"Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him.
Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies in the gate."
{Psalms 127 3-5}
Thank you LORD!!
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Sunday, August 24, 2008
I love this...
“Great peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.”
- Psalm 119:165
- Psalm 119:165
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Drink your green drink!
Dark green leafy veggies are sooo good for you!! Especially when you eat them raw packed full of living enzymes and nutrients! Raw greens are also packed with calcium which is really important for vegan and those eating raw. Recently our family has been starting the day with a blender full (or two or three!) of green smoothie! It is actually very filling and sooo good for you. Even Elisha has been eating them!
I still can't believe that's what the our family has for breakfast every morning. It's a long way from bacon, eggs, scones, waffles, etc.
We have been using different kinds of organic kale, spinach, collard greens, chard greens and wheat grass for the "green" in our green smoothie's. I also add things like bananas, berries (especially blueberries- they are really high in anti oxidants!) orange (I hear that adding the oranges help you to absorb the iron) and I like to add cranberry juice. (It's REALLY important that you check the label to make sure that the cranberry juice you use doesn't have any corn syrup or sugar, it's best if it is 100 percent juice and organic only sweetened with other juices. It's also great if its not from concentrate. But you don't even have to use cranberry juice :) You can also add some ground flax seed. (To learn about how amazing flax seed is click here and check it out!)
Throw in some berries or orange, toss in some greens and add some healthy juice or water and blend. It takes some getting used to, but when you use bananas and berries and things it's not bitter and tastes better than you would think. Drinking it through a straw helps me too. We have been doing this every morning as a family and it's made such a difference!!
I still can't believe that's what the our family has for breakfast every morning. It's a long way from bacon, eggs, scones, waffles, etc.
We have been using different kinds of organic kale, spinach, collard greens, chard greens and wheat grass for the "green" in our green smoothie's. I also add things like bananas, berries (especially blueberries- they are really high in anti oxidants!) orange (I hear that adding the oranges help you to absorb the iron) and I like to add cranberry juice. (It's REALLY important that you check the label to make sure that the cranberry juice you use doesn't have any corn syrup or sugar, it's best if it is 100 percent juice and organic only sweetened with other juices. It's also great if its not from concentrate. But you don't even have to use cranberry juice :) You can also add some ground flax seed. (To learn about how amazing flax seed is click here and check it out!)
Throw in some berries or orange, toss in some greens and add some healthy juice or water and blend. It takes some getting used to, but when you use bananas and berries and things it's not bitter and tastes better than you would think. Drinking it through a straw helps me too. We have been doing this every morning as a family and it's made such a difference!!
Thinking about thanksgiving
I know it will be a while until we have Thanksgiving, but this is our family's first vegan/raw thanksgiving and I am already practicing some recipe's so I can make some great food come holiday season. Tonight I used the recipe below as a guide and made some raw pumpkin pie only I changed it a lot (and used squash instead of pumpkin) it was sooooo delicious!
Autumn pumpkin pie
(From "Ani's raw food kitchen" cook book)
Crust:
1/4 C sunflower seeds
1 3/4 C pumpkin seeds
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 C pitted dates
(You can make a raw pie crust with dates and almost any nut/seed combination.
I used dates and cashews/Brazil nuts for my pie)
Syrup:
1 C pitted dates
1 1/4 C water
Filling:
4 Cups pumpkin peeled seeded and cut into 1 inch cubes ( about 1 1/4 whole before peeled)
2 t ground cinn.
1 T psyllium powder
To make crust, process sunflower seeds into a fine powder in your food processor. Use this to "flour" the bottom of your pie dish
Next process pumpkin seeds and salt into course meal. Slowly add 1 C dates to make dough. press in pie dish. Set aside.
To make syrup, blend 1 cup dates with water until smooth. Set aside.
To make filling, process small batches of cubed pumpkin and cinn into a puree. Slowly add in the syrup. Process until completely smooth. Place pumpkin filling in bowl and hand mix in psyllium powder really well. ( I placed mine in the freezer for a little while and it helped thicken it and it was really good!)
To serve, scoop filling into pie crust.
Will keep for 4 days in fridge.
Some things to remember:
*Organic food tastes better ( and is healthier) than non-organic. Some foods I thought I hated -I realized I actually enjoyed when I ate them organic.
*Organic food is more expensive. I used to believe that we just couldn't afford it. Then I started doing some research and I was horrified! Food has come along way when how it used to be and how God intended it to be. (I really recommend seeing the movie "King Corn" to learn a little more about conventionally grown food) We decided as a family being healthy is important and than it was something we wanted to invest in. A cost effective way to eat organic is to shop at farmers markets or grow some veggies yourself! I grow organic tomato's in a pot in my side yard and it was like $3-!
