a low-cal food makeover, let me know in the comment box below. I’d be happy to try it out and blog about it.  As you may have noticed, there’s no spinach in this smoothie so y’all have no reason not to try it – unless you don’t like bananas or cookies. If that’s the case, I’ll have to blacklist you because that’s just not right. 

Budgetized Living Room Re-do!

I'm pretty sure my home decor spending has surged a little since I started Pinteresting. It's not that I'm blowing a bunch of money just for the sake of having new things, but I've noticed that our home was lacking in personality in a few areas and quickly become pinspired to make some changes. The first makeover was our family room, but that's another post. The second makeover was our front room. This room has been a formal living room, an office, and now a cozy living space which really equates to a lot of things. Sometimes it's a reading room, a room for quiet talks with our children, a blog-writing room, a nap-on-the-couch room, a room for the Christmas tree, a room to admire snow or falling leaves from the large picture window, or a room just to sit...and daydream.

I got the re-do pinsperation from this post. I still like the seagrass baskets used in the original pin better than what I picked, but, we're looking at about $6 a box or $15 a box. Plus, I'm allergic to seagrass. ...I know. I didn't want to spend a fortune on this re-do, so I scouted out some cheap(er) lamps that were still big enough to fill the space. I found these cutesies at TJ Maxx for $25 ea. I thought that was a steal (ok, not a thrift store or garage sale steal, but a retail steal) because comparable lamps are more than that for the base alone (then another $20 or so for the shade). I think the shade is a nice contrast with the wall without drawing too much attention away from the print.

When I was thrifting for some maternity threads last week, I picked up a few old books (to add to those I already had in this cubby). The books were .29 each, I believe, and make a nice filler for that space. I think the color of these books coordinates with the over-all warmness of the room, as well.

In addition to the books, I picked up this mosaic hurricane candle holder at the thrift store for $1.99. There's no candle in it, but it ties things together and balances out the overall display. I *did* have matching mini-hurricanes that I pitched in a fury of de-cluttering a month or so ago. It always works that way, doesn't it? 

The shelf itself is the $69 Expedit shelving unit from Ikea, in black-brown and turned on it's side. Here's a note, if you buy these shelving systems make sure you get the bins that go in them AT IKEA. They fit best. I got similar bins from another retailer for another shelving unit we have and they are too small (read: they work, but they don't look right). 

I also picked up a pair of grommet-style 84" drapes at Target for under $9, two panels included, on clearance. They are black/tan/gray stripe and match the room perfectly. I'm super pleased! If you've ever bought full-length curtains, you know that they are about $25 a panel from a discount store and can be much...much...more from specialty stores.

The print I hung above the shelving unit is a printed photograph displayed in a Ribba poster frame from Ikea, with matte. Overall, I'm super pleased with how this room turned out. Just a little change in decor and a fresh coat of paint has warmed up this room to be the perfectly cozy multi-use room that it is.

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This post is linked up to Mommin' it Up's Pin for the Wednesday blog carnival. 

Head on over to check out the other awesome pins posted by Mommin' it Up followers.

No, you can't feel the pages, but I think you'll get over it.

If you're a bookworm like this girl, I'd love to know your thoughts on e-books (and, of course, here come mine). I've had this e-reader discussion with several people and as popular as e-readers are, I think there's still a vast majority of folks that like to "handle" their books. I totally understand that. As someone who's been known to pack a stack of half a dozen or more books to read on vacation and also a girl who leaves the library usually with no less than 10 titles, I understand the excitement that comes along with having that paper copy in-hand. As much as I love to make notes in and highlight my books, I thought that would be my stance on e-readers as well. A year or so ago, though, a friend kindly gifted us a Kindle. Once I had a few minutes to break it in, it's been my sidekick ever since (it's especially nice because it fits perfectly in my purse). Here are some reasons why I love it:

