Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Thursday, June 21, 2012
One Day, I'll Be a Blogger...
maybe. Maybe one day, I'll be a proper blogger. Right now, it seems I'm just living it. Soaking it up. Occasionally posting things on Facebook, but too lazy to write more than a blurblet on here.
But I do want to share with anyone who happens along this way, that today is the day that the She Reads Truth gals are starting a new Bible reading program together! It's pretty exciting! Just go to http://shereadstruth.com/ if you want to hear more about it, or follow along. I just did a rapid-fire version of their last reading plan, trying to catch up. But you can totally go at your own pace if you don't read this right away! They're public reading plans on YouVersion. No one has to know if you're doing it. You can sign up anonymously. Or you can tell the world and share your thoughts! Either way. But it's time, I feel, to really hunker down and seek some truth. May as well go directly to the source, right? yeah - I thought so, too.
But I do want to share with anyone who happens along this way, that today is the day that the She Reads Truth gals are starting a new Bible reading program together! It's pretty exciting! Just go to http://shereadstruth.com/ if you want to hear more about it, or follow along. I just did a rapid-fire version of their last reading plan, trying to catch up. But you can totally go at your own pace if you don't read this right away! They're public reading plans on YouVersion. No one has to know if you're doing it. You can sign up anonymously. Or you can tell the world and share your thoughts! Either way. But it's time, I feel, to really hunker down and seek some truth. May as well go directly to the source, right? yeah - I thought so, too.
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Proverbs 4:18
Proverbs 4:18 "But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,
which shines brighter and brighter until full day."
Isn't that beautiful?
which shines brighter and brighter until full day."
Isn't that beautiful?
On Second Thought...
I thought it would be fun to rework my wardrobe - to build a vision board, hunt for inspirational ideas, hone down excess, add better basics, rework color combo's... Turns out, that's not where my heart is right now. It was fun for about 2 days of research and picture gathering, then quickly lost it's charm as a project.
They're just clothes.
I've decided my big wardrobe effort will be this: If I wear something that makes me feel shoddy in any way, I'll donate it immediately. When the fall season rolls around, if there are looming gaps in my general protective wear, I'll venture forth and fill them with whatever is necessary. In the meantime, I think I'm going to concentrate on different priorities. Like - how to entertain/grow/encourage/challenge my two children for the next three months.
Don't get me wrong - I plan on dressing to the occasion all summer long, and probably wearing way too many accessories in all the latest color schemes. Effortlessly.
Here's to an easy breezy summer vacation! Bring it on!
They're just clothes.
I've decided my big wardrobe effort will be this: If I wear something that makes me feel shoddy in any way, I'll donate it immediately. When the fall season rolls around, if there are looming gaps in my general protective wear, I'll venture forth and fill them with whatever is necessary. In the meantime, I think I'm going to concentrate on different priorities. Like - how to entertain/grow/encourage/challenge my two children for the next three months.
Don't get me wrong - I plan on dressing to the occasion all summer long, and probably wearing way too many accessories in all the latest color schemes. Effortlessly.
Here's to an easy breezy summer vacation! Bring it on!
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Simplifying, One Step At A Time
It's a good thing life is full of new days, months, seasons, years. Each one offers us a clean slate, if we want one. I choose this random Wednesday at the end of May to try a new venture. Over the summer months, I'm hoping to simplify a few different areas of my life - Food, Clothes, Storage - and we'll see where it goes from there.
I've been inspired by numerous sources, but most recently by Jess Constable of Makeunder My Life. I'm going to generally follow her step-by-steps, allowing for a lot of personal sway and temperament. Feel free to offer your input! or follow along!
I'm starting with my wardrobe, because that seems like the most fun. And it also has become necessary, as my walk-in closet has morphed into a crawl space. It's not all my wardrobe's fault, but that will definitely help things.
After my trip to Paris this month, I came home wishing I had fewer things to pick from clothes-wise. It was so nice to only have a few outfits to choose from on my trip! I learned that I hated one pair of pants so much, they are now in a French landfill. and I love my swap-gained J.Crew jeans so much, I could wear them 7-days-straight-no-washer.
And I love clothes; I love the thrill of the hunt at thrift stores and consignment shops; I love all different styles and colors and I love a giant shelf of color coordinated sweater piles. But honestly - I only have one torso. And I have two sweaters that have "made the cut" for over 15 years and about 20 others that get shoved aside daily.
I've been inspired by numerous sources, but most recently by Jess Constable of Makeunder My Life. I'm going to generally follow her step-by-steps, allowing for a lot of personal sway and temperament. Feel free to offer your input! or follow along!