* Investing in the right equipment makes a big difference! Having a really good food processor, blender, and juicer make all the difference. Also having really good knives's that you can sharpen and a good space for chopping can make a HUGE difference. (especially with raw foods) Obviously you work with what you have. I have a nice food processor I got for a good price at Costco, an inexpensive blender ( although I am planning on getting a vita mix!) and a good juicer I am borrowing from my mom. When ever I make a green smoothie ( which I try to do everyday) my blender never really blends it all the way, because it's just not the best quality. I am mentioning this because some recipe's might not turn out right if you have really cheap equipment.
Autumn pumpkin pie
(From "Ani's raw food kitchen" cook book)
Crust:
1/4 C sunflower seeds
1 3/4 C pumpkin seeds
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 C pitted dates
(You can make a raw pie crust with dates and almost any nut/seed combination.
I used dates and cashews/Brazil nuts for my pie)
Syrup:
1 C pitted dates
1 1/4 C water
Filling:
4 Cups pumpkin peeled seeded and cut into 1 inch cubes ( about 1 1/4 whole before peeled)
2 t ground cinn.
1 T psyllium powder
To make crust, process sunflower seeds into a fine powder in your food processor. Use this to "flour" the bottom of your pie dish
Next process pumpkin seeds and salt into course meal. Slowly add 1 C dates to make dough. press in pie dish. Set aside.
To make syrup, blend 1 cup dates with water until smooth. Set aside.
To make filling, process small batches of cubed pumpkin and cinn into a puree. Slowly add in the syrup. Process until completely smooth. Place pumpkin filling in bowl and hand mix in psyllium powder really well. ( I placed mine in the freezer for a little while and it helped thicken it and it was really good!)
To serve, scoop filling into pie crust.
Will keep for 4 days in fridge.
Some things to remember:
*Organic food tastes better ( and is healthier) than non-organic. Some foods I thought I hated -I realized I actually enjoyed when I ate them organic.
*Organic food is more expensive. I used to believe that we just couldn't afford it. Then I started doing some research and I was horrified! Food has come along way when how it used to be and how God intended it to be. (I really recommend seeing the movie "King Corn" to learn a little more about conventionally grown food) We decided as a family being healthy is important and than it was something we wanted to invest in. A cost effective way to eat organic is to shop at farmers markets or grow some veggies yourself! I grow organic tomato's in a pot in my side yard and it was like $3-!
* Investing in the right equipment makes a big difference! Having a really good food processor, blender, and juicer make all the difference. Also having really good knives's that you can sharpen and a good space for chopping can make a HUGE difference. (especially with raw foods) Obviously you work with what you have. I have a nice food processor I got for a good price at Costco, an inexpensive blender ( although I am planning on getting a vita mix!) and a good juicer I am borrowing from my mom. When ever I make a green smoothie ( which I try to do everyday) my blender never really blends it all the way, because it's just not the best quality. I am mentioning this because some recipe's might not turn out right if you have really cheap equipment.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
We went vegan!
Well its almost been a week now and our family has been eating vegan and mostly raw fruits vegetables nuts and seeds. Its been amazing. I am so thankful I have some good cook books ( or rather "uncook books") or I think I would just end up eating salad every meal!
We are taking a season to try to be as healthy as we can be as a family, a season of alignment, getting priorities back on track and and fasting and prayer. I feel more hungry for him than I have felt in a long time. My heart needs JESUS! Please keep me in prayer that I will encounter him in a new way this season. I really want to grow and know him more.
This is what I am meditating on today:: Psalm 42 (The Message)
" A white-tailed deer drinks from the creek; I want to drink God, deep draughts of God.
I'm thirsty for God-alive. I wonder, "Will I ever make it-arrive and drink in God's presence?" I'm on a diet of tears-tears for breakfast, tears for supper.
All day long people knock at my door, Pestering, "Where is this God of yours?"
These are the things I go over and over, emptying out the pockets of my life.
I was always at the head of the worshiping crowd, right out in front,
Leading them all, eager to arrive and worship,
Shouting praises, singing thanksgiving-celebrating, all of us, God's feast!
Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul?
Why are you crying the blues?
Fix my eyes on God— soon I'll be praising again.
He puts a smile on my face. He's my God.
When my soul is in the dumps, I rehearse everything I know of you,
From Jordan depths to Hermon heights, including Mount Mizar.
Chaos calls to chaos, to the tune of whitewater rapids.
Your breaking surf, your thundering breakers crash and crush me.
Then God promises to love me all day, sing songs all through the night!
My life is God's prayer.
Sometimes I ask God, my rock-solid God, "Why did you let me down?