• I can carry all my books at one time; if you're a bonafide bookworm, you probably read 10 books at a time like I do. If you have an e-reader, there's no more picking and choosing which ones to bring along with you in the car (or keep track of through the house). They are all right there. No more losing books in the garage or car...or to Fido. 
• There's no ripped pages (or colored on pages if you have kids)
• E-books are pretty stinkin' affordable, not to mention the loaner programs that libraries and retailers like Amazon are putting out. 
• Instant gratification. Okay, this is a downfall of mine; I'm working on it, but is there really anything wrong with being excited about getting a book instantly instead of waiting for it to be delivered or paying for shipping (or driving to get it)? I guess it's only a problem if you have a compulsive book-buying habit, which I don't. I could, but I don't.
• You can read it on multiple devices. I don't know about other e-readers, but if you are your kids soccer practice and happen to forget your Kindle at home, you can still pull up the Kindle app on your smart phone and start reading where you left off on the Kindle - it syncs your place. Howawesomeisthat????
• You can subscribe to daily mailings/posts that release titles of FREE and CHEAP e-books. Okay, now who doesn't want a free book? For Christian titles, check out Inspired Reads and here's Amazon's list.
• I can't speak for other e-readers, but my Kindle's battery lasts a long. long. long. time. I really appreciate that. 

So, with all that said...are you converted? If so, I'd love to hear your take on e-readers other than the Kindle (and the newer Kindle devices). Also, what are some of your favorite e-books? 

Happy page flippin'/clicking. :) 

Giving Up Your Burdens

After studying English for four years in college, I almost can't read or listen to music without looking for the deeper meaning in what's being said. A month or so ago, I kept hearing this song about saints marching by Sara Groves. I didn't pay much attention at first because I thought it was some CCM remix of "Oh when the saints...Oh when the saints...Oh when the saints go..." (you know the one I mean), but when I really listened in, the story was quite familiar and incredibly soul-gripping. Sara tells a story that we all should be able to identify with - feeling overwhelmed and bogged down by our burdens. In the opening lines of this lyrical testament of faith, she details her heavy burden then flashes to a feeling of overwhelming conviction that's "burning like a fire shut up in [her] bones" as she looks to the Word of God for solace. She also goes on to reflect up on all that went before her - also bearing heavy burdens - who were released from the agony of those burdens by the grace of Jesus and His promises. This song is an upbeat testimony shining light on what happens when we have faith instead of looking to ourselves for answers and relief from things that feel too incredible to bear. She produces a list of others who have overcome struggles by His mercy alone, realizing that her troubles can also be overcome by faith in Him.

Author Paul Trip says, "grace comes to us in uncomfortable forms." He notes that these forms are used, by God, to refine us and transform us. Isn't it humbling to know that even in our trials, Christ is fixing us and making us better? He's using our burdens to draw us closer to Him and to make us better disciples - as Sara's song suggests. He's used my own battle with anxiety to help me help others in the same situation and to help me fully trust Him; He's used my past jobs to help me realize that my true value is revealed through Him, not in the numbers on a paycheck. He's shown me that the things of this world, material possessions and people, can be lost - yet He is steadfast and through His grace we are given constant mercy and satisfaction; He is the only safe place in which to invest our faith.

Tripp also notes that "true righteousness begins when you come to the end of yourself." In order to fully trust in the Lord and to fully experience a release from our burdens, we have to do it without conditions. We shouldn't "fix ourselves up for Him." We shouldn't wait to be perfectly presentable to him (because we will never be). Sara notes that we may be "weary and overwrought with so many battles left unfought," but still as we've seen consistently through the hearts of other Christians and through the promise of his Word, he will see us through. We have to hand him our burdens, with full trust, and allow him to work in our hearts from where we stand. I'm thankful that every time I hear this song because with every replay, I'm reminded again of God's unending grace and how it works in my heart and the has worked in the hearts of so many others throughout time - relieving burdens of all sizes in every corner of the world. 

Lyrics to When the Saints

Hear the Song

How can I pray for you today?
This post is linked up to Grace Laced Mondays and Better Mom Mondays.

Hop on over to to those awesome sites to see who else is sharing.

