The art of Listening

I run a restaurant. Yes, it’s a tough business. Hours are long and labor is intense, but it is indeed a labor of love, and one I’m quite passionate about. My critics are quite honest. Especially the little one. He is serious about presentation. If the color of a dish is just not right, he’s not interested. And it seems his palette changes every day. Just last week he loved mushrooms. This week they end up back on his plate, coated in saliva, traded for a cheerio. That may just be the ultimate critique. However, the job pays well. At the end of the day, whether the kitchen failed or thrived, I’m met with hugs and kisses from the critics. Now if only I could hire a dish crew…

Gray and I often daydream together about if we were to open a restaurant. Honestly, if we were not going into full-time ministry, that’s just what we would do—open a restaurant. Fresh. Local. Unique. Good. We talk about the little garden we’d have in back, supplying the fresh produce for our simple yet intriguing dishes, changing each day depending on seasons, availability, and whatever we felt like creating. We create this restaurant in our minds as we sit and enjoy meals at other restaurants. Every Saturday morning we go out to breakfast as a family, funded by my babysitting money. We almost never visit chain restaurants anymore. We have come to love the culture of food our area for Wisconsin has to offer. Ma and Pa kitchens, hippy cafes, Fair Trade goodness, local cuisine. We love the care, intention, thought, and pride placed behind the dishes.

However, not every place we venture into gets an “A+” rating. This was the unfortunate instance of our breakfast this morning. After walking through the farmer’s market and picking out our produce for the week, we sat down at a restaurant downtown we had not yet tried. We should have been tipped off to the foreboding negative experience when our waitress took 10 minutes from the time we were seated to approach our table.  I’ll spare the detailed critique of our visit which culminated in a tip of $1.14. And believe me, we usually tip well (as most former waitresses do). However, the greatest mistake, in my opinion, that this restaurant made? They didn’t listen. They had no interest in what we thought, what we wanted, or what we needed. In fact, they never once asked how our meal was. When our waitress (finally) brought our food to our table, she said nothing. She set it down and walked away. I was baffled, so used to a courteous, “Is there anything else I can get for you?” Normally I smile back and say something to the extent of, “No, this looks great!” However, this time I was in need. Both my coffee and water were empty. She walked away. She didn’t have a chance to listen, because she never asked. Grayson ended up walking over to their coffee dispensers and pouring his caffeine-deprived wife another cup of joe.

When Ezekiel was a newborn, I quickly learned how to listen to his cues. His hunger cue, sleepy cue, wet diaper cue, bored cue, and pain cue. I found it came quite natural to decipher his communication styles as a newborn. However, his forms of communication are quickly changing. Zeke is almost a year old. Just the other day I was reading that we are now entering into a testing phase. This week, he has proven this true to me. At each turn there is a tantrum. Especially if we take something away from him, or tell him “no” and avert his little hands away from the trash can, dog kennel, or recyclables….

This must be such a frustrating stage of development for a child, to understand enough of the world to know what you want, but not have any way of communicating those desires. For now, he resorts to a screaming fit-- his frustration of not being heard.

Parenting forces us to learn a new language at each new phase. From newborn wails, piercing through our sleep at all hours of the night, to the toddler tantrums, screaming to be heard; to only be understood because they want that sippy cup oh-so-badly but have no way of telling us. And then, as they finally begin to form words, but have only limited vocabulary to describe the very thing they want. And I can only anticipate the adolescent years, with a new language comprised of grunts, groans, sighs, and silence. I suppose that when we become empty-nesters, we will, indeed, be fluent in many languages. But oh that I will always listen to my child’s heart.

I find that God is using our current stage of parental development to teach me to listen—to Him. If I cannot, by listening to Ezekiel, understand what he needs, then I must rely upon God to teach me and lead me in raising my son. Gary Thomas puts it so well in his book Sacred Parenting, “That’s why I think listening is a key component of Christian parenting and spirituality. It changes the nature of our faith, and it redirects what we do. It moves us from merely a human-centered faith of willful obedience and timeless principles, and ushers us into cooperating with God as He actively moves upon His world. It is one of the ways that we can 'seize heaven' and invite God’s presence into our lives.” And “Listening reminds me of how completely I depend on God to carry out the task of parenting. I’d be absolutely lost without His insight.”

If Grayson and I owned a restaurant, we would listen. We would listen, of course, to the comments and suggestions of our guests. We would listen by watching their responses to what they were served, and how they were served. We would listen by learning about the surrounding culture of food, and what people want. They want tasty, they want fresh, they want local (which, in essence, is tasty and fresh), they want familiar yet unique united into a delicious package.

I value Grayson’s respectful yet honest critique. I note when he makes small comments of how things are prepared, not in a bitter way, but in a way which positively affects my style of cooking. When preparing our grocery list and meal ideas for the week, I give special attention to his mentions of what might be good. Even with Ezekiel, so young and inexperienced in the area of communication, I seek to listen. I watch as he eats and discovers new tastes, that I may encourage and inspire his ever-developing palette in a diverse way.

Gary Thomas notes, “I wonder:  How would our marriages be transformed if we learned to listen to God on behalf of our spouse? How might husbands feel encouraged if wives learned from the mouth of God what kind of day their husband was having and made appropriate preparations for his return home? How might wives feel uplifted and strengthened if husbands would take time out of their day to ask, ‘Lord, what do I need to do today to better love my wife?’ How might kids find strength and warning and guidance and inspiration if their parents would glean insights from the God who created them, from the God who knows their thoughts and who hears every conversation they have with their friends?”

"Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger" James 1:19

BBQ Chicken and Veggie Pizza with Avocado  
The first time I made this pizza, Grayson proclaimed it the best pizza he had ever eaten. 

For the Crust

Mix:

• 3 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tbs sugar
• 1tsp salt
• 1 packet (or 2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast

Make well, then add and mix in:

• 1 cup warm water
• 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil 

Knead the dough. If it is too dry, add a small amount of water, knead some more. The dough will become more moist as you knead. Dough should be elastic. Pull, stretch, and/or roll onto pizza pan. Fold edges over each other to create a handle. This crust does not need to rise! It's my favorite for taste and simplicity' sake.

For the Toppings

 Sauce:

• 50% favorite all-natural bbq sauce
• 50% favorite all-natural pizza sauce

 Veggies, Saute:

• 6oz mushrooms sliced thin
• 5 mini sweet peppers (varying in color), chopped
• 1-2 jalapeno pepper(s), chopped 
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed 

Additionally:

• Pulled chicken (I used 2 chicken thighs I slow cooked in the crock pot the day before)
• 1 avacodo, peeled, pitted and sliced
• 1 cup freshly grated cheddar cheese

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes, until crust begins to brown.

Getting at the Heart of the Matter

Getting out of the house looks differently than it used to. Yesterday we were excited to take Ezekiel to the lake for the first time. We decided that we would wait until after his morning nap, to assure he was well rested for an action-packed afternoon. After he awoke, we rushed around the house packing the lunch sack, securing the canoe onto the car, feeding Zeke lunch, and rummaging through our calamity of basement storage to find swimmer diapers. Finally, the child was ready, slathered from head to toe in sun screen, and we were off. First stop? The grocery store, for some lunch meat to go along with our bread and cheese. I insisted we go well out of our way to the store I had coupons for (saving us a total of $0.30...) Ok, now we were ready, and off we headed. We shortly realize we forgot to bring Zeke a bottle. Not a huge deal, we won't be more than a couple of hours. Oh, wait, the snorkel gear, that was forgotten as well. I guess we won't be snorkeling, maybe next time...10 minutes down the road, Grayson gives a exasperated sigh, pauses, then lements that all of the fishing gear is sitting at home. He gets a pensive look on his face as we continue to drive. Giving another sigh, he slows and turns around. With fishing gear in tow, we back out of our driveway, again, and drive in the direction of the lake. This time, we only make it five minutes before Ezekiel begins to yell, signaling to us that he has had enough, and is ready for his next nap.

In defeat, we turn around and head home to allow Zeke another few hours of sleep before we give it another go. However, once we finally arrived at the lake, to see my little boy discover such a magnificent expanse of creation, how it warmed this Momma's heart.

The heart. Our heart is the bottom line. It is the essence of who we are. The Bible calls it the "inner man" (or woman). It is where truth is taken in, and decisions are made. Our heart is the source of our behavior, and I believe that we cannot address our health until we address our hearts.

At the "heart" of our society's obsession with diets is found a masquerade of lies and empty promises beset in behavior modification. We see it pervading our culture. It is the foundation of today's secular psychology. You have a problem with lust? You have a temper? You are depressed? You eat too much. Ok, we need to set some rules, some goals to modify your behavior. The problem comes when we just don't have the will-power to keep those rules. Behavior modification, in the realm of health, meets us in our desperation offering quick-fix prescriptions. They are sought out by our lesser desires. A desire to be thin. An aversion to being judged. A covetousness of those with "quicker metabolisms".

To attain these lesser desires, we set goals. Lose X amount of pounds. Run a half-marathon (or maybe a 5K, to begin....), fit into that bikini by June. Surrounding these goals, we set up barriers of rules. Stop eating sweets. Cut out "this", or eat only "that". Stop snacking. Walk everyday. We abide by this list of do's and dont's hoping to finally, at last, succeed. But when we do not meet success, we despair. We despair in our own failings, our inability to achieve those goals. Or, sometimes even more harmful, we do succeed. And when success is attained, we become prideful. This was my case in high school as I dabbled in, or rather plunged in to anorexia (about me). With perfect self-control I denied myself meal after meal. I took great pride in every jealous glance offered by the girl at the next table, eating her burger (or even her salad...) Her "failure" was my motivation to continue.

And so, what are we left with? Despair in failure, or pride with success. This is what today's trend of chronic dieting has produced. It is no surprise that an estimated 95% of those who lose weight on a diet gain it back, a statistic which haunts those who have finally "lost the weight", threatening
to steal back every ounce of control they have mustered up to shed the excess.

However, behavior modification finds its fault in its failure to address the crux of why we just can't set down that bag of oreos, or why we click "next episode" on Netflix instead of taking a walk with the family, or even where this "excess" on our midsections came from, anyways. Behavior modification looks at the problem and offers solutions. Embracing a wholesome lifestyle requires a deeper look into the conditions of our hearts. In our hearts lie our motives and desires. If these are not set securely on a knowledgeable and passionate track, we will get nowhere in getting healthy.