I'm starting with my wardrobe, because that seems like the most fun. And it also has become necessary, as my walk-in closet has morphed into a crawl space. It's not all my wardrobe's fault, but that will definitely help things.
After my trip to Paris this month, I came home wishing I had fewer things to pick from clothes-wise. It was so nice to only have a few outfits to choose from on my trip! I learned that I hated one pair of pants so much, they are now in a French landfill. and I love my swap-gained J.Crew jeans so much, I could wear them 7-days-straight-no-washer.
Too much stuff = me with the dizzies!
And I love clothes; I love the thrill of the hunt at thrift stores and consignment shops; I love all different styles and colors and I love a giant shelf of color coordinated sweater piles. But honestly - I only have one torso. And I have two sweaters that have "made the cut" for over 15 years and about 20 others that get shoved aside daily.
Too much stuff = Not so fun.
Off I go - into the vortex of doom. Wish me luck. I'll keep you posted. Step one: Create a Vision.
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Banana Maple Nut smoothie
Okay - it's officially official: I am the worst blogger ever! But oh well... for the few of you who read it, I suppose it's like getting an unexpected surprise every 3 months or so, right? maybe?
This time, I just wanted to share a quick recipe - a nice mid-morning pick-me-up that is vegan, tasty and fairly healthy! and if you're a fan of maple nut anything, you're going to love it! Unless you don't like bananas. (But at least give it a try, you nay-sayers! Like I say to my toddlers, "You never know when you're going to wake up and like (insert perceived-as-nasty food here)! Try them again!") It's not a particularly pretty smoothie, thus no pix.
Banana Maple Nut Smoothie
1 ripe banana
1 cup non-dairy milk (I use Pacific Natural Foods Hazelnut Milk, cuz YUM!)
a handful of walnuts chopped
2 tsp maple extract (or to taste. i just pour some in and it's always yummy!)
Blend with a hand blender or in a regular blender. Do not share. Thank me. You're welcome.
This time, I just wanted to share a quick recipe - a nice mid-morning pick-me-up that is vegan, tasty and fairly healthy! and if you're a fan of maple nut anything, you're going to love it! Unless you don't like bananas. (But at least give it a try, you nay-sayers! Like I say to my toddlers, "You never know when you're going to wake up and like (insert perceived-as-nasty food here)! Try them again!") It's not a particularly pretty smoothie, thus no pix.
Banana Maple Nut Smoothie
1 ripe banana
1 cup non-dairy milk (I use Pacific Natural Foods Hazelnut Milk, cuz YUM!)
a handful of walnuts chopped
2 tsp maple extract (or to taste. i just pour some in and it's always yummy!)
Blend with a hand blender or in a regular blender. Do not share. Thank me. You're welcome.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
My New Favorite Lunch
Okay - this might not be the most extremely healthy vegan* (nay! It's vegetarian!) thing ever invented, but it's danged good! I started making this sandwich even before vegan-izing and have since removed the cheese. You can just add that cheese right back in if you want! It was mighty tasty with it, but it's mighty tasty without it, too! My mom likes it and she's totally not vegan (said in my best junior high voice).
*oops! I just realized (two weeks later) that the black bean burgers are not vegan! They're vegetarian, but they use egg whites and other stuff as binders. darn. While I'm a tainted vegan, I'm going to have an oatmeal cookie with butter and eggs, wallow a while in my misunderstandings, and then start again fresh tomorrow.
I"ll talk you thru it, then I'll post a proper recipe that you can cut/paste at the bottom if you like. First, saute about 1/4 chopped yellow onion in olive oil over med-high heat. After it's as soft or caramelized as you like it, add a couple generous handfuls of fresh greens (you can use spinach, kale, beet greens - whatever you like best! I usually use spinach or kale.) Saute 'til they're soft but not, y'know, liquified or disgusting.
Meanwhile, prepare your "meat" and bread. Heat one Morning Star Farms spicy black bean burger. I just microwave it for 1 1/2 minutes, but you can heat it however you prefer.
Take one slice of really good bread (italian or french crusty bread, or, my personal favorite, Dave's Killer Good Seed Bread. Decorate it with a generous amount of your favorite barbecue sauce (I know! that's the not-so-healthy part, because my favorite has corn syrup as the first ingredient, I think. But it's still not that bad for you.).
Put the sauteed greens on the bread. (Here's where you would add a small handful/sprinkling of feta, if you're so inclined.)
Top with the heated black bean patty and chow down!
You could put another bread on top, to make it look more finished, but you'd definitely need more bbq sauce, I think. I like mine open-faced and just pick up the droppings with a fork.
It's pretty danged tasty!