Green Smoothies 101

What...is...that? That's the reaction I received most while sipping a green smoothie around the office or among friends who were yet to be green smoothie believers. Yes, it looks like something found in a baby's diaper (I wonder how many of you just stopped reading), but I assure you, it tastes great. I think green smoothies, and smoothies in general, are so good that I would consider them an acceptable substitute for ice cream (I know!). If you're on the fence about the green juice, I wanted to share some tips and recipes with you today that may help you realize - it's not so scary after-all! 


Tip 1 - If you're just getting into smoothie making, you may want to consider something besides a traditional upright blender. You can, of course, use your big blender, but I think they make a big mess. I'm less apt to eat healthy if it's going to be too much trouble. I prefer a smaller blender like this small immersion blender or this compact portable blender. 


Tip 2 - If you love peanut butter, but don't love the calories (about 200 per 2T), you might consider PB2 - Powdered Peanut Butter by Bell Plantation. You're going to get that same great PB taste for 45 calories instead of nearly 200. Yeah, you read that right...45...I didn't leave a 1 off or anything. It's not some lame low-cal PB either, it's just powdered. You chocoholics will be pleased to know it's available in a chocolate-pb variety, too. Side note: the recipes below contain 1T of PB even though a full-serving is 2T. I did that purely for the sake of eliminating 100 calories. If you don't care about calories or are using PB2, feel free to include 2T. It will just be that much more delicious. 


Tip 3 - Sub out the plain yogurt for vanilla. I included plain yogurt because it typically has less sugar/calories, but if you don't care about that, vanilla tastes great, too. You may also consider other flavors as your taste-buds see fit. In example, there's a recipe below that calls for banana and clementines. If you used pineapple yogurt there (I think Chobani makes some), that would be quite awesome! 


Some recipes to get you started: 

As a general rule, chop all ingredients down so your blender can take them. For fewer calories, omit the yogurt and use more ice/water.

Green Smoothies:

• + 1 banana
  + 1T peanut butter
  + 1 handful of spinach or kale leaves
  + 1/4c Ice and 1/4c water
• +1 banana
  +1T peanut butter
  +7oz plain greek yogurt
  +1 handful of spinach or kale leaves
  +1/4c Ice and 1/4c water
• +1 banana
  +1T peanut butter
  +1 scoop chocolate protein powder
  +7oz plain greek yogurt
  +1 handful of spinach or kale leaves
  +1/4c Ice and 1/4c water
• +1 banana
  +1 clementine or mandarin orange sections (buy them in the little fruit cups)
  +7oz plain greek yogurt
  +1 handful of spinach or kale leaves
  +1/4c Ice and 1/4c water
• +1 banana
  + 5 strawberries
  + 7oz plain greek yogurt
  + 1 handful of spinach or kale leaves
  + 1/4c Ice and 1/4c water

If you have a favorite green smoothie recipe, please share below! :)

Beyond cake, ice cream, and presents....

This weekend, my baby, my mini-me, my funny little pig-tailed girl who loves singing, dancing, and Elmo, is turning two. With three children of our own and close to 30 nieces and nephews, it seems that someone is always having a birthday. Birthdays are a big deal here, and not because we have a party with all the hoopla, because they are a true celebration of life for the birthday girl or boy. It's fun to see how each of our children gets so excited when the other has a birthday. The birthday build-up literally starts building months beforehand. I love seeing how our children love each other and others outside of our family by being genuinely excited for people other than themselves. If you have small kids or big kids...well, quite frankly, if you're human you know sometimes we have to make a conscious effort to look beyond our own comfort and happiness. It's an awesome time for togetherness with family and friends and, of course, the pinnacle of excitement for the birthday child. To me, as their mom, birthdays take on a whole new meaning.

