And another one!

Hey there!

So, today, 6 and a half weeks after her birth, I'm posting. :)

Miss Abigail Jane was born April 3rd and we enjoyed a month with my Mom in Love, and have been trying to navigate what normal is going to look like with 2 kiddos. :) So, now, I get to get back to posting and hopefully getting on Periscope so y'all have some videos.

I have a few recipes that'll go up over the next few weeks and some posts about my pregnancy and health journey. You'll probably see the times be super random. :)

What have you been up to the last 6 weeks?

Tasty Tuesday: Rainbow Bowls

Second Tuesday of the year, and we're getting back into Tasty Tuesday! Today, I'm posting about something I've been doing, and craving more and more through this pregnancy. Rainbow bowls, or Rainbow ingredients. We all have a lot going on, we have things that are begging for our time, so dinners that are nutritious tend to go out the window. Ease is key. Are you ready for this? Our dinner last night was  ready in less than 30 minutes, contained a rainbow of colors (meaning a diverse cross section of nutrients as well), and filled us all up.

Easy. Here are the ingredients:

4 tbsp coconut oil
1 large red pepper, diced
1/2 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
1 crown broccoli, roughly chopped
1 1/2 cup red cabbage, sliced
2 tbsp nutritional yeast

2 pinches chili powder
3 tsp liquid aminos (or coconut aminos)

1 can diced tomatoes
1 1/1 cup peas
pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups rice noodles (use the stuff you have)
3 cups hot water

Here's the secret. Add things in the order that they're listed. Peppers, onions, garlic, and carrots needs more time to cook, so put them in first. Then add the broccoli. Then cabbage. The time it takes to cut these things is all it takes to cook the previous items. No timing, no worrying, no pre-chopping. Add the noodles after you've mixed everything together, then cover with the water, bring to a boil and cook until the noodles are tender. Done.

You can add quinoa, rice, or even make biscuits to eat this with. These rainbow ingredients really go well with anything and keep your family healthier.

Have questions about the recipes I post? Send me a note or leave a comment. I'll get back to you as soon as possible. :)

When You're Stumbling into the New Year Empty and Drained - Alicia Bruxvoort

"Three days later, they all went to celebrate a wedding feast in Cana of Galilee … While they were celebrating, the wine ran out … [And Jesus said] ‘Fill each water pot with water until it’s ready to spill over the top.’" John 2:1a, 3a, 7b

Every person I've ever met has had the feelings that Alicia writes about in her devotion for us today. She was at the end of a year, looking at a new one and her hope was replaced by emptyness. She wanted to look forward and rattle off the goals she had...but she just simply couldn't.

She was empty. 

But, the scripture above reminds us that Jesus LOVES to fill us. Not just a little, not jut halfway, but usually right to brim. Many times we over flow with him. He loves our broken and empty places, because he can come in and fill up all the gaps and really truly give us what we need. When we feel the lowest, when we're hearing those lies being whispered in our ears, stopping to turn and ask to be filled with nothing but that sweet, never ending, never giving up love of Jesus makes all the difference.

Jen Hatmaker posted earlier today about responding to people asking for your time. It's a fun post, you should go read it, she makes a very good point, however about how we tend to feel guilty and that's why we say yes. We end up filling up our lives and days with SO much that we can't possibly hear that small voice, or have time to fill ourselves up. And we need to.

So, here's one of the promises I'm making to myself. More time to stop and ask, "I need you, I can't do this all on my own." Just like I told my 5th and 6th graders to do yesterday. :)

What are you doing this year to make a difference in your life?
M :)

Happy New Year!

It's been a couple months. I'm sorry for that. Many things happen in the months leading up to the New Year. :)

So much going on as we start the new year, I don't even know where to start!