Here's the recipe for two:
BBQ Spicy Black Bean Sammy
extra virgin olive oil for the pan
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
4 to 5 cups of fresh greens (spinach, kale) (It sounds like a lot, but it cooks down I promise!)
2 Morning Star Farms Spicy Black Bean Burgers, heated
2 large slices of really good bread (crusty bread or Dave's Killer bread)
Barbeque Sauce to taste
Crumbled Feta Cheese to taste (optional)
Preheat olive oil. Saute onion until soft. Add greens and saute until wilted. Prepare burger as directed. Put a generous amount of bbq sauce on each slice of bread. Add sauteed greens/onion mix, sprinkle feta over the top (if you're using it), then top with the heated burger. Dig in! Easy, tasty. Great way to get your greens in for the afternoon!
Let me know what you think! And if you have tweaks, more ideas, etc., I'm in! We're always on the prowl for new yummy vegan eats!
*oops! I just realized (two weeks later) that the black bean burgers are not vegan! They're vegetarian, but they use egg whites and other stuff as binders. darn. While I'm a tainted vegan, I'm going to have an oatmeal cookie with butter and eggs, wallow a while in my misunderstandings, and then start again fresh tomorrow.
I"ll talk you thru it, then I'll post a proper recipe that you can cut/paste at the bottom if you like. First, saute about 1/4 chopped yellow onion in olive oil over med-high heat. After it's as soft or caramelized as you like it, add a couple generous handfuls of fresh greens (you can use spinach, kale, beet greens - whatever you like best! I usually use spinach or kale.) Saute 'til they're soft but not, y'know, liquified or disgusting.
 |
| I usually just use spinach or kale. This pic has lettuce, too, and it was a little weird. Straight-up spinach is yummiest! |
Meanwhile, prepare your "meat" and bread. Heat one Morning Star Farms spicy black bean burger. I just microwave it for 1 1/2 minutes, but you can heat it however you prefer.
 |
| You can use whatever burger you want, but the spicy black bean is BEST! |
Take one slice of really good bread (italian or french crusty bread, or, my personal favorite, Dave's Killer Good Seed Bread. Decorate it with a generous amount of your favorite barbecue sauce (I know! that's the not-so-healthy part, because my favorite has corn syrup as the first ingredient, I think. But it's still not that bad for you.).
Put the sauteed greens on the bread. (Here's where you would add a small handful/sprinkling of feta, if you're so inclined.)
Top with the heated black bean patty and chow down!
 |
| I don't really recommend serving this with a pickle. Lily just wanted her pickle in the picture. |
You could put another bread on top, to make it look more finished, but you'd definitely need more bbq sauce, I think. I like mine open-faced and just pick up the droppings with a fork.
It's pretty danged tasty!
Here's the recipe for two:
BBQ Spicy Black Bean Sammy
extra virgin olive oil for the pan
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
4 to 5 cups of fresh greens (spinach, kale) (It sounds like a lot, but it cooks down I promise!)
2 Morning Star Farms Spicy Black Bean Burgers, heated
2 large slices of really good bread (crusty bread or Dave's Killer bread)
Barbeque Sauce to taste
Crumbled Feta Cheese to taste (optional)
Preheat olive oil. Saute onion until soft. Add greens and saute until wilted. Prepare burger as directed. Put a generous amount of bbq sauce on each slice of bread. Add sauteed greens/onion mix, sprinkle feta over the top (if you're using it), then top with the heated burger. Dig in! Easy, tasty. Great way to get your greens in for the afternoon!
Let me know what you think! And if you have tweaks, more ideas, etc., I'm in! We're always on the prowl for new yummy vegan eats!
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Mushroom Ginger Miso Soup
One of my former roommates and enduring friends is a foodblogger and a wonderful cook. I've tried a few of her recipes over the last year or so, but since we've switched to a mostly plant-based diet, a lot of her recipes are out of my food range. But this week, on facebook, she posted this DIVINE recipe that was basically vegan, if you leave out the optional fish sauce (which I did). Oh my yum! It's not particularly pretty, so I didn't take any pictures. But if you like mushrooms and ginger, give this one a try.
Mushroom Ginger Miso Soup
In a five-quart stock pot, saute until tender in a couple tablespoons of olive oil:
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 large red pepper, seeds and veins removed, coarsely chopped (or use 1/2 large sweet pepper plus a couple hot peppers if you like it spicy!)
1 lb. white or brown mushrooms, sliced
Add 2 quarts vegetable stock and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, cover and simmer 20 minutes. Blend with stick blender until smooth or smooth-ish.
In another pan, saute slowly until tender in a generous tablespoon of olive oil:
8 oz. "exotic" mushrooms (oyster, chanterelle, shiitake, etc.)