Grayson and I don't have rules in our "diet". I shy even from the word "diet" for its common assumption of rules and regulations. Instead, we have goals guided by deeper desires
to be healthy and well able to raise our family and serve the Lord.

In our Christian life we live in the truth of "regeneration". We have a new restored and revived heart, with new desires, prompted by God Himself! Many people do not want to follow Jesus because they think they will need to change their behavior. Yes, our behaviors will require change, but it comes naturally as we come to know Jesus, and He aligns our desires with His. I find the same in our life choices around health. We don't want to "get healthy" because it will necessitate change. Rules only make "getting healthy" all the more unattractive. But when we turn this around, and we look not at what we can't do, but at what we get to do, and what we will reap from it, "getting healthy" becomes a whole lot more attractive. Our desires change.

As I learn about Jesus, I find a natural inclination and passion to get to know Him deeper. As I learn about our health, I am excited and motivated to continue seeking knowledge. As I spend time with Jesus in His Word and prayer, I come to desire more and more of Him; to be in His presence. As I spend time cooking healthful meals, going on walks, and writing these blogs, I am prompted more and more to pursue this wholesome lifestyle.

People ask me if I cook all day. I tell them, "Some days, yes." but I say it with a smile on my face. It's not as if I'm slaving over a hot stove or breaking my back kneading dough on the counter for endless hours. Most days I don't even consider the time which goes into our food. I prepare our meal throughout the day as I have time, so as not to become overwhelmed, and I take joy in the process. After all, my desires have changed. I want to bless my family with a wholesome meal we can enjoy when once we come together again at the end of the day.

When it comes down to it, we will get no where with our health if our motive is to be thin. We'll make no progress if we don't enjoy what we are cooking, or the process of getting it to the table. We will only come out frustrated if we set up edicts, precepts and strict regimens. With legalistic rules, and laws which we cannot healthfully maintain as a lifestyle, we set ourselves up only for failure and defeat. Rather, let us embrace this only as our hearts are set on a true bettering of our health for the glory of the One who created us. May our intentions always be simply to give thanks, praise, and Honor to God for how artfully He has crafted us, and live in these bodies to our fullest potential that He has created us for. That is something I can set my heart on.

"If you love God, if you delight in God, if you are satisfied in God, enjoy God, celebrate the Person and work of Jesus Christ, then God will actually put desires in your heart, and a passion to pursue them. Then life is not about what you don't get to do, it's about what you get to do!" - Pastor Mark Driscoll, Mars Hill Church

A Day at the Beach with my Boys!

"Keep your heart with all vigilance,
    for from it flow the springs of life."

 Proverbs 4:23

And the puppy, of course!

Strawberry Banana Oatmeal Muffins

Combine:

• 1 1/2 cup quick oats
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp salt

Combine:

• 1/3 cup organic or all-natural cane sugar
• 1/3 cup honey
• 2 tbs butter
• 1/4 cup and 2 tbs plain yogurt
• 2 eggs
• 2 1/3 cup mashed banana (mash before adding)
• 2 cups organic strawberries, cut into small chunks

1. Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Fold only to moisten, don't over mix.
2. Pour into greased or lined muffin pan, bake at 340 degrees for 22-26 minutes. Makes about 20 muffins.
3. Note: Mine come out perfectly at 22 minutes. Try not to go by the "toothpick test", because if you stab a chunk of banana, you'll get a toothpick full of ooey-gooey banana goodness. I look for firmness when I lightly press down on the muffins.

Thoughts inspired from a sermon by Pastor Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church, Seattle.

Joint-Venture

During the first week of this year, Grayson and I set aside time to pray over and plan for the coming year. Looking back on some of the health goals we set, I am astonished.

1. " Veggies in 1 meal a day.
2. 1 Fruit a day." 

 

This morning, just for the fun of it, I counted on my fingers the variety of fruits and veggies incorporated into my breakfast. I had just enough fingers. 10. Five fruits (Apple, Avocado, Grape Fruit, Black berries, Banana)  and five veggies (Red bell pepper, onion, cilantro, corn, spinach). And that's not even counting the vegetable juice in my smoothie, which is comprised of 6 additional vegetable juices. And, possibly best of all, this came naturally to me. My thought process was not,

"Hmmm, I need to eat this amount of fruits", or "how can I squeeze in a serving of vegetables?"


It was,


"Hmmm, that sounds good!"

A study done by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that "when participants were encouraged to eat more fruits and vegetables, they consumed 40 percent fewer calories (down from 2,594 to 1,596) without increased hunger" (The Flexitarian Diet, Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD, LDN) The key word here is "encouraged", not forced, not tricked, not deceived, not pressured--but encouraged.

God has brought us a long way. A long way since January, and a long way since I began praying over our health and nutrition desires three years ago.

A good friend recently asked me how I encouraged Grayson to eat healthy with me. My reply to her was, "Pray. Don't push, don't prod, don't nag. Just pray. It may take time, but during that time, just pray." I could even attest that Grayson has been the one to encouraged me in implementing a healthier way of eating in our home. Yes, it has been a prayer on my heart since we married almost three years ago. However-- and I am so very grateful for this-- it has very much so been a joint venture.