• Each of my children's birthdays is like a thanksgiving feast in my heart - Thank you Lord for giving me this child. Thank you for giving him or her another year of life. 
• It's a time to reflect on their lives from the beginning - from their birth story, to each "first," their funny personalities and each memory contained within. 
• It's time to recognize the blessings they bring. Each child is different and brings many different lovable qualities. His or her birthday is a special reminder of how God made each person and child so unique, yet in His own image. It's so much fun to see how each child is developing his or her spiritual gifts and how those gifts manifest with each year that passes.  
• It's a time to consider my job as their mom. Am I not only encouraging godliness in their lives as little children and the things little children do, but raising them to be lovers of the Lord for all their lives? Am I praying for them and with them enough? Am I guiding my boy's heart to be strong, courageous, brave, and a provider for his future family? Am I showing my girls how to be loving, gracious, modest, and diligent workers at home? 

Beyond cake, ice cream, and presents - as my little ones blow out their candles making the wishes of a small child's heart, I pray that each of our children would grow to love the Lord with all their hearts, follow Him with each passing year of their lives, and that their lives would show evidence of his glory through their little hearts and that those virtues would be their prayer for others as well.

Happy birthday to my sweet and silly girl ~ we are incredibly blessed by your life. 

Once Upon a Time, I Went to Craft Night...

So, one would think that having a super crafty mother would make me, well, just as crafty. Or at least 1/2 crafty, right? Not so much. My mom can sew anything, paint anything, draw anything, and garden anything. In fact, we call her Handy Nana on occasion. I would put myself in the creative club, but just not the craft department. So sad, I know. However, one night not long ago two of my friends began planning a fun girls' night in that involved food and...and...wait...there always has to be something. A movie? Games? Manicures? Those two more-crafty-than-me girls decided to sneak a craft night in on me. I tried to tell them that I'd bring crayons and paper and try to stay in the lines while they crafted, but nooooo. There was actual, real-life, craft business going on and I was in if I liked it or not. Now, before you think I'm anti-craft, let's get something straight...I'm not against crafting, I'm just sorta bad with scissors, glue, string, and patience. I knew we were about to have a learning experience.

I have to say, I was moderately relieved when I saw that the craft had to do with beading. I *have* beaded before and I know it doesn't involve much cutting and definitely no gluing this time. It does involve patience, however, which flashed me back to the last time I beaded (with a group) and had to re-string my necklace about half a dozen times because I just couldn't keep those buggers on the string. Side note - guess how much fun it is to crawl around on the floor and pick up a bunch of beads when you're 7 months pregnant. You got it...not very. And, I digress. The project my friends picked was actually really cute, and functional! My Pinteresting pals picked up this adorable bird nest necklace tutorial and, that's what was on the agenda for the night. See the original pin here. All it takes is wire, small beads and a necklace chain (I also made use of my index finger to start the round shape. If you have all that, you can surely do this. In fact, I remember taking a sigh of relief when my one friend said, "you really can't screw it up."

My little four-egg (one for each of my kids) bird nest was put together in about 20 minutes and no beads were dropped during the process. I just needed to take it home and string it on a chain. Hallelujah. I think this necklace is so cute that I am considering crafting some more for gifts.  All in all, I give craft night and this pin an A+. Who knows, maybe I'll even attempt to glue something next time. :) Want to make one yourself? Go see Sincerely, Kinsey. She has a great tutorial with beautiful photos included.


This post is linked up to Mommin' it Up's Pin for the Wednesday blog carnival. Head on over to check out the other awesome pins posted by Mommin' it Up followers.

Salsa Chicken - Crockpot Style

I posted a Salsa Chicken recipe a few weeks ago that my family pretty much went nuts over. Now, I hate to mess with a good thing I really wanted to see if it was crockpotable...because if I can have dinner prep finished at noon (and not when three ravenous children are clawing at me for food around, say, 5:30 while I'm finishing - or starting - dinner), that would be most excellent.

The only way this recipe could be easier, friends, is if it was fixable in a steamer bag (no, I'm not trying that).

Here's what you need: 

• Boneless/skinless chicken breasts (I get about 2lbs to feed my family of two big people and three little people)
• 1 pkg. taco seasoning (that stuff that comes in a packet and is about .60). I got the nacho cheese taco seasoning variety and highly recommend it. 
• 1 jar of your favorite salsa (I chose medium chunky salsa)
• 1 bag of shredded cheese (cheddar or Mexican cheese is good)

Here's what you do: (ready?)