2 T. minced garlic
2 T. freshly grated ginger
Deglaze the saute pan with the juice of one small lime (or lemon). Add this mixture to the blended soup along with 2 tsp. Thai fish sauce (optional! not vegan), 2 T miso and (if you didn't use any hot peppers in the initial saute) perhaps a squirt of sriracha hot sauce to taste. Garnish with cilantro leaves and sliced scallions before serving. Serve it with some warm, crusty bread.
And a quick note, my first 2/3 of the bowl, I was thinking, "This is good, but meh... I dunno." But the last 1/3 of the bowl was REALLY TASTY! So - let those flavors marinate a little bit. It just got better over the next 2 days of leftovers. Let me know what you think!
Mushroom Ginger Miso Soup
In a five-quart stock pot, saute until tender in a couple tablespoons of olive oil:
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 large red pepper, seeds and veins removed, coarsely chopped (or use 1/2 large sweet pepper plus a couple hot peppers if you like it spicy!)
1 lb. white or brown mushrooms, sliced
Add 2 quarts vegetable stock and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, cover and simmer 20 minutes. Blend with stick blender until smooth or smooth-ish.
In another pan, saute slowly until tender in a generous tablespoon of olive oil:
8 oz. "exotic" mushrooms (oyster, chanterelle, shiitake, etc.)
2 T. minced garlic
2 T. freshly grated ginger
Deglaze the saute pan with the juice of one small lime (or lemon). Add this mixture to the blended soup along with 2 tsp. Thai fish sauce (optional! not vegan), 2 T miso and (if you didn't use any hot peppers in the initial saute) perhaps a squirt of sriracha hot sauce to taste. Garnish with cilantro leaves and sliced scallions before serving. Serve it with some warm, crusty bread.
And a quick note, my first 2/3 of the bowl, I was thinking, "This is good, but meh... I dunno." But the last 1/3 of the bowl was REALLY TASTY! So - let those flavors marinate a little bit. It just got better over the next 2 days of leftovers. Let me know what you think!
Monday, January 16, 2012
A Journal for Contentment
Okay - first project from my e-course (Creatively Made, taught by Jeanne Oliver, 4 weeks long) is a vintage mixed media journal. You're supposed to use the cover from an old book, add do-dads and what-nots, special messages, visual textures, etc. to make it special to YOU.
First, I gathered some parts and pieces:
I'm not in love with the project, but took a swing at it since I had a gorgeous book that was already missing its spine and came up with this:
I like the textures of it - the lambskin leather cover, velvet trim with the leather ties and tiny beads on the top part. But it's a little fancy, I think, for my taste. I wish I'd quit a little sooner. It just looked so bare next to all the other people's journals. Darned peer pressure! Why oh why do I care about other people's opinions? Oh yeah - because I'm a broken human. :o)
Here's a peek inside the front cover. Cutest end page ever! That picture is from another book called Lilac Times. A horrible book that was really just a screenplay and photographs from a little-known silent film. I have lots more pictures from that book for later projects. Lucky lucky us!
The fun part that you can't see is the variety of pages in it - photographs, letters from friends, odd bits of paper to write on. It's a fun way to make a journal, but I don't know that I'll ever actually use it? I don't know. It's just not something I'd choose, which I think is so funny, because I made it. What a weirdo.
*sigh* I'll try to make the next project more personal.
I do love my handwarmers, tho! See?
They're super long and super duper soft. I made them from one of Dan's retired work shirts. I made a red pair, too. Amazing how a thin layer of knit on your wrist can warm you up so much! yay!
First, I gathered some parts and pieces:
I'm not in love with the project, but took a swing at it since I had a gorgeous book that was already missing its spine and came up with this:
Here's a peek inside the front cover. Cutest end page ever! That picture is from another book called Lilac Times. A horrible book that was really just a screenplay and photographs from a little-known silent film. I have lots more pictures from that book for later projects. Lucky lucky us!
The fun part that you can't see is the variety of pages in it - photographs, letters from friends, odd bits of paper to write on. It's a fun way to make a journal, but I don't know that I'll ever actually use it? I don't know. It's just not something I'd choose, which I think is so funny, because I made it. What a weirdo.
*sigh* I'll try to make the next project more personal.
I do love my handwarmers, tho! See?
They're super long and super duper soft. I made them from one of Dan's retired work shirts. I made a red pair, too. Amazing how a thin layer of knit on your wrist can warm you up so much! yay!
Thursday, January 12, 2012
A Lot On My Mind...