I am blessed--very blessed--with a husband who values my values. He is incredible. These past three months (have we really been eating this way for only three months?!) have been a great journey and transformation for the both of us. Grayson has been in stride with me every step of the way. He has not complained. He has not murmured, not even when it takes 5 more minutes before we can eat because I am taking countless photographs of our dinner from every angle, just in case it turns out tasty enough to blog about... Even my experiments in the kitchen which ended up on the "never again" list, he tried with enthusiasm and offered his constructive (and gracious) criticism.


We both agree that the primary thrust of this venture was gaining knowledge. We learned together. Together we watched documentaries and read articles. Together we began to grasp the grave danger (literally) of an unbalanced and careless diet. Together we were convicted of our responsibility to take care of the bodies God has given us for this time; to more able serve Him with them. Together we discovered the great benefits of placing thought, consideration, and intention behind what we put onto our plates. Together we began to turn what we were learning into a new lifestyle, and together we are reaping the benefits of doing so!

I'll spare you another list of the health benefits we have gleaned thus far, although they continue to increase as our waistlines and fatigue decrease! One benefit I will mention, however, has been the unity Grayson and I have shared in this adventure. I have not once felt as thought I am the nagging wife trying to shove veggies down my family's throats. He encourages me. I encourage him. We share in the experience.

Nutrition is a passion of mine, a driving interest God has placed inside of me. During the past few months, I have deeply appreciated my husband giving of his time, interest, and energy to delve into my passion with me, and see it transform our family.  Gray does not simply humor me. He is truly involved. For the most part, I am the one shopping and cooking, but he is there right beside me at the farmer's market. When I ask him giddily to watch the newest "food documentary" with me on Netflix, he gladly joins me on the couch. He listens and offers his thoughts as I read him excerpts from books and magazines. He even shares health articles with me. Our conversations around our health are not one-sided. He offers his opinions, his ideas, and what he would like to see in our grocery cart and on our plates. He proof-reads and offers helpful suggestions and ideas for my blogs. He enables me to pursue better health for all of us. He is a leader, he is a partner, he is a friend. In every aspect of our marriage. Yes--he's a keeper!

Warm Spinach, Tortellini and Sausage Salad

• 5oz fresh salad greens (We used spring mix and a Chinese bok choy mix)
• 2-3 oz fresh organic spinach
• 3oz summer sausage or dry salami
• 10oz fresh tri-color tortellini
• All-natural Italian salad dressing 

1. Wash and dry all of your salad greens and spinach (keep spinach separate)
2. Cook tortellini to al dente, according to package
3. Heat 3 tablespoons of Italian salad dressing over medium-high heat in frying pan
4. Thinly slice sausage
5. Add to frying pan cooked tortellini and sausage, saute until tortelini begins to brown, get some good color on it!
6. Add to pan spinach, saute and stir only until spinach is warm and begins to wilt. Remove right as it begins to wilt.
7. Place your fresh salad greens, along with your sauteed mixture into a large bowl. Toss with some more Italian dressing, just to coat.
8. Enjoy with fresh bread!

Because "Our health is worth it"

I hope that thus far in my blog I have been able to convince readers that eating real food does have noticeable, measurable benefits to one's health. Besides the obvious benefit of weight loss (I have lost 7 pounds, and Grayson has lost 10), there are also the benefits we have reaped in our energy levels, focus, vitality, and relief of chronic soreness, among others! However, among all of these positive results from our new way of eating, there is one nagging question:  what damage has been done to our wallet?

Yes, shopping for real, all-natural or organic foods can certainly take its toll on the checkbook, but only if you neglect to do some research and comparison. Only if you fail to know what your willing to pay for certain products. Only if you settle to pay full-price for most or all of the items in your shopping cart. Only if you, out of not knowing what else to do, walk through Whole Foods and restock your entire pantry and refrigerator in the name of health.

This would all be a mistake. And so, I offer some of our own numbers for thought. Before embarking on this real-food extravaganza, Grayson and I spent an average of $85 per week on groceries for the two of us. In the beginning of February, I made it my mission to conquer the art of couponing. Anything I could buy next to free by combining store sale and coupons, I would. Even, dare I admit it, packages of Chips Ahoy cookies. As I continued to coupon, I would come across a coupon from time to time for a natural or organic product. As well, I realized that my frequent-stop market (Pick N' Save) was placing their store-brand organic products at ridiculously low prices to advertise them. I often find organic varieties on sale cheaper than their non-organic counterparts. With each trip to the store, I returned home with more unfamiliar yet intriguing natural and organic items.


At this same time, Grayson and I were watching various documentaries about how food is done in America, as well as researching for ourselves this movement towards a healthier way of eating. What we were learning began to transform the look of our shopping cart. As a wife and mom, I realized that what I bring home from the market (or don't) will be the biggest influence on my family's eating habits and health.


As our grocery cart began to transform, our budget began to waver. I approached Grayson and let him know that we were spending more ($100 a week on average) on our groceries, and asked him if this was alright. To my pride, he replied, "Yes, our health is worth it." I truly love this man!

We have placed our health as a priority, all the while praying that we are faithful with the finances God provides for us. Each time I go shopping, I pray that I will be faithful with the money Grayson works so hard to earn.