• Lay the raw chicken in the crockpot
• Cover front and back of each chicken breast with taco seasoning
• Cover chicken with entire jar of salsa
• Fill salsa jar about 1/4 full of water (to get excess salsa out and to add a little liquid) and pour around the chicken - not on directly on top if you can help it.
• Cover and cook on HIGH for 4hrs. (make sure your chicken looks done; I'm not responsible if your crock takes longer than four hours and you a.) get food poisoning or b.) have ravenous children clawing at your legs). 
• About 30min before your timer goes off, take the lid off your crock and cover chicken w/shredded cheese (I think I used half a bag). Start your rice.
• Once your timer goes off, slice and serve. You can use the excess salsa juice on top of your rice - it makes a great Mexican-style rice. 

Enjoy!! (and enjoy not thinking about making dinner all afternoon). :) 

Fresh Eats! Homemade Salsa

I hate to say it, but the fatty and delicious heavy foods we commonly eat during winter months are starting to weigh on this girl, literally in fact. So when we were asked to bring a "hearty" snack to our small group get together a few weeks ago, I knew I had to think of something health(ier) than usual. The first thing that came to mind was this salsa that I LOVE from The Willing Cook's website. I make it a little on the chunkier side (pico de gallo style), and used bottled lime juice as opposed to fresh (because as you saw in previous salsa chicken post, I always forget to buy limes). I used jalapeneos out of a jar (already diced) because if I'm left to chop one myself, I WILL somehow manage to touch my eyeball after I've been chopping the peppers. Guaranteed. I also chose Frank's Red Hot sauce as the hot sauce. Also, making this dish was a good way to use up the cilantro I bought for the chipotle rice recipe. What else on earth would you do with an entire bunch of cilantro? One other thing to note, the original recipe suggests use of a food processor (which I don't have), so I chopped everything - thus the chunkier consistency. I think I need to keep my eye out for a deal on a processor; it seems use is becoming much more frequent these days in the recipes I'm reading.

Even though I scoop this salsa with salty, greasy chips, I still feel like I'm eating something really healthy whenever I make it and serve it to others. If you want a healthy recipe that tastes like summer, try this one. AND, if you have an allergy-sufferer in your house (or just want some new delicious recipe) - check out the Willing Cook's blog.

I'm making this again today because, well, it's the first day of spring and making something fresh and delicious just seems like the right thing to do. ;)

Original recipe from The Willing Cook:

Ingredients:

• 3-4 tomato
• 1/2-1 onion
• 1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded & finely chopped
• 1/4 cucumber
• 1 1/2 tablespoons garlic, minced
• 1/2 cups cilantro, fresh
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 tablespoons hot sauce
• 1 teaspoons kosher salt

Instructions:
Throw all ingredients in food processor and process to the consistency you wish. Adjust flavors as desired. (Cucumbers or artichokes add an excellent flavor to this salsa.)

Overcoming Anxiety: Thank you, Lord, even for the trials.

Up into my 30th year of life, I was crippled and sometimes even paralyzed by anxiety and relentless worry - mostly over nothing. I was a compulsive lock-checker; WebMD diagnoser; public toilet avoider; food particle inspector; and a take-the-second-item-off-the-shelf-never-the-first shopper. At some times, my worries were so ridiculous that even I, in my irrational frame of mind, knew it; I just couldn't stop it. I've spent an incredible amount of time worrying about sore throats, skin discolorations, and headaches that turned out to be nothing. Anxiety has made me late to many places and appointments. It made me avoid people and things, spend money I should have saved, and miss out on good opportunities; it made my hair fall out; and, in a significant way, it put a big fat wedge in my relationship with Christ.