I am launching a whole new way to get healthy, complete with online support and printable tools! The Healthy Living Rules are super simple guidelines that help you make changes to affect your whole life. Looking to help every community I belong to get real health, not a diet, but real health that's simple to maintain. :)

I'll be going back to Tasty Tuesdays, starting next week! Something tasty and healthy every week to inspire you!

April, our little girl is due, so I may be taking some time off, never fear, I'm hoping to stack some posts so you won't miss me too much. 😊

I'll be back to my Daily Dose reading, though I may only do a few a week depending on how work is going.

We have a lot planned and some awesome goals to meet, can't wait to take you on the journey with me. :)

M

Granola Bar in a Bowl

This post may seem weird, but this is delicious and packed full of goodies. You don't even need to add any sweetener. :) Though B still adds a little brown sugar. LOL

Ingredients
4 cups warm water
2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup raisins
1 or 2 scoops Vanilla Juice Plus+ Complete
2 tablespoons each, Chia Seeds and Flax Seeds
2 tablespoons Coconut Oil
1 tablespoon Cinnamon
1 teaspoon fresh ground Ginger

Directions
1. Put all dry ingredients except Vanilla Complete in a pot
2. Pour warm water over all other ingredients
3. Turn heat to medium/medium high, bring to a boil, simmer for 5 minutes, remove from heat and cover. Let stand approximately 5 more minutes.
4. Stir in Vanilla Complete. Serve!

My kiddo loves this! Seriously, he was having a cranky day and I mixed one scoop of Vanilla and one scoop of Chocolate complete into this recipe and he ate every last bite. Win!

Changing it up for the next 6 weeks

Hey there everyone!

Just letting you know that you'll see a lot more short recipes popping up on the blog over the next few weeks. Heading into the holiday season, my passion for health kicks into over drive!

On top of hosting an Informational Open House this Thursday for my local people today, at officially halfway through this pregnancy, I'm starting 6 weeks of quick healthy meal posts. I'll post two to three times a week to encourage you to keep thealthy options in your life while enjoying the holiday treats you love!

Post incoming with today's delicious recipe. :)

M

Lord, I Need A Miracle - Leah Depascal

"I give thanks to you, because you have answered me. You are my savior." Psalm 118:21

The Daily Dose today centers around a miracle in this writer's family, healing and recovery that were unexpected and faster than the doctors could have dreamed.

While I love these kinds of stories, I love when people are healed, I can't help but also thanking God when things don't go the way we think they should.

I give thanks to God, because he answered me. His answers are not always what I want. Earlier this year my faith family lost a bright and shining light. She was an amazing woman with faith through to the end. Her husband is our worship pastor and returned to leading main service worship for our 3 gatherings just weeks after losing his high school sweetheart. God answered us. He gave her ultimate healing and did his will.

Sometimes, as Christians we have a habit of focusing on only the good that comes from our prayers. Almost implying to the non-believer that God is a magical genie that grants wishes to those that are worthy, instead of answering in His will all prayers we send to him.

Yesterday, I took prayer requests from our 5th and 6th grade classes. Many kids asking for healing from cancer for their grandparents, prayer over many different family members having surgery soon...a reoccurring prayer that an uncle would quit smoking. I want more than anything for these kids to understand that our prayers aren't orders for God. We pray when we have worries or issues too big for us, not because every prayer is going to get what we want. I want these kids to know that even if their grandpa doesn't recover from cancer here, that ultimate healing is what comes, and that while we're sad to lose them it's the answer our prayers received.

It's so hard to explain to people the trust I have in God's will. No matter what I know that His will is better than mine. I know that putting all of my will aside will ultimately bring so much more into my life.

So, I give thanks because God has answered me, Jesus is my savior...and His will is perfect. Even if I don't receive the same kinds of miracles others do.

Here are a couple other verses for you today:

Psalm 9:1b, "I will give thanks to you, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds." (NIV)

1 Chronicles 16:34, "Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever." (NIV)

Praying for you all and hoping that your November is filled with thanks and peace. :)

M