As we transitioned more and more into natural and organic foods, my couponing efforts began to wean. However, I have recently discovered that the couponing craze is catching on in the real food world! I have been researching into various outlets for natural and organic food coupons (See my list of resources at the bottom of this post), and have been pleasantly surprised with my findings! Just today I completely revitalized my coupon book. As I do monthly, I threw out all of my expired coupons, but also this time, anything for food less than stellar for our real food diet. A good deal is indeed no good if it takes a toll on our health. I jumped on my laptop and began to print, and boy oh boy did I print! I re-stocked my coupon book with coupons for natural and organic products, some which we have already tried and some yet unfamiliar. One thing I have always appreciated about couponing is that it allows and encourages us to try new products and foods, because we can get them at a fraction of their full price. In the realm of natural and organic foods, this is a huge help in trying things we have previously been leery of, or completely unfamiliar with.

But alas, another wrench was thrown into the works. The Farmer's market. It's as if I'm learning to shop at a whole new market (because I am...) And so my current goal is to transition to a routine of our weekend visit to the Farmer's Market for fresh, local produce. As well as one visit to Pick N' Save during the week for our other essentials, a mid-week replenish of fresh produce, and to take advantage of sales and coupons. The ultimate goal:  to do this all on an average of $80-$90 a week for groceries. It is doable, I am certain.

Ginger Carrot Oat Muffins

Eating real food is, in general, more expensive than fake food. The pervasiveness of high fructose corn syrup in cheap, nutrient-empty foods is a classic example of this. While I searched for natural mayonnaise in the market last week, Grayson carried out an experiment. He turned around each bottle of Bar-B-Q sauce, and he found a direct correlation with price and the prevalence of high fructose corn syrup. The lower the price, the more high fructose corn syrup. Literally, as the price increased, the syrup found itself lower and lower on the ingredient list, until it vanished. It makes perfect sense to me why eating real food is "more expensive". It is real. If you want to pay less, buy fake food.

However, is it really necessary to break the bank at Whole Foods, handing every last penny to the crunchy granola, dread-lock cashier behind the register? Is breaking the bank all a part of the organic movement? It does not need to be. There is always a balance. We must take care of ourselves. We must be faithful for both the health and finances which God has given us. Paying a little extra is definitely worthwhile for our health. Paying a lot extra is not necessary. It is a game to me, an art form, and one I am eager to pursue for the well-being of my family.


Spring Turtles with Asparagus, Onion, and Ham

(This dish is delicious. Try this one)
$ 6.25 for entire dish (4 servings)
$1.56 per serving

•  1 medium onion
• 1lb asparagus
• 2 thick-sliced slices of deli ham
• 1tb real butter
• 3tbs real French dressing (white, not red)
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 & 1/2 tbs white flour
• garlic salt
• black pepper
• additional seasoning (I used dried dill)
• 20 oz fresh tortellini
• 3 oz freshly shredded Parmesan

1. Grab both ends of your asparagus spears, bend until they break at their natural breaking point. Wash and cut into 1-inch pieces. Chop your onion. Saute onion and asparagus in a frying pan over medium heat until tender (8-10 minutes). Stir occasionally to keep from sticking.
2. Cut your ham slices into 1-inch squares. Add to pan. Saute for 2 minutes.
3. Bring water to boil for tortellini
4. Add to your frying pan butter, french dressing, and 1/4 cup of your chicken stock. Season with garlic salt, black pepper, and additional seasoning. Stir, then let simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Cook tortellini per package instructions
6. Dissolve your flour into remaining 3/4 cup chicken stock. Add mixture to pan, reduce heat to medium-low. Stir without ceasing until sauce begins to thicken. It will continue to thicken as you stir. Cook until your desired thickness. 
7. Mix cooked tortellini into sauce.
8. Top with freshly shredded Parmesan

Ginger Carrot Oat Muffins
(Adapted from this recipe) 
Mix:

• 2/3 cup organic apple sauce
•  1/2 cup organic sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 & 1/4 cup shredded carrots

 Combine:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup quick oats
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 3/4 tsp ginger
  

 Blend wet and dry ingredients
Fold in 1/2 cup salted sunflower nuts
Spoon into muffin papers in muffin tin
Bake at 400 degrees for 14 minutes (until toothpick comes out clean)

If you have a little one under a year old, as I do, you can omit the honey and sunflower nuts. Follow recipe otherwise as stated. Spoon batter into a couple of cups for little one.  Add honey and sunflower nuts to the rest of your batter for regular muffins. Just mark little one's muffins so you know which are safe for him or her!

These muffins are fantastic the day they are baked. Good the day after. Worthless after two days. As Grayson told me, "Real food is always best fresh"

 


Great places for printable natural and organic coupons:



Good Harvest Database

Mambo Sprouts
Common Kindness
A Thrifty Mom Organic Coupon Database

Catch that Sack of Potatoes!

Grayson and I were settled into a comfy couch in the foyer of our church watching the sermon on a television. This is where the parents of babies sit. Here there is no fear of if, or when your little one will stir, scream, or express gastric discomfort without shame. Zeke was two months old, sleeping dead to the world upon my chest. When you have a newborn, you meet a whole church of new people. They are drawn to the tiny toes, fuzzy head, and bright blue eyes. A gentleman approached us and commented, "I loved the 'sack of potatoes' stage, when you can set them anywhere, and know they will be in that exact location when you return. They just lay there, like a sack of potatoes."