Now, don't mistake me, I knew worrying like that was wrong; I just didn't realize I had such a lack of trust in the Lord. I mean, I have been following him a good long time, how could it be that I wasn't trusting Him? I practically memorized every verse in the Bible about fear and worry over the years, it just wasn't getting through to my heart. In some ways, I feel like I kept the Lord at a distance so I could continue controlling things by worrying. After-all, if I couldn't worry, how would I stop something bad from happening? Looking back, it's hard to believe that I viewed myself as some kind of gatekeeper - keeping the bad at bay by worrying it away. Really? Even if you're an unbeliever, that's just not logical. If we dig into the Word, we see very plainly that Christ knows every heartbeat of our lives, and knew even when we were being "woven together in the depths of the earth" -Psalm 139. He knows. He really, really, does. 

During my final days in Corporate America, I had some down time after finishing my projects. As I was enduring all that is "busy work," I was able to listen to some fantastic audio books and sermons. It was no surprise that most of what I was listening to had to do with the problems I'd been facing - anxiety, worry, failure to trust. I felt convicted to throw up my hands and begin trusting the Lord with EVERYTHING, not just the things I felt comfortable trusting Him with; wouldn't you know it, my anxiety seemed to disappear right away. Sometimes, there's still a temptation to get lost in needless worry, but now I know how to apply brute force and settle it down.  He always knows what we need to hear and when. Now, naturally, my questioning spirit goes, "What took so long, Lord??? I believe in you, why did I still endure so many years of anxiety?"

Hold on tight....I think I have an idea now! I've heard several sermons lately about obtaining joy and a closeness to the Lord through suffering. I've learned that sometimes we go through trials to be brought closer to Him. I can't help but thinking that looking to Him for the TRUTH was the WAY out that gave me a LIFE to be lived for Him and not to build an altar for my worries. In today's sermon, we took away seven points that are incredibly important for everyone to remember, but I can see how they directly apply to the anxiety I've been through. I could relate to all of the points presented, but for this post, I want to share #3, "God is faithful to use our personal shortcomings for His glory." Additionally, this point was followed by a comment that sometimes experiencing shortcomings makes us more relatable (read: we can relate to others experiencing the same thing and show them how Christ carried us through). Wow. I kind of wanted to jump up on the pew and clap after that point.

When I look at all of the people around me who have the same troubles, and there's an abundance, I am now THANKFUL to have endured so many years of trials in anxiety; I hope I'm able to help others learn that through their worries. It's my prayer that I'm able use these experiences to GLORIFY God by encouraging others to seek His grace and mercy in their darkness. Thank you, Lord, even for the trials.

If you're consumed with anxiety today, please know that Christ not only knows the depths of your heart, but He also has your back like He had mine all along. He really, really, did and He does.


How can I pray for you today?

This post is linked up to Grace Laced Mondays and Better Mom Mondays.

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Tater Tot Casserole - Fit for a Kid, Loved by Adults

Ah, the Tater Tot...kids love them, adults love them, and Napoleon loves them so much that he'll tell you to get your own! A few months ago, when we were experiencing the throes of over-committed work schedules, my oldest sister-in-law was watching our children for us for the day; if that wasn't enough, that do-anything-for-anyone woman made us a carryout portion of what her family was having for dinner. She sent us home with tater tot casserole and peach cobbler. Oh. My. Word. - Delicious. After a long work day, basically anything that someone else makes for you is perfect. However, after making this recipe myself for my family later on, I've learned that this is a perfect recipe for any kind of day. It's quick, easy, and loved by kids and adults alike. The nice thing about this recipe, too, is that you can vary it with things you have on hand. The first time I made it, I used a base recipe (ground beef, soup, cheese, minced onion, and tots). A friend of ours happened to be hovering around the kitchen that day and told me that the recipe is also awesome with cream of celery soup. I never even considered using cream of celery...maybe I didn't even know it existed actually? At any rate, it really is good that way and that's how we had it tonight. I also spied some fresh mushrooms in the fridge that I meant to roast earlier this week; I threw those in, too.