Why am I walking around in tears, harassed by enemies?"
They're out for the kill, these tormentors with their obscenities,
Taunting day after day, "Where is this God of yours?"
Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul?
Why are you crying the blues?
Fix my eyes on God— soon I'll be praising again.
He puts a smile on my face. He's my God. "
We are taking a season to try to be as healthy as we can be as a family, a season of alignment, getting priorities back on track and and fasting and prayer. I feel more hungry for him than I have felt in a long time. My heart needs JESUS! Please keep me in prayer that I will encounter him in a new way this season. I really want to grow and know him more.
This is what I am meditating on today:: Psalm 42 (The Message)
" A white-tailed deer drinks from the creek; I want to drink God, deep draughts of God.
I'm thirsty for God-alive. I wonder, "Will I ever make it-arrive and drink in God's presence?" I'm on a diet of tears-tears for breakfast, tears for supper.
All day long people knock at my door, Pestering, "Where is this God of yours?"
These are the things I go over and over, emptying out the pockets of my life.
I was always at the head of the worshiping crowd, right out in front,
Leading them all, eager to arrive and worship,
Shouting praises, singing thanksgiving-celebrating, all of us, God's feast!
Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul?
Why are you crying the blues?
Fix my eyes on God— soon I'll be praising again.
He puts a smile on my face. He's my God.
When my soul is in the dumps, I rehearse everything I know of you,
From Jordan depths to Hermon heights, including Mount Mizar.
Chaos calls to chaos, to the tune of whitewater rapids.
Your breaking surf, your thundering breakers crash and crush me.
Then God promises to love me all day, sing songs all through the night!
My life is God's prayer.
Sometimes I ask God, my rock-solid God, "Why did you let me down?
Why am I walking around in tears, harassed by enemies?"
They're out for the kill, these tormentors with their obscenities,
Taunting day after day, "Where is this God of yours?"
Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul?
Why are you crying the blues?
Fix my eyes on God— soon I'll be praising again.
He puts a smile on my face. He's my God. "
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
My verses for the day ::
"Whatever may be your task, work at it heartily (from the soul), as [something done] for the Lord and not for men ..." Colossians 3:23
"Never lag in zeal and in earnest endeavor; be aglow and burning with the Spirit, serving the Lord." Romans 12:11
"That is why I would remind you to stir up (rekindle the embers of, fan the flame of, and keep burning) the [gracious] gift of God, [the inner fire] that is in you ..." 2 Timothy 1:6
"Never lag in zeal and in earnest endeavor; be aglow and burning with the Spirit, serving the Lord." Romans 12:11
"That is why I would remind you to stir up (rekindle the embers of, fan the flame of, and keep burning) the [gracious] gift of God, [the inner fire] that is in you ..." 2 Timothy 1:6
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Lemon Bars
This is a really easy Lemon Bar recipe. It can be made in 45 min. or less and makes 24 bars. I made these for the Dr. and hospital staff when I had my firstborn son Elisha. It was a BIG hit :)
Ingredients::
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar ( you could sub with Xylitol)
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
hot shortbread base
3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a bowl whisk together eggs and granulated sugar until combined well and stir in lemon juice and flour. Pour lemon mixture over hot shortbread. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F. and bake confection in middle of oven until set, about 30 minutes. Cool completely in pan and cut into 24 bars. Bar cookies keep, covered and chilled, 3 days. Sift confectioners' sugar over bars before serving.
Shortbread base::
1 1/2 sticks
(3/4 cup) unsalted butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Cut butter into 1/2-inch pieces. In a food processor process all ingredients until mixture begins to form small lumps. Sprinkle mixture into a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan and with a metal spatula press evenly onto bottom. Bake shortbread in middle of oven until golden, about 20 minutes. While shortbread is baking, prepare topping.
* Recipe from Epicurious.com
Ingredients::
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar ( you could sub with Xylitol)
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
hot shortbread base
3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a bowl whisk together eggs and granulated sugar until combined well and stir in lemon juice and flour. Pour lemon mixture over hot shortbread. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F. and bake confection in middle of oven until set, about 30 minutes. Cool completely in pan and cut into 24 bars. Bar cookies keep, covered and chilled, 3 days. Sift confectioners' sugar over bars before serving.
Shortbread base::
1 1/2 sticks
(3/4 cup) unsalted butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Cut butter into 1/2-inch pieces. In a food processor process all ingredients until mixture begins to form small lumps. Sprinkle mixture into a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan and with a metal spatula press evenly onto bottom. Bake shortbread in middle of oven until golden, about 20 minutes. While shortbread is baking, prepare topping.
* Recipe from Epicurious.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