Well, my little sack of spuds has developed some mobility, and speed to go with it! Just to get him dressed in the morning is much like the breakout of a war. I maneuver a little onesie over his head, and guide his squiggling, fighting arms through the arm holes. All the while he is screaming, crying, and twisting his little body in every direction. Every few moments he wiggles out of my grasp, quickly gains his balance on his knees, and makes a run for…or, crawl for it…out the door. I catch him, lay him on his back, and we start all over. It causes me to consider—is this how God views His children? We scream and twist and war with Him, thinking our way is superior to His, until we finally squirm away and book it to, and out of, the doorway. Only God doesn’t snag us back and hold us down as He makes us obey. No, He waits patiently until we realize we are lost without Him, and His desire for us is always, after all, the best for us. He is our Father. Suddenly that actual sack of potatoes sitting on my hutch in the kitchen seems so, well, obedient! I’m considering allowing Zeke to wait out this phase in his pajamas.

A few weeks ago Grayson and I were in search of some potatoes to go along with our dinner. Potatoes are one thing I have been trying to buy organic, knowing that they are vigorously sprayed with pesticides. As I walked out of the market $3 poorer, I felt slightly defeated that I carried only 3 potatoes in my hand. Who ever said eating real food is cheap?

Eating real food, however, does not need to break one's wallet. One of our goals in this endeavor is to figure out how to eat real food in an affordable way. Last week I walked through the doors into my favorite market to find, right in the middle of the produce section, sacks upon sacks of beautiful organic yellow potatoes marked on sale to $2.48 for a 3-pound bag! 

Waiting for my turn in the checkout line, I found this little gem: The Turbo Cabbage Soup Diet. Lose 8 pounds a week! With the changes Gray and I have made to our diet in the past 2 months, I have lost 6 pounds, and all while eating delicious food. Food that we look forward to eating. A diet should not be primarily focused on what not to eat, but instead, the great plethora of foods that God has given us to enjoy! Simply transitioning into a real food diet has already, in only two short months, been proven worthwhile. It dawned on me today that I have had no stomach problems for the past two months. I used to experience stomach pain every few weeks, lasting for about a week. As well, Grayson was taking supplements to aid his joint pain from roofing. His knees were being destroyed by his hard work. He has not taken a supplement in at least a month, as his joint pain has greatly subsided. I praise God for that, because at the outset of this all, seeing Gray relieved of his joint pain was one of my greatest desires and motivation, but it was also daunting. We realize that these claims are not solid proof that real food has healed us. However, we feel better. We have more energy and focus. We have lost weight. We are really enjoying what we are eating. Let's see a cabbage soup diet do that!

Many of our dinner dishes begin in my mind at breakfast. They sprout from a small idea, and transform throughout the day as I look at various recipes, taking ingredients and techniques from each and transforming them into a new dish. I figure out what produce we have on hand, and how to make it the star of our dinner. Yesterday it was Organic Yellow Potatoes and Organic Kale.

A Tale of Kale

The first time (and last time, until yesterday) I made kale, it was in a meager attempt at health. You see, this is not the first time Grayson and I have tried to be healthy. The difference is stark, however, between prior attempts, and the journey we find ourselves on now. Before it was nothing but rules created by improper understanding and motive. Eat vegetables. Ok. What in the world is kale? 

 I steamed some of the curious green stuff up, and we mixed it into some off-brand boxed macaroni and cheese. Please note that this attempt was much different than the White Pepper and Dill Macaroni and Cheese with Arugula, Spinach and Mushrooms which I highlighted in my last blog post.

Needless to say, this attempt at kale was a huge flop. It ended up in the trash bin, and we haven't touched kale since. This experience with kale left we somewhat intimidated of the green. Recently we have been hearing more about the health benefits it offers, and so with a coupon in hand, I decided to give it another try.

Kale is somewhat unique in that many of its health benefits come into play as it is cooked, compared to eating it raw. Research is supposing that lightly steamed kale eaten regularly in one's diet, through its ability to bind bile acids, has the ability to lower the risk of heart disease and some cancers. I have also been adding some raw kale into my smoothies, which definitely gives them a  more "green" flavor, but one I really don't mind. In fact, I enjoy it!

Fish, Potato, and Corn Chowder with Kale

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lb organic yellow potatoes (skins on)
• 12oz frozen corn
• 3/4 lb organic curly kale 
• 1 medium onion
• salt, pepper, and additional seasonings of your choice
• 3 cups stock (vegetable or chicken) home made is always preferred
• 1 and 1/2 tbs real butter
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 lb white fish (I used 2 tilapia filets) cut into chunks 

1. Wash, chop, and boil potatoes until fork tender.
2. Wash your kale, and pull the leaves off of the stem. Chop. Place into a casserole dish, add about an inch of water, and steam in the microwave for 2 minutes. Cool and then drain the liquid. (Don't attempt to cook the kale with the potatoes, I hear the kale flavor is too strong, so it is best to cook separately.)
3.  Saute onion (no oil needed) over medium heat until tender, then add your boiled potatoes. Saute about 5 minutes, adding a little of your stock if the mixture gets too dry.
4. Add your corn and butter. Add 1/2 cup of your stock, salt, pepper, and any other seasonings you desire (I used a Tuscan seasoning blend). Cook over medium high heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more stock if the mixture gets too dry
5. Remove from heat. Puree half of your mixture, along with your remaining stock and the milk, in a food processor (or blender) until smooth. Add liquid slowly, adjusting the amounts to your desired consistency.
6. Note: You really do not need to add dairy to this recipe. Omit the butter and milk if you desire. Simply replace the milk with additional stock. The potatoes are what gives this chowder its creamy texture, the milk simply adds a little richness.
7. Add the rest of your potato mixture to the food processor, and pulse once or twice, until you have your desired, chunky chowder consistency.
8. Pour your mixture into a pot. Taste, and add more seasoning if desired. You may need to add some more salt at this point. The potatoes make for a starchy taste and salt compliments it well--just don't go sodium crazy. 
9. Add your steamed kale and raw chunks of white fish. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until fish is thoroughly cooked.
10. Always, always, always enjoy soup with fresh bread!