I'll give you the rundown below, but basically if you think it would taste good on a burger, it would probably fit in this casserole. I think you could easily steam some broccoli, throw that in and sub out the cream of celery for broccoli cheddar soup and cheddar cheese soup for the cream of mushroom. If you mix it up a different way, let me know in the comments box below. I'm always looking for new dinner ideas!

Here's what you need: 

• 1.5-2lbs of ground beef
• 1 small white onion (or half of a large one)
• 1 package of fresh white mushrooms, washed and sliced
• 1 can of cream of mushroom soup
• 1 can of cream of celery soup
• 1 bag of seasoned tater tots
• 1 bag of shredded cheddar or colby

Here's what you do:

• Preheat your oven to 425
• Grab a 9x13 baking dish and set-aside
• Brown the ground beef and sauté with mushrooms and onions
• Drain ground beef and pour in baking dish
• Fold-in soups over ground beef
• Empty bag of frozen tater tots onto beef; arrange in tots into one layer
• Top tater tots with cheese
• Bake for 25 minutes; tots should appear done/golden

Let cool and enjoy! Serve with fruit and veggies. 

Need a St. Patty's recipe? Try Irresistible Irish Soda Bread

It's no secret...despite my love of cooking, eating, and coming from a family that loves to do both (and does both very well), I'm a klutz in the kitchen. Now that I have more time at home, though, I'm learning. I'm learning to take my time, follow directions, and hopefully - someday - stop burning and over peppering things. :)

Here's one thing I know FOR SURE about cooking. If you're making a new recipe - especially for a crowd - consult AllRecipes.com for the BEST recipe available. Those reviewers don't lie, people. If I want a new oh...chicken salad recipe...I consult the foodies at AllRecipes.com and pull the one with the most stars and highest numbers of reviews. When I say a high number of reviews, I mean like in the hundreds, not five or 10. I've served SO many recipes to party guests as an "experiment" never having tried the recipe or made it before - only relying on the gracious reviewers over at AllRecipes.com...not a disappointment yet. You can also create a "recipe box" on the site and save your favorite eats there.

This week our church small group get together had an Irish theme and, since I look forward to eating my mom's Irish Soda Bread every year, I thought I'd try making it myself. Now, in addition to being a klutz in the kitchen, I'm also not well-versed in bread-making I also don't make bread. I had a bread machine that I got for free from a nice lady at a garage sale (who gave me that, "oh you poor girl, don't you know where babies come from?" look as I coerced two little kids up her driveway with me and was noticeably expecting the third). I suppose we looked like we needed bread. Yes, we know where babies come from...by the way.  I never ended up using the bread machine and passed it on, though I pulled a ton of recipes I thought about making. The whole "add ingredients according to manufacturers directions" line always scared me. I add ingredients as I read them off and hope I don't miss one. I was intimidated by the thing, admittedly. Natural childbirth, fine. Bread machine, you scare me. And, I digress...my point was...I don't have a bread machine anymore and I avoid recipes that involve kneading and rising because...well...my attention span in the kitchen is smaller than in any other room of the house.

This Irish Soda Bread recipe was perfect for me, though. The ingredients are simple. You probably have all of it on hand, minus the buttermilk (but you can make that in five minutes) and the bread goes together like a cake. An added bonus, you get to smell the awesomeness of all that is HOMEMADE BREAD while it bakes in your oven for an hour or so. Have I sold you on it yet? St. Patty's day is coming up and if you feel like trying a new recipe (that goes especially well with stew and cabbage) be brave and check this one out! You won't be sorry....unless you catch a case of the kitchen klutzies.


Here's what you need: 

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1/4 cup butter, melted

Here's what you do: 

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
2. Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and baking soda. Blend egg and buttermilk together, and add all at once to the flour mixture. Mix just until moistened. Stir in butter. Pour into prepared pan.
3. Bake for 65 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the bread comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Wrap in foil for several hours, or overnight, for best flavor.

Here's where I found this delicious recipe, by Karen Christian, on AllRecipes.com 

4.5 Stars and 680 reviews on AllRecipes.com!