Hi, you! Sorry I haven't written in a while. I've had a lot on my mind lately. I feel like I'm processing a lot of stuff and not ready to talk about it quite yet, but I'll check in and let you know why.
First, I'm going vegan. I know. No - I know! This from the farm girl who used to help butcher chickens, ate her cow "Valerie" for dinner (tho that one was harder than the generally anonymous cow buddies we usually had), drank fresh raw milk from our one cow Shiek for the many years that she "gave", confirmed butter addict, etc. But somehow, my body is just ready for a change. And it's been a lot easier than I thought it would be. I'm still reading more about it - I don't want to do something crazy that I can't stick with - I want to really do it. I've been following PeaMama's blog for months, trying recipes. I borrowed Dr. Neal D. Barnard's book from the library. I watched Forks Over Knives (on Netflix, even tho the link goes to Amazon. oops!) And now I'm reading Alicia Silverstone's The Kind Diet. (What?! She's actually really fun to read! and has such a sweet attitude.)
It's been a week - no dairy, no meat, no eggs. So far, I feel GREAT. Sometimes I feel a little light-headed, and I blame the fact that I haven't given up sugar yet - probably the worst of the lot, honestly. I need to work on that. But even Dan has noticed that my skin is AMAZING. My body feels almost buoyant sometimes.
Second, I'm taking an e-course - an art thing - and really enjoying it so far, but not applying it yet. So - I don't want to write about it until I start actually doing stuff.
Third, I've been really inspired by this blog to start hand sewing more. Not machine stitching, but good, old-fashioned hand sewing. So far, I've made an horrible hat and a pair of wrist/hand warmers all from one of Dan's old shirts. It's so therapeutic! and makes me feel less guilty about watching t.v. in the evening.
Fourth, I'm trying to follow along with our "read thru the Bible in a year" challenge at church. Yipes! I'm bad. More than likely an adventure just waiting to fail. It's so daunting! Have you seen that thing? It's a GIANT book! HUGE! with tiny little words! oh well... At least I'm trying, right?
So - check back in soon and I'll try my darnedest to sort my brain out to share something actually compelling with you.
Anyone out there willing to Go Vegan with me? I'll hand stitch you a Go Vegan banner if you're in. Ha! Dan is up for being a dinner time vegan. He's being so supportive and is, I think, pretty proud of me! yay! I'm not forcing the kids to do it, either, though it's giving me pause about their diet for sure. More to ponder.
 |
| Birdies ponder, too. |
First, I'm going vegan. I know. No - I know! This from the farm girl who used to help butcher chickens, ate her cow "Valerie" for dinner (tho that one was harder than the generally anonymous cow buddies we usually had), drank fresh raw milk from our one cow Shiek for the many years that she "gave", confirmed butter addict, etc. But somehow, my body is just ready for a change. And it's been a lot easier than I thought it would be. I'm still reading more about it - I don't want to do something crazy that I can't stick with - I want to really do it. I've been following PeaMama's blog for months, trying recipes. I borrowed Dr. Neal D. Barnard's book from the library. I watched Forks Over Knives (on Netflix, even tho the link goes to Amazon. oops!) And now I'm reading Alicia Silverstone's The Kind Diet. (What?! She's actually really fun to read! and has such a sweet attitude.)
It's been a week - no dairy, no meat, no eggs. So far, I feel GREAT. Sometimes I feel a little light-headed, and I blame the fact that I haven't given up sugar yet - probably the worst of the lot, honestly. I need to work on that. But even Dan has noticed that my skin is AMAZING. My body feels almost buoyant sometimes.
Second, I'm taking an e-course - an art thing - and really enjoying it so far, but not applying it yet. So - I don't want to write about it until I start actually doing stuff.
Third, I've been really inspired by this blog to start hand sewing more. Not machine stitching, but good, old-fashioned hand sewing. So far, I've made an horrible hat and a pair of wrist/hand warmers all from one of Dan's old shirts. It's so therapeutic! and makes me feel less guilty about watching t.v. in the evening.
Fourth, I'm trying to follow along with our "read thru the Bible in a year" challenge at church. Yipes! I'm bad. More than likely an adventure just waiting to fail. It's so daunting! Have you seen that thing? It's a GIANT book! HUGE! with tiny little words! oh well... At least I'm trying, right?
So - check back in soon and I'll try my darnedest to sort my brain out to share something actually compelling with you.
Anyone out there willing to Go Vegan with me? I'll hand stitch you a Go Vegan banner if you're in. Ha! Dan is up for being a dinner time vegan. He's being so supportive and is, I think, pretty proud of me! yay! I'm not forcing the kids to do it, either, though it's giving me pause about their diet for sure. More to ponder.
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