I just walked into the kitchen and Grayson told me, "There are two tests to whether or not a food is good. The primary test:  if it is eaten. The secondary test:  if the leftovers are eaten." He told me this as he polished off a bowl of leftover chowder. It's amazing to think that diet crazes in our society tell us we can lose 8 pounds a week by eating cabbage soup everyday. I have lost 6 pounds, have more energy and focus, and clearer skin, just to name a few benefits of our new way of eating. All while eating foods like this recipe, with some fresh bread and real butter! I'll opt for real food, and variety, thank you!

A Smooth Transition

When I was sixteen years old, I embraced a vegetarian diet for a year and a half. The greatest irony of this decision was found in the fact that I have a great distaste for raw vegetables. Throughout my entire stint of being a vegetarian, I ate only a handful of salads.

Grayson and I love good food. If this transition to a healthier diet did not include tasty food, I have large doubts that we would ever consider such a pursuit. One of our great motivators in this quest is the delicious food we are eating. I believe that so many diets fail because they neglect a very vital motivator:  the enjoyment of what we eat. I still have a moderate aversion to raw vegetables. They are simply foreign to me; the essence of their flavors are unfamiliar to me.  Instead of forcing myself to eat them, I am finding creative ways to incorporate their flavors into what I eat every day, with the ultimate goal of enjoying them for themselves.

And so, to smooth the transition, I have been adding the flavors of raw vegetables into something I enjoy everyday:  Smoothies!

Smoothies are an art. Throw together whatever juice, fresh fruit, and frozen fruit combination you have on hand, and see what comes of it! Today’s selection yielded a refreshingly tart concoction.

Minty Raspberry Smoothie

6oz 100% Vegetable Juice

2oz 100% Orange Juice

Small handful of fresh mint leaves

Medium handful of raw spinach

½ banana

1 baby banana (These are very sweet and delicious!!)

½ cup frozen mango chunks

½ cup frozen raspberry chunks

Adjust amounts of juice and frozen fruit to your desired consistency

The beauty of smoothies is that they are a very simple, fun, tasty way to incorporate fruits and vegetables into your diet. The blender does not muddy all of the flavors. Instead, each ingredient offers its own personality. The star of this smoothie really is the combination of tart raspberry and fresh mint. The baby banana offers a very sweet addition and smooths the consistency. Spinach gives it a beautiful color and mellow flavor. The vegetable juice contributes just a bit of spice. My one foundational rule for smoothies is this:  use only pure, healthy ingredients. This means no ice cream, and no flavored yogurt. In fact, I skip the yogurt entirely by adding a banana for smooth consistency. Also, avoid ice cubes as they only take up volume. Replace them with frozen fruit (make sure there is no sugar added to your frozen fruit...)

Parent's magazine recently printed a couple of conflicting articles concerning the incorporation of vegetables into children's' diets. One article argued that an effective way to get your child to eat vegetables is to puree them into a paste and mix them into foods which your children already like. The next article argued to the opposite:  children should be offered vegetables, and taught to appreciate and enjoy them. I must say that the first article maddened me. What will my child think if he sees me squeezing slimy green spinach goo into his lunch? If I teach my children that to lie is very hurtful and has great consequences, then I cannot give them any reason to feel I am deceiving them. I do think that there is a place for pureeing vegetables, if they are to somehow enhance the meal. In fact, my mother-in-law gifted me a cookbook which is based on this technique, and I have found some very tasty recipes in it. However, if the goal of pureeing vegetables and mixing them into a meal is to deceive your child into eating "well", I whole-hardheartedly disagree with the approach. If I add pureed vegetables to meals, I want my children to help me, and to understand and see why this technique betters the flavor and nutrition of our dish.

It is very important to us that our children know what they are eating. This will help them to make knowledgeable decisions about what they do and do not consume. We want our children to enjoy good food. We want them to grow, taste, discover, and appreciate food.  I don't want my kids to view vegetables as foreign or "icky". Rather, I want to prepare vegetables in such a way to showcase the creativity which God has given us through the food He sustains us with.

This is not a difficult task. I am finding that it is much more simple--and fun--than I imagined to make vegetables the star of our meals. Some meals take more time than others, and that's fine with me. I am very, very okay with giving of my time to ensure my family eats nutritious meals that they enjoy. In fact, I count it as one of my ministries to them. I am finding, however, that it can also be done quite simply and quickly.

Grayson had a lunch meeting at church today. And I decided that since he was getting a special lunch, I would also. Boxed Mac N’ Cheese. Yes—you read correctly. Boxed Mac N’ Cheese. Let me preclude this by saying we do not make it a habit to eat boxed or packaged meals in our home. We cook from scratch as much as possible. However, in 15 minutes I was able to put together this wonderful, healthy lunch.

White Pepper and Dill Macaroni and Cheese with Arugula, Spinach and Mushrooms.

1 large handful of raw spinach

1 large handful of raw arugula

6oz raw mushrooms

Wash, pat dry, and chop the above ingredients. Place them into a skillet and sauté over medium heat with some white pepper and dried dill for about 5 minutes, until the greens are wilted and the mushrooms are tender. Don't add oil. These veggies release their own moisture to cook in. Drain the extra liquid once they are cooked.

Mix your cooked veggies into a prepared box of organic mac n’ cheese. Make sure whatever boxed mac n’ cheese you buy has only natural ingredients, and prepare it with minimal butter (always use only real butter, none of that hydrogenation oil junk...)

A "Healthy" Dose of Fear

For those of you who came to know Christ as your Lord and Savior as a child, you may identify with my first motivation to "pray the prayer":  a great fear of Hell. Growing up in church, I had heard the stories of this fiery, dark, lonely existence, and would do anything in my little 4-year-old ability to avoid this scary place. And so, when my parents explained to me that all I had to do was pray and ask Jesus to forgive my sins, I was all in! Of course, as the years went on, and I came to know more and more about my Savior, I realized (and continue to realize every day) the great benefits of knowing Christ, and living life in His grace! Fear is not the best motivator, and there is so much more beyond avoiding Hell. For my past, I am forgiven and freed from wrong done. In my present, I am forgiven and freed to live an abundant life, always accepted in Christ. For my future, I am forgiven any sin I will ever commit, and freed in the knowledge that I will be with Christ in eternity!

 I have found that the same analogy can be applied to Grayson and my journey for health. This all began with fear. It started with viewing a few documentaries on health and nutrition.("Food Inc.", "Forks Over Knives", "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead", "Food Stamped" to name a few). As we viewed these, the reality began to sink in of how great the effect is on our lives from that which we eat, or don't eat. And so, in fear of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, auto-immune diseases, obesity, chronic fatigue, and other illnesses often caused by poor nutrition, we set out on our journey. As I have explained before, I fully acknowledge that a poor diet is not the sole offender or cause of these diseases. The world is fallen. People become ill, sometimes even very fit and healthy people. I also acknowledge that a wholesome diet on its own will not protect us against disease. God protects my family, and may His will be done in our lives. As we live in His grace, we accept whatever may come our way in full appreciation of His sovereignty, love, grace, and promise of an eternal future with Him! However, I do firmly believe that a nutritious diet and exercise can indeed improve our quality of life, and ability to serve one another and the Lord.

I have a chronic disease which developed in my body simply by fluke. My immune system, at some point, became a tad bit confused. It caught a glimpse of my adrenal glands, and mistook them for a foreign object, set its little lasers and it, and pow! Non-functioning adrenal glands not only means that my body produces no adrenaline; adrenals have a much broader job than only adrenaline. And so, beyond an absence of adrenaline, I experience various symptoms on a day-to-day basis. The most prominent of these is fatigue. Now, for a mother of an eight-month-old, a healthy energy level is a must. Since we have begun adapting our eating and exercise, I have experienced a notable increase of energy. Eating well and exercise cannot in itself guard against chronic illness. It cannot correct my chronic disease. However, it can help us to thrive in whatever health we encounter. It will keep us well even when unwell. And hey, it does give us a better chance against chronic illness.

Our journey for health has moved beyond initial fear of disease and premature death. We are learning, and experiencing every day great benefits of eating nutritiously, and exercising. Beyond an increase of energy,  I have lost 5 pounds, have healthier skin, and have much better focus and alertness.

One of the most helpful things we have done to transform our diet is introduce a lot more fresh produce. At the market on Saturday, as I glanced over our items on the checkout belt, I was very pleased to realized that the bulk of our purchase was twisted into many little produce bags. Instead of trying to fit more veggies into our recipes, we are instead fitting our recipes around our veggies. We buy whatever produce is on sale, and then figure out what to do with it, and before it sits on the counter too long! It is a challenge, and one I am enjoying. I hate to waste food, and so it is my mission to use up our produce before we have to toss it. This is causing us to rethink how and what we cook.

Although many of our recipes are vegetarian, we have not (and do not plan to) eliminate meat from our diet. Take, for instance, last night's dinner. It is rare these days that we base a meal around a protein. However, during our family date on Saturday, we were browsing through Whole Foods, and noticed that they had all-natural, hormone free whole chickens  on sale. We have never cooked a whole chicken, sadly. And so I introduce to you, Pat!

Now, I can take absolutely no credit for this delicious-looking bird. I was a bit intimidated by the task of cooking a whole chicken. And so instead, I handed the job over to a wonderful chef I know, the one who taught me most of what I know in the kitchen:  my husband! Yesterday afternoon Grayson brined the bird, and and then rubbed it with a Tuscan seasoning,  Herbes de Provence, and garlic. He placed Pat into a pan with some onions and fresh orange slices. We set out on our family walk. About a hour and a half later, we walked back into our home and were met by a indescribable, magnificent aroma! It was Pat! We served him up with some sweet corn and organic potatoes.

My husband is a brilliant man.